I promessi sposi. English

by Alessandro Manzoni

  CHAPTER XIX.

  The signor count formed the resolution to make use of the fatherprovincial to cut the knot of these perplexities; whether he would havethought of this, had it not been suggested by Attilio, it is impossibleto determine, inasmuch as he would never have acknowledged this to bethe case. It was important that one of his family, his nephew, shouldnot be obliged to yield in an open controversy; it was a point essentialto the reputation of his power, which he had so much at heart. Thesatisfaction which his nephew might himself take of his adversary wouldbe a remedy worse than the disease. Should he order him to leave hiscastle, when obedience would seem like flying from the field of battle?Legal force could have no power over the capuchin; the clergy wereentirely exempt from secular jurisdiction. All that he could attemptagainst such an adversary was to endeavour to have him removed and thepower to do this rested with the father provincial.

  Now the count and the father provincial were old acquaintances; they saweach other rarely, but always with great demonstrations of friendship,and reiterated offers of service.

  When all was matured in his mind, the count invited the fatherprovincial to a dinner, where he found a company of choice guests;noblemen, who, by their deportment, their native boldness, and lordlydisdain, impressed those around them with the idea of their superiorityand power. There were also present some clients, who, attached to thehouse by hereditary devotion, and the service of a life, sat at theirlord's table, in a spirit of implicit submission, "devouring hisdiscourse" and his dinner with unqualified and equal approbation.

  At table, the count led the conversation to Madrid; he spoke of thecourt, the count-duke, the ministers, the family of the governor; of thebull-fights, which he could well describe, having seen them from adistinguished place; of the escurial, of which he could speak in itsmost minute details, because a page of the count-duke had conducted himinto every nook of it. For some time all the company were attentive tohim alone; then they divided into separate parties. He continued for awhile to relate a number of anecdotes, as in confidence, to the fatherprovincial, who was seated near him. But suddenly he gave a turn to theconversation, and spoke of Cardinal Barberini, who was a capuchin, andbrother to the reigning pope, Urban VIII. As they left the table, thecount invited the father provincial to go with him into anotherapartment.

  The noble lord gave a seat to the reverend father, and taking onehimself, said, "Considering the friendship that exists between us, Ithought I was authorised to speak to your reverence of an affair equallyinteresting to us both, and which had best be concluded between uswithout going farther, which might--and I will tell you frankly what itis, as I am certain we shall have the same opinion on the subject. Tellme, in your convent of Pescarenico, is there not a Father Christopher of***?"

  The father provincial bowed assent.

  "I pray your reverence to tell me, frankly, as a friend,--this man--thisfather--I have no personal acquaintance with him, 'tis true; I know manyfervent, prudent, humble capuchins, who are worth their weight in gold;I have been the friend of the order from infancy; but in a numerousfamily there is always some individual----And I have reason to thinkthat Friar Christopher is a man--a little fond of quarrelling--who hasnot all the prudence he might have: I imagine he has caused yourreverence much anxiety."

  "I perceive there is some intrigue," thought the father provincial; "itis my fault; I knew that this holy man should have been sent from pulpitto pulpit, and not have been suffered to remain six months in a conventin the country.--Oh," said he, aloud, "I am truly sorry that yourexcellency has conceived such an opinion of Father Christopher; for Iknow that his conduct in the convent is exemplary, and that he isesteemed by every body."

  "I understand very well; your reverence ought----However, I would as afriend inform you of a matter which it is necessary you should know.This Father Christopher has taken under his protection a young man ofthat country, one of whom your reverence must have heard; him whorecently escaped from the hands of justice, on the terrible day of SanMartin--Lorenzo Tramaglino!"

  "I had not heard of this," said the father provincial; "but yourexcellency knows that it is the duty of our order to seek those who havegone astray, for the purpose of leading them back."

  "That is true; but I thought it best to give you this information,because, if ever his holiness--the intelligence of it may have been sentto Rome."

  "I am much obliged to your excellency for the information. However, I amcertain, that if the affair is enquired into, it will be found thatFather Christopher has had no connection with this man but for thepurpose of doing him good. I know the father well."

