"I don"t know," said Lind, discontentedly. "May the devil fly away with this town of Venice! I never come here but it is either freezing or suffocating."
"You are in an evil humor to-day, friend Lind; you have caught the English spleen. Come, I have a little business to do over at Murano; the breeze will do you good. And I will tell you the story of my escape."
The time had to be pa.s.sed somehow. Lind walked with his companion along to the steps, descended, and jumped into a gondola, and presently they were shooting out into the turbulent green water that the wind drove against the side of the boat in a succession of sharp shocks. Seated in the little funereal compartment, they could talk without much fear of being heard by either of the men; and Calabressa began his tale. It was not romantic. It was simply a case of bribery; the money to effect which had certainly not come out of Calabressa"s shallow pockets. In the midst of the story--or, at least, before the end of it--Lind said, in a low voice,
"Calabressa, have you any sure grounds for what you said about Zaccatelli?"
His companion glanced quickly outside.
"It is you are now indiscreet," he said, in an equally low voice. "But yes; I think that is the business. However," he added, in a gayer tone, "what matter? To-day is not to-morrow; to-morrow will shift for itself."
And therewith he continued his story, though his listener seemed singularly preoccupied and thoughtful.
They arrived at the island, got out, and walked into the court-yard of one of the smaller gla.s.s-works. There were one or two of the workmen pa.s.sing; and here something occurred that seemed to arrest Lind"s attention.
"What, here also?" said he, in a low voice.
"Every one; the master included. It is with him I have to do this little piece of business. Now you will be so good as to wait for a short time, will you not?--and it is warm in there; I will be with you soon."
Lind walked into the large workshop, where there were a number of people at work, all round the large, circular, covered caldron, the various apertures into which sent out fierce rays of light and heat. He walked about, seemingly at his ease; looking at the apprentices experimenting; chatting to the workmen. And at last he asked one of these to make for him a little vase in opalescent gla.s.s, that he could take to his daughter in England; and could he put the letter N on it somewhere? It was at least some occupation, watching the quick and dexterous handling under which the little vase grew into form, and had its decoration cleverly pinched out, and its tiny bits of color added. The letter N was not very successful; but then Natalie would know that her father had been thinking of her at Venice.
This excursion at all events tided over the forenoon; and when the two companions returned to the wet and disconsolate city, Calabressa was easily persuaded to join his friend in some sort of mid-day meal. After that, the long-haired albino-looking person took his leave, having arranged how Lind was to keep the a.s.signation for that evening.
The afternoon cleared up somewhat; but Ferdinand Lind seemed to find it dull enough. He went out for an aimless stroll through some of the narrow back streets, slowly making his way among the crowd that poured along these various ways. Then he returned to his hotel, and wrote some letters. Then he dined early; but still the time did not seem to pa.s.s.
He resolved on getting through an hour or so at the theatre.
A gondola swiftly took him away through the labyrinth of small and gloomy ca.n.a.ls, until at length the wan orange glare shining out into the night showed him that he was drawing near one of the entrances to the Fenice. If he had been less preoccupied--less eager to think of nothing but how to get the slow hours over--he might have noticed the strangeness of the scene before him: the successive gondolas stealing silently up through the gloom to the palely lit stone steps; the black coffins appearing to open; and then figures in white and scarlet opera-cloaks getting out into the dim light, to ascend into the brilliant glare of the theatre staircase. He, too, followed, and got into the place a.s.signed to him. But this spectacular display failed to interest him. He turned to the bill, to remind him what he had to see.
The blaze of color on the stage--the various combinations of movement--the resounding music--all seemed part of a dream; and it annoyed him somehow. He rose and left.
The intervening time he spent chiefly in a _cafe_ close by the theatre, where he smoked cigarettes and appeared to read the newspapers. Then he wandered away to the spot appointed for him to meet a particular gondola, and arrived there half an hour too soon. But the gondola was there also. He jumped in and was carried away through the silence of the night.
When he arrived at the door, which was opened to him by Calabressa, he contrived to throw off, by a strong effort of will, any appearance of anxiety. He entered and sat down, saying only,
"Well!--what news?"
Calabressa laughed slightly; and went to a cupboard, and brought forth a bottle and two small gla.s.ses.
