to be a particular favorite of the Virgin; and enumerating the various losses that would be caused by his departure to the community to which he belonged, to society, and to religion at large; he at last worked up himself to a vehement expostulation with the Deity on the occasion.  “Why hast thou,” he exclaimed, “why hast thou, Oh God! thus dealt with us?  Why hast thou snatched from our sight this glorious saint, whose merits, if properly applied, doubtless would have been sufficient to atone for the apostasy of St. Peter, the opposition of St. Paul (previous to his conversion), and even the treachery of Judas himself?  Why hast thou, Oh God! snatched him from us?”—­and a deep and hollow voice from among the congregation answered,—­“Because he deserved his fate.”  The murmurs of approbation with which the congregation honored this apostrophe half drowned this extraordinary interruption; and though there was some little commotion in the immediate vicinity of the speaker, the rest of the audience continued to listen intently.  “What,” proceeded the preacher, pointing to the corse, “what hath laid thee there, servant of God?”—­“Pride, ignorance, and fear,” answered the same voice, in accents still more thrilling.  The disturbance now became universal.  The preacher paused, and a circle opening, disclosed the figure of a monk belonging to the convent, who stood among them.

. . . . .

After all the usual modes of admonition, exhortation, and discipline had been employed, and the bishop of the diocese, who, under the report of these extraordinary circumstances, had visited the convent in person to obtain some explanation from the contumacious monk in vain, it was agreed, in a chapter extraordinary, to surrender him to the power of the Inquisition.  He testified great horror when this determination was made known to him,—­and offered to tell over and over again all that he could relate of the cause of Father Olavida’s death.  His humiliation, and repeated offers of confession, came too late.  He was conveyed to the Inquisition.  The proceedings of that tribunal are rarely disclosed, but there is a secret report (I cannot answer for its truth) of what he said and suffered there.  On his first examination, he said he would relate all he could.  He was told that was not enough, he must relate all he knew.

. . . . .

“Why did you testify such horror at the funeral of Father Olavida?”—­“Everyone testified horror and grief at the death of that venerable ecclesiastic, who died in the odor of sanctity.  Had I done otherwise, it might have been reckoned a proof of my guilt.”  “Why did you interrupt the preacher with such extraordinary exclamations?”—­To this no answer.  “Why do you refuse to explain the meaning of those exclamations?”—­No answer.  “Why do you persist in this obstinate and dangerous silence?  Look, I beseech you, brother, at the cross that is suspended against this