Jack had selected the costume of the devil, as being the most appropriate, and mounting a jackass, he rode down in his dress to the masquerade. But, as Jack was just going in, he perceived a yellow carriage, with two footmen in gaudy liveries, draw up, and, with his usual politeness, when the footmen opened the door, offered his arm to hand out a fat old dowager covered with diamonds; the lady looked up, and perceiving Jack covered with hair, with his trident and his horns and long tail, gave a loud scream, and would have fallen had it not been for Captain Wilson, who, in his full uniform, was coming in, and caught her in his arms: while the old lady thanked him, and Captain Wilson bowed, Jack hastily retreated. “I shall make no conquests to-night,” thought he, so he entered the church, and joined the crowd; but it was so dense that it was hardly possible to move, and our hero soon got tired of flourishing his trident, and sticking it into people, who wondered what the devil he meant.
“This is stupid work,” thought Jack, “I may have more fun outside:” so Jack put on his cloak, left the masquerade, and went out in search of adventures. He walked into the open country about half a mile, until he came to a splendid house, standing in a garden of orange-trees, which he determined to reconnoitre. He observed that a window was open and lights were in the room; and he climbed up to the window, and just opened the white curtain and looked in. On a bed lay an elderly person, evidently dying, and by the side of the bed were three priests, one of whom held the crucifix in his hand, another the censer, and a third was sitting at a table with a paper, pen, and ink. As Jack understood Spanish, he listened, and heard one of the priests say:
“Your sins have been enormous, my son, and I cannot give you extreme unction or absolution unless you make some amends.”
“I have,” answered the moribund, “left money for ten thousand masses to be said for my soul.”
“Five hundred thousand masses are not sufficient: how have you gained your enormous wealth? by usury and robbing the poor.”
“I have left a thousand dollars to be distributed among the poor on the day of my funeral.”
“One thousand dollars is nothing—you must leave all your property to holy church.”
“And my children!” replied the dying man faintly.
“What are your children compared to your salvation?—reply not: either consent, or not only do I refuse you the consolation of the dying, but I excommunicate—”
“Mercy, holy father—mercy!” said the old man, in a dying voice.