VII

handmagnificentprince,GirolamoRiario. 'Andwetoo,myLord,joininthethanksandpraiseforthesetowhomyouhavegivennewlifeareourcousinsandbrothers,ourfellow-countrymen.' Whatwascoming?Thecouncillorslookedatoneanotherquestioningly.CouldCheccohavemadetermswiththeCount,andwasitacomedytheywereplaying?Girolamoalsowassurprisedhehadnotforlongheardpraisefromanybuthiscourtiers. 'Eightyearsago,whenyouacquiredthesovereigntyofForli,youfoundthetownweigheddownunderthetaxeswhichtheOrdelaffihadimposed.Depressionhadseizedholdofthemerchantsandtradesmentheywereburdenedsothattheycouldnotbuynorselltheyhadgivenupeffort,andthetownwaslyingnumbandcold,asifdyingfromapestilence.Thestreetsweredesertedsuchpeopleasthereweremovedsadly,andwithdownturnedfaces.Theinhabitantswerebecomingfewertherewasnomotion,nolifeafewyearsmoreandForliwouldhavebecomeacityofthedead! 'Butyoucame,andwithyoulifeforyourfirstdeedwastoremovethemostoppressiveimposts.Asthebow,doubledup,whenthestringisloosenedshootsbackwithasuddenimpulsewhichpropelsthearrowtoitsmark,soForlireboundedfromtheweightithadbornebefore.TheGoddessofPlentyreignedinthelanditwasthesunlightafterstormeverywherelifeandactivity!Themerchantwrotebusilyathisdesk,thetradesmanspreadhiswaresanewandlaughedinthejoyofhisheart.Themason,thebuilder,theblacksmithreturnedtotheirwork,andthroughthecitywasheardthesoundofhammeringandbuilding.Thenewsspreadofabeneficentlord,andthegoldsmithandsilversmith,thepainter,thesculptor,cametothecityinthrongs.Themoneypassedfromhandtohand,andinitspassageseemedtoincreasebymagic.Onthefacesofallwashappinesstheapprenticesangasheworked,andmirthandjoywereuniversalForlibecameknownasthehomeofdelightItalyrangwithitsfeastsandcelebrations—andeverycitizenwasproudtobeaForlivese. 'Andeverywhereprayerswereofferedandblessingsrainedontheheadofthemosthighandmagnificentprince,GirolamoRiario.' Checcopausedagain.Aninklingofhismeaningwascomingtohishearers,buttheydarednotthinkhewouldsaywhatwasinalltheirminds. 'Then,'Checcowenton,'youre-imposedthetaxeswhichyouhadtakenoff.' 'Thatisalie!'interruptedGirolamo.'Theywereimposedbythecouncil.' Checcoshruggedhisshoulders,smilingironically. 'Irememberquitewell.YoucalledameetingoftheAncients,andshowingthemyournecessities,suggestedthattheyshouldre-imposethetaxes. 'Iforgetifyourem