nisida-第8节

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disturbed　by　his　opponent's　terrible　tale；　or；　because　the　grass　was
wet　from　the　storm；　at　the　moment　when　he　put　forward　his　left　foot
to　steady　his　shot；　he　slipped；　lost　his　balance　and　fell　on　one
knee。　　He　fired　into　the　air。

〃That　does　not　count；　my　lord；〃　cried　Gabriel　instantly；　and　handed
him　a　second　charge。

At　the　noise　of　the　report　Solomon　had　appeared　at　the　window；　and；
understanding　what　was　going　on；　had　lifted　his　hands　to　heaven；　in
order　to　address　to　God　a　dumb　and　fervent　prayer。　　Eligi　uttered　a
frightful　inprecation；　and　hastily　reloaded　his　rifle；　but；　struck　by
the　calm　confidence　of　the　young　man；　who　stood　motionless　before
him；　and　by　the　old　man；　who；　impassive　and　undisturbed；　seemed　to　be
conjuring　God　in　the　name　of　a　father's　authority；　disconcerted　by
his　fall；　his　knees　shaking　and　his　arm　jarred；　he　felt　the　chills　of
death　running　in　his　veins。　　Attempting；　nevertheless；　to　master　his
emotion；　he　took　aim　a　second　time；　the　bullet　whistled　by　the
fisherman's　ear　and　buried　itself　in　the　stem　of　a　poplar。

The　prince；　with　the　energy　of　despair；　seized　the　barrel　of　his
weapon　in　both　hands；　but　Gabriel　was　coming　forward　with　his　axe；　a
terrible　foe；　and　his　first　stroke　carried　away　the　butt　of　the
rifle。　　He　was　still　hesitating；　however；　to　kill　a　defenceless　man；
when　two　armed　servants　appeared　at　the　end　of　the　pathway。　　Gabriel
did　not　see　them　coming；　but　at　the　moment　when　they　would　have
seized　him　by　the　shoulders；　Solomon　uttered　a　cry　and　rushed　to　his
son's　assistance。

〃Help；　Numa！　help；　Bonaroux！　　Death　to　the　ruffians！　　They　want　to
murder　me。〃

〃You　lie；　Prince　of　Brancaleone！〃　cried　Gabriel；　and　with　one　blow　of
the　axe　he　cleft　his　skull。

The　two　bravoes　who　were　coming　to　their　master's　assistance；　when
they　saw　him　fall；　took　flight；　Solomon　and　his　son　went　up　to
Nisida's　room。　　The　young　girl　had　just　shaken　off　her　heavy　slumber；
a　slight　perspiration　moistened　her　brow；　and　she　opened　her　eyes
slowly　to　the　dawning　day。

〃Why　are　you　looking　at　me　in　that　way；　father？〃　she　said；　her　mind
still　wandering　a　littler　and　she　passed　her　hand　over　her　forehead。

The　old　man　embraced　her　tenderly。

〃You　have　just　passed　through　a　great　danger；　my　poor　Nisida；〃　said
he；　〃arise；　and　let　us　give　thanks　to　the　Madonna。〃

Then　all　three；　kneeling　before　the　sacred　image　of　the　Virgin；　began
to　recite　litanies。　　But　at　that　very　instant　a　noise　of　arms　sounded
in　the　enclosure；　the　house　was　surrounded　by　soldiers；　and　a
lieutenant　of　gendarmes；　seizing　Gabriel；　said　in　a　loud　voice；　〃In
the　name　of　the　law；　I　arrest　you　for　the　murder　that　you　have　just
committed　upon　the　person　of　his　excellency　and　illustrious　lordship；
the　Prince　of　Brancaleone。〃

Nisida；　struck　by　these　words；　remained　pale　and　motionless　like　a
marble　statue　kneeling　on　a　tomb；　Gabriel　was　already　preparing　to
make　an　unreasoning　resistance；　when　a　gesture　from　his　father
stopped　him。

〃Signor　tenente；〃　said　the　old　man；　addressing　himself　to　the
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