"Of course it was very wrong, Your Eminence; but his friends paid it back at once, and the affair was hushed up,--he comes of a good family,--and ever since then he has been irreproachable.
How Rivarez found out about it I can't conceive; but the first thing he did at interrogation was to bring up this old scandal--before the subaltern, too!
And with as innocent a face as if he were saying his prayers!
Of course the story's all over the Legation by now.
If Your Eminence would only be present at one of the interrogations, I am sure you would realize---- He needn't know anything about it.
You might overhear him from------"
Montanelli turned round and looked at the Governor with an expression which his face did not often wear.
"I am a minister of religion," he said; "not a police-spy; and eavesdropping forms no part of my professional duties."
"I--I didn't mean to give offence------"
"I think we shall not get any good out of discussing this question further.
If you will send the prisoner here, I will have a talk with him."
"I venture very respectfully to advise Your Eminence not to attempt it.
The man is perfectly incorrigible.
It would be both safer and wiser to overstep the letter of the law for this once, and get rid of him before he does any more mischief.
It is with great diffidence that I venture to press the point after what Your Eminence has said; but after all I am responsible to Monsignor the Legate for the order of the town------"
"And I," Montanelli interrupted, "am responsible to God and His Holiness that there shall be no underhand dealing in my diocese.
Since you press me in the matter, colonel, I take my stand upon my privilege as Cardinal.
I will not allow a secret court-martial in this town in peace-time.
I will receive the prisoner here, and alone, at ten to-morrow morning."
"As Your Eminence pleases," the Governor replied with sulky respectfulness; and went away, grumbling to himself: "They're about a pair, as far as obstinacy goes."
He told no one of the approaching interview till it was actually time to knock off the prisoner's chains and start for the palace.
It was quite enough, as he remarked to his wounded nephew, to have this Most Eminent son of Balaam's ass laying down the law, without running any risk of the soldiers plotting with Rivarez and his friends to effect an escape on the way.
When the Gadfly, strongly guarded, entered the room where Montanelli was writing at a table covered with papers, a sudden recollection came over him, of a hot midsummer afternoon when he had sat turning over manuscript sermons in a study much like this.
The shutters had been closed, as they were here, to keep out the heat, and a fruitseller's voice outside had called:
"Fragola!
Fragola!"
He shook the hair angrily back from his eyes and set his mouth in a smile.
Montanelli looked up from his papers.
"You can wait in the hall," he said to the guards.
"May it please Your Eminence," began the sergeant, in a lowered voice and with evident nervousness, "the colonel thinks that this prisoner is dangerous and that it would be better------"
A sudden flash came into Montanelli's eyes.
"You can wait in the hall," he repeated quietly; and the sergeant, saluting and stammering excuses with a frightened face, left the room with his men.
"Sit down, please," said the Cardinal, when the door was shut.
The Gadfly obeyed in silence.
"Signor Rivarez," Montanelli began after a pause, "I wish to ask you a few questions, and shall be very much obliged to you if you will answer them."
The Gadfly smiled.
"My ch-ch-chief occupation at p-p-present is to be asked questions."
"And--not to answer them?
So I have heard; but these questions are put by officials who are investigating your case and whose duty is to use your answers as evidence."
"And th-those of Your Eminence?"
There was a covert insult in the tone more than in the words, and the Cardinal understood it at once; but his face did not lose its grave sweetness of expression.
"Mine," he said, "whether you answer them or not, will remain between you and me.
If they should trench upon your political secrets, of course you will not answer.
Otherwise, though we are complete strangers to each other, I hope that you will do so, as a personal favour to me."
"I am ent-t-tirely at the service of Your Eminence."
He said it with a little bow, and a face that would have taken the heart to ask favours out of the daughters of the horse-leech.
"First, then, you are said to have been smuggling firearms into this district.
What are they wanted for?"
"T-t-to k-k-kill rats with."
"That is a terrible answer.