THE FOOL ERRANT - World eBook Library - World Public Library

He got up and threatened me with his great forefinger. "Enough of your sermons, sir," he said. "Have I lived and taught sucklings
all these years to be told my duty to God Almighty? Will you teach me, forsooth, for what I am to give thanks, and whom I am
to correct or chastise? Wait you there, young gentleman—wait you there until I know more about you and my pattern lady." He
turned his back upon me, and, wrenching open the chamber door, called harshly upon Aurelia. Immediately—and no doubt she
had been quaking for the summons—my adored mistress came trembling out, her hair tumbled about her shoulders, her hands
at her neck. Her feet were bare upon the flags, her great and mournful eyes loomed hollow in her face. They were my instant
reproof, for now, and now to the full, I saw a fatal consequence of my enthusiastic action. Unhappy Francis, what hadst thou
done? Thou hadst intended to abase thyself in her service—and betrayed her. Thou hadst intended to honour, and condemned
her to dishonour! Alas, thou hadst gone near to ruining the purest and loveliest of women by revealing those very things which
proved her so.
The doctor, at his pitch of most savage and relentless calm, pointed to me and the cupboard—to the criminal and his lurking
den together. "Look at those, woman," he said ominously, deliberately, but she could not or would not; and, before she could
collect her wits, what must need old Nonna do but make bad worse, and, running, thrust herself in between, and wag her hand
under the doctor's nose.
"Eh, eh, eh, what a bother about nothing!" says this amiable old fool. "Let us pray all together to the Madonna that you be not
sorry for this. She has done nothing, padron—nothing at all. He alone is wicked—by Diana the Mighty I swear it—and it was I
who put him in the cupboard, and therefore know what I am saying. She—a lamb of our Saviour's flock! Madness! Are you
jealous of a boy without a beard? Do you conceive that your lady could listen to a voice that sang among milk-teeth? Ah, do
you listen, rather, padron, to me and the truth, for we are at one together, the truth and I." She stayed for breath.
"Hag," said the doctor, "you are lying. This fine young man has confessed to me the agreeable truth. Madam," he turned to
Donna Aurelia, "here is a confessed lover of yours. Pray have you anything to say?"
"He is very foolish, he is very wicked; I have often told him so, often and often," says Aurelia, twisting her hands about.
"To-night he has said what he should not—and I believe he knows that very well. I had intended to tell you, if you had come
sooner, as I wished—ah, and as I asked you, Porfirio—you would have heard it all from me. That is all. I was frightened—
Nonna popped him in the cupboard—how he got out, how you found him there, I know not. But he has done me no harm—
nor you neither, Porfirio. That I swear before the saints in Heaven." The doctor glared at her—then took her by the wrist.
"Lies, lies, woman!" he said furiously. "He convicts you himself. He came out of the cupboard of his own act."
She stared in amazement, and forgot the pain he was giving her. "He— came—out? But——Is he mad?"
"No, madam," said I; and, "No, by Heaven!" cried the doctor, "for I have no doubt at all but that he intended to provoke me to
anger and then to run me through the body with that sword of his."
I threw up my arms at such a monstrous suspicion. Aurelia, who had been gazing at me as if she feared for my reason, now
looked down.
"Please to let go of my wrist," she said, "you are hurting me, Porfirio. I know no more than you do why he came out of the
cupboard; but of course you do him a wrong. He did not mean anything of the sort—he is of a good heart—incapable of
murder. And now, please, Porfirio, let go of my wrist."
But he did not; his rage, gathering in volume, bade fair to convulse him.
"I intend to have the truth from one of the three of you before I let you go," said he. "From you I require to know why you put
him into the cupboard."
"It was very silly," said Aurelia, "since he had done no harm. Nonna, why did you put him into the cupboard?"
"Diana!" cried the old woman, "where else was I to put the boy?" The doctor's laughter was terrible to me. I took a step
forward.
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