nisida-第10章

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destroy　the　idea　of　premeditation；　declared　that　the　young　fisherman
had　left　him　only　at　the　moment　when　the　storm　broke　over　the　island；
but；　in　the　first　place；　the　young　diver　was　known　to　be　Gabriel's
most　devoted　friend　and　his　sister's　warmest　admirer；　and；　in　the
second；　he　had　been　seen　to　land　at　Torre　during　the　same　hour　in
which　he　had　affirmed　that　he　was　near　to　Nisida。　　As　for　the
prince's　passion　for　the　poor　peasant　girl；　the　magistrates　simply
shrugged　their　shoulders　at　the　ridiculous　assertion　of　that；　and
especially　at　the　young　girl's　alleged　resistance　and　the　extreme
measures　to　which　the　prince　was　supposed　to　have　resorted　to　conquer
the　virtue　of　Nisida。　　Eligi　of　Brancaleone　was　so　young；　so
handsome；　so　seductive；　and　at　the　same　time　so　cool　amid　his
successes；　that　he　had　never　been　suspected　of　violence；　except　in
getting　rid　of　his　mistresses。　　Finally；　an　overwhelming　and
unanswerable　proof　overthrew　all　the　arguments　for　the　defence：　under
the　fisherman's　bed　had　been　found　a　purse　with　the　Brancaleone　arms；
full　of　gold；　the　purse　which；　if　our　readers　remember；　the　prince
had　flung　as　a　last　insult　at　Gabriel's　feet。

The　old　man　did　not　lose　heart　at　this　fabric　of　lies；　after　the
pleadings　of　the　advocates　whose　ruinous　eloquence　he　had　bought　with
heavy　gold；　he　defended　his　son　himself；　and　put　so　much　truth；　so
much　passion；　and　so　many　tears　into　his　speech；　that　the　whole
audience　was　moved；　and　three　of　the　judges　voted　for　an　acquittal；
but　the　majority　was　against　it；　and　the　fatal　verdict　was
pronounced。

The　news　at　once　spread　throughout　the　little　island；　and　caused　the
deepest　dejection　there。　　The　fishers　who；　at　the　first　irruption　of
force；　had　risen　as　one　man　to　defend　their　comrade's　cause；　bowed
their　heads　without　a　murmur　before　the　unquestioned　authority　of　a
legal　judgment。　　Solomon　received　unflinchingly　the　stab　that　pierced
his　heart。　　No　sigh　escaped　his　breast；　no　tear　came　to　his　eyes；　his
wound　did　not　bleed。　　Since　his　son's　arrest　he　had　sold　all　he
possessed　in　the　world；　even　the　little　silver　cross　left　by　his　wife
at　her　death；　even　the　pearl　necklace　that　flattered　his　fatherly
pride　by　losing　its　whiteness　against　his　dear　Nisida's　throat；　the
pieces　of　gold　gained　by　the　sale　of　these　things　he　had　sewn　into
his　coarse　woollen　cap；　and　had　established　himself　in　the　city。　　He
ate　nothing　but　the　bread　thrown　to　him　by　the　pity　of　passers…by；
and　slept　on　the　steps　of　churches　or　at　the　magistrates'　door。

To　estimate　at　its　full　value　the　heroic　courage　of　this　unhappy
father；　one　must　take　a　general　view　of　the　whole　extent　of　his
misfortune。　　Overwhelmed　by　age　and　grief；　he　looked　forward　with
solemn　calmness　to　the　terrible　moment　which　would　bear　his　son；　a
few　days　before　him；　to　the　grave。　　His　sharpest　agony　was　the
thought　of　the　shame　that　would　envelop　his　family。　　The　first
scaffold　erected　in　that　gently　mannered　island　would　arise　for
Gabriel；　and　that　ignominious　punishment　tarnish　the　whole　population
and　imprint　upon　it　the　first　brand　of　disgrace。　　By　a　sad
transition；　which　yet　comes　so　easily　in　the　destiny　of　man；　the　poor
father　grew　to　long　for　those　moments　of　danger　at　which　he　had
formerly　trembled；　those　moments　in　which　his　son　might　have　died
nobly。　　And　now　all　was　lost：　a　long　life　of　work；　of　abnegation；　and
of　good　deeds；　a　pure　and　stainless　reputation　that　had　extended
beyond　the　gulf　into　distant　countries；　and　the　traditional
admiration；　rising　almost　to　worship；　of　several　generations；　all
these　things　only　served　to　deepen　the　pit　into　which　the　fisherman
had　fallen；　at　one　blow；　from　his　kingly　height。　　Good　fame；　that
divine　halo　without　which　nothing　here　on　earth　is　sacred；　had
disappeared。　　Men　no　longer　dared　to　defend　the　poor　wretch；　they
pitied　him。　　His　name　would　soon　carry　horror　with　it；　and　Nisida；
poor　orphan；　would　be　nothing　to　anyone　but　the　sister　of　a　man　who
had　been　condemned　to　death。　　Even　Bastiano　turned　away　his　face　and
wept。　　Thus；　when　every　respite　was　over；　when　poor　Solomon's　every
attempt　had　failed；　people　in　the　town　who　saw　him　smile　strangely；
as　though　under　the　obsession　of　some　fixed　idea；　said　to　one　another
that　the　old　man　had　lost　his　reason。

