rest?--no, not on the lee side, in the fumes of the charcoal, but
to windward here, where the fire is bright, and where I have the
honour to give room. . . . So your Excellency did not attend the
Mass?--not approving of it, maybe?"

"It would seem that you know me?" said Ruth, answering something in
his tone, not his words.

The question set him chuckling. "Not by that token--though 'faith
'tis an ill wind blows nobody good. This earthquake, considered
philosophically, is a great opportunity for heretics. You and I, for
example, may sit here in the very middle of the square and talk
blasphemy to our heart's content; whereas--" He broke off.
"But I forget my manners. I ought to have started by saying that no
one, having once set eyes on your Excellency's face could ever forget
it; and, by St. James, that is no more than the truth!"

"Where have you seen me before?"

"By the gateway of the Holy Office, in a carriage with your lord
beside you. I marked his face, too. What it is to be young and rich
and beautiful! . . . And yet you might have remembered me, seeing
that I made part of the procession, though--praise be to fate!--
A modest one."

Ruth gazed at him. "I remember you," she said slowly; "you were one
of the Penitents."

"They were gracious enough to call me so. Yes, I can understand that
a san-benito makes some difference to a man's personal appearance.
. . . And old Gonsalvez--I saw your Excellency wince and your
Excellency's beauty turn pale when he cast up his hands to the sun.
. . . Hey? _How is it possible_--how went the words?"

Ruth had them well by heart. "_How is it possible for people,
beholding that glorious Body, to worship any Being but Him who
created it?_"

Right--word for word! Well, they made a lens for that glorious Body
and fried old Gonsalvez with it. Were you looking on?"

"No," said Ruth, and shivered.

"Well, I did--perforce. 'Twas part of my lesson; for you must know
that I, too, had had my little difficulty over that same glorious
Sun, touching his standing still over Gibeon at the command of
ancient Joshua. 'Faith, I've no quarrel with a miracle or so, up and
down; but that one! . . . Well, they convinced me I was a fool to
have any doubt, and a worse fool to let it slip off the tongue.
And yet," said the Penitent, warming his hands and casting a look up
at the sky, where the dust-cloud had given place to a rolling pall of
smoke, "what a treat it is to let t