Besides books like
those of Marco Polo and John Mandeville and the Bishop
of Cambrai he had studied philosophers and the ancients and
Scripture and the Fathers. He spoke unwaveringly of
prophecies, explicit and many, of his voyage, and the rounding
out of earth by him, Christopherus Columbus. More
than once or twice, in the great cabin, beneath the swinging
lantern, he repeated to us such passages, his voice making
great poetry of old words. "Averroes saith--Albertus
Magnus saith--Aristotle saith--Seneca saith--Saint Augustine
saith--Esdras in his fourth book saith--" Salt air
sweeping through seemed to fall into a deep, musical beat
and rhythm. "After the council at Salamanca when great
churchmen cried Irreligion and even Heresy upon me, I
searched all Scripture and drew testimony together. In
fifty, yea, in a hundred places it is plain! King David saith
--job saith--Moses saith--Thus it reads in Genesis--"
Diego de Arana smote the table with his hand. "I am
yours, senor, to find for the Lord!" Fray Ignatio lifted
dark eyes. "I well believe that nothing happens but what is
chosen! I will tell you that in my cell at La Rabida I heard
a cry, `Come over, Ignatio the Franciscan!' "
And I, listening, thought, "Not perhaps that ancient
spiritual singing of spiritual things! But in truth, yes, it
is chosen.
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