VII
I hurried back to the Palazzo and found Scipione Moratini alreadyarrived. I liked him for his sister's sake, but in himself he was apleasant person.
Both he and his brother had something of Giulia in them--the delicatefeatures, the fascination and the winning ways which in them seemedalmost effeminate. Their mother had been a very beautiful woman--reportsaid somewhat gay--and it was from her the sons had got the gallantrywhich made them the terror of husbands in Forli, and Giulia the coquetrywhich had given rise to so much scandal. The father, Bartolomeo, wasquite different. He was a rugged, upright man of sixty, very grave andvery dignified, the only resemblance of feature to his children beingthe charming smile, which the sons possessed as well as Giulia; thoughin him it was rarely seen. What I liked most in him was the blind lovefor his daughter, leading him to unbend and become a youth to flatterher folly. He was really devoted to her, so that it was quite patheticto see the look of intense affection in his eyes as he followed hermovements. He, of course, had never heard a word of the rumourscirculating about Giulia; he had the utmost faith in her virtue, and I,it seems to me, had gained faith from him.
After talking a while with Scipione, Checco came, and we started for thePalazzo. The people in Forli know everything, and were well aware ofChecco's mission. As we walked along we were met by many kind greetings,good luck, and God speed were wished us, and Checco, beaming with joy,graciously returned the salutations.
We were ushered into the council chamber, where we found the councillorsand many of the more prominent citizens, and several gentlemen of theCourt; immediately the great folding doors were opened and Girolamoentered with his wonted state, accompanied by his courtiers andmen-at-arms, so that the hall was filled with them. He took his seat ona throne, and graciously bowed to the left and to the right. Hiscourtiers responded, but the citizens preserved a severe aspect, quiteunsympathetic towards his condescension.
Girolamo rose to his feet and made a short speech, in which he extolledChecco's wisdom and knowledge and patriotism, saying he had heard of acontroversy between him and Antonio Lassi on the subject of the proposedtax, and consequently had sent for him to hear his opinion on thesubject.
He stopped and looked round; his courtiers obsequiously applauded. Then,at opposite ends of the room, doors opened, and through each filed astring of soldiers; the citizens looked at one another, wondering. Aflourish of trumpets was heard in the piazza, outside, and the tramp ofsoldiers. Girolamo waited; at last he proceeded,--
'A good prince owes this to his subjects--to do nothing against theirwill freely expressed; and though I could command, for I am placed hereby the Vicar of Christ himself, with absolute power over your lives andfortunes, yet such is my love and affection towards you that I do notdisdain to ask your advice.'
The courtiers broke out into a murmur of surprise andself-congratulation at his infinite graciousness; the trumpetsflourished again, and in the succeeding silence could be heard cries ofcommand from the officers in the square, while from the soldiersstanding about the hall there was a clank of swords and spurs.
Checco rose from his seat. He was pale and he almost seemed to hesitate;I wondered if the soldiers had had the effect which Girolamo intended.Then he began to speak, quietly, in even, well-turned sentences, so thatone could see the speech had been carefully thought out.
He called to mind his own affection for Girolamo, and the mutualfriendship which had solaced many hours of doubt and difficulty, andassured him of his unalterable fidelity to himself and his family; thenhe reminded him of the love borne by the people towards their ruler, andtheir consciousness of an equal love on the part of the Count towardsthemselves. He drew a picture of the joy in Forli when first Girolamocame to it, and of the enthusiasm caused by the sight of him or his wifewalking through the streets.
There was a little applause, chiefly from the Count's suite; Checcopaused as if he had come to the end of his preface, and were gatheringhimself up for the real matter of his speech. There was deadly silencein the hall, all eyes were fixed on him, and all minds were askingthemselves, 'What will he say?' Girolamo was leaning forward, restinghis chin on his hand, looking anxious. I wondered if he regretted thathe had called the meeting.
Checco resumed his speech.
