And yes, she had to weigh her words well and keep her thoughts in order, so as not to attack the Dominican in a bad way and go from the side of reason to that of wrong. Before entering the room she took two deep breaths, then asked the Judge to leave her alone with Father Ignazio. Uberti obeyed, though hesitant, and went out, closing the door behind him.
Lucia stuck her hazel eyes into the priests light blue, almost watery ones, to show him that she was not at all afraid of him.
«Minister of God, do you presume to call yourself? Is this how you witness the message of Our Lord? Jesus came down to earth to save sinners. Or am I wrong? And you, instead of preaching love, what do you do? You enjoy throwing mud at poor people, or worse, watching them die in atrocious suffering. Spend your Sunday homilies accusing alleged witches of spreading the disease thats decimating our people with their practices. Spend your arrogance in denying religious comfort to the dying plague victims. I can also pass over the fact that you have denied a dignified burial to Christians on the pretext of avoiding the spread of the plague. But to torture a defenceless young girl like this is too much. Shame on you, and make amends!»
«This is what Holy Mother Church wants. We must fight heresies and the devil, in whatever form they manifest themselves» Father Ignazio replied, without looking away, to make Lucia understand that he was accepting the challenge. «I act to pursue a precise intent, to enforce the Rule and the Laws! Since at present, in this city, no one else takes the trouble to do so...»
«The only purpose you seek, Father Ignazio, do you know what it is? That of satisfying your lust. Dont think Ive forgotten what you were about to do to me. Even though youd ravaged me, administering your damn drugs, I was perfectly conscious. If my uncle hadnt come into my bedroom that day, you wouldnt have hesitated to abuse my body!»
The Dominican, caught in the act, blushed his face and looked down. Then he tried to defend himself.
«It is not so, my lady. Your memories are clouded. I was only trying to perform an exorcism, which finally succeeded. And it is because of my intervention that you are here and have not been burned at the stake, because I exorcised the devil you were staying with!»
«Bullshit! All lies! You are a fake, a liar, and an opportunist. You disgust me. Do you know what Im thinking of you? Im thinking youre a pervert. And that youre impotent! Yes, a helpless man, who gets excited just by seeing suffering. Thats why you enjoy watching torture, because only by watching certain scenes does your member stand up!»
«What do you say, Virgin Mary? Youre using language that doesnt suit a noble bridesmaid like you! I assure you it is not so. My only aim is to enforce the laws, both divine and human. And I am not powerless, I follow only the rule of my order, which imposes chastity on me.»
Lucia had understood, from the trembling voice of her interlocutor, that she was getting in advantage, and so she decided to launch the final lunge. She untied the ribbon that tied her blouse around her neck and, with a sudden and sudden gesture, opened it at the front, exposing her breasts.
«And so, you are not impotent. So, you wanted my body! Take it now, that I offer it to you of my own free will. And prove yourself a man who can love a maiden sweetly.»
Father Ignazio, aware of the trap the countess was luring him into, withdrew. In there, it was just the two of them. He knew well that the young woman would have no scruples about accusing him of having tried to abuse her, even with violence. And it would be his word against hers.
«Cover yourself, please! It is not right of you to try to tempt me like this. Tell me what you want me to do, and I will do it», he said with a loud voice and his head down.
«I knew you were impotent», continued Lucia, taking a lighted candle from the candelabra above the desk and handing it to her. «Why dont you try pouring hot wax on my breasts? Maybe then youll start to get excited, and then youll finally want to own me. But no, I see youre still backing away from me. As well as being powerless, youre also a coward!»
«Enough, please! I repeat: tell me what you want me to do and Ill do it!»
The priest saw with relief Lucia put the candle away and put her robe back on, and then continued with her speech. She felt the sweat raging down his brow and down his back.
«Do you want to know the truth? You're a coward anyway, and you wont have the courage to tell anyone. Mira is not responsible for my uncles death. I am. It was I who wounded him and caused him to fall from the balcony. And now that youve heard, Ill tell you what I want you to do. You will release Mira from the charges of witchcraft. You will say the accusations were unfounded and return my handmaiden to Judge Uberti. After that, start packing your bags. I want you as far away from Jesi as soon as possible. Tomorrow I will send a messenger to the Holy Father, to Adrian VI, advising your transfer to Haute Savoie. Up there heresies are raging and an inquisitor like you will know what to do to fight them. There is a need for you, in those borderlands, to bring back to the fold the lost sheep!»
