Chapter 5
Natonito and Bathsheba were sitting in their audience room hearing a would-be politico tell them about his ideas on freedom. The politico, dressed in fine clothing, was visibly an aristocrat, and his accent was from the Imperial Viceroyalty.
�I must say it is a surprise to see that you married a woman of such a dark complexion,� Baron Douglas said.
�What does that have to do with anything?� Natonito said.
�I am surprised that a man of your position would consider a woman of such infamous character as this prostitute worthy material for a wife,� Baron Douglas said.
�Excuse me,� Bathsheba said fiercely.
�You come into my house and insult me?� Natonito asked.
�That was not my intent,� Baron Douglas said.
�What was your intent then? It makes no difference to me that my wife, the oldest daughter of a ducal house in Bravia, daughter of a Purian noblewoman, was kidnapped and sold into prostitution. That does not change the fact that she is a wonderful woman and is my wife,� Natonito replied.
�What I meant was, do you not believe in the superiority of the lighter skinned peoples?� Baron Douglas answered with a question.
�I believe that while certain cultures and civilizations are superior to others, the superiority is in culture and spirit and is unrelated to the color of skin,� Natonito said.
�You mean you believe the darkies who serve on my plantation are as fit to rule as I am? Do you believe that their intellect is equal to my own?� Baron Douglas said.
�It would not matter if they were inferior in intellect. After all, does the relative lack of gifts mean that they should be unable to enjoy the fruits of their own labor? If God has given them little, let them enjoy that which they have for themselves,� Natonito said. �There is no justification for slavery that does not work against the owner.�
�How can you say that? My slaves are inferior to me in color,� Baron Douglas said.
�Very well then,� Natonito replied. �Then you are the slave of the first person you meet with lighter skin than yourself.�
�But they are inferior to me in intelect,� Baron Douglas continued.
�Very well then,� Natonito replied. �Then you are the slave of the first person you meet who is more intelligent than you are.�
�But it is my interest to enslave him,� Baron Douglas said.
�Very well then,� Natonito said. �Then if he can make it in his interest to enslave you, he can as well.�
�Are you mocking me?� Baron Douglas asked.
�Am I?� Natonito said. Bathsheba laughed.
�I did not come here to be insulted either,� Baron Douglas said.
�It is my understanding that you seek to be a person of great importance in this city. Is that understanding correct?� Natonito asked.
�Yes, it is,� Baron Douglas said.
�Do you understand that the foundation of any popular government is the confluence of popular government and dedication to the principle that all people are created with the equal right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,� Natonito said.
�Are you saying this is a popular government?� Baron Douglas said.
�Yes I am,� Natonito said. �It is not perfectly democratic or republican, but we strive for that end.�
�So you�re saying the aim of all government is to grant people greater rights when they are capable of handling the responsibilities?� Baron Douglas asked.
�Yes, that is what I am saying,� Natonito replied. �There is no right that does not contain a complementary obligation on others.�
�What are you talking about?� Baron Douglas said.
�I will explain,� Natonito said. �If I have the freedom of speech, it also means I have to respect the right of respect the freedom of others to speak. That does not mean that there is no absolute truth, nor that some of the speech may not be lies or completely irrational nonsense. Nonetheless, if I have the right to speak my folly, every other fool does as well. The same is true for other rights. If I have the right to be free of violence directed against me, I also have an obligation to avoid being violent against others. If I have the right to my property, I have an obligation not to steal. If I have the right to life, I have the obligation not to murder, whether it is someone who is old, someone who is feeble, or even a fetus in the womb. However, my rights are forfeit if I trample on the rights of others. If I deny the right of others to speak, I have no right to speak myself. If I am violent towards others, I have forfeited my freedom from violence towards me. If I steal, my property is forfeit to those I have stolen from. If I kill, my life is forfeit in penalty. Do you understand what I am saying?�
�You are saying that rights and freedoms are contingent upon responsibilities,� Baron Douglas said.
�That is exactly what I am saying. Freedom without responsibility is tyranny, and responsibility without freedom is slavery,� Natonito said. �It is true that we have to defend our rights. Few people, except for those lulled into sleep by guarantees of security, will avoid defending their freedom. However, to be free we must also let others be free. If I would not be a slave, I cannot be a tyrant. Once I trample on the rights of others I demonstrate my incompetence in handling my own rights, and my own rights are thus diminished.�
�Are you saying I have no right to enslave others?� Baron Douglas asked.
