erated flesh had healed, his
stretched sinews had recovered somewhat of their original strength. His
cheeks were still pale, his voice, when he spoke to himself, was hollow,
his eye had lost its brightness, yet his mind retained much of its usual
vigour; his spiritual life had never flagged nor had his faith grown
dim. He was pacing slowly and still painfully up and down his cell,
when the door silently opened, and a friar stood before him.

A harsh voice uttered these words: "Antonio Herezuelo, I have come to
announce to you that unless you renounce your errors, and are forthwith
reconciled to the Church, you will to-morrow suffer the just punishment
of your infidelity, your blasphemies, your crimes."

"I have confessed myself to God, who can alone forgive sins, as a lost,
undone sinner, though washed in the precious blood of Jesus, and
redeemed through faith in His perfect and complete sacrifice. I have,
therefore, become one of the Church of the first-born. I am reconciled
to God, from whom I was once separated," answered Herezuelo. "What more
would you have me do?"

"The Church knows nothing of the expressions you utter. Be reconciled
to her; that is what you have to do, or you and your errors will be
burnt together."

"I cannot abandon the faith I hold, even to escape the cruel death you
threaten," answered the advocate.

"Prepare, then, obstinate heretic, to meet it!" answered the friar,
savagely. "Be assured that there will be no mitigation of your sentence
unless you recant; and then, in her loving mercy and kindness, if you
are reconciled and confess, you will enjoy the privilege of being
strangled before the flames reach your body."

A scornful smile came over the features of the prisoner.

"A gracious boon, forsooth! And this Church calls itself after the name
of the gentle, loving Saviour, who went about doing acts of kindness and
mercy, and saving from physical suffering all who came to Him desiring
to be cured!"

"I came not to bandy words with you," cried the monk; "the flames which
you will feel to-morrow will give you a foretaste of those you will have
to endure throughout eternity as the consequence of your obduracy."

"Our blessed Lord says, `I say unto you, My friends, be not afraid of
them which kill the body, and after that have no more than that they can
do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after
He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say