The Gadfly

by E. L. Voynich

  CHAPTER V.

  FOR a week the Gadfly lay in a fearful state. The attack was a violentone, and the Governor, rendered brutal by fear and perplexity, had notonly chained him hand and foot, but had insisted on his being bound tohis pallet with leather straps, drawn so tight that he could not movewithout their cutting into the flesh. He endured everything with hisdogged, bitter stoicism till the end of the sixth day. Then his pridebroke down, and he piteously entreated the prison doctor for a doseof opium. The doctor was quite willing to give it; but the Governor,hearing of the request, sharply forbade "any such foolery."

  "How do you know what he wants it for?" he said. "It's just as likely asnot that he's shamming all the time and wants to drug the sentinel, orsome such devilry. Rivarez is cunning enough for anything."

  "My giving him a dose would hardly help him to drug the sentinel,"replied the doctor, unable to suppress a smile. "And as forshamming--there's not much fear of that. He is as likely as not to die."

  "Anyway, I won't have it given. If a man wants to be tenderly treated,he should behave accordingly. He has thoroughly deserved a little sharpdiscipline. Perhaps it will be a lesson to him not to play tricks withthe window-bars again."

  "The law does not admit of torture, though," the doctor ventured to say;"and this is coming perilously near it."

  "The law says nothing about opium, I think," said the Governorsnappishly.

  "It is for you to decide, of course, colonel; but I hope you will letthe straps be taken off at any rate. They are a needless aggravation ofhis misery. There's no fear of his escaping now. He couldn't stand ifyou let him go free."

  "My good sir, a doctor may make a mistake like other people, I suppose.I have got him safe strapped now, and he's going to stop so."

  "At least, then, have the straps a little loosened. It is downrightbarbarity to keep them drawn so tight."

  "They will stop exactly as they are; and I will thank you, sir, not totalk about barbarity to me. If I do a thing, I have a reason for it."

  So the seventh night passed without any relief, and the soldierstationed on guard at the cell door crossed himself, shuddering, overand over again, as he listened all night long to heart-rending moans.The Gadfly's endurance was failing him at last.

  At six in the morning the sentinel, just before going off duty, unlockedthe door softly and entered the cell. He knew that he was committinga serious breach of discipline, but could not bear to go away withoutoffering the consolation of a friendly word.

  He found the Gadfly lying still, with closed eyes and parted lips. Hestood silent for a moment; then stooped down and asked:

  "Can I do anything for you, sir? I have only a minute."

  The Gadfly opened his eyes. "Let me alone!" he moaned. "Let mealone----"

  He was asleep almost before the soldier had slipped back to his post.

  Ten days afterwards the Governor called again at the palace, but foundthat the Cardinal had gone to visit a sick man at Pieve d'Ottavo, andwas not expected home till the afternoon. That evening, just as he wassitting down to dinner, his servant came in to announce:

  "His Eminence would like to speak to you."

  The Governor, with a hasty glance into the looking glass, to make surethat his uniform was in order, put on his most dignified air, and wentinto the reception room, where Montanelli was sitting, beating his handgently on the arm of the chair and looking out of the window with ananxious line between his brows.

  "I heard that you called to-day," he said, cutting short the Governor'spolite speeches with a slightly imperious manner which he never adoptedin speaking to the country folk. "It was probably on the business aboutwhich I have been wishing to speak to you."

  "It was about Rivarez, Your Eminence."

  "So I supposed. I have been thinking the matter over these last fewdays. But before we go into that, I should like to hear whether you haveanything new to tell me."

  The Governor pulled his moustaches with an embarrassed air.

  "The fact is, I came to know whether Your Eminence had anything to tellme. If you still have an objection to the course I proposed taking, Ishould be sincerely glad of your advice in the matter; for, honestly, Idon't know what to do."

  "Is there any new difficulty?"

  "Only that next Thursday is the 3d of June,--Corpus Domini,--and somehowor other the matter must be settled before then."

