nisida-第7章

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officer；　〃my　son　killed　the　prince　in　lawful　defence；　for　the　latter
had　scaled　our　house　and　made　his　way　in　at　night　and　with　arms　in
his　hand。　　The　proofs　are　before　your　eyes。　　Here　is　a　ladder　set　up
against　the　window；　and　here；〃　he　proceeded；　picking　up　the　two
pieces　of　the　broken　blade；　〃is　a　dagger　with　the　Brancaleone　arms。
However；　we　do　not　refuse　to　follow　you。〃

The　last　words　of　the　fisherman　were　drowned　by　cries　of　〃Down　with
the　sbirri！　　down　with　the　gendarmes！〃　which　were　repeated　in　every
direction。　　The　whole　island　was　up　in　arms；　and　the　fisher…folk
would　have　suffered　themselves　to　be　cut　up　to　the　last　man　before
allowing　a　single　hair　of　Solomon　or　of　his　son　to　be　touched；　but
the　old　man　appeared　upon　his　threshold；　and；　stretching　out　his　arm
with　a　calm　and　grave　movement　that　quieted　the　anger　of　the　crowd；
he　said；　〃Thanks；　my　children；　the　law　must　be　respected。　　I　shall　be
able；　alone；　to　defend　the　innocence　of　my　son　before　the　judges。〃

Hardly　three　months　have　elapsed　since　the　day　upon　which　we　first
beheld　the　old　fisherman　of　Nisida　sitting　before　the　door　of　his
dwelling；　irradiated　by　all　the　happiness　that　he　had　succeeded　in
creating　around　him；　reigning　like　a　king；　on　his　throne　of　rock；　and
blessing　his　two　children；　the　most　beautiful　creatures　in　the
island。　　Now　the　whole　existence　of　this　man；　who　was　once　so　happy
and　so　much　envied；　is　changed。　　The　smiling　cottage；　that　hung　over
the　gulf　like　a　swan　over　a　transparent　lake；　is　sad　and　desolate；
the　little　enclosure；　with　its　hedges　of　lilac　and　hawthorn；　where
joyous　groups　used　to　come　and　sit　at　the　close　of　day；　is　silent　and
deserted。　　No　human　sound　dares　to　trouble　the　mourning　of　this
saddened　solitude。　　Only　towards　evening　the　waves　of　the　sea；
compassionating　such　great　misfortunes；　come　to　murmur　plaintive
notes　upon　the　beach。

Gabriel　has　been　condemned。　　The　news　of　the　high…born　Prince　of
Brancaleone's　death；　so　young；　so　handsome；　and　so　universally
adored；　not　only　fluttered　the　aristocracy　of　Naples；　but　excited
profound　indignation　in　all　classes　of　people。　　He　was　mourned　by
everybody；　and　a　unanimous　cry　for　vengeance　was　raised　against　the
murderer。

The　authorities　opened　the　inquiry　with　alarming　promptness。　　The
magistrates　whom　their　office　called　to　judge　this　deplorable　affair
displayed；　however；　the　most　irreproachable　integrity。　　No
consideration　outside　their　duty；　no　deference　due　to　so　noble　and
powerful　a　family；　could　shake　the　convictions　of　their　conscience。
History　has　kept　a　record　of　this　memorable　trial；　and　has；　no
reproach　to　make　to　men　which　does　not　apply　equally　to　the
imperfection　of　human　laws。　　The　appearance　of　things；　that　fatal
contradiction　which　the　genius　of　evil　so　often　here　on　earth　gives
to　truth；　overwhelmed　the　poor　fisherman　with　the　most　evident
proofs。

