Part 5 (1/2)
”You said you had done things for Bini; I didn't know you even knew him.”
”It wasn't for Bini; it was for the other one”
”Which other one?”
”The one that was talking to me to-night--Bolla.”
”Do you know him well?” Arthur put in with a little touch of jealousy.
Bolla was a sore subject with him; there had been a rivalry between them about some work which the committee of Young Italy had finally intrusted to Bolla, declaring Arthur too young and inexperienced.
”I know him pretty well; and I like him very much. He has been staying in Leghorn.”
”I know; he went there in November------”
”Because of the steamers. Arthur, don't you think your house would be safer than ours for that work? n.o.body would suspect a rich s.h.i.+pping family like yours; and you know everyone at the docks----”
”Hus.h.!.+ not so loud, dear! So it was in your house the books from Ma.r.s.eilles were hidden?”
”Only for one day. Oh! perhaps I oughtn't to have told you.”
”Why not? You know I belong to the society. Gemma, dear, there is nothing in all the world that would make me so happy as for you to join us--you and the Padre.”
”Your Padre! Surely he----”
”No; he thinks differently. But I have sometimes fancied--that is--hoped--I don't know----”
”But, Arthur! he's a priest.”
”What of that? There are priests in the society--two of them write in the paper. And why not? It is the mission of the priesthood to lead the world to higher ideals and aims, and what else does the society try to do? It is, after all, more a religious and moral question than a political one. If people are fit to be free and responsible citizens, no one can keep them enslaved.”
Gemma knit her brows. ”It seems to me, Arthur,” she said, ”that there's a muddle somewhere in your logic. A priest teaches religious doctrine. I don't see what that has to do with getting rid of the Austrians.”
”A priest is a teacher of Christianity, and the greatest of all revolutionists was Christ.”
”Do you know, I was talking about priests to father the other day, and he said----”
”Gemma, your father is a Protestant.”
After a little pause she looked round at him frankly.
”Look here, we had better leave this subject alone. You are always intolerant when you talk about Protestants.”
”I didn't mean to be intolerant. But I think Protestants are generally intolerant when they talk about priests.”
”I dare say. Anyhow, we have so often quarreled over this subject that it is not worth while to begin again. What did you think of the lecture?”
”I liked it very much--especially the last part. I was glad he spoke so strongly about the need of living the Republic, not dreaming of it. It is as Christ said: 'The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.'”
”It was just that part that I didn't like. He talked so much of the wonderful things we ought to think and feel and be, but he never told us practically what we ought to do.”