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23 - Gadfly by Ethel Lilian Voynich · Gadfly

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Speaker 1: Three, chapter five. For a week, the gadfly lay in
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Speaker 1: a fearful state. The attack was a violent one, and
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Speaker 1: the governor, rendered brutal by fear and perplexity, had not
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Speaker 1: only chained him hand and foot, but had insisted on
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Speaker 1: his being bound to his palate with leather straps drawn
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Speaker 1: so tight that he could not move without their cutting
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Speaker 1: into the flesh. He endured everything with his dogged, bitter
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Speaker 1: stoicism till the end of the sixth day. Then his
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Speaker 1: pride broke down, and he piteously entreated the prison doctor
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Speaker 1: for a dose of opium. The doctor was quite willing
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Speaker 1: to give it, but the governor, hearing of the request,
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Speaker 1: sharply forbade any such foolery. How do you know what
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Speaker 1: he wants it for? He said, It's just as likely
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Speaker 1: as not that he's shamming all the time and wants
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Speaker 1: to drug the Sentinel or some such devilry Rivarez is
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Speaker 1: cunning enough for anything. My giving him a dose would
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Speaker 1: hardly help him to drug the Sentinel, replied the doctor,
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Speaker 1: unable to suppress a smile. And as for shamming, there's
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Speaker 1: not much fear of that. He is as likely as
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Speaker 1: not to die anyway. I won't have it given. If
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Speaker 1: a man wants to be tenderly treated, he should behave accordingly.
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Speaker 1: He has thoroughly deserved a little sharp discipline. Perhaps it
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Speaker 1: will be a lesson to him not to play tricks
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Speaker 1: with the window bars. Again, the law does not admit
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Speaker 1: of torture, though the doctor ventured to say, and this
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Speaker 1: is coming perilously near it. The law says nothing about opium,
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Speaker 1: I think, said the governor snappishly. It is for you
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Speaker 1: to decide, of course, colonel, but I hope you will
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Speaker 1: let the straps be taken off at any rate. They
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Speaker 1: are a needless aggravation of his misery. There's no fear
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Speaker 1: of his escaping now. He couldn't stand if you let
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Speaker 1: him go free. My good sir, a doctor may make
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Speaker 1: a mistake like other people. I suppose I have got
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Speaker 1: him safe strapped now, and he's going to stop, so
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Speaker 1: at least then have the straps a little loosened. It
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Speaker 1: is downright barbarity to keep them drawn so tight. They
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Speaker 1: will stop exactly as they are. And I will thank you, sir,
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Speaker 1: not to talk about barbarity to me. If I do
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Speaker 1: a thing, I have a reason for it. So the
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Speaker 1: seventh night passed without any relief, and the soldier, stationed
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Speaker 1: on guard at the cell door, crossed himself, shuddering over
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Speaker 1: and over again as he listened all night long to
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Speaker 1: heartrending moans. The gadfly's endurance was failing him. At last,
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Speaker 1: at six in the morre, the sentinel, just before going
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Speaker 1: off duty, unlocked the door softly and entered the cell.
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Speaker 1: He knew that he was committing a serious breach of discipline,
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Speaker 1: but could not bear to go away without offering the
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Speaker 1: consolation of a friendly word. He found the gadfly lying
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Speaker 1: still with closed eyes and parted lips. He stood silent
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Speaker 1: for a moment, then stooped down and asked, can I
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Speaker 1: do anything for you, sir? I have only a minute.
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Speaker 1: The gadfly opened his eyes. Let me alone, he moaned,
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Speaker 1: Let me alone. He was asleep almost before the soldier
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Speaker 1: had slipped back to his post. Ten days afterwards, the
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Speaker 1: governor called again at the palace, but found that the
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Speaker 1: Cardinal had gone to visit a sick man at Piave
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Speaker 1: di'atavo and was not expected home till the afternoon that evening.