  "Your reverence knows, then, better than I, what he was in the world,and the pranks of his youth."

  "It is the glory of our habit, signor count, that whatever a man mayhave been in the world, once clothed with that, he is quite anotherperson; and since the Father Christopher has belonged to our order----"

  "I believe it from the bottom of my heart, I believe it; butsometimes--as the proverb says--The habit does not make the monk."

  The proverb was not much to the purpose, but the count had cited it, inplace of another which occurred to him,--"The wolf may change his skin,but he does not become a dog."

  "I have certain information," pursued he.

  "If your excellency knows positively that the father has committed afault (we are all liable to err), I wish you would inform me of it. I amhis superior--unworthily, 'tis true; but it is my duty to watch over,and, if necessary, correct----"

  "Besides the circumstance of his granting protection to the man I havementioned, this same Father Christopher has undertaken to contend--butwe can settle it together with my nephew, Don Roderick."

  "Oh, I am sorry for that, I am sorry for that, truly."

  "My nephew is young, rash, and not accustomed to provocation."

  "It becomes my duty to obtain the best information on the subject. Yourexcellency, with your experience of the world, knows better than I, thatwe are all frail, liable to error--some one way, some another; and ifour Father Christopher has failed----"

  "But these are things which had better be settled between ourselves; tospread them abroad would only increase the evil. These trifles are oftenthe cause of numerous embarrassments and difficulties, which might havebeen prevented by some decisive act in the commencement. That is now ourbusiness; my nephew is young; the monk, from what I hear, has still thespirit, the inclinations of a young man; but we, who are advanced inyears, (too true, is it not, reverend father?) must have prudence to actfor the young, and apply a remedy to their follies. Happily there is yettime; we must remove the fire from the straw. An individual who does notdo well in one place may in another; your reverence might see to hisbeing removed, might find a suitable station for the friar at asufficient distance--all may be easily arranged--or rather, there's noharm done."

  The father provincial had expected this conclusion from the commencementof the conversation. "I perceive," thought he, "where you would lead me;when a poor friar gives one of you the least umbrage, the superior mustmake him march, right or wrong."

  When the count had finished, the provincial said aloud, "I understandwhat the signor count would say; but before taking a step----"

  "It is a step, and it is not a step, very reverend father: it is only anatural event, such as might happen in the ordinary course of affairs;and if we do not do it quickly, I foresee a deluge of disorders, amountain of grievances. If we do not put a stop to the affair betweenourselves, it is not possible it should remain a secret. And then it isnot only my nephew--you raise a wasp's nest, very reverend father. Weare a powerful house--we have adherents."

  The father bowed in assent. The count proceeded. "You understand me;they are all people who have blood in their veins, and who in theworld--count as something. They are proud of their honour; the affairwill become theirs, and then---- Even those who are the friends ofpeace---- It would be a grief of heart to me to be obliged---- I, whohave always had such a friendship
for the capuchins! The fathers, fortheir ministry to be efficient, should be in harmony with all men--nomisunderstandings: besides, they have relations abroad--and theseaffairs of punctilio extend, ramify---- I, too, have a certain dignityto maintain---- His excellency----my noble colleagues---- It becomes aparty matter----"

  "It is true," said the provincial, "that Father Christopher is apreacher; I had already the intention--I have even been solicited to doit--but under these circumstances, and just at this time, it might beconsidered as a punishment; and to punish without being wellacquainted----"

  "But it is not a punishment; it is a prudent precaution, an honest meansof preventing evils that might----I have explained myself."

  "The signor count and myself understand each other very well; but thefacts being those which your excellency has adduced, it is impossiblebut that they should in part be known through the country: there areevery where firebrands, or idle spirits, who find pleasure in thecontests of the monks and the nobility, and love to make malignantobservations. Each one has his own dignity to preserve; and I, in thecharacter of a superior, have an express duty--the honour of thehabit--it is not my own affair--it is a deposit which--and since thesignor your nephew is so irritated, as your excellency has said, hemight take it as a satisfaction offered to him, and--I do not say boastof it, but----"

  "You jest, reverend father, surely; my nephew is a cavalier ofconsideration in the world, as he should be; but in his relations withme, he is but a child, and will do neither more nor less than Iprescribe to him. And, moreover, he shall never know it. The thing isdone between ourselves; there is no necessity for rendering an accountto him. Let not that give you any uneasiness; I am accustomed to keepsilence on important subjects. As to the idle talk of others, what canbe said? It is a very common thing to see a friar leave one place to goand preach at another."

