THE NINTH MAN
And at this my hand tightened on the arms of my chair.
Meantime the mind of our Podestà, Messer Gubbio di Grollo, had further imaginings, and he called together a great conclave of all the principal men and nobles, and in this assembly sat also Mazzaleone and his captains. He was a spare man, Messer Gubbio, with the long face of a horse, and wind, when he talked, as long as his face; but for all that a just man and a man of force. He made a long speech which went to the effect that too long had fear and hatred rioted among us. Since one-ninth of the town were to die, we should turn this fact to our advantage, as a wise man might turn any event in life, however grievous.
"So," says he, "let us all sacrifice to the common good our factional hates and our personal revenge. As a vigorous tree acquires vigor by pruning, let us prune the town of San Moglio, and let us see that the ninth that are to die shall be those who are not beneficial to a strong state: the weaklings, the feeble-minded, the paupers, and such few as are bitten with the madness of a too overweening ambition."
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