would most earnestly entreat--
that you do nothing to wound the religious susceptibilities of the
inhabitants, who regard the Inquisition, and all connected with it, with
the utmost veneration and dread."

"Probably with even greater dread than veneration, eh, Don Juan?"
remarked George, as he took up his hat and prepared to follow the
alcalde out of the building.

"Possibly, senor; possibly," replied the alcalde, with reservation, as
he led the way.

Nothing more was said until the pair reached the street and rejoined
Basset and his little band of armed men, who stood placidly facing a
crowd of nearly a hundred men principally composed of the more lawless
and ruffianly element which is to be found in the lower quarters of
every city.

The alcalde regarded this sullen-looking, but as yet merely passively
hostile crowd for some moments with an expression of considerable alarm
and misgiving; then, moved by the urgency of the occasion, he waved his
hand to claim attention, and made a little speech in which he first
rebuked the gathering for its discourtesy to the visitors by standing
gaping at them as though they were so many wild beasts, after which he
commanded them to disperse, warning them at the same time to interfere
with the strangers at their peril, informing them that he would very
severely punish any person who should dare to do so, and at the same
time reminding them that the said strangers, though few, were trained
soldiers, fully armed, who would themselves be quick to avenge the
slightest interference or insult. He stood there until the last of the
surly, scowling ruffians had moved slowly and unwillingly away, their
movements finally hastened by the emergence of a party of soldiers from
another wing of the building, and then, when they had all vanished, he
furtively indicated to George the way to the Inquisition, and hurriedly
removed himself from the scene.

The Inquisition was situated at a distance of some ten minutes' march
from the Grand Plaza, and proved to be, when the party of Englishmen
reached it, an extensive forbidding-looking, prison-like structure built
of massive masonry, and apparently strong enough to withstand anything
short of an attack by ordnance. The entrance consisted of an archway
some twelve feet wide fitted with a pair of enormously thick iron-
studded oaken doors, in one of which was a small wicket fitted with a
grille. An iron chain, with a hand grip attached to its lower