The Witches

The boy stays behind the screen and continues to train the mice. He’s not scared: He’s in a room with elegant women who prevent cruelty toward children. The boy notices a woman scratching her neck. He then sees another woman scratching her neck. He thinks they have nits or lice. Soon, the boy watches a woman put her hand under her hair and scratch her scalp. The woman is wearing a wig. She’s also wearing gloves. The boy realizes all the women wear gloves. 

The boy thinks about escaping, but the women shut the doors and wrap a chain around them. Frightened, the boy faints. A few seconds later, he’s conscious and peeking through a crack in the screen.

The witches stare at a small, pretty woman on the platform. She has on long black gloves but no hat. She brings her fingers to her beautiful face and removes it—it’s a mask, and underneath is an extremely hideous face. The boy realizes the witch on the platform is the Grand High Witch.

The Grand High Witch asks if the doors are secure. After someone confirms they are, she instructs the other witches, in a foreign accent, to remove their gloves, shoes, and wigs.