The Gadfly Part 55

"Heaven knows, Your Eminence, I should be thankful to do it! But how am I to prevent the people rescuing him on the way? I have not soldiers enough to resist an armed attack; and all these mountaineers have got knives or flint-locks or some such thing."

"You still persist, then, in wishing for a court-martial, and in asking my consent to it?"

"Pardon me, Your Eminence; I ask you only one thing--to help me prevent riots and bloodshed. I am quite willing to admit that the military commissions, such as that of Colonel Freddi, were sometimes unnecessarily severe, and irritated instead of subduing the people; but I think that in this case a court-martial would be a wise measure and in the long run a merciful one. It would prevent a riot, which in itself would be a terrible disaster, and which very likely might cause a return of the military commissions His Holiness has abolished."

The Governor finished his little speech with much solemnity, and waited for the Cardinal's answer. It was a long time coming; and when it came was startlingly unexpected.

"Colonel Ferrari, do you believe in G.o.d?"

"Your Eminence!" the colonel gasped in a voice full of exclamation-stops.

"Do you believe in G.o.d?" Montanelli repeated, rising and looking down at him with steady, searching eyes. The colonel rose too.

"Your Eminence, I am a Christian man, and have never yet been refused absolution."

Montanelli lifted the cross from his breast.

"Then swear on the cross of the Redeemer Who died for you, that you have been speaking the truth to me."

The colonel stood still and gazed at it blankly. He could not quite make up his mind which was mad, he or the Cardinal.

"You have asked me," Montanelli went on, "to give my consent to a man's death. Kiss the cross, if you dare, and tell me that you believe there is no other way to prevent greater bloodshed. And remember that if you tell me a lie you are imperilling your immortal soul."

After a little pause, the Governor bent down and put the cross to his lips.

"I believe it," he said.

Montanelli turned slowly away.

"I will give you a definite answer to-morrow. But first I must see Rivarez and speak to him alone."

"Your Eminence--if I might suggest--I am sure you will regret it. For that matter, he sent me a message yesterday, by the guard, asking to see Your Eminence; but I took no notice of it, because----"

"Took no notice!" Montanelli repeated. "A man in such circ.u.mstances sent you a message, and you took no notice of it?"

"I am sorry if Your Eminence is displeased. I did not wish to trouble you over a mere impertinence like that; I know Rivarez well enough by now to feel sure that he only wanted to insult you. And, indeed, if you will allow me to say so, it would be most imprudent to go near him alone; he is really dangerous--so much so, in fact, that I have thought it necessary to use some physical restraint of a mild kind------"

"And you really think there is much danger to be apprehended from one sick and unarmed man, who is under physical restraint of a mild kind?"

Montanelli spoke quite gently, but the colonel felt the sting of his quiet contempt, and flushed under it resentfully.

"Your Eminence will do as you think best," he said in his stiffest manner. "I only wished to spare you the pain of hearing this man's awful blasphemies."

"Which do you think the more grievous misfortune for a Christian man; to hear a blasphemous word uttered, or to abandon a fellow-creature in extremity?"

The Governor stood erect and stiff, with his official face, like a face of wood. He was deeply offended at Montanelli's treatment of him, and showed it by unusual ceremoniousness.

"At what time does Your Eminence wish to visit the prisoner?" he asked.

"I will go to him at once."

"As Your Eminence pleases. If you will kindly wait a few moments, I will send someone to prepare him."

The Governor had come down from his official pedestal in a great hurry.

He did not want Montanelli to see the straps.

"Thank you; I would rather see him as he is, without preparation. I will go straight up to the fortress. Good-evening, colonel; you may expect my answer to-morrow morning."

CHAPTER VI.

HEARING the cell-door unlocked, the Gadfly turned away his eyes with languid indifference. He supposed that it was only the Governor, coming to worry him with another interrogation. Several soldiers mounted the narrow stair, their carbines clanking against the wall; then a deferential voice said: "It is rather steep here, Your Eminence."

He started convulsively, and then shrank down, catching his breath under the stinging pressure of the straps.

Montanelli came in with the sergeant and three guards.

"If Your Eminence will kindly wait a moment," the sergeant began nervously, "one of my men will bring a chair. He has just gone to fetch it. Your Eminence will excuse us--if we had been expecting you, we should have been prepared."

"There is no need for any preparation. Will you kindly leave us alone, sergeant; and wait at the foot of the stairs with your men?"

"Yes, Your Eminence. Here is the chair; shall I put it beside him?"

The Gadfly was lying with closed eyes; but he felt that Montanelli was looking at him.

"I think he is asleep, Your Eminence," the sergeant was beginning, but the Gadfly opened his eyes.

"No," he said.

As the soldiers were leaving the cell they were stopped by a sudden exclamation from Montanelli; and, turning back, saw that he was bending down to examine the straps.

"Who has been doing this?" he asked. The sergeant fumbled with his cap.

"It was by the Governor's express orders, Your Eminence."

"I had no idea of this, Signer Rivarez," Montanelli said in a voice of great distress.

"I told Your Eminence," the Gadfly answered, with his hard smile, "that I n-n-never expected to be patted on the head."

"Sergeant, how long has this been going on?"

"Since he tried to escape, Your Eminence."

"That is, nearly a week? Bring a knife and cut these off at once."

"May it please Your Eminence, the doctor wanted to take them off, but Colonel Ferrari wouldn't allow it."

"Bring a knife at once." Montanelli had not raised his voice, but the soldiers could see that he was white with anger. The sergeant took a clasp-knife from his pocket, and bent down to cut the arm-strap. He was not a skilful-fingered man; and he jerked the strap tighter with an awkward movement, so that the Gadfly winced and bit his lip in spite of all his self-control. Montanelli came forward at once.