e he is condemned there is another charge of a still more heavy
nature," said the governor. "Stand forward, men, and say what you have
got to state;" and Nigel was, to his astonishment, charged with abetting
Captain Beauport in heaving overboard the images of the saints, the
relics, and papal dispensations.

"Even had I actually assisted I should only have been obeying the orders
of my superior officer," said Nigel.

"You confess that you were guilty of standing by and witnessing such a
proceeding without remonstrating?" exclaimed one of the priests who was
seated near the governor. "Such enormities must meet with severe
punishment, or our holy religion will be held in disrespect."

"Undoubtedly Captain Beauport escaped with too lenient a sentence," said
the governor, "though probably the vengeance of heaven has overtaken him
ere this: he and all on board the ship in which he sailed are beneath
the ocean."

"Because one has escaped, are other criminals to go unpunished?"
exclaimed the priest who had before spoken. "Death by shooting or
hanging would be too mild a sentence: he deserves the stake, unless by
confessing his fault and abjuring his errors he returns to the loving
bosom of our holy Church."

Similar remarks were made by the other priest in a manner not usual in a
court of law. For some time this mockery of a trial went on. Nigel
prayed for strength, for he felt how greatly he needed it. He stood
calm and apparently unmoved, listening to the abusive remarks of the
vindictive priests. No one raised a voice in his favour. There might
have been many who felt for him, but they feared to speak. The men who
were judging him were also his accusers. Still he felt bound to defend
himself, although he knew full well that the most able defence would not
avail him. He pleaded that, with regard to reading the Bible, he was a
foreigner and was but doing what was allowed in his own country; that he
was not even attempting to make proselytes, and was simply obeying the
command of his Lord to search the Scriptures. And that, as to the
second accusation, whether or not he approved of what had been done, had
he acted otherwise and interfered, he would have been guilty of an
infraction of naval discipline; therefore he could not be made
answerable for what had been done.

"He acknowledges himself guilty of sacrilege, for ecclesiastical law is
above all other law, and that would have compelled him to interfere,"