Christian Flesh 



Christians ; since it is a notable fact that Christians are by 

 far the tenderest diet ? Besides which, sharks [lohos marinos) 

 have eaten many Christians in the West Indies." 



" With respect to marine animals I do not speak ; but no 

 animal of the earth eats Christian flesh, and this is a 

 Catholic truth." 



" Is not the worm an animal of the earth, and does it not 

 eat the most pious Christians? In the church of the Caridad, 

 in Seville, there is a picture of an archbishop in an open 

 coffin. All over his body great maggots are creeping in 

 every direction, and, indeed, seem to have eaten the greater 

 part of him, for in many parts the bones are bare. Now, as 

 this picture is exposed in so sacred a place, it must be pre- 

 sumed, on the authority of the Catholic Church, that arch- 

 bishops (whose flesh is rather more Christian than ordinary) 

 are actually eaten by worms. The picture is called the 

 * Triumph of Death ' [El triunfo de la Muerte)^ and was 

 painted by Valdes de Leal." 



" This ' Triumph of Death,' and the case of being eaten 

 by worms, which is indeed ignominious, has been doubtless 

 ordained for the humiliation of fleshly pride. Death is no 

 respecter of persons. He brings down both young and old. 

 The Sefiora huespeda here, for example, has had ten children 

 (' Eleven,' cried the landlady, from above the hissing frying- 

 pan) — eleven children, I say, and death has removed them 

 all except one." 



" To soy ^/," (I am he) cried a piping little voice in the 

 back-ground ; and we saw a poor little sickly boy, who did 

 not look otherwise than rather likely food for the worms 

 himself. 



As a plateful of fish was now ready, we retired to the 

 comedor (eating-place), and enjoined the bereaved mother to 

 make haste with another relay. 



366 



