calledthemeeting.
Checcoresumedhisspeech.
'Girolamo,'hesaid,'thepeoplefromthecountrydistrictslatelysentyouapetition,inwhichtheyshowedtheirsufferingsfromrainandstormandfamine,theirpovertyandmisery,theoppressivenessofthetaxes.Theybadeyoucomeandlookattheiruntilledfields,theirhousesfallingtoruin,themselvesdyingbytheroadside,nakedandhungry,childrenexpiringattheirmothers'breasts,parentslyingunburiedintheruinoftheirhome.Theybadeyoucomeandlookatthedesolationoftheland,andimploredyoutohelpthemwhiletherewasyettime,andlightenfromtheirbackstheburdensyouhadlaiduponthem.
'Youturnedaneyeofpityonthemandnowthelandsmiles,thepeoplehaveshakenthemselvesfromtheirsleepofdeath,andawakenedtonewlife,andeverywhereprayersareofferedandblessingsrainedontheheadofthemosthighandmagnificentprince,GirolamoRiario.
'Andwetoo,myLord,joininthethanksandpraiseforthesetowhomyouhavegivennewlifeareourcousinsandbrothers,ourfellow-countrymen.'
Whatwascoming?Thecouncillorslookedatoneanotherquestioningly.CouldCheccohavemadetermswiththeCount,andwasitacomedytheywereplaying?Girolamoalsowassurprisedhehadnotforlongheardpraisefromanybuthiscourtiers.
'Eightyearsago,whenyouacquiredthesovereigntyofForli,youfoundthetownweigheddownunderthetaxeswhichtheOrdelaffihadimposed.Depressionhadseizedholdofthemerchantsandtradesmentheywereburdenedsothattheycouldnotbuynorselltheyhadgivenupeffort,andthetownwaslyingnumbandcold,asifdyingfromapestilence.Thestreetsweredesertedsuchpeopleasthereweremovedsadly,andwithdownturnedfaces.Theinhabitantswerebecomingfewertherewasnomotion,nolifeafewyearsmoreandForliwouldhavebecomeacityofthedead!
'Butyoucame,andwithyoulifeforyourfirstdeedwastoremovethemostoppressiveimposts.Asthebow,doubledup,whenthestringisloosenedshootsbackwithasuddenimpulsewhichpropelsthearrowtoitsmark,soForlireboundedfromtheweightithadbornebefore.TheGoddessofPlentyreignedinthelanditwasthesunlightafterstormeverywherelif