e Perrero in his scarlet garments
seemed like a prince to them, and overwhelmed with the respect they
felt for him, they could not succeed in understanding what he said,
but when the Tato threatened with his staff a mastiff following
closely at his master's heels, those simple people decided to leave
the church sooner than abandon the faithful companion of their wild
mountain life.

Gabriel looked through the choir railings; both the upper and lower
stalls were full. It was a great festival, and not only were all the
canons and beneficiaries in their places, but all the priests of the
chapel of the kings,[1] and the prebends of the Muzarabe chapel--those
two small churches who live quite apart with traditional autonomy
inside the Cathedral of Toledo.

[Footnote 1: The kings of Spain are canons of Toledo Cathedral, and
are fined in case of absence on festival days.]

In the middle of the choir Luna saw his friend the Chapel-master in
his crimped and pleated surplice, waving a small baton. Around him
were grouped about a dozen musicians and singers, whose voices and
instruments were completely smothered each time the organ sounded from
above, while the priest directed with a resigned look the music, which
lost itself feeble and swamped in the solitude of the immense naves.

At the High Altar, on its square car, stood the famous Custodia,
executed by the celebrated master Villalpando. A Gothic shrine,
exquisitely worked and chiselled, bright with the shimmering of its
gold in the light of the wax tapers, and of such delicate and airy
work that the slightest motion made it shiver, shaking its finials
like ears of corn.

Those invited to the procession were arriving in the Cathedral. The
town dignitaries in black robes, professors from the academy in full
dress with all their decorations, officers of the Civil Guard, whose
quaint uniform reminded one of that of the soldiers of the early part
of the century. Through the naves with affectedly skipping steps
came the children, dressed as angels--angels _a la Pompadour_, with
brocaded coat, red-heeled shoes, blonde lace frills, tin wings
fastened to their shoulders, and mitres with plumes on their white
wigs. The Primacy got out for this festivity all its traditional
vestments. The gala uniform of all the church attendants belonged to
the eighteenth century, the time of its greatest prosperity. The two
men who were to guide the car had powdered hair, black coats, and knee