Part 24 (2/2)
”Why should I betray a man who received me in all good faith? And what good would it have accomplished if I had done so?”
And more weary than ever in mind and body he returned to Ruscino.
As he had left the Prefect's presence that eminent person had rung for his secretary.
”Brandone, send me Sarelli.”
In a few moments Sarelli had appeared; he was the usher of the Prefecture by appointment; by taste and in addition he was its chief spy. He was a native of the city, and a person of considerable ac.u.men and excellent memory; he never needed to make memoranda -- there is nothing so dangerous to an official as written notes.
”Sarelli, what are the reports concerning the vicar of Ruscino?”
Sarelli stood respectfully at attention; he had been a non-commissioned officer of artillery; and answered in rapid but clear tones --
”Great ability -- great eloquence -- disliked by superiors; formerly great preacher in Rome; supposed to be at Ruscino as castigation; learned -- benevolent -- correct.”
”Humph!” said Gallo, disappointed. ”Not likely then to cause trouble or disorder? -- to necessitate painful measures?”
Sarelli rapidly took his cue.
”Hitherto, your Excellency, uniformly correct; except in one instance --”
”That instance?”
”Your Excellency will have heard of Ulisse Ferrero, a great robber of the lower Abruzzo Citeriore Primo?”
”I have: continue.”
”Ulisse Ferrero was outlawed; his band had been killed or captured, every one; he had lost his right arm; he hid for many years in the lower woods of Abruzzo; he came down at night to the farmhouses, the people gave him food and drink, and aided him --”
”Their criminal habit always: continue.”
”Sometimes in one district, sometimes in another, he was often in the _macchia_ of the Valdedera. The people of the district, and especially of Ruscino, protected him. They thought him a saint, because once when at the head of his band, which was then very strong, he had come into Ruscino and done them no harm, but only eaten and drunk, and left a handful of silver pieces to pay for what he and his men had taken. So they protected him now, and oftentimes for more than a year he came out of the _macchia_, and the villagers gave him all they could, and he went up and down Ruscino as if he were a king; and this lasted for several seasons, and, as we learned afterwards, Don Silverio Frascara had cognisance of this fact, but did nothing. When Ulisse Ferrero was at last captured (it is nine years ago come November, and it was not in Ruscino but in the woods above), and brought to trial, many witnesses were summoned, and amongst them this Don Silverio; and the judge said to him, 'You had knowledge that this man came oftentimes into you parish?' and Don Silverio answered, 'I had.' 'You knew that he was an outlaw, in rupture with justice?' 'I did,' he answered. Then the judge struck his fist with anger on his desk. 'And you a priest, a guardian of order, did not denounce him to the authorities?' Then Don Silverio, your Excellency, quite quietly, but with a smile (I was there close to him), had the audacity to answer the judge. 'I am a priest,' he said 'and I study my breviary, but do not find in it any command which authorises me to betray my fellow creatures.' That made a terrible stir in the tribunal, you Excellency. They talked of committing him to gaol for contempt of court and for collusion with the outlaw. But it took place at San Beda, where they are all _papalini_, as your Excellency knows, and nothing was done, sir.”
”That reply is verily like this priest!” thought Giovacchino Gallo.
”A man of ability, of intellect, of incorruptible temper, but a man as like as not to encourage and excuse sedition.”
Aloud he said, ”You may go, Sarelli. Good morning.”
”May I be allowed a word, sir?”
”Speak.”
”May it not well be, sir, that Don Silverio's organisation or suggestion is underneath this insurrectionary movement of the young men in the Valdedera?”
”It is possible; yes. See to it.”
”Your servant, sir.”
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