'Girolamo,' he said, 'the people from the country districts lately sentyou a petition, in which they showed their sufferings from rain andstorm and famine, their poverty and misery, the oppressiveness of thetaxes. They bade you come and look at their untilled fields, theirhouses falling to ruin, themselves dying by the roadside, naked andhungry, children expiring at their mothers' breasts, parents lyingunburied in the ruin of their home. They bade you come and look at thedesolation of the land, and implored you to help them while there wasyet time, and lighten from their backs the burdens you had laid uponthem.
'You turned an eye of pity on them; and now the land smiles, the peoplehave shaken themselves from their sleep of death, and awakened to newlife, and everywhere prayers are offered and blessings rained on thehead of the most high and magnificent prince, Girolamo Riario.
'And we too, my Lord, join in the thanks and praise; for these to whomyou have given new life are our cousins and brothers, ourfellow-countrymen.'
What was coming? The councillors looked at one another questioningly.Could Checco have made terms with the Count, and was it a comedy theywere playing? Girolamo also was surprised; he had not for long heardpraise from any but his courtiers.
'Eight years ago, when you acquired the sovereignty of Forli, you foundthe town weighed down under the taxes which the Ordelaffi had imposed.Depression had seized hold of the merchants and tradesmen; they wereburdened so that they could not buy nor sell; they had given up effort,and the town was lying numb and cold, as if dying from a pestilence. Thestreets were deserted; such people as there were moved sadly, and withdownturned faces. The inhabitants were becoming fewer; there was nomotion, no life; a few years more and Forli would have become a city ofthe dead!
'But you came, and with you life; for your first deed was to remove themost oppressive imposts. As the bow, doubled up, when the string isloosened shoots back with a sudden impulse which propels the arrow toits mark, so Forli rebounded from the weight it had borne before. TheGoddess of Plenty reigned in the land; it was the sunlight after storm;everywhere life and activity! The merchant wrote busily at his desk, thetradesman spread his wares anew and laughed in the joy of his heart. Themason, the builder, the blacksmith returned to their work, and throughthe city was heard the sound of hammering and building. The news spreadof a beneficent lord, and the goldsmith and silversmith, the painter,the sculptor, came to the city in throngs. The money passed from hand tohand, and in its passage seemed to increase by magic. On the faces ofall was happiness; the apprentice sang as he worked, and mirth and joywere universal; Forli became known as the home of delight; Italy rangwith its feasts and celebrations--and every citizen was proud to be aForlivese.
'And everywhere prayers were offered and blessings rained on the head ofthe most high and magnificent prince, Girolamo Riario.'
Checco paused again. An inkling of his meaning was coming to hishearers, but they dared not think he would say what was in all theirminds.
'Then,' Checco went on, 'you re-imposed the taxes which you had takenoff.'
'That is a lie!' interrupted Girolamo. 'They were imposed by thecouncil.'
Checco shrugged his shoulders, smiling ironically.
'I remember quite well. You called a meeting of the Ancients, andshowing them your necessities, suggested that they should re-impose thetaxes.
'I forget if you reminded them that you could command, and that you wereplaced here by the Vicar of Christ on earth.
'And you forebore to let us hear the ring of trumpets and the tramp ofsoldiery in the square. Nor did you think so numerous a suite necessaryfor your dignity.'
He looked round at the soldiers, thoughtfully stroking his beard.
'Proceed!' said Girolamo, imp
atiently; he was beginning to get angry.
Checco, in talking, had recovered the assurance which at first seemed tofail him. He smiled politely at the Count's command, and said,--
'I will come to the point at once.
'You replaced the taxes which you had taken away, and thereby undid thebenefit you had done. The town soon felt the effect of the change; itsprosperity is already declining, and it is not doubtful that a few yearsmore will bring it to the condition in which you found it. And whoknows, perhaps its last state may be worse than its first?