"If you were Zaccatelli," he said, "I would say to you, "My Lord," or "Your Excellency," or whatever they call those flamingoes with the bullet heads, "I would advise you to take a little drop of this very excellent cognac, for you are about to hear something, and you will need steady nerves." Meanwhile, Brother Lind, it is not forbidden to you and me to have a gla.s.s. The Council provide excellent liquor."
"Thank you, I have no need of it," said Lind, coldly. "What do you mean about Zaccatelli?"
"This," said the other, filling himself out a gla.s.s of the brandy, and then proceeding to prepare a cigarette. "If the moral scene of the country, too long outraged, should determine to punish the Starving Cardinal, I believe he will get a good year"s notice to prepare for his doom. You perceive? What harm does sudden death to a man? It is nothing.
A moment of pain; and you have all the happiness of sleep, indifference, forgetfulness. That is no punishment at all: do you perceive?"
Calabressa continued, airily--
"People are proud when they say they do not fear death. The fools! What has any one to fear in death? To the poor it means no more hunger, no more imprisonment, no more cold and sickness, no more watching of your children when they are suffering and you cannot help; to the rich it means no more triumph of rivals, and envy, and jealousy; no more sleepless nights and ennui of days; no more gout, and gravel, and the despair of growing old. Death! It is the great emanc.i.p.ation. And people talk of the punishment of death!"
He gave a long whistle of contempt.
"But," said he, with a smile, "it is a little bit different if you have to look forward to your death on a certain fixed day. Then you begin to overvalue things--a single hour of life becomes something."
He added, in a tone of affected condolence--
"Then one wouldn"t wish to cause any poor creature to say his last adieux without some preparation. And in the case of a cardinal, is a year too little for repentance? Oh, he will put it to excellent use."
"Very well, very well," said Ferdinand Lind, with an impatient frown gathering over the s.h.a.ggy eyebrows. "But I want to know what I have to do with all this?"
"Brother Lind," said the other, mildly, "if the Secretary Granaglia, knowing that I am a friend of yours, is so kind as to give me some hints of what is under discussion, I listen, but I ask no questions. And you--I presume you are here not to protest, but to obey."
"Understand me, Calabressa: it was only to you as a friend that I spoke," said Lind, gravely. And then he added, "The Council will not find, at all events, that I am recusant."
A few minutes afterward the bell rung, and Calabressa jumped to his feet; while Lind, in spite of himself, started. Presently the _portiere_ was drawn aside, and the little sallow-complexioned man whom he had seen on the previous evening entered the room. On this occasion, however, Calabressa was motioned to withdraw, and immediately did so. Lind and the stranger were left together.
"I need scarcely inform you, Brother Lind," said he, in a slow and matter-of-fact way, "that I am the authorized spokesman of the Council."
As he said this, for a moment he rested his hand on the table. There was on the forefinger a large ring, with a red stone in it, engraved. Lind bowed acquiescence.
"Calabressa has no doubt informed you of the matter before the Council.
That is now decided; the decree has been signed. Zaccatelli dies within a year from this day. The motives which have led to this decision may hereafter be explained to you, even if they have not already occurred to you; they are motives of policy, as regards ourselves and the progress of our work, as well as of justice."
Ferdinand Lind listened, without response.
"It has further been decided that the blow be struck from England."
"England!" was the involuntary exclamation.
"Yes," said the other, calmly. "To give full effect to such a warning it must be clear to the world that it has nothing to do with any private revenge or low intrigue. a.s.sa.s.sination has been too frequent in Italy of late. The doubting throughout the world must be convinced that we have agents everywhere; and that we are no mere local society for the revenging of private wrongs."
Lind again bowed a.s.sent.
"Further," said the other, regarding him, "the Council charge you with the execution of the decree."
Lind had almost expected this: he did not flinch.
"After twelve months" grace granted, you will be prepared with a sure and competent agent who will give effect to the decree of the Council; failing such a one, the duty will devolve on your own shoulders."
"On mine!" he was forced to exclaim. "Surely--"
"Do you forget," said the other, calmly, "that sixteen years ago your life was forfeited, and given back to you by the Council?"
"So I understood," said Lind. "But it was not my life that was given me then!--only the lease of it till the Council should claim it again.
However!"
He drew himself up, and the powerful face was full of decision.
"It is well," said he. "I do not complain. If I exact obedience from others, I, too, obey. The Council shall be served."
"Further instructions shall be given you. Meanwhile, the Council once more thank you for your attendance. Farewell, brother!"