Julio bowed affirmatively.
"Ah!" exclaimed Geronimo, "if I cannot save your body from death, at least
let me keep your soul from eternal torments. Oh! if I could thus repay the
debt of gratitude I owe you! Julio, were God to prolong your life, would
you renounce evil and return courageously and sincerely to the path of
duty and virtue? You say yes? You implore God's mercy, do you not? You
have confidence in the inexhaustible treasure of his goodness? Then,
Julio, raise your dying eyes to heaven, direct your last thoughts to Him
who is the source of all mercy, and with full confidence let your soul
wing its flight to the supreme tribunal. Already from the highest heaven
God absolves the repentant sinner!"
A triumphant hope illumined the countenance of Julio as he endeavored to
raise his eyes to heaven.
"Saved--his soul is saved!" exclaimed Geronimo, transported with a pious
joy.
A slight convulsion passed over the limbs of Julio, his muscles became
paralyzed, his head fell heavily on Geronimo's shoulder, and drawing his
last breath, he murmured, almost unintelligibly: "Mercy! O my God!"
"He is dead!" said Geronimo. "May thy soul receive my fraternal embrace in
its passage to eternity! May this mark of reconciliation weigh in the
balance of eternal justice!"
He bent over the dead; but as if contact with the corpse had deprived him
of his little remaining strength, he fell as it were lifeless. Not a limb
moved, his arms dropped motionless, his eyes closed, it seemed that his
soul had also taken its flight to heaven to accompany the soul of Julio
before God's judgment seat.