CHAPTER XXVIII.
'Twas a dark tale of crime, and awed and chilled E'en indignation seeming horror still'd, Men stood beside a murd'rer's couch of death, Watching-the glazing-eye and flickering-breath-- Speaking with look and hurried sign alone, Their thoughts, too terror-fraught for word or tone.--MS.
The indignation excited in the Queen's mind against Don Louis wasdestined, very speedily, to be increased. Ferdinand had had time tobecome half angry, and quite impatient, ere his messengers dispatchedto the village returned. Stanley had been released--was regarded byall as innocent; but this was literally only from a peasant's word andthe half broken intelligence of an exhausted boy: he wanted proof,and a vague dread would take possession of him that his fate was buttemporarily suspended. At an early hour the next day, however, DonAlonzo returned; and Ferdinand's impatient anger was averted, when hefound the delay had been occasioned by their determination, toconvey the dying man to Segovia, and the caution necessary for itsaccomplishment. The Hermanos had already noted down his confession;but it was so fraught with extended and dangerous consequences, thatthey felt, they dared not act on their responsibility: all suppressingmeasures must proceed from the sovereigns themselves. Perez was againsummoned, and at once swore to the identity of the dying man as theindividual he had rescued from a deep pit, in a lonely mountain-pass,about twenty miles from his village; and the man, whose eagerness tospeak was evident, though his voice was so faint, as scarcely to beintelligible, commenced his dark and terrible tale.
The indignation of the Sovereign, and of those whom he had chosen tobe present, was excited to the utmost, mingled with horror as themysterious fates of many a loved companion were thus so fearfullysolved; but none felt the recital with the same intensity of emotionas the Sub-Prior, who, with, head bowed down upon his breast, andhands tightly clenched, knelt beside the penitent. It was notindignation, it was not horror; but agony of spirit that a religionwhich he loved better than himself, whose purity and honor he wouldhave so jealously guarded, that he would have sacrificed life itselffor its service, should have been made the cover for such unutterablevillany. Few imagined the deeds of painful mortification and bodilypenance which, in his solitude, the Sub-Prior afterwards inflicted onhimself; as if his individual sufferings should atone for the guilt ofhis brethren, and turn from them the wrath of an avenging God.
Horrible as were the details imparted, incomprehensible as it seemedthat so extended and well-organized a power, should exist so secretlythroughout Spain, as to hide itself even from the sovereigns andministers of justice themselves, yet none doubted what they heard.Sovereigns and nobles well knew that the Inquisition had beenestablished both in Castile and Arragon centuries before, and thatthe annals of those kingdoms, though mentioning the resistance of thepeople against this awful power, had been silent as to its entireextirpation.
In the first part of his narrative the man had spoken shrinkingly andfearfully, as if still in dread of vengeance on his betrayal; buthis voice became bolder when he confessed his own share in the lateatrocious crime. Accustomed by the strictest and most rigid training,to obey as familiars, the will of their superiors without question--tobe mere mindless and feelingless tools, to whom death itself wasawarded, if by word or hint, or even sign, they dared evincethemselves to be as other men--he had, at the command of the GrandInquisitor, deeply drugged Senor Stanley's evening draught, and, whileunder its potent influence, had purloined his sword; waylaid DonFerdinand in the Calle Soledad, effectually done the deed, and--awarethat it would be many hours ere the English Senor could arouse himselffrom the stupifying effects of the draught--had intended returning tohis chamber still more effectually to throw on him the suspicion ofthe murder. It happened, however, that it was the first time he hadever been chosen by his superiors as their tool for actual murder, andthe magnitude of the crime, from the greatness of, and universal loveborne towards the victim, had so appalled him, that, combined with theraging storm and pitchy darkness, he had felt utterly bewildered. Notwell acquainted with Segovia, he had found himself, after more than anhour's wandering--instead of, as he expected, again near the Senor'slodgings--in the self-same spot whence he had started, and close bythe body of his victim. The sight horrified and bewildered him yetmore, and he crept behind a low wall, resolved on remaining theretill the tempest had at least partially subsided, and then fulfil theremainder of his instructions; knowing that to fail in any one point,would be the signal of his own destruction. Fortune, however, so farfavored him, as to send the young English Senor to the very spot,and there was therefore no occasion for his further interference. Hetarried till he had seen Stanley's arrest, and had heard the loudexecrations of all proclaiming him the murderer--and then returned tohis employers.