Trespolo；　in　whom　fear　had　destroyed　all　scruples；　being　first
examined；　as　having　been　the　young　prince's　confidant；　declared　with
cool　impudence　that；　his　master　having　shown　a　wish　to　escape　for　a
few　days　from　the　importunities　of　a　young　married　lady　whose　passion
was　beginning　to　tire　him；　had　followed　him　to　the　island　with　three
or　four　of　his　most　faithful　servants；　and　that　he　himself　had
adopted　the　disguise　of　a　pilgrim；　not　wishing　to　betray　his
excellency's　incognito　to　the　fisher…people；　who　would　certainly　have
tormented　so　powerful　a　person　by　all　sorts　of　petitions。　　Two　local
watch　men；　who　had　happened　to　be　on　the　hillside　at　the　moment　of
the　crime；　gave　evidence　that　confirmed　the　valet's　lengthy
statement；　hidden　by　some　under　wood；　they　had　seen　Gabriel　rush　upon
the　prince；　and　had　distinctly　heard　the　last　words　of　the　dying　man；
calling　〃Murder！〃　　All　the　witnesses；　even　those　summoned　at　the
request　of　the　prisoner；　made　his　case　worse　by　their　statements；
which　they　tried　to　make　favourable。　　Thus　the　court；　with　its　usual
perspicacity　and　its　infallible　certainty；　succeeded　in　establishing
the　fact　that　Prince　Eligi　of　Brancaleone；　having　taken　a　temporary
dislike　to　town　life；　had　retired　to　the　little　island　of　Nisida；
there　to　give　himself　up　peaceably　to　the　pleasure　of　fishing；　for
which　he　had　at　all　times　had　a　particular　predilection　（a　proof
appeared　among　the　documents　of　the　case　that　the　prince　had
regularly　been　present　every　other　year　at　the　tunny…fishing　on　his
property　at　Palermo）；　that　when　once　he　was　thus　hidden　in　the
island；　Gabriel　might　have　recognised　him；　having　gone　with　his
sister　to　the　procession；　a　few　days　before；　and　had；　no　doubt；
planned　to　murder　him。　　On　the　day　before　the　night　of　the　crime；　the
absence　of　Gabriel　and　the　discomposure　of　his　father　and　sister　had
been　remarked。　　Towards　evening　the　prince　had　dismissed　his　servant；
and　gone　out　alone；　as　his　custom　was；　to　walk　by　the　seashore。
Surprised　by　the　storm　and　not　knowing　the　byways　of　the　island；　he
had　wandered　round　the　fisherman's　house；　seeking　a　shelter；　then
Gabriel；　encouraged　by　the　darkness　and　by　the　noise　of　the　tempest；
which　seemed　likely　to　cover　the　cries　of　his　victim；　had；　after
prolonged　hesitation；　resolved　to　commit　his　crime；　and　having　fired
two　shots　at　the　unfortunate　young　man　without　succeeding　in　wounding
him；　had　put　an　end　to　him　by　blows　of　the　axe；　lastly；　at　the　moment
when；　with　Solomon's　assistance；　he　was　about　to　throw　the　body　into
the　sea；　the　prince's　servants　having　appeared；　they　had　gone　up　to
the　girl's　room；　and；　inventing　their　absurd　tale；　had　cast
themselves　on　their　knees　before　the　Virgin；　in　order　to　mislead　the
authorities。　　All　the　circumstances　that　poor　Solomon　cited　in　his
son's　favour　turned　against　him：　the　ladder　at　Nisida's　window
belonged　to　the　fisherman；　the　dagger　which　young　Brancaleone　always
carried　upon　him　to　defend　himself　had　evidently　been　taken　from　him
after　his　death；　and　Gabriel　had　hastened　to　break　it；　so　as　to
destroy；　to　the　best　of　his　power；　the　traces　of　his　crime。
Bastiano's　evidence　did　not　receive　a　minute's　consideration：　he；　to
destroy　the　idea　of　premeditation；　declared　that　the　young　fisherman
had　left　him　only　at　the　moment　when　the　storm　broke　over　the　island；
but；　in　the　first　place；　the　young　diver　was　known　to　be　Gabriel's
most　devoted　friend　and　his　sister's　warmest　admirer；　and；　in　the
second；　he　had　been　seen　to　land　at　Torre　during　the　same　hour　in
which　he　had　affirmed　that　he　was　near　to　Nisida。　　As　for　the
prince's　passion　for　the　poor　peasant　girl；　the　magistrates　simply
shrugged　their　shoulders　at　the　ridiculous　assertion　of　that；　and
especially　at　the　young　girl's　alleged　resistance　and　the　extreme
measures　to　which　the　prince　was　supposed　to　have　resorted　to　conquer
the　virtue　of　Nisida。　　Eligi　of　Brancaleone　was　so　young；　so
handsome；　so　seductive；　and　at　the　same　time　so　cool　amid　his
successes；　that　he　had　never　been　suspected　of　violence；　except　in
getting　rid　of　his　mistresses。　　Finally；　an　overwhelming　and
unanswerable　proof　overthrew　all　the　arguments　for　the　defence：　under
the　fisherman's　bed　had　been　found　a　purse　with　the　Brancaleone　arms；
full　of　gold；　the　purse　which；　if　our　readers　remember；　the　prince
had　flung　as　a　last　insult　at　Gabriel's　feet。

The　old　man　did　not　lose　heart　at　this　fabric　of　lies；　after　the
pleadings　of　the　advocates　whose　ruinous　eloquence　he　had　bought　with
heavy　gold；　he　defended　his　son　himself；　and　put　so　much　truth；　so
much　passion；　and　so　many　tears　into　his　speech；　that　the　whole
audience　was　moved；　and　three　of　the　judges　voted　for　an　acquittal；
but　the　majority　was　against　it；　and　the　fatal　verdict　was
pronounced。

