th his suite. He came from the
sacristy, and sat down in a splendid fauteuil, beneath which was
spread a rich carpet. He was in full dress, and wore the cordon of
Charles III., with four or five other decorations.

"Ha!" cried a countryman. "A citizen in fancy dress!"

"Imbecile!" replied his neighbor. "It's Prince Villardo whom we
saw last night in the play!" And the alcalde, in the character of
giant-slayer, rose accordingly in the popular estimation.

Presently those seated arose, those sleeping awoke, the mass had
begun. Brother Salvi celebrated, attended by two Augustins. At length
came the long-looked-for moment of the sermon. The three priests
sat down, the alcalde and other notables followed them, the music
ceased. The people made themselves as comfortable as possible, those
who had no benches sitting outright on the pavement, or arranging
themselves tailor fashion.

Preceded by two sacristans and followed by another monk, who bore
a great book, Father Damaso made his way through the crowd. He
disappeared a moment in the spiral staircase of the pulpit, then
his great head reappeared and his herculean bust. He looked over his
audience, and, the review terminated, said to his companion, hidden
at his feet:

"Attention, brother!"

The monk opened his book.

XXV.

THE SERMON.

The first part of the sermon was to be in Castilian, the remainder
in Tagalo. Brother Damaso began slowly and in ordinary voice:

"Et spiritum tuum bonum dedisti qui docevet eos, et manna tuum non
prohibuisti ab ore eorum, et aquam dedisti eis in siti. Words of the
Lord spoken by the mouth of Esdras, Book II., chapter ix., verse 20.

"Most worshipful senor (to the alcalde), very reverend priests,
brothers in Christ!"

Here an impressive pose and a new glance round the audience, then,
his eyes on the alcalde, the father majestically extended his right
hand toward the altar, slowly crossed his arms, without saying a word,
and, passing from this calm to action, threw back his head, pointed
toward the main entrance, and, impetuously cutting the air with the
edge of his hand, began to speak in a voice strong, full, and resonant.

"Brilliant and splendid is the altar, wide the door, the air is the
vehicle of the sacred word which shall spring from my lips. Hear,
then, with the ears of the soul and the heart, that the words of the
Lord may not fall on a stony ground, but that they may grow and shoot
upward in the field of