io8 LITERATURE AND DRAMA 



Tuscan town your life would have a larger range than in this 

 village. 



Gris. Here I have obeyed my lord. 



Tanc. There you shall rule many better men. 



Gris. How should that be ? 



Tanc. I speak in the name of hundreds such as I, and 

 nobler ; we offer you a brighter crown than that which you have 

 lost. By our faith in you, and by your faith in God, I summon 

 you to be our leader, our prophet, our martyr, if needs be. 



Gris. What rhapsody is this ? 



Tanc. You think that I speak wildly, but I tell you simple 

 facts. Would men who are not in earnest defy the Marquis in 

 arms ? We few, who are here to-day, were chosen out of many 

 hundreds bound secretly by oath to good deeds and to each 

 other. I cannot yet make all clear to you, but we are strong. 

 Our aim is that of knights who in old days would right every 

 wrong or die. We cannot die ; each man of us may fall, but 

 the beauty of his death fires twenty more to take his place ; so 

 that we thrive by loss. Truth is our guide, justice is our aim, 

 and our glaive slays like the wrath of heaven none knows 

 where or how. We will make crime rare in Italy. 



Gris. You will add fresh crime ; you are raw youths secret 

 murderers. You are no knights ; you stab like cowards, safe in 

 the dark. Look to yourselves if you would right wrongs. You 

 wrong the kingdom's peace ; that is the greatest wrong of all. 



Tanc. Only the wicked fear us. 



Gris. You in turn will fear those you hurt ; soon you will 

 hate those whom you fear, and hate will make you cruel. Then 

 begins a monstrous game. The open and the secret tyrant 

 brag against each other, whose torture shall be most feared, while 

 poor honest men are ground between two stones, pitiless law, 

 and pitiless rebellion. Would you have me take part in this ? 



Tanc. Your words sound true. But to persuade me is little ; 

 come and teach us all. We have gone astray ; come and guide 

 us. Lead us. 



Gris. How should a woman lead ? 



Tanc. As a saint by beauty in her life. We hold you to 

 be a saint, and we will follow you. We have worked in the 

 dark you shall bring daylight to us ; we have been blind you 



