Padre Salvi gazed on the scene from a distance.
"I didn't think that the matter would trouble me so much," murmured Padre Damaso in a tearful voice.

"But of two evils, the lesser!" Then raising his voice he approached Linares and said to him, "Come, boy, let's talk to Santiago." Linares turned pale and allowed himself to be dragged along by the priest, who moved thoughtfully.

Then it was Padre Salvi's turn to pace back and forth, pensive as ever.
A voice wishing him good morning drew him from his monotonous walk.

He raised his head and saw Lucas, who saluted him humbly.
"What do you want ?" questioned the curate's eyes.
"Padre, I'm the brother of the man who was killed on the day of the fiesta," began Lucas in tearful accents.
The curate recoiled and murmured in a scarcely audible voice, "Well ?" Lucas made an effort to weep and wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.

"Padre," he went on tearfully, "I've been to Don Crisostomo to ask for an indemnity.