�You have no right to enslave others that does not allow you to be a slave yourself,� Natonito said.
�I dislike your tone,� Baron Douglas said.
�You do not have to like my tone,� Natonito said. �Remember, I do not need your support, so I do not have to flatter your prejudices or inflate your ego. You are coming to me looking for a favor, and you are not flattering my lack of prejudice or inflating my ego. Who is the fool?�
�Do you not believe that some are born more capable of rule, which makes them more deserving than others of power?� Baron Douglas.
�Of course I believe that some are more capable of rule than others, but I believe it is a matter of character and upbringing, not of birth. There are noble commoners just as there are common nobles,� Natonito said.
�Do you not believe that for those who are capable of rule the law does not apply?� Baron Douglas said.
�Rulership is not a place for the gratification of base desires. It is true that most people are like sheep. However, what glory is there in being a wolf? Like the sheep, the wolf is a selfish creature, but uses its strength for terror. The wolf is justly attacked, for those with power and without good character are a danger to be defended against, an enemy to be defeated, a weed to be pulled out from the fair soil of society, a cancer to be excised from the body politic. If you desire to rule, be a shepherd instead. For the good book says that against the good the law has no power. One must remember, though, that the law, i.e. the penalty, has no effect only because the law is written in the hearts and minds of those who are good so that they do not desire to do what is evil. It is only by renouncing the common vices that one is worthy of uncommon recognition,� Natonito said.
�Are you saying that being a leader demands harsher standards than being a follower?� Baron Douglas asked.
�Yes,� Natonito said. �Unless you desire to be a tyrant, the greater power you gain by advancing your position is balanced by the greater responsibilities of your position. Should you desire no responsibility, you will have no freedom and power. If you desire all power and all freedom, you accept the weight of the world upon your shoulders. If you are capable of that, you are a wise man indeed, but if not, you will be damned by all who follow as a traitor to mankind and a scoundrel and a fraud. And lest you think you will escape suffering yourself, God will judge you later on.�
�Will you hear my petition for a position in government?� Baron Douglas asked.
�Take your petition to the people. If they will not have you, I will not have you. If they have you, you will take power because they support what you believe, for I cannot support what you believe,� Natonito said.
�Farewell then,� Baron Douglas said, trying to maintain politeness.
�Farewell,� Natonito said neutrally as Baron Douglas walked out of the palace.
�What a pig,� Bathsheba said. �I cannot believe that such a man would want our support.�
�These are bad times,� Natonito said. �Perhaps it is wise that we do not depend too much on the opinion of either tyrannical magnates or the avaricious masses.�
�I am glad you stood up for me, though,� Bathsheba said.
�You are my wife, and you are my love,� Natonito said. �I am not going to let bigots and small-minded people scare me into not demonstrating my love for you. I promised to love you till death do us part, and I intend on keeping my promise.�
�I love you so much,� Bathsheba said. �There were many nights I cried myself to sleep wondering if anyone could ever look beyond the surface and love me for who I was inside. There were many who thought we pretty enough for a night�s enjoyment, or even a week or month, but you were the only person who ever loved me and admitted to the whole world of your love for me. It is a favor I know I could never have deserved.�
�Love is never deserved,� Natonito said, kissing her gently. �Love is a gift of the heart in the hope that the receiver will give it in return. Love cannot be extracted by force or by threats. Love opens up the heart to pain, but also to ecstasy that cannot be equaled on this earth, for love is the very imitatio dei.�
�You are so scholarly, even in love,� Bathsheba said, kissing Natonito gently in return. �But I love you because you think and feel with equal conviction and passion, and because in your troubled mind you saw something in me that was worthy of your love.�
�Shall we go to bed and make love?� Natonito said with a smile. �Talking about politics makes me frustrated, and there is only one good way to unwind, as any politician will admit.�
�Yes, let us make love,� Bathsheba said. �I would do it out here, but the servants might get too excited.� Natonito led Bathsheba by the hand towards their private bedroom where they would make love before Natonito went off to the library to do some erudite study as he was prone to do.
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