VII

,bewareoftheirwrath.Whatdoyouthinkarethesesoldiersofyoursagainstthewrathofapeople!Andareyousosureofyoursoldiers?Willtheytakepartforyouagainsttheirfathersandbrothers,theirchildren?' 'Bequiet!'Girolamohadrisenfromhisseat,andwasstandingwithhisarmthreateninglyupraised.HeshoutedsoastodrownChecco,'Bequiet!Youhavealwaysbeenagainstme,Checco,'hecried.'YouhavehatedmebecauseIhaveoverwhelmedyouwithbounty.Therehasneverbeentroublebetweenmeandmypeoplebutyouhavecometomakethemmorebitteragainstme.' 'Youlie!'saidChecco,passionately. 'Oh,Iknowyou,Checco,andyourpride!AsSatanfellbypride,somayyou,notwithstandingallyourrichesandpower.Youthoughtyouweremyequal,andbecauseyoufoundmeyourmasteryougnashedyourteethandcursedme. 'ByGod,youwouldkillmeifyoucould!' Checcolosthiscalm,andgesticulatingwildlyshoutedbackatGirolamo. 'Ihavehatedyoubecauseyouareatyranttothistown.Arethesenotmyfellow-citizens,mybrothers,myfriends?Havewenotbeentogethersincechildhood,andourfathersandgrandfathersbeforeus?AnddoyouthinkIlookuponthemasyouwhoareastranger? 'Nosolongasyouobtainedmoneyfromtherich,Isaidnothing.YouknowwhatsumsIhavemyselflentyouallthatIfreelygiveyou.Idonotwantapennyofitback—keepitall.Butwhenyouhaveextortedtheuttermostfromus,andyouturntothepoorandneedyandrobthemoftheirlittle,thenIwillnotkeepsilence.Youshallnotimposethesetaxesonthepeople!Andwhyisityouwantthem?Foryourriotous,insaneextravagancesothatyoumaybuildyourselfnewpalaces,anddeckyourselfingorgeousrobes,andbuydiamondsandpreciousstonesforyourwife.' 'Donotspeakofmywife,'interruptedtheCount. 'Sothatyoumaypilegoldinthehandsoftheparasitewhomakesasonnetinyourpraise.Youcametousandbeggedformoneywegaveitandyouflungitawayinfeastsandriotry.Theverycoatyouwearwasmadeoutofourriches.Butyouhavenorighttotakethemoneyofthepeoplefortheseignobleuses.Youarenottheirmasteryouaretheirservanttheirmoneyisnotyours,butyoursistheirs.YourdutybeforeGodistoprotectthem,and,instead,yourobthem.' 'Besilent!'brokeinGirolamo.'Iwillhearnomore.Youhaveoutragedmeasnomanhaseverdonewithoutrepentingit.Youthinkyouareall-powerful,Checco,butbyGodyoushallfindthatIammorepowerful! 'Nowgo,allofyou!Ihavehadenoughofthisscene.Go!' Hewavedhishandimperiously.Then,withalookofintenserage,hedescendedfromhisthroneand,scowling,flunghimselfoutoftheroom.