
GaspardeCarvajal,aDominican,hasnotseenhisfamilysincetheageof10whenhewassentawaytopursuethereligiouslife.Heattendsthefuneralofhisfather,wherehenoticesthatthebodywaswashed,thenburiedinashroudandwithoutacoffin.Gaspartellshisconfessorthathesuspectshisfamily,JewsconvertedtoCatholicism,arestillfollowingtheoldways.FatherLorenzosaysthismattermustbetakenbeforetheInquisition.AlonsodePeralta,chiefInquisitorofNewSpain,orderstheCarvajalfamilyarrestedonthetestimonyoftheirson.Hernando,aFranciscanfriar,issentasaspytothecellofLuis,Gaspar'sbrother.Luis'sfaithconvertsHernandotoJudaism.Undertorture,Luis'smotherFranciscaconfesses.EachfamilymemberrenouncestheJewishheresyandisallowedtoleaveprison.Buttheyarewarned.IftheyreverttoJudaismasecondtime,theywillbeburntatthestake...WrittenbyDavidCarless





