"Ah, Dios!" said the alcalde, drawing involuntarily back.

"'Tis certainly," said the bishop, "a stain upon the sanctity of this
catholic town, that a thing of this kind should have taken place; the
quieter the affair is kept, the better: no doubt, senor alcalde, a coffin
can he prepared to-night, to carry away the body; those who carry it, must
know nothing of what we have seen; and you, as chief magistrate, will
superintend the removal."

"Truly," said the alcalde, "'tis a duty I would rather avoid: I am a poor
sinful man, ill fitted to grapple with the powers of darkness; whereas holy
men, like my lord bishop and the good friar, can have nothing to fear."

"I fear nothing," said the confessor.

"Oh, we fear nothing," said the bishop; "and it does seem to me, that
the reverend father cannot well be excused taking a part in this duty,
as he is in some sort under an engagement to the evil spirit (crossing
himself) to see it executed."

"But," rejoined the friar, "would it not he felt by us all to be a great
security, were we in this emergency to make use of the relics which are
deposited in the church of San Salvador,--and which no one, save the
bishop, is worthy to handle?"

"'Tis an excellent suggestion," said the alcalde.

Now the bishop, desirous no doubt of paying a compliment to the alcalde
and the friar by intrusting these sacred relics to their care, in place
of taking upon himself the honourable office of being their bearer,