  "Thursday is Corpus Domini, certainly; but why must it be settledespecially before then?"

  "I am exceedingly sorry, Your Eminence, if I seem to oppose you, but Ican't undertake to be responsible for the peace of the town if Rivarezis not got rid of before then. All the roughest set in the hillscollects here for that day, as Your Eminence knows, and it is more thanprobable that they may attempt to break open the fortress gates and takehim out. They won't succeed; I'll take care of that, if I have to sweepthem from the gates with powder and shot. But we are very likely to havesomething of that kind before the day is over. Here in the Romagna thereis bad blood in the people, and when once they get out their knives----"

  "I think with a little care we can prevent matters going as far asknives. I have always found the people of this district easy to get onwith, if they are reasonably treated. Of course, if you once begin tothreaten or coerce a Romagnol he becomes unmanageable. But have you anyreason for supposing a new rescue scheme is intended?"

  "I heard, both this morning and yesterday, from confidential agents ofmine, that a great many rumours are circulating all over the districtand that the people are evidently up to some mischief or other. Butone can't find out the details; if one could it would be easier to takeprecautions. And for my part, after the fright we had the other day, Iprefer to be on the safe side. With such a cunning fox as Rivarez onecan't be too careful."

  "The last I heard about Rivarez was that he was too ill to move orspeak. Is he recovering, then?"

  "He seems much better now, Your Eminence. He certainly has been veryill--unless he was shamming all the time."

  "Have you any reason for supposing that likely?"

  "Well, the doctor seems convinced that it was all genuine; but it's avery mysterious kind of illness. Any way, he is recovering, and moreintractable than ever."

  "What has he done now?"

  "There's not much he can do, fortunately," the Governor answered,smiling as he remembered the straps. "But his behaviour is somethingindescribable. Yesterday morning I went into the cell to ask him afew questions; he is not well enough yet to come to me forinterrogation--and indeed, I thought it best not to run any risk ofthe people seeing him until he recovers. Such absurd stories always getabout at once."

  "So you went there to interrogate him?"

  "Yes, Your Eminence. I hoped he would be more amenable to reason now."

  Montanelli looked him over deliberately, almost as if he had beeninspecting a new and disagreeable animal. Fortunately, however, theGovernor was fingering his sword-belt, and did not see the look. He wenton placidly:

  "I have not subjected him to any particular severities, but I have beenobliged to be rather strict with him--especially as it is a militaryprison--and I thought that perhaps a little indulgence might have agood effect. I offered to relax the discipline considerably if he wouldbehave in a reasonable manner; and how does Your Eminence suppose heanswered me? He lay looking at me a minute, like a wolf in a cage, andthen said quite softly: 'Colonel, I can't get up and strangle you;but my teeth are pretty good; you had better take your throat a littlefurther off.' He is as savage as a wild-cat."

  "I am not surprised to hear it," Montanelli answered quietly. "But Icame to ask you a question. Do you honestly believe that the presence ofRivarez in the prison here constitutes a serious danger to the peace ofthe district?"

  "Most certainly I do, Your Eminence."

  "You think that, to prevent the risk of bloodshed, it is absolutelynecessary that he should somehow be got rid of before Corpus Domini?"

  "I can only repeat that if he is here on Thursday, I do no
t expect thefestival to pass over without a fight, and I think it likely to be aserious one."

  "And you think that if he were not here there would be no such danger?"

  "In that case, there would either be no disturbance at all, or at mosta little shouting and stone-throwing. If Your Eminence can find some wayof getting rid of him, I will undertake that the peace shall be kept.Otherwise, I expect most serious trouble. I am convinced that a newrescue plot is on hand, and Thursday is the day when we may expect theattempt. Now, if on that very morning they suddenly find that he is notin the fortress at all, their plan fails of itself, and they have nooccasion to begin fighting. But if we have to repulse them, and thedaggers once get drawn among such throngs of people, we are likely tohave the place burnt down before nightfall."

