XXV
關燈
小
中
大
rminds,butwewerepossessedbyagravesenseofourdutytowardsourfellowmen.Ourwatch-wordswereLibertyandtheCommonweal!FromthebottomofmyheartIthankAntonioSassiandallofyouwhohavesuchconfidenceinmethatyouarewillingtosurrenderthetowntomykeeping.IntheirgoodopinionIfindasufficientrewardforallIhavedone.But,Godknows,Ihavenodesiretorule.Iwanttheloveofmyfellow-citizens,notthefearofsubjectsIlookwithdismayuponthetoilsofaruler.Andwhowouldbelieveinmydisinterestednesswhenhesawmetakeupthesceptrewhichthelifelesshandhasdropped?
'ForgivemeIcannotacceptyourgift.
'Butthereisonewhocanandwill.TheChurchisnotwonttocloseherbreasttohimwhoseeksrefugebeneathhersacredcloak,andshewillpardonusforhavingshakenfromournecksthehardyokeofTyranny.LetusgiveourselvestotheHolyFather—'
Hewasinterruptedbytheapplauseofthecouncillors:theydidnotwanttohearfurther,butagreedunanimouslyanditwasforthwitharrangedthatanembassyshouldbesenttotheGovernorofCesenatomaketheoffer.ThemeetingwasbrokenupamidstshoutsofpraiseforChecco.Ifhehadbeenstrongbefore,hewastentimesstrongernow,forthebetterclasseshadbeenafraidofthemobandangrythatheshoulddependonthemnowtheywerewontoo.
ThepeopleknewthattheCouncilwasassembledtoconsultonthedestiniesofthetown,andtheyhadcometogetherinthousandsoutsidetheCouncilHouse.Thenewswasmadeknowntothematonce,andwhenCheccoappearedatthetopofthestairsamightyshoutburstfromthem,andtheyclosedroundhimwithcriesandcheers.
