n man invented God the world had existed
millions of years."

CHAPTER VIII

On the morning of Corpus the first person Gabriel saw on leaving the
cloister was Don Antolin, who was looking over his tickets, placing
them in line in front of him on the stone balustrade.

"This is a great day," said Luna, wishing to smooth down Silver Stick.
"You are preparing for a great crowd; no doubt many strangers will
come."

Don Antolin looked intently at Gabriel, evidently doubting his
sincerity; but seeing that he was not laughing, he answered with a
certain satisfaction.

"The feast is not beginning badly; there are a great many who wish to
see our treasures. Ay, son! indeed we want it badly. You who rejoice
in our troubles may be satisfied. We live in horrible straits. Our
feast of Corpus is worth very little compared with former times; but
all the same, what economies we have had to make in the Obreria, to
provide the four ochavos[1] that the extra festivity will cost!"

[Footnote 1: _Ochavo_--small Spanish brass coin, value two maravedis.]

Don Antolin remained silent for some time, still looking intently at
Luna, as though some extraordinary idea had just occurred to him. At
first he frowned as though he were rejecting it, but little by little
his face lit up with a malicious smile.

"By the way, Gabriel," he said in a honeyed tone which contained
something very aggressive, "I remember at the time of the monument in
Holy Week you spoke to me of your wish to earn some money for your
brother. Now you have an opportunity. It will not be much; still it
will be something. Would you care to be one of those who carry the
platform of the Sacrament?"

Guessing the wish of the malicious priest to annoy him, Gabriel was on
the point of answering haughtily, but suddenly he was tempted by the
wish to foil Silver Stick by accepting his proposal; he wished to
astound him by acceding to his absurd idea; besides, he thought that
this would be a sacrifice worthy of the generosity with which his
brother treated him. Even though he could not assist with much money,
he could show his wish to work, and the scruples of his self-love
vanished before the hope of carrying home a couple of pesetas.

"You do not care about it," said the priest in mocking accents, "you
are too 'green,' and your dignity would suffer too much by carrying
the Lord through the streets of Toledo."

"You are mistaken. As for wishing it, I do wish it, but yo