VII
關燈
小
中
大
inceowesthistohissubjects—todonothingagainsttheirwillfreelyexpressedandthoughIcouldcommand,forIamplacedherebytheVicarofChristhimself,withabsolutepoweroveryourlivesandfortunes,yetsuchismyloveandaffectiontowardsyouthatIdonotdisdaintoaskyouradvice.'
Thecourtiersbrokeoutintoamurmurofsurpriseandself-congratulationathisinfinitegraciousnessthetrumpetsflourishedagain,andinthesucceedingsilencecouldbeheardcriesofcommandfromtheofficersinthesquare,whilefromthesoldiersstandingaboutthehalltherewasaclankofswordsandspurs.
Checcorosefromhisseat.HewaspaleandhealmostseemedtohesitateIwonderedifthesoldiershadhadtheeffectwhichGirolamointended.Thenhebegantospeak,quietly,ineven,well-turnedsentences,sothatonecouldseethespeechhadbeencarefullythoughtout.
HecalledtomindhisownaffectionforGirolamo,andthemutualfriendshipwhichhadsolacedmanyhoursofdoubtanddifficulty,andassuredhimofhisunalterablefidelitytohimselfandhisfamilythenheremindedhimofthelovebornebythepeopletowardstheirruler,andtheirconsciousnessofanequalloveonthepartoftheCounttowardsthemselves.HedrewapictureofthejoyinForliwhenfirstGirolamocametoit,andoftheenthusiasmcausedbythesightofhimorhiswifewalkingthroughthestreets.
Therewasalittleapplause,chieflyfromtheCount'ssuiteCheccopausedasifhehadcometotheendofhispreface,andweregatheringhimselfupfortherealmatterofhisspeech.Therewasdeadlysilenceinthehall,alleyeswerefixedonhim,andallmindswereaskingthemselves,'Whatwillhesay?'Girolamowasleaningforward,restinghischinonhishand,lookinganxious.Iwonderedifheregrettedthathehadcalledthemeeting.
Checcoresumedhisspeech.
'Girolamo,'hesaid,'thepeoplefromthecountrydistrictslatelysentyouapetition,inwhichtheyshowedtheirsufferingsfromrainandstormandfamine,theirpovertyandmisery,theoppressivenessofthetaxes.Theybadeyoucomeandlookattheiruntilledfields,theirhousesfallingtoruin,themselvesdyingbytheroadside,nakedandhungry,childrenexpiringattheirmothers'breasts,parentslyingunburiedintheruinoftheirhome.Theybadeyoucomeandlookatthedesolationoftheland,andimploredyoutohelpthemwhiletherewasyettime,andlightenfromtheirbackstheburdensyouhadlaiduponthem.
'Youturnedaneyeofpityonthemandnowthelandsmiles,thepeoplehaveshakenthemselvesfromtheirsleepofdeath,andawakenedtonewlife,andeverywhereprayersareofferedandblessingsrainedontheheadofthemosthig