The　news　at　once　spread　throughout　the　little　island；　and　caused　the
deepest　dejection　there。　　The　fishers　who；　at　the　first　irruption　of
force；　had　risen　as　one　man　to　defend　their　comrade's　cause；　bowed
their　heads　without　a　murmur　before　the　unquestioned　authority　of　a
legal　judgment。　　Solomon　received　unflinchingly　the　stab　that　pierced
his　heart。　　No　sigh　escaped　his　breast；　no　tear　came　to　his　eyes；　his
wound　did　not　bleed。　　Since　his　son's　arrest　he　had　sold　all　he
possessed　in　the　world；　even　the　little　silver　cross　left　by　his　wife
at　her　death；　even　the　pearl　necklace　that　flattered　his　fatherly
pride　by　losing　its　whiteness　against　his　dear　Nisida's　throat；　the
pieces　of　gold　gained　by　the　sale　of　these　things　he　had　sewn　into
his　coarse　woollen　cap；　and　had　established　himself　in　the　city。　　He
ate　nothing　but　the　bread　thrown　to　him　by　the　pity　of　passers…by；
and　slept　on　the　steps　of　churches　or　at　the　magistrates'　door。

To　estimate　at　its　full　value　the　heroic　courage　of　this　unhappy
father；　one　must　take　a　general　view　of　the　whole　extent　of　his
misfortune。　　Overwhelmed　by　age　and　grief；　he　looked　forward　with
solemn　calmness　to　the　terrible　moment　which　would　bear　his　son；　a
few　days　before　him；　to　the　grave。　　His　sharpest　agony　was　the
thought　of　the　shame　that　would　envelop　his　family。　　The　first
scaffold　erected　in　that　gently　mannered　island　would　arise　for
Gabriel；　and　that　ignominious　punishment　tarnish　the　whole　population
and　imprint　upon　it　the　first　brand　of　disgrace。　　By　a　sad
transition；　which　yet　comes　so　easily　in　the　destiny　of　man；　the　poor
father　grew　to　long　for　those　moments　of　danger　at　which　he　had
formerly　trembled；　those　moments　in　which　his　son　might　have　died
nobly。　　And　now　all　was　lost：　a　long　life　of　work；　of　abnegation；　and
of　good　deeds；　a　pure　and　stainless　reputation　that　had　extended
beyond　the　gulf　into　distant　countries；　and　the　traditional
admiration；　rising　almost　to　worship；　of　several　generations；　all
these　things　only　served　to　deepen　the　pit　into　which　the　fisherman
had　fallen；　at　one　blow；　from　his　kingly　height。　　Good　fame；　that
divine　halo　without　which　nothing　here　on　earth　is　sacred；　had
disappeared。　　Men　no　longer　dared　to　defend　the　poor　wretch；　they
pitied　him。　　His　name　would　soon　carry　horror　with　it；　and　Nisida；
poor　orphan；　would　be　nothing　to　anyone　but　the　sister　of　a　man　who
had　been　condemned　to　death。　　Even　Bastiano　turned　away　his　face　and
wept。　　Thus；　when　every　respite　was　over；　when　poor　Solomon's　every
attempt　had　failed；　people　in　the　town　who　saw　him　smile　strangely；
as　though　under　the　obsession　of　some　fixed　idea；　said　to　one　another
that　the　old　man　had　lost　his　reason。

Gabriel　saw　his　last　day　dawn；　serenely　and　calmly。　　His　sleep　had
been　deep；　he　awoke　full　of　unknown　joy；　a　cheerful　ray　of　sunlight；
falling　through　the　loophole；　wavered　over　the　fine　golden　straw　in
his　cell；　an　autumn　breeze　playing　around　him；　brought　an　agreeable
coolness　to　his　brow；　and　stirred　in　his　long　hair。　　The　gaoler；　who
while　he　had　had　him　in　his　charge　had　always　behaved　humanely；
struck　by　his　happy　looks；　hesitated　to　announce　the　priest's　visit；
in　fear　of　calling　the　poor　prisoner　from　his　dream。　　Gabriel
received　the　news　with　pleasure；　he　conversed　for　two　hours　with　the
good　priest；　and　shed　sweet　tears　on　receiving　the　last　absolution。
The　priest　left　the　prison　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　declaring　aloud
that　he　had　never　in　his　life　met　with　a　more　beautiful；　pure；
resigned；　and　courag