Part 36 (2/2)

Here the Dominican prior interposed. ”You can ask for an advocate,” he said; ”and as you are under twenty-five years of age, you can also claim the a.s.sistance of a curator.[#] Furthermore, you can request a copy of the deposition against you, in order to prepare your defence.”

[#] Guardian.

”Always supposing,” said Munebrga himself, ”that he formally denies the crime laid to his charge.--Do you?” he asked, turning to the prisoner.

”We understand you so to do,” said the prior, looking earnestly at Carlos. ”You plead not guilty?”

Carlos rose from his seat, and advanced a step or two nearer to the table where sat the men who held his life in their hands. Addressing himself chiefly to the prior, he said, ”I know that by taking the course your reverence recommends to me, as I believe out of kindness, I may defer my fate for a little while. I may beat the air, fighting in the dark with witnesses whom you would refuse to name to me, still more to confront with me. Or, I may make you wring out the truth from me slowly, drop by drop. But what would that avail me? Neither for the truth, nor yet for any falsehood I might be base enough to utter, would you loose your hand from your prey. I prefer that straight road which is ever the shortest way. I stand before your reverences this day a professed Lutheran, despairing of mercy from man, but full of confidence in the mercy of G.o.d.”

A movement of surprise ran around the Board at these daring words. The prior turned away from the prisoner with a pained, disconcerted look; but only to meet a half-triumphant, half-reproachful glance from his superior, Munebrga. But Munebrga was not displeased; far from it. It did not grieve him that the prisoner, a mere youth, ”was throwing himself into the fire.” That was his own concern. He was saving ”their reverences” a great deal of trouble. Thanks to his hardihood, his folly, or his despair, a good piece of work was quickly and easily accomplished. For it was the business of the Inquisitors first to convict; retractations were an after consideration.

”Thou art a bold heretic, and fit for the fire,” he said. ”We know how to deal with such.” And he placed his hand on the bell that was to signal the termination of the interview.

But the prior, recovering from his astonishment, once more interposed.

”My lord and your reverence, be pleased to allow me a few minutes, in which I may set plainly before the prisoner both the wonted mercy and lenity of the Holy Office to the repentant, and the fatal consequences of obstinacy.”

Munebrga acquiesced by a nod, then leant back carelessly in his seat; this was not a part of the proceedings in which he felt much interest.

No one could doubt the sincerity with which the prior warned Carlos of the doom that awaited the impenitent heretic. The horrors of the death of fire, the deeper, darker horror of the fire that never dies, these were the theme of his discourse. If not actually eloquent, it had at least the earnestness of intense conviction. ”But to the penitent,” he added, and the hard face softened a little, ”G.o.d is ever merciful, and his Church is merciful too.”

Carlos listened in silence, his eyes bent on the ground. But when the Dominican concluded, he looked up again, glanced first at the great crucifix, then fixed his eyes steadily on the prior's face. ”I cannot deny my Lord,” he said. ”I am in your hands, and you can do with me as you will. But G.o.d is mightier than you.”

”Enough!” said Munebrga, and he rang the hand-bell. After a very short delay, the alcayde reappeared, and led Carlos back to his cell.

As soon as he was gone, Munebrga turned to the prior. ”My lord,” he said, ”your wonted penetration is at fault for once. Is this the youth whom you a.s.sured us a few months of solitary confinement would render pliant as a reed and plastic as wax? Whereas we find him as bold a heretic as Losada, or D'Arellano, or that imp of darkness, little Juliano.”

”Nay, my lord, I do not despair of him. Far from it. He is much less firm than he seems. Give him time, with a due mixture of kindness and severity, and, I trust in our Lord and St. Dominic, we will see him a hopeful penitent.”

”I am of your mind, reverend father,” said the Promoter-fiscal. ”It is probable he confessed only to avoid the Question. Many of them fear it more than death.”

”You are right,” answered Munebrga quickly.

The notary looked up from his papers. ”Please your lords.h.i.+ps,” he said, ”I think it is the _sangre azul_ that makes him so bold. He is Alvarez de Menaya.”

”Keep to thy quires and thine ink-horn, man of law,” interposed Munebrga angrily. ”Thy part is to write down what wiser men say, not to prate thyself.” It was well known that the Inquisitor, far from boasting the _sangre azul_ himself, had not even what the Spaniards call ”good red blood” flowing in his veins; hence his irritation at the notary's speech.

There is often a great apparent similarity in the effects of quite opposite causes. That which results from a degree of weakness of character may sometimes wear the aspect of transcendent courage. A bolder man than Don Carlos Alvarez might, in his circ.u.mstances, have made a struggle for life. He might have fought over every point as it arose; have availed himself of every loophole for escape; have thrown upon his persecutors the onus of proving his crime. But such a course would not have been possible to Carlos. As a running leap is far more easy than a standing one, so to sensitive temperaments it is easier to rush forward to meet pain or danger than to stand still and fight it off, knowing all the time that it must come at last.

He would have been astonished had he guessed the impression made upon his examiners. To himself it seemed that he had confessed his Lord in much weakness. Still, he had confessed him. And shut out as he was from all ordinary ”means of grace,” the act of confession became a kind of sacrament to him. It was a token and an evidence of Christ's presence with him, and Christ's power working in him. He could say now, ”In the day that I called upon thee thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.” And from that hour he seemed to live in greater nearness to Christ, and more intimate communion with him, than he had ever done before.

It was well that he had strong consolation, for his need was great. Two other examinations followed after a short interval; and in both of these Munebrga took a far more active part than he had done in the first.

The Inquisitors were at that time extremely anxious to procure evidence upon which to condemn Fray Constantino, who up to this point had steadily resisted every effort they had made to induce him to criminate himself. They thought it probable that Don Carlos Alvarez could a.s.sist them if he would, especially since there had been found amongst his papers a highly laudatory letter of recommendation from the late Canon Magistral.

Still, his a.s.sistance was needed even more in other matters. It is scarcely necessary to say that Munebrga, who forgot nothing, had not forgotten the mysterious appointment made with him, but never kept, by a cousin of the prisoner's, who was now stated to be hopelessly insane.

What did that mean? Was the story true; or were the family keeping back evidence which might compromise one or more of its remaining members?

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