"Did you never bow before that of Shakespeare?" said the man in
black, addressing himself to me, after a low bow to Belle.

"I don't remember that I ever did," said I, "but even suppose I
did?"

"Suppose you did," said the man in black; "shame on you, Mr. Hater
of Idolatry; why, the very supposition brings you to the ground;
you must make figures of Shakespeare, must you? then why not of St.
Antonio, or Ignacio, or of a greater personage still! I know what
you are going to say," he cried, interrupting me, as I was about to
speak. "You don't make his image in order to pay it divine
honours, but only to look at it, and think of Shakespeare; but this
looking at a thing in order to think of a person is the very basis
of idolatry. Shakespeare's works are not sufficient for you; no
more are the Bible or the legend of Saint Anthony or Saint Ignacio
for us, that is for those of us who believe in them; I tell you,
Zingara, that no religion can exist long which rejects a good
bodily image."

"Do you think," said I, "that Shakespeare's works would not exist
without his image?"

"I believe," said the man in black, "that Shakespeare's image is
looked at more than his works, and will be looked at, and perhaps
adored, when they are forgotten. I am surprised that they have not
been forgotten long ago; I am no admirer of them."

"But I can't imagine," said I, "how you will put aside the
authority of Moses. If Moses strove against image-worship, should