They Occupy The
Site Of The Ancient Jewish Markets, And The Zealous Prelate Tenorio,
Cousin To The Great Lady's Man Don Juan, Could Think Of No Better Way Of
Acquiring The Ground Than That Of Stirring Up The Mob To Burn The Houses
Of The Heretics.
A fresco that adorns the gate explains the means
employed, adding insult to the old injury.
It is a picture of a
beautiful child hanging upon a cross; a fiendish-looking Jew, on a
ladder beside him, holds in his hand the child's heart, which he has
just taken from his bleeding breast; he holds the dripping knife in his
teeth. This brutal myth was used for centuries with great effect by the
priesthood upon the mob whenever they wanted a Jew's money or his blood.
Even to-day the old poison has not lost its power. This very morning I
heard under my window loud and shrill voices. I looked out and saw a
group of brown and ragged women, with babies in their arms, discussing
the news from Madrid. The Protestants, they said, had begun to steal
Catholic children. They talked themselves into a fury. Their elf-locks
hung about their fierce black eyes. The sinews of their lean necks
worked tensely in their voluble rage. Had they seen our mild missionary
at that moment, whom all men respect and all children instinctively
love, they would have torn him in pieces in their Maenad fury, and would
have thought they were doing their duty as mothers and Catholics.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 174 of 254
Words from 46455 to 46710
of 67759
