Of Love And Other Demons

The Bishop calls Father Delaura into his office and listens "without indulgence" (119) to Delaura's complete confession of his love for Sierva María. After hearing this, the Bishop strips Delaura of his "dignities and privileges" (119) and sends him to work with the lepers at the Amor de Dios Hospital. The Bishop's only "leniency" (119) is that he doesn't tell anyone about Delaura's love. The Bishop kindly grants him the right to lead the hospital patients' five-o'clock Mass, then erases Delaura "from his heart" (119).

With the loss of Delaura, Martina takes over as Sierva's unofficial caretaker at the convent. Martina hides her despair over the Viceroy's rejection of her request for pardon, but one afternoon on the terrace, tells Sierva that she would rather "be dead" (120) than stay rotting in prison. Martina asks Sierva whether her demons might be able to help, and asks Sierva who they are, and "how to negotiate with them" (120). Intrigued by the opportunity to lie, Sierva names off six demons who possess her. One of them Martina recognizes as "an African demon" (120) who had once disturbed her own parents' house. She asks Sierva if she can speak to this demon, in exchange for her soul.