XXI

nshouldersallpreparations,sothatMatteoandIhadnothingtodobuttoenjoyourselvesandthatwedid.TheonlysignIhadthatCheccohadbeenworkingwasalookofintelligencegivenmebyoneortwoofthosewhosenameshadbeenmentionedinChecco'sstudy.JacopoRonchi,takingleaveofmeontheThursdaynight,said,— 'Weshallmeetto-morrow.' 'Youarecomingtoplaychess,Ithink,'Isaid,smiling. When,attheappointedhour,MatteoandIfoundourselvesagaininChecco'sstudy,wewerebothratheranxiousandnervous.Myheartwasbeatingquitepainfully,andIcouldnotrestrainmyimpatience.Iwishedtheotherswouldcome.Graduallytheymadetheirwayin,andweshookhandsquietly,rathermysteriously,withanairofschoolboysmeetingtogetherinthedarktoeatstolenfruit.Itmighthavebeencomicifourmind'seyehadnotpresenteduswithsovividapictureofahalter. Checcobegantospeakinalowvoice,slightlytremblinghisemotionwasrealenoughthistime,andhedidallhecouldtoconcealit. 'Myverydearandfaithfulfellow-citizens,'hebegan,'itappearsthattobeborninForli,andtoliveinitinourtimes,istheverygreatestmisfortunewithwhichonecanbebornorwithwhichonecanlive.' Ineverheardsuchsilenceasthatamongthelisteners.Itwasawful.Checco'svoicesanklowerandlower,butyeteverywordcouldbedistinctlyheard.Thetremorwasincreasing. 'Isitnecessarythatbirthandlifehereshouldbethebirthandlifeofslaves?Ourgloriousancestorsneversubmittedtothisterriblemisfortune.Theywerefree,andintheirfreedomtheyfoundlife.Butthisisalivingdeath....' HerecountedthevariousactsoftyrannywhichhadmadetheCounthatefultohissubjects,andheinsistedontheinsecurityinwhichtheylived. 'YouallknowthegrievouswrongsIhavesufferedatthehandsofthemanwhomIhelpedtoplaceonthethrone.ButthesewrongsIfreelyforgive.Iamfilledonlywithdevotiontomycountryandlovetomyfellowmen.Ifyouothershaveprivategrievances,Iimploreyoutoputthemaside,andthinkonlythatyouaretheliberatorsfromoppressionofallthoseyouloveandcherish.GatheruptoyourheartsthespiritofBrutus,when,forthesakeofFreedom,hekilledthemanwhomaboveallothersheloved.' Hegavethemthedetailsoftheplottoldthemwhathewoulddohimself,andwhattheyshoulddo,andfinallydismissedthem. 'PraytoGodto-night,'hesaidearnestly,'thatHewilllookwithfavourupontheworkwhichwehavesetourselves,andimploreHimtojudgeusbythepurityofourintentionsratherthanbytheactionswhich,intheimperfectionofourknowledge,seemtoustheonlymeanstoourend.' Wemadethesignofthecross,andretiredassilentlyaswehadcome.