Gabriel　saw　his　last　day　dawn；　serenely　and　calmly。　　His　sleep　had
been　deep；　he　awoke　full　of　unknown　joy；　a　cheerful　ray　of　sunlight；
falling　through　the　loophole；　wavered　over　the　fine　golden　straw　in
his　cell；　an　autumn　breeze　playing　around　him；　brought　an　agreeable
coolness　to　his　brow；　and　stirred　in　his　long　hair。　　The　gaoler；　who
while　he　had　had　him　in　his　charge　had　always　behaved　humanely；
struck　by　his　happy　looks；　hesitated　to　announce　the　priest's　visit；
in　fear　of　calling　the　poor　prisoner　from　his　dream。　　Gabriel
received　the　news　with　pleasure；　he　conversed　for　two　hours　with　the
good　priest；　and　shed　sweet　tears　on　receiving　the　last　absolution。
The　priest　left　the　prison　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　declaring　aloud
that　he　had　never　in　his　life　met　with　a　more　beautiful；　pure；
resigned；　and　courageous　spirit。

The　fisherman　was　still　under　the　influence　of　this　consoling　emotion
when　his　sister　entered。　　Since　the　day　when　she　had　been　carried；
fainting；　from　the　room　where　her　brother　had　just　been　arrested；　the
poor　girl；　sheltered　under　the　roof　of　an　aunt；　and　accusing　herself
of　all　the　evil　that　had　befallen；　had　done　nothing　but　weep　at　the
feet　of　her　holy　protectress。　　Bowed　by　grief　like　a　young　lily
before　the　storm；　she　would　spend　whole　hours；　pale；　motionless；
detached　from　earthly　things；　her　tears　flowing　silently　upon　her
beautiful　clasped　hands。　　When　the　moment　came　to　go　and　embrace　her
brother　for　the　last　time；　Nisida　arose　with　the　courage　of　a　saint。
She　wiped　away　the　traces　of　her　tears；　smoothed　her　beautiful　black
hair；　and　put　on　her　best　white　dress。　　Poor　child；　she　tried　to　hide
her　grief　by　an　angelic　deception。　　She　had　the　strength　to　smile！
At　the　sight　of　her　alarming　pallor　Gabriel　felt　his　heart　wrung；　a
cloud　passed　over　his　eyes；　he　would　have　run　to　meet　her；　but；　held
back　by　the　chain　which　fettered　him　to　a　pillar　of　his　prison；
stepped　back　sharply　and　stumbled。　Nisida　flew　to　her　brother　and
upheld　him　in　her　arms。　　The　young　girl　had　understood　him；　she
assured　him　that　she　was　well。　　Fearing　to　remind　him　of　his　terrible
position；　she　spoke　volubly　of　all　manner　of　thingsher　aunt；　the
weather；　the　Madonna。　　Then　she　stopped　suddenly；　frightened　at　her
own　words；　frightened　at　her　own　silence；　she　fixed　her　burning　gaze
upon　her　brother's　brow　as　though　to　fascinate　him。　　Little　by　little
animation　returned　to　her；　a　faint　colour　tinted　her　hollowed　cheeks；
and　Gabriel；　deceived　by　the　maiden's　super　human　efforts；　thought
her　still　beautiful；　and　thanked　God　in　his　heart　for　having　spared
this　tender　creature。　　Nisida；　as　though　she　had　followed　her
brother's　secret　thoughts；　came　close　to　him；　pressed　his　hand　with
an　air　of　understanding；　and　murmured　low　in　his　ear；　〃Fortunately
our　father　has　been　away　for　two　days；　he　sent　me　word　that　he　would
be　detained　in　town。　　For　us；　it　is　different；　we　are　young；　we　have
courage！〃

The　poor　young　girl　was　trembling　like　a　leaf。

〃What　will　become　of　you；　my　poor　Nisida？〃

〃Bah！　　I　will　pray　to　the　Madonna。　　Does　she　not　watch　over　us？〃　　The
girl　stopped；　struck　by　the　sound　of　her　own　words；　which　the
circumstances　so　cruelly　contradicted。　　But　looking　at　her　brother；
she　went　on　in　a　low　tone：　〃Assuredly　she　does　watch　over　us。　　She
appeared　to　me　last　night　in　a　dream。　　She　held　her　child　Jesus　on
her　arm；　and　looked　at　me　with　a　mother's　tenderness。　　She　wishes　to
make　saints　of　us；　for　she　loves　us；　and　to　be　a　saint；　you　see；
Gabriel；　one　must　suffer。〃

〃Well；　go　and　pray　for　me；　my　kind　sister；　go　away　from　the　view　of
this　sad　place；　which　will　eventually　shake　your　firmness；　and
perhaps　mine。　　Go；　we　shall　see　each　other　again　in　heaven　above；
where　our　mother　is　waiting　for　usour　mother　whom　you　have　not
known；　and　to　whom　I　shall　often　speak　of　you。　　Farewell；　my　sister；
until　we　meet