That was the problem with modern day witches , thought Corso : they didn't have any secrets . Everything was out in the open , you could read all about them in any Who's Who or gossip column . Baronesses or not , they had become predictable , vulgar . Torquemada would have been bored to death by it all .
Corso reflects on the modern perception of witches, feeling that they lack the mystery that once surrounded them. In his view, contemporary witches have lost their allure because their lives and identities are widely publicized; one can easily find information about them in popular publications. This transparency leads Corso to feel that they are now mundane and lack the depth that characterized earlier figures of mystique.
In Corso's eyes, the witches of today have become so predictable and common that even historical figures like Torquemada would find their existence tedious. The glamour and intrigue that once defined these figures have been replaced by a vulgarity and openness that leaves little to the imagination, marking a significant shift from the past to the present.
