But Vidal could not feel this disdain, and grew indignant at La Justa’s remark.
“Then what do they rob for?” she countered.
“And you, why do you ...?”
“Because I need to eat.”
“Well, they need to eat, too.”
La Flora now recalled that as a little girl she had witnessed the execution of La Higinia. She had gone with the janitress’s daughter.
“There’s where the scaffold was,” and she pointed to the middle of a wall opposite the death-house. “The clearings were jammed with people. La Higinia came along dressed all in black, leaning against the Brethren of Peace and Charity. She must have been dead from fright already. They sat her down on the stool and a priest with a raised cross in his hand stood before her; the executioner tied her feet with rope, catching her skirts in the knot; then he blindfolded her with a black handkerchief and getting behind her gave two turns to the wheel. Right away he removed the handkerchief from her face and the woman fell stiff upon the boards.
“Then,” concluded La Flora, “the other girl and myself had to run off, for the guards charged the crowd.”
Vidal paled at this detailed recital of an execution.