Kneeling on Contarini's shoulders he took out a small iron instrument,
shaped exactly like a pear, but which by a screw, placed where the stem
would be, could be made to open out in four parts that spread like the
petals of a flower. Arisa looked on with savage interest, for she
believed that it was some horrible instrument of torture; and indeed it
was the iron gag, the 'pear of anguish,' which the torturers used in
those days, to silence those whom they called their patients.
Holding the instrument closed, Aristarchi pushed his hand under the
cushion. He knew that Contarini's mouth would be open, as he must be
half suffocated and gasping for breath. In an instant the iron pear had
slipped between his teeth and had opened its relentless leaves, obedient
to the screw.
"Take the pillow away," said Aristarchi quietly. "We can say good-bye to
your old acquaintance now, but he will have to content himself with
nodding his head in a friendly way."
He turned the helpless man upon his side, for owing to the position of
his heels and hands Contarini could not lie on his back. Then Aristarchi
set the candle on the floor near his face and looked at him and indulged
himself in a low laugh. Contarini's face was deep red with rage and
suffocation, and his beautiful brown eyes were starting from their
sockets with a terror which increased when he saw far the first time the
man with whom he had to deal, or rather who was about to deal with him,
and most probably without mercy.
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