Home > Authors Index > Hall Caine > Eternal City > This page
The Eternal City, a novel by Hall Caine |
||
Part 1. The Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 7 |
||
| < Previous |
Table of content |
Next > |
|
________________________________________________
_ PART ONE. THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE CHAPTER VII "Brothers, when Christ Himself was on the earth going up to Jerusalem, He rode on the colt of an ass, and the blind and the lame and the sick came to Him, and He healed them. Humanity is sick and blind and lame to-day, brothers, but the Vicar of Christ goes on." At the words an audible murmur came from the crowd, such as goes before the clapping of hands in a Roman theatre, a great upheaval of the heart of the audience to the actor who has touched and stirred it. "Brothers, in a little Eastern village a long time ago, there arose among the poor and lowly a great Teacher, and the only prayer He taught His followers was the prayer 'Our Father who art in Heaven.' It was the expression of man's utmost need, the expression of man's utmost hope. And not only did the Teacher teach that prayer--He lived according to the light of it. All men were His brothers, all women His sisters; He was poor, He had no home, no purse, and no second coat; when He was smitten He did not smite back, and when He was unjustly accused He did not defend Himself. Nineteen hundred years have passed since then, brothers, and the Teacher who arose among the poor and lowly is now a great Prophet. All the world knows and honours Him, and civilised nations have built themselves upon the religion He founded. A great Church calls itself by His name, and a mighty kingdom, known as Christendom, owes allegiance to His faith. But what of His teaching? He said: 'Resist not evil,' yet all Christian nations maintain standing armies. He said: 'Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,' yet the wealthiest men are Christian men, and the richest organisation in the world is the Christian Church. He said: 'Our Father who art in Heaven,' yet men who ought to be brothers are divided into states, and hate each other as enemies. He said: 'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven,' yet he who believes it ever will come is called a fanatic and a fool." Some murmurs of dissent were drowned in cries of "Go on!" "Speak!" "Silence!" "Foremost and grandest of the teachings of Christ are two inseparable truths--the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. But in Italy, as elsewhere, the people are starved that king may contend with king, and when we appeal to the Pope to protest in the name of the Prince of Peace, he remembers his temporalities and passes on!" At these words the emotion of the crowd broke into loud shouts of approval, with which some groans were mingled. Roma had turned her face aside from the speaker, and her profile was changed--the gay, sprightly, airy, radiant look had given way to a serious, almost a melancholy expression. "We have two sovereigns in Rome, brothers, a great State and a great Church, with a perishing people. We have soldiers enough to kill us, priests enough to tell us how to die, but no one to show us how to live." "Corruption! Corruption!" "Corruption indeed, brothers; and who is there among us to whom the corruptions of our rulers are unknown? Who cannot point to the wars made that should not have been made? to the banks broken that should not have broken? And who in Rome cannot point to the Ministers who allow their mistresses to meddle in public affairs and enrich themselves by the ruin of all around?" The little Princess on the balcony was twisting about. "What! Are you deserting us, Roma?" And Roma answered from within the house, in a voice that sounded strange and muffled: "It was cold on the balcony, I think." The little Princess laughed a bitter laugh, and David Rossi heard it and misunderstood it, and his nostrils quivered like the nostrils of a horse, and when he spoke again his voice shook with passion. "Who has not seen the splendid equipages of these privileged ones of fortune--their gorgeous liveries of scarlet and gold--emblems of the acid which is eating into the public organs? Has Providence raised this country from the dead only to be dizzied in a whirlpool of scandal, hypocrisy, and fraud--only to fall a prey to an infamous traffic without a name between high officials of low desires and women whose reputations are long since lost? It is men and women like these who destroy their country for their own selfish ends. Very well, let them destroy her; but before they do so, let them hear what one of her children says: The Government you are building up on the whitened bones of the people shall be overthrown--the King who countenances you, and the Pope who will not condemn you, shall be overthrown, and then--and not till then--will the nation be free." At this there was a terrific clamour. The square resounded with confused voices. "Bravo!" "Dog!" "Dog's murderer!" "Traitor!" "Long live David Rossi!" "Down with the Vampire!" The ladies had fled from the balcony back to the room with cries of alarm. "There will be a riot." "The man is inciting the people to rebellion!" "This house will be first to be attacked!" "Calm yourselves, ladies. No harm shall come to you," said the Baron, and he rang the bell. There came from below a babel of shouts and screams. "Madonna mia! What is that?" cried the Princess, wringing her hands; and the American Ambassador, who had remained on the balcony, said: "The Carabineers have charged the crowd and arrested David Rossi." "Thank God!" "They're going through the Borgo," said Don Camillo, "and kicking and cuffing and jostling and hustling all the way." "Don't be alarmed! There's the Hospital of Santo Spirito round the corner, and stations of the Red Cross Society everywhere," said the Baron, and then Felice answered the bell. "See our friends out by the street at the back, Felice. Good-bye, ladies! Have no fear! The Government does not mean to blunt the weapons it uses against the malefactors who insult the doctrines of the State." "Excellent Minister!" said the Princess. "Such canaglia are not fit to have their liberty, and I would lock them all up in prison." And then Don Camillo offered his arm to the little lady with the white plumes, and they came almost face to face with Roma, who was standing by the door hung with curtains, fanning herself with her handkerchief, and parting from the English Ambassador. "Donna Roma," he was saying, "if I can ever be of use to you, either now or in the future, I beg of you to command me." "Look at her!" whispered the Princess. "How agitated she is! A moment ago she was finding it cold in the Loggia! I'm so happy!" At the next instant she ran up to Roma and kissed her. "Poor child! How sorry I am! You have my sympathy, my dear! But didn't I tell you the man was a public nuisance, and ought to be put down by the police?" "Shameful, isn't it?" said Don Camillo. "Calumny is a little wind, but it raises such a terrible tempest." "Nobody likes to be talked about," said the Princess, "especially in Rome, where it is the end of everything." "But what matter? Perhaps the young man has learned freedom of speech in a free country!" said Don Camillo. "And then he is so interesting and so handsome," said the Princess. Roma made no answer. There was a slight drooping of the lovely eyes and a trembling of the lips and nostrils. For a moment she stood absolutely impassive, and then with a flash of disdain she flung round into the inner room. _ |
||