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ACT IV.

SCENE I

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Scene. The condemned cell. Night. The Gadfly asleep on a pallet. His coat is hanging on a chair beside it. A gaoler enters with a lamp, followed by Montanelli, who dismisses him.

MONTANELLI [seating himself beside the pallet and bending over the sleeper] Arthur.

GADFLY [rousing himself ] Yes! I am ready. Is it time?

[He recognizes Montanelli, and utters a cry of delight].

MONTANELLI. Have you come back to me from the dead?

GADFLY [shivering] From the dead?

MONTANELLI. You have come back — you have come back at last.

GADFLY [sighing wearily] Yes — and you have to fight me, or to kill me.

MONTANELLI. Oh, hush, Carino! We have been like two children lost in the dark, mistaking one another for phantoms. My poor boy, how changed you are — how changed! You look as if all the ocean of the world’s misery had passed over your head — you! who used to be so full of the joy of life! Arthur, is it really you? Remember, I thought I had killed you.

GADFLY. You have that still to do.

MONTANELLI [in terror] Arthur!

GADFLY. Let us be honest, whatever we do, and not shilly-shally. There can be nothing between us but war, and war, and war. What do you want to hold my hand for? Can’t you see that while you believe in your Cause, we can’t be anything but enemies?

MONTANELLI. As you will, Arthur; but I will do what I can. I will arrange your escape; and when you are safe you shall have your revenge. I will have an accident in the mountains, or take the wrong sleepingdraught by mistake — whatever you like to choose. Will that content you? It is all I can do. It is a great sin; but I think He will forgive me. He is more merciful — gadfly [with a sharp cry] Oh, that is too much! What have I done that you should think of me that way? What right have you — as if I wanted to be revenged on you! Can’t you see that I only want to save you? Will you never understand that I love you?

[He catches hold of Montanelli’s hands and kisses them]

Padre! come away with us. What have you to do with this dead world of priests and idols? They are full of the dust of bygone ages; they are rotten; they are pestilent and foul! Come out of this plague-stricken Church — come away with us into the light! Padre, it is we that are life and youth; it is we that are the everlasting springtime; it is we that are the future. Padre, the dawn is close upon us — will you miss your part in the sunrise? Wake up; and let us forget the horrible nightmares; wake up; and we will begin our life again! Padre, I have always loved you — always, even when you killed me. Will you kill me again?

MONTANELLI [tearing his hands away] Oh, God have mercy on me! You have your mother’s eyes! [a silence] Have you anything more to say? Any hope to give me?

GADFLY. No. My life is of no use to me except to fight priests. I am not a man; I am a knife. If you let me live, you sanction knives.

MONTANELLI [falling on his knees and raising his clasped hands to heaven] Hear me, O God — [A clash of muskets interrupts him as the door opens and the soldiers enter, commanded by the wounded officer, whose arm is in a sling], GADFLY [springing up and putting on his coat] Well answered, and promptly!

OFFICER. The time has come, Rivarez.

GADFLY [turning to the kneeling Montanelli, and placing his hand affectionately on his shoulder] There is no use in talking any more. [Montanelli rises like a man in a dream] [The Gadfly points upward] You still believe?

MONTANELLI. Though He slay me, I will trust in Him.

GADFLY [confidentially] He understands me. [Whispering] I don’t want to live. [He turns to the soldiers] March!

They go out — Montanelli stands like a man before his God. The scene changes.

SCENE II

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The Courtyard of the prison, lighted by torches. A fig tree at the back, a little to the right, with an open grave newly dug, close to it. A gate in the middle. A firing party of six Carabineers on the left in front. At the other side Ferrari, the wounded officer, priest, and a doctor, in a group on the right. The Gadfly enters in custody of the Sergeant and his four soldiers. He marches firmly to the tree.

GADFLY [brightly] Shall I stand here, Sergeant? Good morning, gentlemen! Ah, and his reverence is up so early too! How do you do, Captain? This is a pleasanter occasion for you than our former meeting, isn’t it? I see your arm is still in a sling; that’s because I bungled my work. These good fellows will do their’s better — won’t you, lads? There’ll be no need of slings this time, anyway. There, there; you needn’t look so doleful over it! Put your heels together and show how straight you can shoot. Before long there’ll be more work cut out for you than you’ll know how to get through; and there’s nothing like practice beforehand.

PRIEST. My son, in a few minutes you must enter into the presence of your Maker. Will you approach His awful throne with a jest upon your lips?

GADFLY. A jest, your reverence? Friend Ferrari there will not find it so. When our turn comes, we shall use field-guns instead of half a dozen secondhand carbines; and then you’ll see how much we’re in jest.

PRIEST. You will use field-guns! Oh, unhappy man!

Have you still not realized on what frightful brink you stand?

GADFLY [glancing over his shoulder at the grave] And so your reverence thinks that when you have put me down there, you will have done with me! True, I shall lie as still as a mouse, just where you put me. But, all the same, we shall use field-guns.

PRIEST. Merciful God, forgive this wretched man!

SERGEANT. Amen. [He produces a bandage for the prisoner’s eyes], gadfly. Colonel Ferrari: I have your promise that I shall look my death in the face.

FERRARI. It is true. Never mind the bandage.

SERGEANT. It’s hard on the men, sir, to see his face, if they are to shoot straight.

FERRARI. That’s his affair, not ours. Obey your orders. Are you ready, there?

GADFLY. I am quite ready.

WOUNDED OFFICER. Ready — Present — Fire!

They fire. He — the Gadfly — staggers a little but recovers his balance. He is wounded in the face; the blood drops on his cravat. He raises his mutilated hand to wipe it away. He is smiling.

GADFLY. A bad shot, men! Have another try.

SERGEANT [to his squad of four] Change carbines with them, quick. Load for them.

WOUNDED OFFICER. Pull yourselves together, will you? The squad changes carbines with the firing party, which is reformed.

GADFLY. You have brought out the awkward squad this morning, Colonel. Let me see if I can manage them better. Now men. Are you all straight? Now then. Ready. Present —

FERRARI. Fire. The gates open and the Cardinal rushes in. The Gadfly falls into his arms. Is your Eminence hurt? That was a frightfully dangerous thing to do. Let the fellow drop; he is dead.

GADFLY [with an effort] Not quite yet, Colonel. The soldiers utter a groan of horror. The wounded officer draws a pistol, but hesitates.

FERRARI [snatching it from him] Make an end of him, in God’s name. [He raises the pistol].

MONTANELLI [solemnly] In God’s name — no absolution for you if you do. [Ferrari’s hand drops].

GADFLY. It is all over; my blood is choking me; but I smell the sunrise. [He falls]. The soldiers, throwing down their weapons and falling on their knees, cry.

SOLDIERS. Absolution, absolution.

MONTANELLI [raising his fingers in benediction] In the name of the Father, and of the Son — the son who died for the people, the Father who gave his son to be slain!

Curtain