MARTYRDOM
In a shadowy chamber of a room overlooking the grand square of Florence
might be seen, on the next morning, some of the principal personages
of our story. Father Antonio, Baccio della Porta, Agostino Sarelli,
the Princess Paulina, Agnes, with her grandmother, and a mixed crowd
of citizens and ecclesiastics, who all spoke in hushed and tremulous
voices, as men do in the chamber of mourners at a funeral. The
great, mysterious bell of the Campanile was swinging with dismal,
heart-shaking toll, like a mighty voice from the spirit-world; and
it was answered by the tolling of all the bells in the city, making
such wavering clangors and vibrating circles in the air over Florence
that it might seem as if it were full of warring spirits wrestling for
mastery.
Toll! toll! toll! O great bell of the fair Campanile! for this day the
noblest of the wonderful men of Florence is to be offered up. Toll!
for an era is going out,--the era of her artists, her statesmen, her
poets, and her scholars. Toll! for an era is coming in,--the era of her
disgrace and subjugation and misfortune!
The stepping of the vast crowd in the square was like the patter of
a great storm, and the hum of voices rose up like the murmur of the
ocean; but in the chamber all was so still that one could have heard
the dropping of a pin.
Under the balcony of this room were seated in pomp and state the Papal
commissioners, radiant in gold and scarlet respectability; and Pilate
and Herod, on terms of the most excellent friendship, were ready to act
over again the part they had acted fourteen hundred years before. Now
has arrived the moment when the three followers of the Man of Calvary
are to be degraded from the fellowship of His visible Church.
Father Antonio, Agostino, and Baccio stood forth in the balcony, and,
drawing in their breath, looked down, as the three men of the hour,
pale and haggard with imprisonment and torture, were brought up amid
the hoots and obscene jests of the populace. Savonarola first was
led before the tribunal, and there, with circumstantial minuteness,
endued with all his priestly vestments, which again, with separate
ceremonies of reprobation and ignominy, were taken from him. He stood
through it all serene as stood his Master when stripped of His garments
on Calvary. There is a momentary hush of voices and drawing in of
breaths in the great crowd. The Papal legate takes him by the hand and
pronounces the words, "Jerome Savonarola, I separate thee from the
Church Militant and the Church Triumphant."
He is going to speak.
"What says he?" said Agostino, leaning over the balcony.
Solemnly and clear that impressive voice which so often had thrilled
the crowds in that very square made answer,--
"From the Church Militant you _may_ divide me; but from the Church
Triumphant, _no_,--_that_ is above your power!"--and a light flashed
out in his face as if a smile from Christ had shone down upon him.
"Amen!" said Father Antonio; "he hath witnessed a good
confession,"--and turning, he went in, and, burying his face in his
hands, remained in prayer.
When like ceremonies had been passed through with the others, the three
martyrs were delivered to the secular executioner, and, amid the
scoffs and jeers of the brutal crowd, turned their faces to the gibbet.
"Brothers, let us sing the Te Deum," said Savonarola.
"Do not so infuriate the mob," said the executioner, "for harm might be
done."
"At least let us repeat it together," said he, "lest we forget it."
And so they went forward, speaking to each other of the glorious
company of the apostles, the goodly fellowship of the prophets, the
noble army of martyrs, and giving thanks aloud in that great triumphal
hymn of the Church of all Ages.
When the lurid fires were lighted which blazed red and fearful through
that crowded square, all in that silent chamber fell on their knees,
and Father Antonio repeated prayers for departing souls.
To the last, that benignant right hand which had so often pointed the
way of life to that faithless city was stretched out over the crowd
in the attitude of blessing; and so loving, not hating, praying with
exaltation, and rendering blessing for cursing, the souls of the
martyrs ascended to the great cloud of witnesses above.