Later, the Maestro went away and Don Marco remained alone with the boy. He sat near the bed. Beniamino's chest was lightly rising at each breath he inhaled and exhaled. The bed sheet covered his body up to and under his armpits. Don Marco saw in the corner the boy's folded breeches and shirt. Immediately he understood that while he was absent the doctor and the Maestro should have undressed the boy. His eyes lowered to the level of the boy's groin, where the sheet outlined the shape of the boy's genitals. Don Marco pulled the sheet on the boy's chest to stretch it out and so to avoid these creases that provoked him into unwanted fantasies.
He lightly caressed the boy's chest, bent and kissed his forehead, then went to check how Don Sergio was, "I've have just heard. How is the boy?"
"He hasn't yet recovered his senses. He is pale like a candle and he is running a very high temperature."
"Let's pray for him, as we cannot do anything else for him at the moment. But where will you sleep as the boy can't be moved from your bed?"
"I will lay a mattress on the floor, near the bed. It is better I am near him just in case he recovers his senses. But now, I will bring you something to eat."
"Poor Don Marco, you didn't need this because now you have two patients to care for."
"Don't worry. And if you need something, ring the hand bell, or I'll become very upset with you!", the young Priest said smiling.
He went back to Beniamino. He felt his forehead and it seemed that the fever was lowering. He lightly caressed him on his cheek. Then he took his breviary and sat to read it. From time to time he looked at the boy's face, so nearly drained of life. How beautiful he was, even when he looked so deadly pale! Who could have harmed such a sweet boy? What could have happened? He went to see Don Sergio again. Then he prepared the supper and later went to help the old man to go to bed. Then he prepared some food for Beniamino just in case he woke up. He also prepared the mattress for sleeping next to Beniamino. But he couldn't fall asleep immediately. He was worried about the boy too much plus he was troubled. He was feeling a strong desire to stand up and go across to the sleeping young boy and caress him. Happily for Don Marco the sleep came. He woke up several times and went to check the boy. He arranged the bed sheet, he barely caressed the boy and went back to lay down.
Don Marco did what he normally did when he was troubled. He got down on his knees and started to pray, "Lord, to have him here, in my bed, naked. You know me so why did You put me in this awful predicament? You know how much I like Beniamino and how much he does attract me. Lord, make him heal very soon as he is a good boy. And help me to control my thoughts about him. Avert the temptation away from me."
The day after, Beniamino still hadn't recovered his senses. Don Marco had to change his bandaging. He had to pull out the sheet from the boy's body and saw him completely naked. How beautiful and how desirable he was! Pulling himself together, he devoted his time in changing the soiled bandage. The wound had a bluish contours and was still pouring out some blood, which you could clearly see in the soiled bandages. With a cloth and with the water he had just boiled, he lightly washed the wound, then spread the salve, that the doctor gave him onto the infected wound. He put on the new bandages and once again covered the boy's body with the sheet. He went to the kitchen and carefully washed the bandages he had taken off, then boiled them in order to sterilise them. Then he went to take care of Don Sergio and when the Maestro arrived, he went to the Church to hear the confessions. He was in the confessional when through the grating he saw a man's outline and immediately recognized the Count.
"In nomine Patris..."
"You are bound under the seal of confession, right?" the man interrupted him.
"Sure. How long has it been since your last confession?"
"That's not relevant. How is the boy? Will he come out of it?"
"Yes, but... You?"
"You are bound under the seal of confession.", the Count sharply repeated.
"Yes, sure. But why did you do that, for goodness' sake? What wrong could that boy have done to you?"
"Nothing, it was just an accident. He came at me with a knife and we fought. I just wanted to disarm him. You have to believe me."
"I believe you. But why did he attack you? It seems so incredible, to me."
"I wanted him but he didn't want to anymore. I was persuading him but then he took that knife, and..."
"So you did provoke him into attacking you, in order to defend himself, isn't it so?"
"Perhaps. But he never said no to me, before. He does it with everybody, you know. Well with anybody he wants to, anyway, even with Giannotto."
"You didn't came here to confess his sins." Don Marco said with gentleness.
"These things happens. I didn't want to hurt him."
"He could die. Are you repented?"
"For what it is my fault, yes. But I don't care for your absolution."
"Then, why did you come here?"
"Because I wanted to take the weight off my conscience, for myself, not for your God. Also I wanted to know how the boy is. I will give you the money for his cares."
"It is not necessary."
"You cannot refuse an offering."
"There are many poor in this village and if you really want to, you can put your offering in the poor man's alms box."
"Yes, all right. Goodbye!" the man said standing from the confessional and leaving.
Don Marco, after he heard all the confessions, went back to the rectory. The boy still had not recovered his senses and the fever seemed again to rise.