«The new Holy Father?» replied Father Ignazio, now visibly pale, feeling all his certainties fading.
«Have you been so busy serving your Holy Mother Church that you did not even know that the papal throne was occupied by Bishop Adriano Florensz of Utrecht, more than six months ago? After the death of Leo X, the Council took a long time to elect the new pontiff. But in the end, it chose, and not the Bishop of Florence, Giulio De Medici, as you might have expected.»
«And so, the Church is now ruled by a man close to the Reformers? And our papal legate? When will he arrive at the headquarters?» Father Ignazio was completely shaken by the news.
«How misinformed you are, my dear! Cardinal Cesarini arrived from Rome in the middle of last March, but it seems that Jesi is not a see that has met his graces. He left one of his vicars and soon returned to Orvieto. Considering his perennial absence, the civil authorities have requested his replacement. But we will await word from Rome, which will not be long in coming. Listen to me, pack your bags, before all the evil you have done turns against you. You are still under the protection of that garment you wear, but I believe that those clothes will soon be tightened on you.»
Father Ignazio, having nothing more to reply, went head down towards the door, walked out passing by Judge Uberti without even giving him a glance, and went away through the meanders of the tower. Certainly, in those months he had been so concentrated in demonstrating that Mira was a witch, that he had completely lost contact with reality!
Still dazed by the conversation that had just ended and immersed in her thoughts, Lucia had not even noticed that the Judge had returned to the room, patiently waiting for him to speak. She heard the sentence coming out of her own lips as if it were someone else speaking.
«The charges of witchcraft against Mira have been dropped. It is for you to judge her. Try to be merciful!
«Her guilt in being responsible for the Cardinals death is now widely proven. And, for a murderer, the sentence is death. There is little to discuss. The only clemency I can reserve her is a quick execution without an audience to attend. Mira will be beheaded at dawn tomorrow morning. I will not go public with it. It will be between her and the executioner.»
«The only thing I ask is that she dont suffer», replied Lucia, shrugging her shoulders.
«The only thing I ask is that she dont suffer», replied Lucia, shrugging her shoulders.
«One sharp blow, well settled, and the young womans head will roll on the floor of Piazza della Morte. Mira wont even have time to realize that her head is no longer attached to her neck.»
Lucia felt the tears that were about to burst from her eyes, but she pushed them back, sensing their salty taste in her throat. Her grim thoughts were interrupted by an unusual clamour, which reached the windows from outside, from the Piazza del Palio and the surrounding streets. A crowd of people, coming from the countryside, armed with pitchforks, knives and other rudimentary tools, was entering the city from Porta Valle and headed threateningly towards the upper part of the city.
«At the Palace. Lets get to the Bishops office!»
«Death to Cardinal Cesarinis vicar!»
«Death to the thief, death to the usurper!»
Lucia, hearing those sentences, understood what was about to happen, and realized that the situation was really serious. She had to do something to stop those people and to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
A popular uprising right now would mean the end for this city. I must prevent these villains from turning the centre into a massacre. The population has already been decimated by the plague, all we need now is the infighting between citizens to destroy Jesi.
CHAPTER 4
The castle of Massignano was welcoming and safe, but Andrea had really tired of training against The Mancino and his thugs. Not that he minded the company of these rude men. Often in the evening he drank wine and played dice with them and more than once he fell asleep on the naked floor, on the other thugs. Of course, The Mancino, even though he had long lost the use of his right arm, knew how to duel well, and more than once he had made the sword fly out of his hands. The more time went by, the more the two became friends, but Andrea was a man of action, and a nobleman, and often wondered how long he had had to endure that semi-captivity, to please the Duke of Montacuto, as a demonstration of his gratitude for having saved him from the gallows. From one day to the next, Andrea waited for the Duke to summon him and finally make him leave for Montefeltro, where he would put his qualities as a leader in the hands of a powerful Lord. And yes, he just couldnt bear to keep on spending his time in that absurd way. It was as if the Duke was purposely keeping him in that stalled condition, as if he enjoyed keeping him idle for as long as possible.
