Note: Translator Pauline Bancroft Flach died in 1966, less than 70 years ago. Therefore, this work is protected by copyright, restricting your legal rights to reproduce it. However, you are welcome to view it on screen, as you do now. Read more about copyright.
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ONLY OF THIS WORLD 363
Cornado sitting on the platform by the high altar.
She was sitting still and did not seem to notice
their coming. But when Father Gondo came close
up to her, she started up as if she had lain in wait
for him and threw herself upon him. She seized
him by the throat and tried to strangle him.
She was big, splendidly developed and strong.
It was only after a severe struggle that Father
Gondo and two of the pilgrims succeeded in
subduing her. She was quite mad, and so violent that
she had to be bound.
The pilgrims had come in a solemn procession;
they sang, and held burning candles in their hands.
There was a long line of them, for many people
from Diamante had joined them. Those who came
first immediately stopped their singing; those
coming after had noticed nothing and continued their
song. But then the news of what had happened
passed from file to file, and wherever it came the
song stopped. It was horrible to hear how it died
away and changed into a low wail.
All the weary pilgrims realized that they had
failed in their coming. All their laborious
wanderings had been in vain. They were disappointed in
their beautiful hopes. The holy image would have
no consolation to offer them.
Father Gondo himself was in despair. It was a
more severe blow to him than to any one else, for
each one of the others had only his own sorrow to
think of, but he bore the sorrows of all those people
in his heart. What answer could he give to all the
hopes he had awakened in them ?
Suddenly one of his beautiful, child-like smiles
passed over his face. The image must wish to test
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