"When I put this garment on, I swore that I would never lay it aside during my lifetime."
"And you do not break your oath, because you suffer violence, and your will does not consent to it."
"But why do you use violence against me? In what have I offended you? I never saw you before."
"Oh, Father, you ought to perceive that I am forced by others to do you violence."
"If you know evil, why do you not abstain from it?"
"It would have been difficult before now: but now impossible."
"Miserable man! I pity you. When you shall have brought me back this garment, it will be stained with blood: perhaps it will not be seen in the eyes of men, but God will see it: a Christian soul shall then stand before His throne, asking for vengeance, ... and he will have it."
"And would that it were the only one!" muttered Titta. "Father, it is getting late; give me your gown."
"No, rather take my life."
"I told you that we needed your garment, and not your life: I beg you with all my strength, and humbly beseech you not to force us to put our hands upon you. Take away the necessity of resorting to this extreme; we also are obeying those who are more powerful than we. And if we did not obey, we should all be killed."