The doctor had fallen asleep under the roof of the inquisitor's convent,
confident, under God, in the protection at that time guaranteed to
a British subject, his servants sleeping in the gallery outside
the chamber-door. About midnight, he was waked by loud shrieks and
expressions of terror from some one in the gallery. In the first moment
of surprise, he concluded it must be the alguazils of the holy office
seizing his servants to carry them to the Inquisition. But, on going
out, he saw the servants standing at the door, and the person who
had caused the alarm, a boy of about fourteen, at a little distance,
surrounded by some of the priests, who had come out of their cells on
hearing the noise. The boy said he had seen a spectre; and it was a
considerable time before the agitations of his body and voice
subsided. Next morning at breakfast, the inquisitor apologized for
the disturbance, and said the boy's alarm proceeded from a phantasma
animi,--phantom of the imagination.
It might have been so. Phantoms might well haunt such a place. As to
Dellon's book, the inquisitor acknowledged that the descriptions
were just; but complained that he had misjudged the motives of the
inquisitors, and written uncharitably of Holy Church. Their conversation
grew earnest, and the inquisitor was anxious to impress his visitor with
the idea that the Inquisition had undergone a change in some respects,
and that its terrors were mitigated. At length Dr. Buchanan plainly
requested to see the Inquisition, that he might judge for himself as to
the humanity shown to the inmates,--according to the inquisitor,--and
gave, as a reason why he should be satisfied, his interest in the
affairs of India, on which he had written, and his purpose to write on
them again, in which case he could scarcely be silent concerning the
Inquisition. The countenance of his host fell; but, after some further
observations, he reluctantly promised to comply. Next morning, after
breakfast, Joseph a Doloribus went to dress for the holy office, and
soon returned in his black robes. He said he would go half an hour
before the usual time, for the purpose of showing him the Inquisition.
The doctor fancied he looked more severe than usual, and that his
attendants were not as civil as before. But the truth was, that the
midnight scene still haunted him. They had proceeded in their palanquins
to the holy house, distant about a quarter of a mile from the convent,
and the inquisitor said as they were ascending the steps of the great
entrance, that he hoped the doctor would be satisfied with a transient
view of the Inquisition, and would retire when he should desire him to
do so. The doctor followed with tolerable confidence, towards the
great hall aforementioned, where they were met by several well-dressed
persons, familiars, as it afterwards appeared, who bowed very low to the
inquisitor, and looked with surprise at the stranger. Dr. Buchanan paced
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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