disturb quiet citizens from their early rest?"

So nervous was she, however, that she could scarcely continue her
interrogations. At length the last bolt was withdrawn, and a party in
dark cloaks and masks were seen at the door.

"Where are your master and his daughter?" asked one of them; "they must
accompany us forthwith."

"My master and his daughter!" asked Barbara, "what can you want with
them at this hour of the night?"

"They must come to the Holy Office, to answer certain questions,"
answered the speaker. "Lead the way."

"But if the door is opened the light will be blown out, and you will be
unable to follow me."

Her great aim was to delay as long as possible, in the hope that by some
means her master and Gretchen might make their escape by the back of the
house. She was greatly in hope that the light would blow out, that she
might thus have an excuse for a longer delay.

"Come--come! no fooling, mistress!" exclaimed the officer. "Lead on, or
we must find the way by ourselves."

On this, Barbara proceeded up the broad steps to the floor above. Two
or three men, however, kept watch below. In vain were all her
precautions. In the usual sitting room, quietly seated at a table, were
Gretchen and her father. They rose as the officers of the Inquisition
entered, and the merchant asked them what they wanted. The officer
repeated what he had said to Barbara.

"We must obey," said the merchant; "we have no power to resist."

Instantly the father and daughter were surrounded, and carried off
separately. Poor Barbara wrung her hands in terror as she saw them
depart. They were carried along to the prison in which those accused by
the Inquisition were confined. Brill had for some time been free from
such visitations, but the presence of Alva at Brussels had stirred up
the authorities, and victims were sought for throughout every town in
Flanders.

They were not allowed to languish long in prison before their trial took
place. It was very short, for they did not deny the accusations brought
against them. They refused to acknowledge that the elements of bread
and wine were really the body and blood of Christ.

"Christ is in heaven," answered the merchant Hopper, "at the right hand
of God; He cannot be on earth at the same time. I don't believe that
sinful man, by a few words, would have the power of changing bread and
wine into flesh and blood. If there was a change, our sense would give
us ev