VI

uffsandwines,whichhadpreviouslygonefree.Girolamoansweredinastudiedspeech,pretendinggreatunwillingnesstochargewhatwerethenecessariesoflife,andaskedseveralofthemoreprominentmemberswhattheythoughtofthesuggestion.TheyhadmetAntonioLassi'sspeechwithsilence,andnowapplaudedGirolamo'sanswertheyagreedwithhimthatsuchtaxesshouldnotbe.ThentheCountchangedhistone.Hesaiditwastheonlymeansofraisingthemoney,andgatheringangerfromtheirsullenlooksandtheirsilence,hetoldthemthatiftheywouldnotgivetheirsanctiontothedecree,hewoulddowithouttheirsanction.Then,breakingshort,heaskedthemfortheiranswer.Thecouncillorslookedatoneanother,ratherpalebutdeterminedandthereplycamefromoneaftertheother,quietly,— 'No—no—no!' AntonioLassiwascowed,anddarednotgivehisansweratall.TheCount,withanoath,beathisfistonthetableandsaid,'Iamdeterminedtobelordandmasterhereandyoushalllearn,allofyou,thatmywillislaw.' Withthathedismissedthem. Whenthepeopleheardthenews,therewasgreatexcitement.ThemurmursagainsttheCount,whichhadhithertobeencautiouslyexpressed,werenowcriedoutinthemarket-placetheextravaganceoftheCountesswasbitterlycomplainedof,andthetownsmengatheredtogetheringroups,talkingheatedlyoftheproposedexaction,occasionallybreakingoutintoopenmenace.Itwasverylikesedition. Onthedayafterthecouncil,theheadofthecustomshadbeenalmosttorntopiecesbythepeopleashewaswalkingtowardsthePalace,andonhiswaybackhewasprotectedbyatroopofsoldiers.AntonioLassiwasmeteverywherewithhootsan