Book: A mysterious stranger

She sat down beside the fire, warmed his hands and waited; her old lips and hands were blue with cold; she was approached by a stranger. It was a traveler; he gently spoke to her and, knowing that no one near but me, he said he was sorry for her. Then he asked, is it true what she admitted and she said no. He looked surprised and him even more was sorry for her, he asked:
- Why did you confess?
- I am old and poor, she said, and I only work to survive. Had no choice as only to admit. If I didn't, they would have to let me go. It would have ruined me, because no one would have forgotten that I was suspected of witchcraft, and for me just would not work, and wherever I went, they would let dogs in my direction. Very soon would come a famine. Fire is the best solution - the end is near. You were kind to me, you two, and I thank you for that.
She clung closer to the fire and extended his hands to warm them, snowflakes gently descended on her white hair, making them even whiter.
A crowd gathered and flew the egg that was in her eyes and flowed down her face. Someone laughed.
She was squatting at the fire, warming herself and waiting; and her old lips and hands were blue with the cold. A stranger came next. He was a traveler, passing through; and he spoke to her gently, and, seeing nobody but me there to hear, said he was sorry for her. And he asked if what she confessed was true, and she said no. He looked surprised and still more sorry then, and asked her:
"Then why did you confess?"
"I am old and very poor," she said, "and I work for my living. There was no way but to confess. If I hadn't they might have set me free. That would ruin me, for no one would forget that I had been suspected of being a witch, and so I would get no more work, and wherever I went they would set the dogs on me. In a little while I would starve. The fire is best; it is soon over. You have been good to me, you two, and I thank you."
She snuggled closer to the fire, and put out her hands to warm them, the snow-flakes descending soft and still on her old gray head and making it white and whiter. The crowd was gathering now, and an egg came flying and struck her in the eye, and broke and ran down her face. There was a laugh at that.