“Very lovingly and humanely” they admonish him to tell the whole truth of the things known to him that are the business of the Holy Office, and particularly in answer to the questions they have prepared. These questions being summed up amount to the following: Whence was the child that was crucified? Whose child was it? Who brought it to the cave? Who first set on foot this affair? They promise him that if he makes truthful answer they will use him as mercifully as the law and their consciences permit. Yucé has cause to mistrust any such promises. His first confession was made three months ago under a promise of pardon, and he has every reason to suppose that it has been the ruin of him. He says, however, that being in the cave on the occasion when they foregathered there for the enchantment--about fourteen days after the crucifixion--he heard Tazarte inquire whence was the child, and Juan Franco replied before all that it was from a place whence it would never be missed, “as stated in his confession.” (When last asked this question--at the time of making his confession--he had attributed these words to Tazarte.) He protests that he can remember no more than he has already confessed. Their Reverend Paternities deplore his stubbornness. They tell him that since he will not speak the entire truth of what he knows--as they have proof--they must proceed to other measures. They summon Diego Martin, the torturer, and into his hands they deliver the prisoner, with orders to take him to the torture-chamber, strip him naked, and bind him to the _escalera_--intending, if necessary, to proceed to the water-torture. This is done, and Yucé is stretched naked and cruelly bound with ropes that bite into his flesh as a foretaste of the _garrote_ by which his torments will commence. The inquisitors enter--possibly after a delay sufficient to allow the mental torture of anticipation to terrorize the patient into a more amenable frame of mind. Again they admonish him for his own sake to speak what he knows, and they even point out to him that it is his duty as a God-fearing Jew to speak the truth. Again they promise to deal mercifully with him if he will answer their questions fully and truthfully; and lastly they protest that if his blood is shed in the course of what is to follow, or should he suffer any other harm, or mutilation of limb, or even death, the blame must fall entirely upon himself and nowise upon their reverences. Fully intimidated by this skilful accumulation of terrorizing agents, Yucé implores them to repeat their questions, which he will do his best to answer. “Whence,” they ask him again, “was the boy who was crucified at La Guardia?” “Juan Franco,” he replies, “brought him from Toledo.” He adds that Juan Franco announced this before them all, and told them that he had kept the child concealed in La Hos de La Guardia for a day before bringing him to the cave to be crucified. [Illustration: _Photo by Donald Macbeth._