Now, it will easily be believed, that the confessor, upon leaving the tower, would immediately communicate to the civil and spiritual authorities, the particulars of the extraordinary interview that had taken place; and that although doubts might at first be entertained of the sanity of the narrator, yet, that his positive asseverations would at length so far weigh with the alcalde, and the bishop of Ronda, who then chanced to be making his yearly visitation to Tarifa, as to induce them to judge with their own eyes, of the truth of what had been told to them.  I was prepared for this; and when in less than three hours, the iron screen was heard to fall back, Isabel was again stretched upon the ground, while I stood motionless by her side.  Who were the persons that peered through the grate, I am unable to tell, but whoever they might be, they were quickly satisfied with their scrutiny; for when I glided towards the grate, at the same time allowing the hood to fall partially back, the screen was suddenly closed, and quick retiring footsteps announced the further success of the stratagem.

However extraordinary the thing might seem, and however hard of belief, no doubt could any longer rest upon the minds of those whom first duty, and then incredulity, had led to the tower, that something supernatural inhabited the chamber where lay the dead Isabel.  Her, they had seen extended on the floor; and they had seen another being, which could not be a mortal, because well they were convinced no mortal could gain entrance there.  That it was the ghost of him who had been murdered by the inmate of the cell, no one could doubt:  and the sooner therefore the body of the wretched prisoner could be carried out, the sooner would this spirit cease to haunt the tower of Tarifa.  It was in this manner therefore, that the affair was argued by the confessor, the bishop, and the alcalde, among whom the following colloquy took place: 

“I suppose, gentlemen,” said the confessor, “you are now sufficiently convinced that I have told you no tale.”

“Sufficiently convinced,” said the alcalde; yet breathless with fear.

“There is no doubt of it,” said the bishop; panting from the rapidity of his descent from the tower.

“Why,” rejoined the confessor, “I was as near to it as I am to you!” shuffling up close to the alcalde’s nose.

“Ah, Dios!” said the alcalde, drawing involuntarily back.

“’Tis certainly,” said the bishop, “a stain upon the sanctity of this catholic town, that a thing of this kind should have taken place; the quieter the affair is kept, the better:  no doubt, senor alcalde, a coffin can he prepared to-night, to carry away the body; those who carry it, must know nothing of what we have seen; and you, as chief magistrate, will superintend the removal.”

“Truly,” said the alcalde, “’tis a duty I would rather avoid:  I am a poor sinful man, ill fitted to grapple with the powers of darkness; whereas holy men, like my lord bishop and the good friar, can have nothing to fear.”