"Yes, we are a people governed by gloom,'* said the
musician. "The sombre humour of those dark centuries
lives in us still. I have often thought how difficult Hfc
must have been to an awakened spirit. The Inquisition
listening to every word, and endeavouring to guess every
thought The conquest of heaven the sole ideal of
life! And that conquest becoming daily more difficult!
Money must be paid to the Church to save one's self,
and poverty was the most perfect state; and again,
besides the sacrifice of all comfort, prayers at all hours,
the daily visits to the church, the life of confraternities,
the disciplines in the vaults of the parish church, the
voice of the brother of Mortal Sin interrupting sleep to
remind one of the approach of Death; and added to
this fanatical and weary life the uncertainty of salvation,
the threat of falling into hell for the slightest fault, and
the impossibility of ever thoroughly appeasing a sullen
and revengeful God. And then again, the more tangiUe
menace, the terror of the bonfire, engendering cowardice
and debasing suspected men."



THE SHADOW OF THE CATHEDRAL 215

"In this way we can understand," said Gabriel, *'thc
cynical confession of the Canon Llórente explaining
why he became secretary to the Holy Office: They
began to roast, and in order not to be roasted I took on
me the part of roaster/ For intelligent men there was
nothing else to be done. How could they resist and
rebel? The king, master of all lives and property,
was only the servant of bishops, friars, and familiars.