The education of the familiars had so far failed with him, that,though aware of its danger, thoughts would enter his mind, as to howDon Ferdinand Morales could have offended the dread power which heserved, and why the foreign Senor should be thus implicated in thedeed. He hoped to have concealed these doubts; but from the issue, heimagined that some unguarded word spoken to a companion, must havebetrayed him. He was chosen by the Grand Inquisitor as his companion,on some secret expedition two days after the trial, unsuspiciousof the danger awaiting him, till the desolate scene on which theyunexpectedly entered flashed terror on his mind. His superior hadthere paused, told him that from the witness of Beta, the servantgirl, it was quite evident he had disobeyed part of the instructionsgiven, or his _return_ to Arthur's lodgings would have been heard byher as well as his _departure_ and thus at once have implicated theEnglishman as the real murderer; that though chance had thrown equalsuspicion upon him, it did net remove his disobedience, and so hewas doomed to death; and the blow, instantaneously given, felled himinsensible to the ground. When he recovered his senses, he foundhimself lying in a deep pit, where he had evidently been thrown asdead. The wounds and contusions received in the fall, as far as hecould recollect, by producing a most excruciating sense of pain,roused him from temporary insensibility, and he was convinced he heardhis murderer's voice--though he could not see him--exclaim distinctly,as if he were leaning over the mouth of the pit, "There goes my lastdoubt: other men might call it their last fear, but I know not theword! Three victims for the possession of one--and who will nowdare to brand me? I had slain that faltering craven without hisdisobedience, he dared to _think_ upon his deed."
Almost insensible from agony as he was, these words had impressedthemselves indelibly; causing the burning desire to live and berevenged. And the opportune succors of the villager, Perez, with aparty of woodmen; the completely hidden site of the village to which,he had been conveyed; and the, at first, favorable healing of hiswounds, appeared to give him every hope of its accomplishment. He hadresolved on communicating his tale to none save to Ferdinand himself,or to the Chief Hermano, under strict promise to reveal it to theSovereign: but his intense anxiety had evidently prevented theattainment of his desire, by producing fever; and thence arose hiswild and almost maniac cravings to make confession, and bind some holymonk, by a solemn vow, to convey it to the King.
It was not till the conclusion of this momentous narration, that theKing permitted any questions to be asked; and those he then demandedwere so concise and clear, that but few words were needed in which tocouch the reply.
"And the designer of this hellish plot, the real murderer--through thyhand, of one brave friend, and almost another--is the same who hasmurdered thee!" he inquired, after learning the exact sites of thesemysterious halls; information which caused some of the bravest heartsto shudder, from their close vicinity.
The man answered at once in the affirmative.
"And he dares assume, in this illegal tribunal, the rank of GrandInquisitor?"
"Ay, gracious liege."
"And his name?--that by which he is known to man? Speak! And as thytrue confession may be the means of bringing a very fiend to justice,so may thy share in his deeds be pardoned."
An indescribab
le expression passed over the fast stiffening featuresof the dying. He half raised himself, and, laying his clammy hand onFerdinand's robe, whispered, in clear and thrilling tones--
"Bend low, my liege; even at this moment I dare not speak it loud;but, oh! beware of those who affect superior sanctity to theirfellows: there is one who in the sunshine stands forth wisest, andpurest, and strictest; and at midnight rules arch-fiend--men call himDON LUIS GARCIA. _He_ is Don Ferdinand's murderer! _He_ sought SenorStanley's death and mine; but instead of a victim, he has found anaccuser! His web has coiled round himself--flee him! avoid him as yewould a walking pestilence, or visible demon! Minister as he may be ofour holy father, the Pope, he is a villain--his death alone can bringsafety to Spain. Ha! what is this? Mother of mercy! save me! Thecross! the cross! Absolution! The flames of hell! Father, bid themavaunt! I--a true confession." The words were lost in a fearfulgurgling sound, and the convulsion which ensued was so terrible, thatsome of the very bravest involuntarily turned away; but Stanley, whohad listened to the tale with emotions too varied and intense forspeech, now sprung forward, wildly exclaiming--
"Three victims for one! Where is that one? Speak--speak in mercy! Oh,God! he dies and says no word!"
The eyes of the dying man glared on him, but there was no meaningin their gaze; they rolled in their sockets, glazed, and in anotherminute all was stiff in death.
The Vale of Cedars; Or, The Martyr Page 29