"Don't worry, it seems that at this time of the day the fever always rises. You will see, later it will lower again. But he must eat something, perhaps drink some milk, or better yet some milk and honey. Do you have any?" Riccardo asked the Priest.
"Yes, a little."
"We can try to make it glide into his throat. Little by little we could make the boy take on a small glass."
At evening time the fever had again lowered. Don Marco could draw a relief breath. After he looked in and made sure that Don Sergio was settled. Only then did the young Priest prepared to go to bed. But before that, he went near the boy and lightly caressed him on his chest. Looking at him with affection the young priest said, "Try to heal fast. I love you too much, Beniamino. I don't know how long I will be able to resist you. Good night, my sweet friend." he whispered and laid a soft kiss on the boy's lips as he lay to sleep.
During the night he was woken up by a light noise coming from the window. Amazed, he sat up and saw a shadow perched outside. He went to open and Giannotto, fast and nimble, slipped inside, "How is he? Is he sleeping?"
"He hasn't yet recovered his senses. But what are you doing here?"
"What do you mean, what am I doing here? He is my lover and I was informed, so... Thank you for taking care of him. I'm really grateful. I know who tried to kill him and he will pay for it!"
"You know?"
"Yes, Priest, I know it was the Abbot."
"The Abbot? Don't talk nonsense!"
"Yes sure. I was informed that the Abbot did try and menace Beniamino."
"Menace? And for what?"
"Because the Abbot wanted Beniamino to sign a document to have the Count condemned for buggering and therefore send him to the stake. So he could have the Count's land. But Beniamino told the Abbot to go to hell."
"And how could the Abbot know about the Count and Beniamino?"
"Also the Abbot dips his hard tack into the same cup. They are all the same. And more, it was the Abbot who taught Beniamino when he was fourteen. How can he be called a worthy man of God, Priest? Didn't you know? But he will pay, Giannotto's word!"
"No no, you cannot be sure that the Abbot has anything to do with this."
"How can you say that?"
"I say it. And you, don't add more blood to that already spread. I beseech you."
"He tried to kill my lover! Why do I have not to make him pay?"
"You cannot be sure it was the Abbot. Promise me that at least you will wait until Beniamino recovers and can tell you who it really was."
"Well, yes, I suppose I can. I can wait for that. Okay, take care of yourself, Priest. I know that my boy is in good hands."
"Take care of yourself, Giannotto. And don't risk your life coming into the village."
"I'm worried about him."
"If I'll put a jar at this window, it will mean that there are problems so you can came. If not, it means that all is proceeding well, agreed?"
"Agreed. You are a good man. I respect you, priest. Thank you and goodbye."
"If you need me, send for me, Giannotto."
"The same if you need me. Goodbye." the outlaw repeated and glided away from the window, disappearing into the dark of the night.
Don Marco was slightly shaken. Little did he know that the Abbot was one of the boy's clients and that he was plotting in that way to eliminate the Count. It seemed extraordinary!
"Lord, why is the man You created doing things as these? For real, the most despised people at times is nearest to You than the wealthy and the powerful ones. It seems to me that Giannotto is more honest than the Count or the Abbot. What can I do, what can I say? I can just pray for them. Poor people that doesn't know what love is."
The third day, Don Marco was sitting near the bed and was caressing a hand of Beniamino, when the boy moaned. "Beniamino?" the Priest whispered.
" Marco..." the boy said.
"Beniamino!" the young man repeated and stood up and caressed his cheek. He understood that the boy was not yet conscious and that he had just murmured his name in his unconsciousness. That gave him a sense of joy. He again caressed the boy and lightly kissed him on his lips. His hand lowered on the boy's chest and he felt like a great heat starting within his own body and the desire was burning him. He again kissed the boy excitedly and then parted. The feeling in his temples were beating strongly and he was trembling. He couldn't. Just couldn't. He sat almost worn out. "I love you, Beniamino." he whispered feeling warm tears running down his cheeks.
He won his battle. He uncovered the boy and changed his bandages. After covering him up he went to check on the old parson. The Maestro came to take his place, so Don Marco could go into the village to visit all ill people. The Maestro's son was taking care of the fields and his wife the school. When he was back to the rectory he felt he had to thank the man. "What could I do without you and your family? You are my most precious supports here in the village!"
"Oh, it is very little thing what we are doing in comparison with all you are doing, Don Marco. You are the blessing of God, for this village. All the people love you and some of them are slowly coming back to the church. You really are everybody's father, notwithstanding the fact that you are so young."
"And yet, I feel so inadequate. Bah. May the Lord assist us."
"The Lord is with you and there is no doubt about that."
"Oh, Maestro Riccardo, if only you knew. How many trials and tribulations that I have been facing."
"Beniamino, I guess. You do love him, right?" the Maestro said with gentleness.
Don Marco was astounded and looked at him reading in the man's eyes a deep comprehension. He asked worriedly, "Is it that visible?"