«If the Duke hasnt arranged your transfer yet, you can see that theres some obstacle, material or political. My master is a shrewd man, though he appears to be a rougher person than we who serve him. But what he has in addition, compared to us, is the ability to make his mind think», and The Mancino touched his temple with his index finger, to underline this concept of his. «Youll see, in due time everything will be organized, nothing will be left to chance.»
«Gesualdo, I can make my head work well, and all I understand is that Ive been here in this castle for almost four years and my limbs are getting lazy. If I had to be face to face with an enemy, I dont know how it would end... Maybe not good for me!»
The Mancino, who had understood the antiphon, so as not to plunge young Franciolini into melancholy, jumped up, grabbed his heavy sword with his left hand and invited his friend to the fight.
«Come on, then, lets see how rusty you are. In my opinion, what you miss most in here is a woman. Its useless to keep thinking about your Lucia, who knows if youll ever see her again! Leave it to me and tonight youll have company. A man needs to let off steam not only the muscles in his arms and legs. I know a couple of maids who, in need, know what to do to satisfy a muscle that has been hibernating for too long! Just give them a couple of silver coins at the end, and its done», and he burst into a fat laugh.
Andrea, struck in the heart, took up the sword and violently crossed it with his left-handed one.
«You bastard, what do you take me for? For one who goes to whores? I am faithful to my beloved, I swore allegiance to her that I was near death. She healed my wounds and I should reward her with a betrayal?»
Gesualdo leaned back, holding himself firmly on his legs, and made the young mans sword crash to the ground with thunder.
«Eh, love plays tricks on you! Yes, youre very distracted today, you fight very badly, my friend. Youre lucky to have me in front of you and not an enemy, or youd be dead already.»
Andrea raised his sword again and struck a new blow against The Mancinos sword, which made it swirl, causing his opponents unbalance and fall to the ground. In an instant, the edge of the blade resting threateningly on the young mans neck. The latter, with an agile leap backwards, got rid of the grip and with a kick made the sword fly away from the The Mancinos hand. Then he regained possession of his own and went on the attack again. This time it was Gesualdo in a position of inferiority. The thugs who watched were not new to the skirmishes between the two and bet who on one who on the other. In short, the crowd became uncontrollable: the two continued to fight, railing against each other, sometimes even shouting, while the bystanders continued to bet higher and higher sums and incited the fight. Until, all of a sudden, everyone was silent. Andrea and Gesualdo realized that something was wrong and stopped fighting. They raised their heads and came face to face with Duke Berengario of Montacuto.
«Stop playing games, you two, and go make yourselves presentable. Tonight youll have the honour of dining at my table», he said in an authoritative voice. Then he turned around in his heels and disappeared down the corridor, in the direction he had come from.
Rarely, during those long years, had Andrea entered the wing of the castle where the Lord, the Duke of Montacuto, resided. They were much richer rooms, both in furniture and decorations, than the ones he was used to frequent, in the part of the Fortress where soldiers, armigers and servants stayed, and where he had hardly conquered a room with a straw mattress, thanks to Gesualdos intercession with the Dukes lieutenant.
The times that Andrea found himself in the Dukes presence were then counted on the fingers of his hands. It was good that the Duke was often far from the Castle, as he spent a lot of time in Ancona, both to keep the administrative affairs of the city under control, now that he had ousted the Council of Elders, and to follow closely the construction of the fortified citadel, a new bulwark to defend the port. The fact is that, since the Duke had saved him from the gallows with a precise purpose, that of sending him to the service of the Malatesta of Rimini, he had expected to have to leave that place of idleness much earlier. And instead, the Duke seemed to take pleasure in not receiving him, when for one reason, when for another, and to keep him among those barbarians, who had nothing to do with him, with his nobility, with his lineage, with his culture. He had not found even a book to read so that he could spend his time in a dignified manner, and his only hobby was to train himself to fight, which had really bored him. His only comfort was the friendship of Gesualdo who, despite his humble origins, he considered a faithful and wise companion in dispensing advice. The fact, now, of walking beside him, comforted him and instilled in his soul the courage he needed to face the eventual conversation with the old Duke of Montacuto.