Chit-Chat; Nirvana; The Searchlight Part 32

While we hold the gate you with your men must cross the drawbridge and get to us. You know we can hold out but a few moments; there must be no delay.'

"'If we adopt this plan I want you and your companions to understand that the danger is great and you will probably be killed by the time we cross. I will force no man to a.s.sume the risk. It will be impossible for me to go as I must lead the a.s.sault. You will choose the two who go with you and I from volunteers will select two of my best men to meet you at the gate. You shall command the squad and, if successful, Sir John and your companions shall know to whom the credit is due.'

"That afternoon at four, three stalwart Italians left the camp, walking up the mountain. They were equipped in full armor and each carried a bundle under his arm.

"They crossed a rapid mountain stream near the headwaters of the Arno and were seen no more. Shortly thereafter three peaceful-looking friars came forth and took the trail leading to the castle and the pa.s.s, as they walked along chanting in a subdued tone the vesper service of their monastery.

"At twilight, dusty and sweat-stained from apparent long travel, they crossed the drawbridge just before it was raised for the night and the gates closed. When challenged by the guards they asked food and shelter for the night. The corporal of the guard interrogated them as to their business in the mountains.

"'We are three of five messengers sent by our order to Bologna. One of the other two was taken sick and forced to remain in the village overnight and a companion stayed with him; they will meet us here or in the pa.s.s on the morrow.'

"Reporting to the officer of the day, he was directed to let them in and to provide them with food and a bed of straw in the barracks.

"In the morning, just before six, they came to the gate and stood waiting. They were civilly greeted by the corporal who had let them in the night before, but who was being relieved by another corporal and guard.

"The new squad let down the drawbridge and opened the gate as was the custom when no danger threatened.

"The corporal in charge, who had little love for monks and friars, turning to them said: 'You are three big strapping fellows to be supported by charity. You should be working in the fields or else helping us fight for the church. Why they pay us to do their fighting instead of training you for that purpose I will never understand.

Either one of you looks as strong as a bull and with that habit in the ditch, a helmet on your head, wearing corselet and sword you might pa.s.s as a soldier. Here come two more of your order; not only the cities but the mountains are full of you. No wonder there is so much poverty in Bologna and Florence.'

"'I have always wished to be a soldier. I would like to try on your helmet and sword and see how my companions and I look dressed as your squad.'

"'Let's see how the three beggars look in helmets, and you might just as well buckle on our swords. Let the other two across, they can join in the comedy.'

"So we found ourselves within the gates with the swords of the guards in our hands.

"'Remove your habits and stand forth as men.'

"And so we did and, giving the defenseless, surprised and chagrined corporal a shove, I threw him into the moat and my men forced the others to follow him, where, standing in water and mud to their arm pits and facing an unscalable wall, they yelled an alarm and hoa.r.s.ely bawled for help.

"In the meantime, the castle and the neighboring wood were in commotion.

The watchmen on the walls had been shot down by the archers as had also several soldiers who rushed to see what had caused the uproar. I had a glimpse across the draw of Captain Hawkwood and his soldiers within a hundred yards of the gate, when turning, I saw more than a hundred of the castle guard running towards and within a few feet of our archway.

"They took us for the gate guards and yelled to draw the bridge and close the gate, but instead, sword in hand, we stood at the entrance waiting for them. Then, seeing they faced foes, they came on, but too closely placed for free sword play.

"So the five of us held the gate; then four, then three, then but two, and then I stood alone and as I pitched forward wounded and bleeding in many places, you stepped over me, followed by your men and the battle raged in the court of the castle.

"(The above account was given me by the friar when he recovered. I have told it in his own words.)

"In a few minutes we were masters of the wall and court and our foes masters of the castle proper.

"I had reason to be thankful for our bowmen, who, ranged around and protected by the coping of the wall, made death certain for anyone daring to approach a window or port hole of the castle, else our quarters might have been most uncomfortable.

"Of our five masqueraders three were dead and the other two were sorely wounded in many places. I staunched and dressed the wounds of the ex-friar. In about an hour he opened his eyes and looking at me smiled then sank into semi-conciousness.

"Placing the bowmen on the walls so as to command every aperture of the castle I determined upon an a.s.sault of the main portal. The corporal and gate guards having been lifted from the moat were placed in the front line to shield us and we advanced against the great doors of the castle, using a heavy bridge timber as a ram, and in a few minutes effected an entrance, but found each foot of s.p.a.ce which we gained a b.l.o.o.d.y conquest.

