Chapter XVIII: A Study in Grey

Manresa--Tropical deluge--Rash judgment--Catalan hills and valleys--Striking approach--Taking time by the forelock--Primitive inn--Strange assembly--Unpleasant alternative--Sebastien--Manresa under a cloud--Wonderful outlines--Disappointing church--Sebastien leads the way--Old-world streets--Picturesque and pathetic--Popular character--"What would you, senor?"--Sebastien's Biblical knowledge at fault--Lesson deferred--A revelation--La Seo--Church cold and lifeless--Cave of Ignatius Loyola--Hermitage of St. Dismas--Juan Chanones--Fasting and penance--Visions and revelations--Spiritual warfare--Eve of the Annunciation--Exchanging dresses--Knight turns monk--Juan Pascual--Loyola comes to Manresa--Fanaticism--Vale of Paradise--"Spiritual Exercises"--Founding the Jesuit Order--Dying to self--The fair Anita--In the convent chapel--Two novices--Vision of angels--The White Ladies--Agonising moment--Another Romeo and Juliet--Back to the hotel--Sebastien disconsolate--"To-morrow the sun will shine"--Building castles in the air--A prophecy fulfilled 263

CHAPTER XIX.

LERIDA.

Picturesque country--Approaching Lerida--Rambling inn--Remarkable duenna--Toothless and voiceless--Smiles upon H. C.--Nearly expires--Civilised chef--A procession--Lerida Dragon--City of the dead--Night study--Charging dead walls--A night encounter--Armed demon--Wise people--Watchman proves an old friend--No promotion--Locked out--Rousing the echoes--Night porter appears on the scene--Also El Sereno--Apologetic and repentant--The charming Rose--Porter congratulates himself--Cloudless morning--H. C. confronted by the Dragon--In the hands of the Philistines--A Lerida fine art--Boot-cleaner in Ordinary--Remarkable character--H. C. hilarious--Steals a march 285

CHAPTER XX.

THE STORY OF A LIFE.

Lerida by daylight--Second city in Catalonia--Past history--Days of the Goths--And Moors--Becomes a bishopric--Troublous times--Brave people--Striking cathedral--Splendid outlines--Desecration--The new cathedral--Senseless tyranny--One of the most interesting of towns--Crowded market-place--Picturesque arcades and ancient gateways--Wine-pressers--Good offer refused--Another revelation--Wonderful streets--Amongst the immortals--Our Boot-cleaner in Ordinary again--Thereby hangs a tale--His story--Blind wife--Modest request--Nerissa--Charming room--Little queen in the arm-chair--Faultless picture--Renouncements but no regrets--"All a new world"--Time to pass out of life--Back to the quiet streets--H. C. contemplative--Proposes emigration to Salt Lake City--Lerida glorified by its idyll 296