not a person to whom i spoke hesitated to enlighten me that it had nought to do with the saint , though this is his cathedral , except that they had chosen his feast the better to please god and all his angels and saints , with the execution tomorrow of the beautiful comtesse who is to be burnt alive , without benefit of being strangled beforehand , so as to set an example to all witches in the neighborhood of whom there were many , though the comtesse had named absolutely none as her accomplices even under the most unspeakable torture , so great was the devil 's power over her , but the inquisitors would indeed find them out .