"I, at least, can feel it."
"It is a very hard battle that I am fighting."
"I can guess that."
"I don't know if... how long I can resist the temptations. I feel so weack!"
"Who of us is not weak, Don Marco? If the words of an aged man, who went through thick and thin, can be of any solace to you, 'No man has to be ashamed to love, never, for no reason.'"
"But the spiritual love is one thing, the carnal love another"
"Don't they teach us that the man is not just flesh where there has been glued a soul, but a one and only reality? And then, how can it be possible, in some circumstances, to oppose a carnal and a spiritual love?"
"So, Maestro, you will justify even..."
"I am not a theologian. But I think that Our Lord is first of all merciful. And that He justifies what we do for love. But perhaps I am a heretic. Who knows?"
"You are a good man."
"Just One is good: God!"
"You are right."
During the night Beniamino moaned. Don Marco was immediately at his side. Caressed him on his forehead. The boy was tossing and turning, so the Priest held his shoulder with his arms to keep him still and continued to caress him while softly and gently speaking to him. "Beniamino, all is okay, don't worry. You have to be quiet. You will heal soon. The wound is not worsening and it seems that it is getting better, plus the fever is lowering. Be quiet my love and don't worry."
"Marco..."
"Yes, I'm here."
"Marco..."
"Yes, Beniamino."
"I'm still alive?"
"Sure."
Their eyes met and Don Marco read in the boy's eyes a deep, great, sincere and total love. Beniamino could also read the same sentiment in the young man's eyes. They looked at each other for a long while, gently smiling. Beniamino rose his hand and caressed the young man's face bending over him.
"I'm still alive." the boy sweetly said.
"Yes, thanks to God."
"I feel tired. It's hurting."
"It will heal."
"Yes. Forgive me."
"But, for what?"
"I could not help you, for a while. Is this your bed? Your room?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, but where do you sleep?"
"By here."
"It's night, right? Did I wake you up?"
"Do you feel like eating something?"
"Yes, thank you."
Don Marco, keeping Beniamino's head lifted, fed him with attention.
"Now I'll like to sleep." the exhausted boy said.
"Sure. If you need something, just call me. You must not move, or the wound can open again. It is healing, little by little."
"Thank you Marco." the boy murmured and fell into a deep sleep.
The fact that the boy was calling him just Marco, and not Don Marco, pleased and troubled the young Priest at once. It was like if Beniamino was telling him: 'I don't see you as a Priest, but just a man, a man that loves me and someone that I love.' Beniamino was in love with him. He was now sure of that because he had read that in his eyes. This fact made all the more difficult, because one can resign himself to love without being loved and to give no space to his own sentiment. All became even more difficult when he had to medicate him. Now the boy was conscious, the Priest was aware that the boy was aroused being touched by the young man's light hands. The boy's excitement had passed onto him. It was so strong that his hands began shaking. So, with the pretext that he needed help, he started to medicate the boy just when Riccardo was present.
Somehow or other, Beniamino healed. The doctor was called again and he said that the boy could leave the bed. So Beniamino went back to the inn. At the beginning, the fact that the boy refused any sex with the clients, was ascribed to the fact that he still was in convalescence. But then Beniamino made it clear with the innkeeper that he didn't intend to lend himself any more. The innkeeper just took note of it, without rising any problem. After all the man did not rely on Beniamino to earn his money.
Beniamino met up with Giannotto and was asked immediately who stabbed him.
"An accident, nobody wanted to kill me."
"But who? Wasn't he the Abbot?"
"The Abbot? But, what are you fancying? It was just someone wanting to fuck me and I didn't want too. He had a pruning knife at his side and we were struggling. It was just an accident."
"So, the Priest was right."
"Did you talk with him?"
"Yes, one night. Who was that someone?"
"But, what does it matter who stabbed me? I'm healed, right?"
"Yes. I have waited so long for this moment. Come, let's make love."
Beniamino made love with the man, but afterwards he told him that it had been their last time, that he could not make love with him any more. Giannotto looked at him with a strange air, "You have a crush on the young Priest, right?"
"It's true."
"Did you have sex with him?"
"No, never."
"But you hope you can?"
"Sure."
"And that's why you don't want to do it with me any more?"
"Correct."
"I guessed that, even before. That man is special as he penetrates you, into your soul. Even if you are hoping he penetrates you somewhere else, eh?" the outlaw cunningly giggled.
Beniamino gently smiled: "Sure I hope that. He too loves me."
"Did he tell you?"
"No, his eyes told me."
"His eyes. They are a dangerous weapon. Who knows, if you were leaving me for another man I would be really angry, but I love you, Beniamino. I wish you to be happy, with your Priest. Are we still friends, anyway?"
"Sure, Giannotto, we are friends."