  "However, in order to prevent malicious observations, it would benecessary, on this occasion, that the nephew of your excellency shouldgive some demonstration of friendship, of deference,--not for us, butfor the order."

  "Certainly, certainly, that is but right; it is not necessary, however;I know that the capuchins are highly esteemed by my nephew, as well asby our whole family. But, in this case, something more signal is veryproper. Leave it to me, very reverend father: I will give such orders tomy nephew--that is to say, it shall be prudently suggested to him, thathe may not suspect what has passed between us, because we need not applya plaster where there is no wound. As to that which we have agreed on,the sooner it is done the better; and if you had a place at somedistance--to remove every occasion----"

  "They want a preacher at Rimini; and perhaps without this motive Ishould have thought----"

  "That is very opportune, very opportune. And when?"

  "Since the thing is to be done, it shall be quickly."

  "Certainly, certainly; better to-day than to-morrow. And," continued he,rising, "if I or my adherents can render any service to the good fathercapuchins----"

  "We have often experienced the kindness of the house," said the fatherprovincial, also rising, and following his vanquisher to the door of theapartment.

  "We have extinguished a spark," said the count,--"a spark, very reverendfather, which might have excited a great conflagration. Between goodfriends, things are easily arranged."

  They then entered the next apartment, and mixed with the rest of thecompany.

  The count obtained his end: Friar Christopher was made to travel on footfrom Pescarenico to Rimini, as we shall see.

  One evening a capuchin from Milan arrived at Pescarenico, with a packetfor the superior: it was an order for Father Christopher to repair toRimini for the purpose of preaching the Lent sermons. The lettercontained instructions to the superior, to insinuate to the friar, thathe should give up every attention to any business he might have on handin the country he must leave, and that he should not maintain anycorrespondence there. The friar, who was the bearer of the order, was tobe the companion of his journey. The superior said nothing that night,but in the morning he sent for Father Christopher, showed him the order,and told him to take his basket, staff, and girdle, and with the friar,whom he presented to him, commence his journey.

  Imagine what a blow this was for our good father. Renzo, Lucy, Agnes,passed rapidly over his mind, and he thought, "Great God! what willthese unfortunate people do, when I am no longer here?" but raising hiseyes to heaven, he placed his hope and confidence there. He crossed hishands on his breast, and bowed his head in token of obedience; he thenwent to his cell, took his basket, his staff, and his breviary, andafter having bid farewell to his brethren, and obtained the benedictionof his superior, took, with his companion, the route prescribed.

  We have said that Don Roderick, more than ever determined on theaccomplishment of his infamous enterprise, had resolved to seek theassistance of a powerful man. We cannot give his name, nor even hazard aconjecture with regard to it; this is the more astonishing, inasmuch aswe find notices of this personage in several histories of the time. Theidentity of the facts does not leave a doubt of the identity of the man;but there is evidently an extreme care to avoid the mention of his name.Francesco Rivola, in his life of the Cardinal Federigo Borromeo,speaking of him, says, "He was a lord as powerful from his wealth asillustrious from his birth," and nothing further. Giuseppe Ripamontimakes farther mention of him, as a _man_, this _man_, a _person_, this_person_. "I will relate," says he, "the case of a man, who, belongingto the most powerful family in the city, chose the country for hisresidence; and there, assuring himself of impunity by the force ofcrime, he set at nought the law and the magistrates, the king and thenobles. Placed on the extreme confines of the state, he led anindependent life; he offered an asylum to the outlaw; he was outlawedhimself, and then absolved from the sentence which had led----" We willhereafter quote from this author other passages, which will confirm thehistory we are about to relate.

