He stalked into the hall followed by the other marauders, all of whom seemed determined to demolish and otherwise ruin as much of the house furnishings as possible.
After completing the entire circuit of the rooms on that floor, they started toward the wide staircase to descend to the floor below for further search.
At the head of the stairs they suddenly came to a standstill, and all trembled with fright at what they saw.
The brave old man who was only a moment ago so courageously leading his warriors to battle beheld a child in white standing at the head of the stairs, with arms outstretched, and he cried: “Jesus and Mary defend me! This spirit is sent to warn us of death. Oh, oh.” He immediately fell upon his knees and buried his face in his hands. His followers stood still and watched the figure before them in breathless fear.
“I am no spirit,” said the child, Catalina Martinet—for it was she who stood before them—“but I have been one, and in that other life which ended so strangely for me, I knew you, poor old man. How well I remember seeing you in the yard of the cathedral and watching you and a boy pull the rope which rang the bell in the high tower of the cathedral. At the same time you helped to pull the rope, several boys in the tower beat the big, old bell with sticks.”
“Ah, Jesus and Mary, save me! This is a spirit, I am sure,” cried the old man.
“I repeat,” said Catalina, “I am not a spirit now, but I was once. Now I live again, again! Old man, I recall how the very sight of you pulling the old rope made me tremble with fear, if I had committed the slightest deed contrary to the priest’s teachings and had not confessed. You remember, do you not, old man?”
The only reply vouchsafed was a shake of the head and a groan.
“No?” she continued. “Then you shall remember, Señor Antonio Noriega, the time you broke your leg when you were a very, very old man, and you lay in the little dark adobe room back of the cathedral and died for want of attention. Say, Señor Noriega, you need to remember. There needs be an awakening of your soul; now is a good time for the beginning. Arise, sir; leave this house this very moment and cease your evil designs.”
The old man stricken with horror, arose and in a trembling voice, said: “It is the voice of a spirit. I am warned. Oh, that my eyes were open, that I might see!”