t a hand's breadth of space, through which Gabriel looked, thus
transmitting the orders of the front pilot.

"Attention! March!" shouted Gabriel, obeying an outside signal.

And the sacred car began to move slowly down the inclined wooden plane
that covered the steps of the High Altar. It was obliged to stop on
passing the railings. All the people knelt, and Don Antolin and the
Wooden Staffs having opened a way between them, the canons advanced in
their ample red robes, the auxiliary bishop with his gilded mitre,
and the other dignitaries in white linen mitres without ornament
whatsoever. They all knelt around the Custodia. The organ was silent,
and, accompanied by the hoarse blare of a trombone, they intoned a
hymn in adoration of the Sacrament; the incense rose in blue clouds
around the Custodia, veiling the brilliancy of its gold. When the hymn
ceased the organ began to play again, and the car once more resumed
its march. The Custodia trembled from base to summit, and the motion
made a quantity of little bells hanging on to its Gothic adornments
tinkle like a cascade of silver. Gabriel walked along holding on to
one of the crossbeams, with his eyes fixed on the pilots, feeling
on his legs the movements of those who pushed this scaffolding, so
similar to the cars of Indian idols.

On coming out of the Cathedral by the Puerta Llana, the only door in
the church on a level with the street, Gabriel could take in the whole
procession at a glance. He could see the horses of the Civil Guards
breaking the regularity of the march, the players of the city
kettledrums dressed in red, and the crosses of the different parishes
grouped without order round the enormous and extremely heavy banner
of the Cathedral, like a huge sail covered with embroidered figures.
Beyond, all the centre of the street was clear, flanked on either side
by rows of clergy and soldiers carrying tapers, the deacons with their
censers, assisted by the roccoco angels carrying the vessels for the
Asiatic perfume, and the canons in their extremely valuable historical
capes. Behind the sacrament were grouped the authorities, and the
battalion of cadets brought up the rear, their muskets on their arms,
their shaven heads bare, keeping step to the time of the march.

Gabriel breathed with delight the air of the public streets. He who
had seen all the great capitals of Europe admired the streets of the
ancient city after his long seclusion in the Cathedral. The