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Speaker 1: Just as he was sitting down to dinner, his servant
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Speaker 1: came in to announce his eminence would like to speak
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Speaker 1: to you. The governor, with a hasty glance into the
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Speaker 1: looking glass to make sure that his uniform was in order,
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Speaker 1: put on his most dignified air, and went into the
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Speaker 1: reception room, where Montanelli was sitting, beating his hand gently
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Speaker 1: on the arm of the chair and looking out of
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Speaker 1: the window with an anxious line between his brows. I
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Speaker 1: heard that you called today, he said, cutting short the
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Speaker 1: governor's polite speeches with a slightly imperious manner, which he
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Speaker 1: never adopted in speaking to the country folk. It was
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Speaker 1: probably on the business about which I have been wishing
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Speaker 1: to speak to you. It was about Rivera's your eminence,
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Speaker 1: so I supposed I have been thinking the matter over
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Speaker 1: these last few days. But before we go into that,
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Speaker 1: I should like to hear whether you have anything new
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Speaker 1: to tell me. The Governor pulled his mustaches with an
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Speaker 1: embarrassed error. The fact is I came to know whether
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Speaker 1: your Eminence had anything to tell me. If you still
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Speaker 1: have an objection to the course I proposed taking, I
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Speaker 1: should be sincerely glad of your advice in the matter,
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Speaker 1: for honestly, I don't know what to do. Is there
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Speaker 1: any new difficulty? Only that next Thursday is the third
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Speaker 1: of June Corpus Domini, and somehow or other the matter
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Speaker 1: must be settled before then. Thursday is Corpus Domini, certainly,
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Speaker 1: but why must it be settled, especially before then? I
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Speaker 1: am exceedingly sorry, your Eminence if I seem to oppose you,
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Speaker 1: but I can't undertake to be responsible for the peace
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Speaker 1: of the town. If Riveres is not got rid of
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Speaker 1: before then all the roughest said in the hills collects
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Speaker 1: here for that day, as your Eminence knows, and it
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Speaker 1: is more than probable that they may attempt to break
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Speaker 1: open the fortress gates and take him out. They won't succeed.
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Speaker 1: I'll take care of that if I have to sweep
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Speaker 1: them from the gates with powder and shot, But we
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Speaker 1: are very likely to have something of that kind before
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Speaker 1: the day is over. Here in the Romagna, there is
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Speaker 1: bad blood in the people, and when once they get
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Speaker 1: out their knives, I think with a little care we
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Speaker 1: can prevent matters going as far as knives. I have
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Speaker 1: always found the people of this district easy to get
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Speaker 1: on with if they are reasonably treated. Of course, if
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Speaker 1: you once begin to threaten or coerce a romano, he
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Speaker 1: becomes unmanageable. But have you any reason for supposing a
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Speaker 1: new rescue scheme is intended? I heard both this morning
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Speaker 1: and yesterday from confidential agents of mine that a great
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Speaker 1: many rumors are circulating all over the district, and that
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Speaker 1: the people are evidently up to some mischief or other.
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Speaker 1: But one can't find out the details. If one could,
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Speaker 1: it would be easier to take precautions. And for my part,
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Speaker 1: after the fright we had the other day, I prefer
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Speaker 1: to be on the safe side. With such a cunning
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Speaker 1: fox as Rivaras, one can't be too careful. The last
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Speaker 1: I heard about Rivares was that he was too ill
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Speaker 1: to move or speak. Is he recovering then? He seems
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Speaker 1: much better now, Your eminence. He certainly has been very ill,
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Speaker 1: unless he was shamming all the time. Have you any
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Speaker 1: reason for supposing that likely? Well, the doctor seems convinced
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Speaker 1: that it was all genuine, but it's a very mysterious
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Speaker 1: kind of illness. Anyway, he is recovering and more intractable
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Speaker 1: than ever. What has he done now? There's not much
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Speaker 1: he can do, fortunately, the governor answered, smiling as he
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Speaker 1: remembered the straps, but his behavior is something indescribable. Yesterday
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Speaker 1: morning I went into the cell to ask him a
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Speaker 1: few questions. He is not well enough yet to come
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Speaker 1: to me for interrogation, and indeed, I thought it best
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Speaker 1: not to run any risk of the people seeing him
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Speaker 1: until he recovers. Such absurd stories always get about at once.