  "Then why do you not send him in to Ravenna?"

  "Heaven knows, Your Eminence, I should be thankful to do it! But howam I to prevent the people rescuing him on the way? I have not soldiersenough to resist an armed attack; and all these mountaineers have gotknives or flint-locks or some such thing."

  "You still persist, then, in wishing for a court-martial, and in askingmy consent to it?"

  "Pardon me, Your Eminence; I ask you only one thing--to help me preventriots and bloodshed. I am quite willing to admit that the militarycommissions, such as that of Colonel Freddi, were sometimesunnecessarily severe, and irritated instead of subduing the people; butI think that in this case a court-martial would be a wise measure andin the long run a merciful one. It would prevent a riot, which in itselfwould be a terrible disaster, and which very likely might cause a returnof the military commissions His Holiness has abolished."

  The Governor finished his little speech with much solemnity, and waitedfor the Cardinal's answer. It was a long time coming; and when it camewas startlingly unexpected.

  "Colonel Ferrari, do you believe in God?"

  "Your Eminence!" the colonel gasped in a voice full ofexclamation-stops.

  "Do you believe in God?" Montanelli repeated, rising and looking down athim with steady, searching eyes. The colonel rose too.

  "Your Eminence, I am a Christian man, and have never yet been refusedabsolution."

  Montanelli lifted the cross from his breast.

  "Then swear on the cross of the Redeemer Who died for you, that you havebeen speaking the truth to me."

  The colonel stood still and gazed at it blankly. He could not quite makeup his mind which was mad, he or the Cardinal.

  "You have asked me," Montanelli went on, "to give my consent to a man'sdeath. Kiss the cross, if you dare, and tell me that you believe thereis no other way to prevent greater bloodshed. And remember that if youtell me a lie you are imperilling your immortal soul."

  After a little pause, the Governor bent down and put the cross to hislips.

  "I believe it," he said.

  Montanelli turned slowly away.

  "I will give you a definite answer to-morrow. But first I must seeRivarez and speak to him alone."

  "Your Eminence--if I might suggest--I am sure you will regret it. Forthat matter, he sent me a message yesterday, by the guard, asking to seeYour Eminence; but I took no notice of it, because----"

  "Took no notice!" Montanelli repeated. "A man in such circumstances sentyou a message, and you took no notice of it?"

  "I am sorry if Your Eminence is displeased. I did not wish to troubleyou over a mere impertinence like that; I know Rivarez well enough bynow to feel sure that he only wanted to insult you. And, indeed, ifyou will allow me to say so, it would be most imprudent to go near himalone; he is really dangerous--so much so, in fact, that I have thoughtit necessary to use some physical restraint of a mild kind------"

  "And you really think there is much danger to be apprehended from onesick and unarmed man, who is under physical restraint of a mild kind?"Montanelli spoke quite gently, but the colonel felt the sting of hisquiet contempt, and flushed under it resentfully.

  "Your Eminence will do as you think best," he said in his stiffestmanner. "I only wished to spare you the pain of hearing this man's awfulblasphemies."

  "Which do you think the more grievous misfortune for a Christian man;to hear a blasphemous word uttered, or to abandon a fellow-creature inextremity?"

  The Governor stood erect and stiff, with his official face, like a faceof wood. He was deeply offended at Montanelli's treatment of him, andshowed it by unusual ceremoniousness.

  "At what time does Your Eminence wish to visit the prisoner?" he asked.

  "I will go to him at once."

  "As Your Eminence pleases. If you will kindly wait a few moments, I willsend someone to prepare him."

  The Governor had come down from his official pedestal in a great hurry.He did not want Montanelli to see the straps.

  "Thank you; I would rather see him as he is, without preparation. I willgo straight up to the fortress. Good-evening, colonel; you may expect myanswer to-morrow morning."