  To do that which was forbidden by the laws; to be the arbiter, thesupreme judge in the affairs of others, without other interest than athirst for power; to be feared by all, even by those who were theobjects of fear to all men; these had ever been the controllingprinciples which actuated the conduct of this man. From his youth he hadbeen filled with impatient envy at the power and authority of others;superior to the greater number in riches and retinue, and to all perhapsin birth and audacity, he constrained them to renounce all competitionwith him; he took some into his friendship, but was far from admittingany equality between himself and them; his proud and disdainful spiritcould only be content with those who were willing to acknowledge theirinferiority, and to yield to him on all occasions. When, however, theyfound themselves in any difficulty, they did not fail to solicit the aidof so powerful an auxiliary; and a refusal from him would have been thedestruction of his reputation, and of the high station which he hadassumed. So that, for himself and others, he had performed such deedsthat not all his own power and that of his family could prevent hisbanishment and outlawry; and he was obliged to leave the state. Ibelieve that it is to this circumstance Ripamonti alludes:--

  "He was obliged to leave the country: but his audacity was unsubdued; hewent through the city on horseback, followed by a pack of hounds, andwith the sound of the trumpet; passing by the court of the palace, hesent an abusive message to the governor by one of the guards."

  In his absence he did not desist from his evil practices; he maintaineda correspondence with his friends, "who were united to him," saysRipamonti, "in a secret league of atrocious deeds."

  It appears that he even contracted new habits, of which the samehistorian speaks with mysterious brevity. "Foreign princes had recourseto him for important murders, and they even sent him reinforcements ofsoldiers to act under his orders."

  At last, whether the proclamation of his outlawry was withdrawn fromsome powerful intercession, or that the audacity of the man outweighedall authority, he resolved to return home; not exactly to Milan, but toa castle on the frontier of the Bergamascan te
rritory, which thenbelonged to the Venetian state. "This house," says Ripamonti, "was afocus of sanguinary mandates. The household was composed of such as hadbeen guilty of great crimes; the cooks, and the scullions even, were notfree from the stain of murder." Besides this notable household, he hadmen resembling them, stationed in different places of the two states, onthe confines of which he lived.

  All, however tyrannical themselves, had been obliged to choose betweenthe friendship or enmity of this tyrannical man, and it fared ill withthose who dared resist him. It was in vain to hope to preserveneutrality or independence; his orders to do such or such a thing, or torefrain, were arbitrary, and resistance was useless. Recourse was had tohim on all occasions, and by all sorts of people, good as well as bad,for the arrangements of their difficulties; so that he occasionallybecame the protector of the oppressed, who could not have obtainedredress in any other way, public or private. He was almost always theminister of wickedness, revenge, and caprice; but the various ways inwhich he had employed his power impressed upon all minds a great idea ofhis capability to devise and perform his acts in defiance of everyobstruction, whether lawful or unlawful. The fame of ordinary tyrantswas confined to their own districts, and every district had its tyrant;but the fame of this extraordinary man was spread throughout theMilanese; his life was the subject of popular tales, and his namecarried with it something powerful and mysterious. Every tyrant wassuspected of alliance with him, every assassin of acting under hisorders; at every extraordinary crime, of the author of which they wereignorant, the name of this man was uttered, whom, thanks to thecircumspection of our historians, we are obliged to call the Unknown.

  The distance between his castle and that of Don Roderick was not morethan six miles. The latter had long felt the necessity of keeping ongood terms with such a neighbour, and had proffered his services, andentitled himself to the same sort of friendship, as the rest; he washowever, careful to conceal the nature and strictness of the unionbetween them. Don Roderick liked to play the tyrant, but not openly;tyranny was with him a means, not an end; he wished to live at ease inthe city, and enjoy the advantages, pleasures, and honours of civilisedlife. To insure this, he was obliged to exhibit management, to testify agreat esteem for his relations, to cultivate the friendship of personsin place, in order to sway the balance of justice for his own peculiarpurposes. Now, an intimacy with such a man would not have advanced hisinterests in such points, and especially with his uncle; but a slightacquaintance with him might be considered unavoidable under thecircumstances, and therefore in some degree excusable. One morning DonRoderick, equipped for the chase, with an escort of retainers, amongwhom was Griso, took the road to the castle of the Unknown.