But a difficulty, which ought to have been foreseen, arose.

Monteseoco, cut-throat as he was, refused to stab Lorenzo before the high altar: at the last moment some sense of the _religio loci_ dashed his courage.

Two priests were then discovered who had no such silly scruples.

In the words of an old chronicle, 'Another man was found, who, _being a priest_, was more accustomed to the place and therefore less superstitious about its sanctity.' This, however, spoiled all.

The priests, though more sacrilegious than the bravos, were less used to the trade of assassination.