vy hand upon his shoulder, and began to lead him towards the
door.

"Hang you!" said Amyas. "If I had been a Spaniard and a priest like
yourself, I should have burnt you alive."

"Hang me?" shrieked the wretched old Balaam; and burst into abject howls
for mercy.

"Take the dark monk, Yeo, and hang him too. Lucy Passmore, do you know
that fellow also?"

"No, sir," said Lucy.

"Lucky for you, Fray Gerundio," said Will Cary; while the good friar
hid his face in his hands, and burst into tears. Lucky it was for
him, indeed; for he had been a pitying spectator of the tragedy. "Ah!"
thought he, "if life in this mad and sinful world be a reward, perhaps
this escape is vouchsafed to me for having pleaded the cause of the poor
Indian!"

But the bishop shrieked on.

"Oh! not yet. An hour, only an hour! I am not fit to die."

"That is no concern of mine," said Amyas. "I only know that you are not
fit to live."

"Let us at least make our peace with God," said the dark monk.

"Hound! if your saints can really smuggle you up the back-stairs
to heaven, they will do it without five minutes' more coaxing and
flattering."

Fray Gerundio and the condemned man alike stopped their ears at the
blasphemy.

"Oh, Fray Gerundio!" screamed the bishop, "pray for me. I have treated
you like a beast. Oh, Fray, Fray!"

"Oh, my lord! my lord!" said the good man, as with tears streaming
down his face he followed his shrieking and struggling diocesan up the
stairs, "who am I? Ask no pardon of me. Ask pardon of God for all your
sins against the poor innocent savages, when you saw your harmless sheep
butchered year after year, and yet never lifted up your voice to save
the flock which God had committed to you. Oh, confess that, my lord!
confess it ere it be too late!"

"I will confess all about the Indians, and the gold, and Tita too, Fray;
peccavi, peccavi--only five minutes, senors, five little minutes' grace,
while I confess to the good Fray!"--and he grovelled on the deck.

"I will have no such mummery where I command," said Amyas, sternly. "I
will be no accomplice in cheating Satan of his due."

"If you will confess," said Brimblecombe, whose heart was melting fast,
"confess to the Lord, and He will forgive you. Even at the last moment
mercy is open. Is it not, Fray Gerundio?"

"It is, senor; it is, my lord," said Gerundio; but the bishop only
clasped his hands over his head.

"Then I am undone! All my money is stolen! Not a