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Speaker 1: So you went there to interrogate him, Yes, your Eminence,
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Speaker 1: I hoped he would be more amenable to reason. Now.
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Speaker 1: Montanelli looked him over deliberately, almost as if he had
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Speaker 1: been inspecting a new and disagreeable animal. Unfortunately, however, the
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Speaker 1: Governor was fingering his sword belt and did not see
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Speaker 1: the look. He went on placidly. I have not subjected
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Speaker 1: him to any particular severities, but I have been obliged
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Speaker 1: to be rather strict with him, especially as it is
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Speaker 1: a military prison, and I thought that perhaps a little
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Speaker 1: indulgence might have a good effect. I offered to relax
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Speaker 1: the discipline considerably if he would behave in a reasonable manner.
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Speaker 1: And how does your eminence suppose, he answered me. He
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Speaker 1: lay looking at me a minute like a wolf in
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Speaker 1: a cage, and then said, quite softly, Colonel I can't
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Speaker 1: get up and strangle you, but my teeth are pretty good.
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Speaker 1: You had better take your throat a little further off.
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Speaker 1: He is as savage as a wild cat. I am
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Speaker 1: not surprised to hear it, Montanelli answered quietly. But I
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Speaker 1: came to ask you a question. Do you honestly believe
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Speaker 1: that the presence of Rivares in the prison here constitutes
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Speaker 1: as serious danger to the peace of the district? Most
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Speaker 1: certainly I do, Your Eminence, you think that to prevent
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Speaker 1: the risk of bloodshed, it is absolutely necessary that he
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Speaker 1: should somehow be got rid of before Corpus Domini. I
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Speaker 1: can only repeat that if he is here on Thursday,
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Speaker 1: I do not expect the festival to pass over without
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Speaker 1: a fight, and I think it likely to be a
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Speaker 1: serious one. And you think that if he were not
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Speaker 1: here there would be no such danger. In that case,
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Speaker 1: there would either be no disturbance at all, or at
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Speaker 1: most a little shouting and stone throwing. If your Eminence
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Speaker 1: can find some way of getting rid of him, I
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Speaker 1: will undertake that the peace shall be kept. Otherwise I
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Speaker 1: expect most serious trouble. I am convinced that a new
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Speaker 1: rescue plot is on hand, and Thursday is the day
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Speaker 1: when we may expect the attempt. Now, if on that
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Speaker 1: very morning they suddenly find that he is not in
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Speaker 1: the fortress at all, their plan fails of itself, and
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Speaker 1: they have no occasion to begin fighting. But if we
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Speaker 1: have to repulse them, and the daggers once get drawn
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Speaker 1: among such throngs of people, we are likely to have
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Speaker 1: the place burnt down before nightfall. Then why do you
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Speaker 1: not send him into Ravenna? Heaven knows, your eminence. I
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Speaker 1: should be thankful to do it, But how am I
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Speaker 1: to prevent the people rescuing him on the way. I
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Speaker 1: have not soldiers enough to resist an armed attack, and
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Speaker 1: all these mountaineers have got knives, or of flintlocks, or
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Speaker 1: some such thing. You still persist, then, in wishing for
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Speaker 1: a court martial, and in asking my consent for it.
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Speaker 1: Pardon me, your eminence, I ask you only one thing
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Speaker 1: to help me prevent riots and bloodshed. I am quite
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Speaker 1: willing to admit that the military commissions, such as that
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Speaker 1: of Colonel Freddie were sometimes unnecessarily severe and irritated instead
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Speaker 1: of subduing the people. But I think that in this
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Speaker 1: case a court martial would be a wise measure, and
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Speaker 1: in the long run, Amercia. It would prevent a riot,
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Speaker 1: which in itself would be a terrible disaster, and which
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Speaker 1: very likely might cause a return of the military commissions
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Speaker 1: his holiness has abolished. The governor finished his little speech
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Speaker 1: with much solemnity and waited for the cardinal's answer. It
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Speaker 1: was a long time coming, and when it came was
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Speaker 1: startlingly unexpected. Colonel Ferrari, do you believe in God, your eminence,
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Speaker 1: the colonel gasped, in a voice full of exclamation stops.
