France of the first half of the 17th century - the era of Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu. The town of Loudun, where the nuns of the Ursuline Convent suddenly go crazy. Catholic priest Urbain Grandier has been accused of spiritual and sexual seduction of the sisters. A passionate womanizer and lover of life, a charismatic and educated man, he must suffer severe punishment for witchcraft and go to the stake. Those who rallied against Grandier claimed that he was an insidious tempter and an accomplice of the devil. Huxley, who studied in detail historical documents about this sensational trial, believes that the priest fell victim to political intrigues. The author not only revives the events of the past, he analyzes the Loudun incident, relying on contemporary theories, richly illustrates the material with examples from notes on French life, excerpts from theological and scientific works, quotes from masterpieces of world fiction. He also looks for genuine connections between such phenomena as witch hunts, fascism, the communist idea and the persecution of “red sympathizers” in the United States.