Scene II
“Unlike those
you saw in there,” Ciampolo motioned to the sinners in the pit. “They will
fleece their mother for the worth of a chance to seat at the chair with the
noble. I am a subject of Navarre. My father was a ‘rake’; one who squandered
his possessions and killed himself---- poor bastard.”
“The apple
does not far from the tree.” A sinner in the pit echoed out.
“My mother had
me a wastrel like my father. She placed me in the household of the King. She
told me if I am to be wasted, let it be with riches abound my sides. Alas, when
one is seen with riches, riches will soon overcome me. I held no hesitation to
thrift with it.”
“Rob the poor
to feed the rich.” Another sinner echoed out.
“The servant
of a Lord to that of the court courtier; heights above unreached by many.”
Ciampolo sang of his achievements. “I was there seated next to the nobles.”
“They all fart
the same toxic smell.” The sinners echoed out.
“Just then
your flesh should taste royal.” The demon called Ciriatto used the pitchfork to
rip open the flesh on the right arm.
“He’s mine.”
Another demon called out and took on his part of the flesh.
“We can’t let
him be tormented in that manner? He will soon be without flesh.” Dante called
out to Virgil. “We must make them stop.”
“And what
then? Feed on us perhaps. I am already dead but you are not.” Virgil hit back.
“Hold your
feeds, my dear wardens. Let me go and I will exchange my freedom with others
that will emerge to be caught by all of you[JL1] . Imagine it when more than one of me for the
many of them.” Ciampolo came up with the devious plan. “I will give the all-clear signal
to the other sinners. That way, the other sinners will raise their backs out of
the boiling pitch, and you can spear them and pull them out of the pitch.”
“Of
then, you have more to share.” Ciampolo laughed. “But you need to stay hidden.
They won’t come unless your back is turned.”
“I don’t trust
the sinner but I am willing to chance it.” A demon named Cagnazzo contradicts
himself with his own words.
“Sinner, I am
Virgil. I would like to ask if any you met was from Florence?” Virgil rushed
forth to approach Ciampolo. “How is your arm?”
“My flesh? I
will be fine. It’s not my first cut there. To whom you asked? Of Florence?
Italians? I did see one. And he was seated next to me earlier. He is safe below
there.” Ciampolo motioned to the pit.
“What’s his
name?” Virgil asked.
“Gomita; as I
was told. He was a friar who had his fingers on bribes to cover for his lord
enemies. And if I am not mistaken, it was to Michele Zanche of Logo.” Ciampolo
was seen rubbing his wounds. He then looked at Virgil. “Save me some time. It’s
not often I get to be out of the pit. And I will tell you more.”
“Spare him
some moments. He has much to tell me.” Virgil called out to the demons. “I have
to question him for --- my journey.”
“Now, do speak
before I lose my patience,” Virgil told Ciampolo.
“I had seen Tuscans and Lombards. They are
cunning the lot of them. They won’t turn up unless the wardens are afar. Unless they do, the
sinners in the boiling pitch won’t raise their backs out of the boiling pitch,
and unless the sinners do that, they can’t be caught.”
“What mastery is
that?” Virgil asked.
“Mastery it’s not
but I will help the Malebranche to capture ---- perhaps of the lot you
mentioned, I may snare seven Italian sinners so you can talk to them. All I
have to do is a whistle — that is how we signal each other that no Malebranche
are around and so it is safe to raise our backs out of the boiling pitch.”
“Do we have a
deal?” Ciampolo smiled at the demons. “While you decide, I may bask a little
while.”
“This is a trick.
Once we back away from him, he will escape us by jumping back into the boiling
pitch!” Cagnazzo
voiced out.
The sinner, who had
not forgotten the tricks he had used to commit fraud while he was alive, said,
“I certainly know tricks — especially tricks that will get my friends in
trouble!”
“I am willing to
capture seven Italian sinners. And if you try to jump, my wings will enable me
to get to you quickly. We Malebranche will back away and hide.” A demon named Alichin
took the challenge. All the other demons looked at the sinner and then one
nodded.
“Then turn your
back, my dear wardens. We are art shy to be seen when you stare.” Ciampolo told
the demons. Then he spoke to Virgil in a lower tone.
“Thank you, Sir. I
have my bask and now I will be gone. So will you or we will be both seated
together.” With that Ciampolo took the plunger back in and no others turned up.
The demons realized that they were fooled by the other.
“I told you he is grafters, and cannot be trusted.” Cagnazzo voiced to the others. “We should have tormented him to the bones.”“As if we did not know.” Ciriatto snapped back. It was then the demons all went at each other in anger and two of them fell into the pit. They were pulled under by the sinners there while the other demons had tried to pull them out. The more they struggle in the pit, the sinners held firm.
“Get us out.” The demons in the pit called out.
“We are trying but you seem to be stuck.” The other demons at the edge of the pit called back. It was then when Virgil called to Dante to leave.
“Run, Poet. We have to be far away. I doubt if we are needed here.”
[JL1]age
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