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Speaker 1: Do you believe in God? Montonelli repeated, rising and looking
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Speaker 1: down at him with steady, searching eyes. The colonel rose, two,
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Speaker 1: your Eminence, I am a Christian man and have never
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Speaker 1: yet been refused absolution. Montonelli lifted the cross from his breast,
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Speaker 1: then swear on the cross of the Redeemer who died
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Speaker 1: for you, that you have been speaking the truth to me.
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Speaker 1: The colonel stood still and gazed at it blinkly. He
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Speaker 1: could not quite make up his mind which was mad
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Speaker 1: he or the Cardinal. You have asked me, Montanelli went
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Speaker 1: on to give my consent to a man's death. Kiss
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Speaker 1: the cross if you dare, and tell me that you
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Speaker 1: believe there is no other way to prevent greater bloodshed.
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Speaker 1: And remember that if you tell me a lie, you
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Speaker 1: are imperiling your immortal soul. After a little pause, the
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Speaker 1: governor bent down and put the cross to his lips.
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Speaker 1: I believe it, he said. Montanelli turned slowly away. I
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Speaker 1: will give you a definite answer tomorrow. But first I
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Speaker 1: must see Rivares and speak to him alone, your Eminence,
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Speaker 1: if I might suggest, I am sure you will regret it.
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Speaker 1: For that matter, he sent me a message yesterday by
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Speaker 1: the guard asking to see your Eminence, but I took
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Speaker 1: no notice of it. Because took no notice, Montanelli repeated.
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Speaker 1: A man in such circumstances sent you a message, and
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Speaker 1: you took no notice of it. I am sorry if
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Speaker 1: your Eminence is displeased. I did not wish to trouble
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Speaker 1: you over a mere impertinence like that. I know Rivarre
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Speaker 1: is well enough by now to feel sure that he
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Speaker 1: only wanted to insult you. And indeed, if you will
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Speaker 1: allow me to say so, it would be most imprudent
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Speaker 1: to go near him alone. He is really dangerous, so
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Speaker 1: much so in fact, that I have thought it necessary
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Speaker 1: to use some physical restraint of a mild kind, and
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Speaker 1: you really think there is much danger to be apprehended
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Speaker 1: from one sick and unarmed man who is under physical
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Speaker 1: restraint of a mild kind. Montanelli spoke quite gently, but
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Speaker 1: the colonel felt the sting of his quiet contempt and
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Speaker 1: bushed under it resentfully. Your Eminence will do as you
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Speaker 1: think best, he said, in his stiffest manner. I only
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Speaker 1: wish to spare you the pain of hearing this man's
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Speaker 1: awful blasphemies. Which do you think the more grievous misfortune
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Speaker 1: for a Christian man to hear a blasphemous word uttered,
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Speaker 1: or to abandon a fellow creature in extremity? The Governor
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Speaker 1: stood erect and stiff, with his official face like a
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Speaker 1: face of wood. He was deeply offended at Montanelli's treatment
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Speaker 1: of him, and showed it by unusual ceremoniousness. At what
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Speaker 1: time does your Eminence wish to visit the prisoner? He asked.
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Speaker 1: I will go to him at once, as your Eminence pleases.
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Speaker 1: If you will kindly wait a few moments, I will
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Speaker 1: send someone to prepare him. The Governor had come down
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Speaker 1: from his official pedestal in a great hurry. He did
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Speaker 1: not want Montanelli to see the straps. Thank you. I
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Speaker 1: would rather see him as he is, without preparation. I
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Speaker 1: will go straight up to the fortress. Good evening, Colonel,
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Speaker 1: you may expect my answer tomorrow morning. And of chapter
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Speaker 1: five of the third part