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bridal chamber； where the young pair had retired。
They hurried to the door； but the father was first。 They burst it
open； and found the bride a corse in the arms of her husband。
。 。 。 。 。
He never recovered his reason； the family deserted the mansion
rendered terrible by so many misfortunes。 One apartment is still
tenanted by the unhappy maniac； his were the cries you heard as you
traversed the deserted rooms。 He is for the most part silent
during the day； but at midnight he always exclaims； in a voice
frightfully piercing； and hardly human； 〃They are coming！ they are
coming！〃 and relapses into profound silence。
The funeral of Father Olavida was attended by an extraordinary
circumstance。 He was interred in a neighboring convent； and the
reputation of his sanctity； joined to the interest caused by his
extraordinary death； collected vast numbers at the ceremony。 His
funeral sermon was preached by a monk of distinguished eloquence；
appointed for the purpose。 To render the effect of his discourse
more powerful； the corse； extended on a bier； with its face
uncovered； was placed in the aisle。 The monk took his text from
one of the prophets；〃Death is gone up into our palaces。〃 He
expatiated on mortality； whose approach； whether abrupt or
lingering； is alike awful to man。He spoke of the vicisstudes of
empires with much eloquence and learning； but his audience were not
observed to be much affected。He cited various passages from the
lives of the saints； descriptive of the glories of martyrdom； and
the heroism of those who had bled and blazed for Christ and his
blessed mother； but they appeared still waiting for something to
touch them more deeply。 When he inveighed against the tyrants
under whose bloody persecution those holy men suffered； his hearers
were roused for a moment； for it is always easier to excite a
passion than a moral feeling。 But when he spoke of the dead； and
pointed with emphatic gesture to the corse； as it lay before them
cold and motionless； every eye was fixed； and every ear became
attentive。 Even the lovers； who； under pretense of dipping their
fingers into the holy water； were contriving to exchange amorous
billets； forbore for one moment this interesting intercourse； to
listen to the preacher。 He dwelt with much energy on the virtues
of the deceased； whom he declared to be a particular favorite of
the Virgin； and enumerating the various losses that would be caused
by his departure to the community to which he belonged； to society；
and to religion at large； he at last worked up himself to a
vehement expostulation with the Deity on the occasion。 〃Why hast
thou；〃 he exclaimed； 〃why hast thou； Oh God！ thus dealt with us？
Why hast thou snatched from our sight this glorious saint； whose
merits； if properly applied； doubtless would have been sufficient
to atone for the apostasy of St。 Peter； the opposition of St。 Paul
（previous to his conversion）； and even the treachery of Judas
himself？ Why hast thou； Oh God！ snatched him from us？〃and a deep
and hollow voice from among the congregation answered；〃Because he
deserved his fate。〃 The murmurs of approbation with which the
congregation honored this apostrophe half drowned this
extraordinary interruption； and though there was some little
commotion in the immediate vicinity of the speaker； the rest of the
audience continued to listen intently。 〃What；〃 proceeded the
preacher； pointing to the corse； 〃what hath laid thee there；
servant of God？〃〃Pride； ignorance； and fear；〃 answered the same
voice； in accents still more thrilling。 The disturbance now became
universal。 The preacher paused； and a circle opening； disclosed
the figure of a monk belonging to the convent； who stood among
them。
。 。 。 。 。
After all the usual modes of admonition； exhortation； and
discipline had been employed； and the bishop of the diocese； who；
under the report of these extraordinary circumstances； had visited
the convent in person to obtain some explanation from the
contumacious monk in vain； it was agreed； in a chapter
extraordinary； to surrender him to the power of the Inquisition。
He testified great horror when this determination was made known to
him；and offered to tell over and over again all that he COULD
relate of the cause of Father Olavida's death。 His humiliation；
and repeated offers of confession； came too late。 He was conveyed
to the Inquisition。 The proceedings of that tribunal are rarely
disclosed； but there is a secret report （I cannot answer for its
truth） of what he said and suffered there。 On his first
examination； he said he would relate all he COULD。 He was told
that was not enough； he must relate all he knew。
。 。 。 。 。
〃Why did you testify such horror at the funeral of Father
Olavida？〃〃Everyone testified horror and grief at the death of
that venerable ecclesiastic； who died in the odor of sanctity。 Had
I done otherwise； it might have been reckoned a proof of my guilt。〃
〃Why did you interrupt the preacher with such extraordinary
exclamations？〃To this no answer。 〃Why do you refuse to explain
the meaning of those exclamations？〃No answer。 〃Why do you
persist in this obstinate and dangerous silence？ Look； I beseech
you； brother； at the cross that is suspended against this wall；〃
and the Inquisitor pointed to the large black crucifix at the back
of the chair where he sat； 〃one drop of the blood shed there can
purify you from all the sin you have ever committed； but all that
blood； combined with the intercession of the Queen of Heaven； and
the merits of all its martyrs； nay； even the absolution of the
Pope； cannot deliver you from the curse of dying in unrepented
sin。〃〃What sin； then； have I committed？〃〃The greatest of all
possible sins； you refuse answering the questions put to you at the
tribunal of the most holy and merciful Inquisition；you will not
tell us what you know concerning the death of Father Olavida。〃〃I
have told you that I believe he perished in consequence of his
ignorance and presumption。〃 〃What proof can you produce of that？〃
〃He sought the knowledge of a secret withheld from man。〃 〃What
was that？〃〃The secret of discovering the presence or agency of
the evil power。〃 〃Do you possess that secret？〃After much
agitation on the part of the prisoner； he said distinctly； but very
faintly； 〃My master forbids me to disclose it。〃 〃If your master
were Jesus Christ； he would not forbid you to obey the commands； or
answer the questions of the Inquisition。〃〃I am not sure of that。〃
There was a general outcry of horror at these words。 The
examination then went on。 〃If you believed Olavida to be guilty of
any pursuits or studies condemned by our mother the church； why did
you not denounce him to the Inquisition？〃〃Because I believed him
not likely to be injured by such pursuits； his mind was too weak；
he died in the struggle；〃 said the prisoner with great emphasis。
〃You believe； then； it requires strength of mind to keep those
abominable secrets； when examined as to their nature and
tendency？〃〃No； I rather imagine strength of body。〃 〃We shall try
that presently；〃 said an Inquisitor； giving a signal for the
torture。
。 。 。 。 。
The prisoner underwent the first and second applications with
unshrinking courage； but on the infliction of the water…torture；
which is indeed insupportable to humanity； either to suffer or
relate； he exclaimed in the gasping interval； he would disclose
everything。 He was released； refreshed； restored； and the
following day uttered the following remarkable confession。 。 。 。
。 。 。 。 。
The old Spanish woman further confessed to Stanton； that。 。 。 。
。 。 。 。 。
and that the Englishman certainly had been seen in the neighborhood
since；seen； as she had heard； that very night。 〃Great Gd！〃
exclaimed Stanton； as he recollected the stranger whose demoniac
laugh had so appalled him； while gazing on the lifeless bodies of
the lovers； whom the lightning had struck and blasted。
As the manuscript； after a few blotted and illegible pages； became
more distinct； Melmoth read on； perplexed and unsatisfied； not
knowing what connection this Spanish story could have with his
ancestor； whom； however； he recognized under the title of the
Englishman； and wondering how Stanton could have thought it worth
his while to follow him to Ireland； write a long manuscript about
an event that occurred in Spain； and leave it in the hands of his
family； to 〃verify untrue things；〃 in the language of Dogberry；
his wonder was diminished； though his curiosity was still more
inflamed； by the perusal of the next lines； which he made out with
some difficulty。 It seems Stanton was now in England。