about stepping into bed, when the
door opened suddenly, and the lady entered in great apparent trepidation,
exclaiming: 'My husband is knocking at the door! For heaven's sake slip
into that chest,' showing him a double one in the apartment, 'and lie
there until I see what may be done! Meanwhile I will hide your clothes
somewhere or other, as well as I am able. Heaven knows I fear more for
your holy person than I do for my own life!' The unfortunate wretch,
seeing himself reduced to such a pass, did as the worthy lady desired;
while the husband, presently coming in, retired to rest with his wife, who
had first locked the friar safe in the chest. The poor prisoner uttered
sundry involuntary noises in the course of the night, and was in the
direst terror at the inquiries which they awakened on the part of the
husband. Daylight at length came, and the church-bells began to ring for
prayers, which greatly annoyed the captive, who was to preach at the
cathedral. The husband having risen, ordered two servants to carry the
chest to the church and place it in the middle, saying they were ordered
to do so by the preacher; and that unlocking the chest without raising the
lid, they should leave it there; all which the fellows did very neatly.
Every body stared, and wondered what all this could mean; some said one
thing and some another. At last the bell having ceased to ring, and no one
appearing in the pulpit, or any other part of the church, a young man rose
and said: 'Really, the good friar makes us wait quite too long; pray let
us see what he has ordered to be brought in this chest.' Having said this
much, he before all the congregation lifted up the lid, and looking in,
beheld the friar in his shirt, pale, almost frightened to death, and
certainly appearing more dead than alive, and as if buried in the chest.
Finding himself discovered, however, he collected his mind as well as he
could, and stood upright, to the great astonishment of all present; and
having taken his text from the Sunday of Lazarus, he thus addressed his
congregation: 'My dear brethren: I am not at all astonished at your
surprise in seeing me brought before you in this chest, or rather at my
ordering myself to be brought thus: ye know that this is the way in which
our holy church commemorates the wonderful miracle our LORD performed on
the person of LAZARUS, in raising him from the dead who had been buried
four days. I was desirous in your favor to present mysel