Many respectable people, to prevent the scandal of the thing pro-ceeding further, wished to turn the Alguazil out of the church, but the reverend preacher would by no means permit such violence; and thus the Alguazil had the liberty of saying all he wished. When he was silent, my master rose and asked him if he wished to say more? on which he replied, “I could say plenty more concerning your rogueries, but for the present what I have said is sufficient.”
The devout commissary of his holiness then threw himself on his knees in the pulpit, and casting his arms and eyes towards heaven, he exclaimed: “O Lord, to whom nothing is hidden, thou knowest the truth, and how cruelly I am calumniated. I forgive all that personally concerns me, but to that which relates to my holy calling I cannot be indifferent; inasmuch as many here may be induced to give credit to what has been falsely spoken, to the injury of their own souls and of my holy mission.
Comforts of which lam the bearer
I therefore pray thee, O Lord, to vouchsafe by a miracle to show the whole truth as to this matter. If I deal in falsehood and iniquity, may the pulpit on which I now kneel sink with me seven fathoms below the earth, so that I may never be heard of again,—and if what is said be false, and prompted by the devil to deprive these good people here of the comforts of which lam the bearer, let the author of the calumny be punished, so that all present may be convinced of his malice.”
Hardly had my pious master finished his prayer, when the Alguazil fell from the place where he was standing, and with such a noise that the whole church resounded with the fall. His countenance became distorted, and he began to foam at the mouth, uttering frightful curses, and rolling about in the utmost apparent agony.
At this wonderful interposition of Providence, the clamor became so great that no one could hear himself speak. Some were frightened, and cried, “Lord, Lord, have mercy on the sinner”; while others said, “It served him right for his false testimony—let him kick and go to the devil!”
Finally, however, some individuals went to his assistance, though not without evident fear, and tried to hold his arms and legs; but he gave them such fierce salutes, dealing his favors so vigorously and dexterously, that many were much hurt, and it required at least seventeen men to hold him down.
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