'And now you propose to make the townspeople pay the duties which youhave taken off the countryfolk. You have sent for me to ask my advice onthe subject, and here I give it you.
'Do not put on, but take off. In the name of the people, I beseech youto do away with the taxes you imposed four years ago, and return to thehappy state of the first years of your rule.'
He paused a moment, then with outstretched arm, pointing to the Count,he added solemnly, 'Or Girolamo Riario, the magnificent prince, mayshare the fate of the Ordelaffi, who ruled the town for two centuriesand now wander homeless about the land.'
There was a cry all round the room. They were astounded at his audacity.Girolamo had started in his chair--his eyes were staring, his face red;he was dumb with rage. He tried to speak, but the words died in histhroat, and nothing was heard but an inarticulate murmur. The soldiersand courtiers were looking at one another in surprise; they did not knowwhat to do or think; they looked at their master, but found no help inhim. The citizens were bewildered, and by turns felt wonder, dismay,fear, pleasure; they could not understand....
'Oh, Girolamo!' said Checco, unmindful of the excitement round him, 'Ido not say these things in enmity to you. Come among your peopleyourself, and see their wants with your own eyes. Do not believe whatyour courtiers tell you--do not think the land in your charge is acaptured town, which you can spoil at your pleasure. You have beenplaced here as a guardian in our perils and an assistance in ournecessities.
'You are a stranger here; you do not know this people as I know it. Theywill be faithful, meek, obedient--but do not rob them of the money theyhave hardly earned, or they will turn against you. Forli has neversupported an oppressor, and if you oppress them, beware of their wrath.What do you think are these soldiers of yours against the wrath of apeople! And are you so sure of your soldiers? Will they take part foryou against their fathers and brothers, their children?'
'Be quiet!' Girolamo had risen from his seat, and was standing with hisarm threateningly upraised. He shouted so as to drown Checco, 'Be quiet!You have always been against me, Checco,' he cried. 'You have hated mebecause I have overwhelmed you with bounty. There has never been troublebetween me and my people but you have come to make them more bitteragainst me.'
'You lie!' said Checco, passionately.
'Oh, I know you, Checco, and your pride! As Satan fell by pride, so mayyou, notwithstanding all your riches and power. You thought you were myequal, and because you found me your master you gnashed your teeth andcursed me.
'By God, you would kill me if you could!'
Checco lost his calm, and gesticulating wildly shouted back at Girolamo.
'I have hated you because you are a tyrant to this town. Are these notmy fellow-citizens, my brothers, my friends? Have we not been togethersince childhood, and our fathers and grandfathers before us? And do youthink I look upon them as you who are a stranger?
'No; so long as you obtained money from the rich, I said nothing. Youknow what sums I have myself lent you; all that I freely give you. I donot want a penny of it back--keep it all. But when you have extorted theuttermost from us, and you turn to the poor and needy and rob them oftheir little, then I will not keep silence. You shall not impose thesetaxes on the people! And why is it you want them? For your riotous,insane extravagance; so that you may build yourself new palaces, anddeck yourself in gorgeous robes, and buy diamonds and precious stonesfor your wife.'
'Do not speak of my wife,' interrupted the Count.
'So that you may pile gold in the hands of the parasite who makes asonnet in your praise. You came to us and begged for money; we gave itand you flung it away in feasts and riotry. The very coat you wear wasmade out of our riches. But you have no right to take the money of thepeople for these ignoble uses. You are not their master; you are theirservant; their money is not yours, but yours is theirs. Your duty beforeGod is to protect them, and, instead, you rob them.'
'Be silent!' broke in Girolamo. 'I will hear no more. You have outragedme as no man has ever done without repenting it. You think you areall-powerful, Checco, but by God you shall find that I am more powerful!
'Now go, all of you! I have had enough of this scene. Go!'
He waved his hand imperiously. Then, with a look of intense rage, hedescended from his throne and, scowling, flung himself out of the room.