dishonour
his holy faith; that he might hold fast to the truth; that the love of
Christ, by which He keeps His own, might be exhibited through him. To
resist would have been useless; and yet it cost him a hard struggle to
submit to the indignities to which he was subjected by the brutal
executioners ordered to carry out the Inquisitor's sentence. There he
stood, full of life and strength and energy, capable of enjoying to the
full all the blessings that God has bestowed in this life on man. Even
the confinement to which he had been subjected had not been able
sensibly to diminish the strength of his well-knit frame. In another
instant he was thrown, naked, and bound hand and foot, on to the cruel
rack, every sinew and muscle of his body extended to the utmost, whilst
agonising wrenches were given of the most fearful character, as the
screws and ropes of the horrid instrument were set in motion. Not a
word did he utter; scarcely a groan escaped from his bosom, though every
limb was suffering the most excruciating torture; the blood gushed from
his nostrils and mouth, his eyes well nigh started from their sockets.
His physical nature at length gave way, though his courage did not fail
him. He fainted. Death would have been a happy release, but his
torturers took pains not to allow him that boon; restoratives were
administered, and consciousness again returned. The surgeon who stood
by, however, gave notice that he must not be subjected, for a time, to
equal torture, or he would sink under it. He was therefore removed on a
blood-besprinkled stretcher to another chamber, and the inquisitors
proceeded with callous indifference to examine a fresh prisoner who was
now brought forward.

The person who was next led before the inquisitors was of a character
very different from that of Herezuelo. A glance at the rack made him
tremble in every limb. The inquisitors saw immediately that he would
afford them but little trouble, though, at the same time, that he might
be made useful by his giving information regarding others. He might
have passed in the world in quiet times as an earnest true Christian,
but now alarm for his personal safety overcame every other
consideration. He at once incriminated himself, and was soon induced to
bring damnatory accusations against his friends. When all the
information which could thus be obtained from him was secured, he was
dismissed, though still ignorant of the fate which awaited h