"Within an hour after effecting our entrance we were in possession of the ground floor, but our enemy held the upper stories and were too strong and well fortified to be ousted by a.s.sault.

"We felt certain they were without food and water, since our a.s.sault had been a surprise, and we had captured their storerooms, which were on the ground floor.

"That night we rested, having placed a heavy guard at the gate and on the wall and barricaded ourselves against the upper story. The next morning I sent off fifty men to guard the pa.s.s and a messenger to report our progress to Sir John.

"We saw nothing of our foes until afternoon, when we heard them carefully removing their barricades of the door; then it was suddenly thrown open and they stood ready for an a.s.sault, facing our barricade, which they had not expected to find.

"Our bowmen, brought in for the purpose, let fly a shower of arrows into their faces at close range, which wounded many. They quickly closed the door and replaced their barricades. More than a dozen of them had been killed or severely wounded by the archers.

"Shortly before sundown the barricade was again removed, the door opened a few inches and a conference asked. I consented that their commander with two aids might be admitted to our quarters.

"To see if they were hungry, a table was prepared with food and drink, at which I asked them to be seated, stating; 'I am about to dine, and after the meal we will discuss any matter you see fit to call up.'

"While the commander ate and drank quite sparingly, I was convinced by the way the two aids responded that they were without provisions.

"We finally agreed upon the terms of their surrender. All were to be liberated and their arms and horses returned, but not until they had retired from the castle and crossed through the pa.s.s into the valley towards Bologna.

"Our work, in less than two days, thanks to the ex-friar and his brave companions, was completed. We were the masters of the castle and the pa.s.s, which for two years had been held against repeated a.s.saults.

"Shortly afterward we received word that the legate was dead and that his entire force had retired from Tuscany.

"The ex-friar, who now called himself Lorenzo di Puccio was not so seriously wounded as at first appeared. His armor and remarkable expertness as a swordsman had rendered such protection that of his more than thirty wounds only two were rated as serious; and even these, with a month's careful nursing, in my opinion, would be healed.

"He was placed in the living quarters of the owner of the castle and orders were issued that he should be cared for as a member of the family. In fact, dire punishment was promised the thoroughly frightened owner if he was not given the most careful treatment and nursing. He was even told that the lives of the inmates and the release of the castle depended upon the complete recovery of his patient.

"The result was that Lorenzo received the most solicitous attention from the wife and daughter of the owner. Throughout the day one sat constantly by his bedside and in time both grew quite fond of their patient, regarding him as a most important personage, since such particular orders had been issued for his care. Lorenzo and his fair nurse, the daughter, became lovers, and several months later were married.

"Everything having turned out to the complete satisfaction of Sir John--there being no longer an enemy to fight and the campaign practically ended--I made application for and was given leave to return home.

"Upon arrival in Florence I found the city torn asunder by jealousy and dissention. Such government as existed was one of gabble. All recognized and appreciated that a fiercer contest than the one just happily closed was impending.

"Criticism of the conduct of the war and the nature of the peace to be made appeared the princ.i.p.al issues but the real issue was factional rule. Though the five war commissioners, with the a.s.sistance of Sir John, had carried through the war without the loss of a single battle and had driven the Pope's legate from Tuscan territory, the campaign had not been conducted in accordance with the great courage and generalship of the stay-at-homes of the other faction.

"All this I perceived with great sadness, since I now claimed to be a citizen of Florence, and upon the enforcement of law and order depended the safety of my wife and property.

"During my imprisonment and absence, I had, reflectively at least, become a personage of importance; as my brother-in-law, Silvestro de Medici, was the head of the Ricci, or anti-Guelph faction, now in power.

It was, therefore, inc.u.mbent upon me, when I moved about the city, to be attended by a squire and even a small guard of troopers. Next to Sir John, I was considered the most important military officer in the city.

"The Ricci faction was in control of the city. They had the support of the populace and the Alberti and Medici families.

"The faction opposing them was known as the Guelphs and, while not directing the government, had the power to admonish. They controlled the captains of the parts, and had the support of the church, the n.o.bility and the Albizzi family.

"On St. John's day, when the gathering of their followers would go unnoticed in the vast holiday crowd, they had determined upon seizing the government.

"In the meantime, the government, or Ricci faction, learned of their purpose, and, over their opposition, elected my brother-in-law, Silvestro, Gonfalonier, or chief magistrate of the city.

"He was thoroughly familiar with their schemes for oppressing the people and, as steps towards diminishing their influence, resolved that laws should be enacted retrenching their powers.

"To do this he had first to obtain the consent of the colleague and the council and called together the two bodies the same morning for that purpose.