ONE OR MORE DEVILS

During this exorcism it was necessary to find out definitely whether the exorcist had to deal with one or more devils. It was also important for the exorcist to insist upon getting control over the person and of dispossessing the devil. On various occasions there were different voices coming out of the woman which indicated that unnumbered spirits were here involved. There were voices that sounded bestial and most unnatural, uttering an inexpressible grief and hatred that no human could reproduce. Again voices were heard that were quite human, breathing an atmosphere of keen suffering and indicating bitter feeling of disappointment. As is common in such experiences, Satan can, through the solemn exorcism of the Church, be forced to speak and to give answer. And, finally he can also be forced to speak the truth even though he is the father of lies from the very beginning. Naturally, he will try to mislead and to sidetrack the exorcist. It is also common experience that Satan at first does his utmost to side-step the questions with clever, witty evasions, direct lies, shrewd simulations.

When Satan was asked in the Name of Jesus, the crucified Savior, whether there were more spirits involved in the possession of the woman, he did not feign in the least, but boastfully admitted that there were a number of them present. As soon as the name of Jesus was mentioned, he began through the woman to foam and howl like a wild raving animal.

This ugly bellowing and howling took place every day and at times it lasted for hours. At other times it sounded as though a horde of lions and hyenas were let loose, then again as the mewing of cats, the bellowing of cattle and the barking of dogs. A complete uproar of different animal noises would also resound. This was at first so taxing on the nerves of those present that the twelve nuns were forced to take turns at assisting in order to save themselves and to have the necessary strength to continue facing the siege.

The exorcist:  "In the name of Jesus and His most Blessed Mother, Mary the Immaculate, who crushed the head of the serpent, tell me the truth. Who is the leader or prince among you? What is your name?" 

Devil, barking like the hound of hell:  "Beelzebub."

Exorcist:  "You call yourself Beelzebub. Are you not Lucifer, the prince of the devils?"

Devil:  "No, not the prince, the chieftain, but one of the leaders."

Exorcist:  "You were therefore not a human being, but you are one of the fallen angels, who with selfish pride wanted to be like unto God?"

Devil with grinning teeth:  "Yes, that is so. Ha, how we hate Him!"

Exorcist:  "Why do you call yourself Beelzebub if you are not the prince of the devils?"

Devil:  "Enough, my name is Beelzebub."

Exorcist:  "From the point of influence and dignity you must rank near Lucifer, or do you hail from the lower choir of angels?"

Devil:  "I once belonged to the seraphic choir."

Exorcist:  "What would you do, if God made it possible for you to atone for your injustice to Him?"

Demoniacal sneering:  "Are you a competent theologian?"

Exorcist:  "How long have you been torturing this poor woman?"

Devil:  "Since her fourteenth year."

Exorcist:  "How dared you enter into that innocent girl and torture her like that?"

Sneeringly:  "Ha, did not her own father curse us into her?"

Exorcist:  "But why did you, Beelzebub, alone take possession of her? Who gave you that permission?"

Devil:  "Don't talk so foolishly. Don't I have to render obedience to Satan?"

Exorcist:  "Then you are here at the direction and command of Lucifer?"

Devil:  "Well, how could it be otherwise?"

Let it be noted, too, that Father Theophilus addressed the devil in English, German, and again in Latin. And the devil, Beelzebub, and all the other devils, replied correctly in the very same tongues in which they were addressed. Apparently they would have understood any language spoken today and would have answered in it. Sometimes it happened that Father Theophilus, while in an exhausted state of mind, would make slight mispronunciations in his Latin prayers and words of exorcism. At once Beelzebub would intrude and shriek out. "So and so is right!  Dumbbell, you don't know anything!"

Once it happened that Father Theophilus did not catch the words the devil spoke in an articulate mumbling voice. So he asked the pastor:  "What did he say?"  Neither had the pastor understood the devil. Then the nuns were interrogated:  "What did he say?"

One answered:  "So and so, I think."

Then the devil bellowed and yelped at them:  "You, I did not say that. Stick to the truth!"

Father Theophilus indeed was anxious to know why the father had cursed his own daughter. But he only received a curt uncivil reply:  "You can ask him. Leave me in peace for once."

Exorcist:  "Is then the father of the woman also present as one of the devils? Since when?"

Devil:   What a foolish question. He has been with us ever since he was damned." A terrible, sneering laughter followed, full of malicious joy.

Exorcist:  "Then I solemnly command in the name of the Crucified Savior of Nazareth that you present the father of this woman and that he give me answer!"

A deep rough voice announced itself, which had already been noticed alongside the voice of Beelzebub.

Exorcist:  "Are you the unfortunate father who has cursed his own child?"

With a defiant roar:  "No."

"Who are you then?"

"I am Judas."

"What, Judas!  Are you Judas Iscariot, the former Apostle?"

Thereupon followed a horrible, woefully prolonged:  "Y-e-s, I am the one."  This was howled in the deepest bass voice. It set the whole room a-quivering so that out of pure fright and horror the pastor and some of the nuns ran out. Then followed a disgusting exhibition of spitting and vomiting as if Judas were intending to spit at his Lord and Master with all his might, or as if he had in mind to unloose his inner waste and filth upon Him.

Finally Judas was asked:  "What business have you here?"

"To bring her to despair, so that she will commit suicide and hang herself!  She must get the rope, she must go to hell!"

"Is it then a fact that everyone that commits suicide goes to hell?"

"Rather not."

"Why not?"

"Ha, we devils are the ones that urge them to commit suicide, to hang themselves, just as I did myself."

"Do you not regret that you have committed such a despicable deed?"

A terrible curse followed:  "Let me alone. Don't bother me with your fake god. It was my own fault."  Then he kept on raving in a terrible manner.