VI

dcries,andCheccod'Orsi,meetinghimintheloggiaofthepiazza,hadassailedhimwithtauntsandbittersarcasms.ErcolePiacentiniinterposedandthequarrelnearlyendedinabrawlbutChecco,withdifficultyrestraininghimself,withdrewbeforeanythinghappened.... OnleavingDonnaGiulia,Iwalkedtothepiazza.andfoundthesamerestlessnessasontheprecedingdays.Throughallthesepeopleastrangecommotionseemedtopass,atremorlikethewavesoftheseaeverywherelittleknotsofpeoplewerelisteningeagerlytosomeexcitedspeakernooneseemedabletoworkthetradesmenweregatheredattheirdoorstalkingwithoneanotheridlerswerewanderingtoandfro,nowjoiningthemselvestoonegroup,nowtoanother. Suddenlytherewasasilencepartofthecrowdbeganlookingeagerlyinonedirection,andtherestintheircuriositysurgedtotheendofthepiazzatoseewhatwashappening.ThenitwasseenthatCaterinawasapproaching.Sheenteredtheplace,andalleyeswerefixeduponher.Asusual,shewasmagnificentlyattiredherneckandhandsandarms,herwaistbandandheadgear,shonewithjewelsshewasaccompaniedbyseveralofherladiesandtwoorthreesoldiersasguard.Thecrowdseparatedtoletherpass,andshewalkedproudlybetweentheserriedrowsofpeople,herheadupliftedandhereyesfixedstraightinfront,asifshewereunawarethatanyonewaslookingather.Afewobsequiouslytookofftheirhats,butmostgavenogreetingallaroundherwassilence,afewmurmurs,anoathortwomutteredunderbreath,butthatwasall.Shewalkedsteadilyon,andenteredthePalacegates.Atonceathousandvoicesburstforth,andafterthedeadlystillnesstheairseemedfilledw