XXIV
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IWENToutintothepiazza.Itwasfullofmen,butwherewastheenthusiasmwehadexpected,thetumult,theshoutsofjoy?Wasnotthetyrantdead?Buttheystoodtheredismayed,confounded,likesheep....Andwasnotthetyrantdead?IsawpartisansofCheccorushingthroughthecrowdwithcriesof'Deathtoalltyrants,'and'Liberty,liberty!'butthepeopledidnotmove.Hereandthereweremenmountedonbarrows,haranguingthepeople,throwingoutwordsoffire,butthewindwasstillandtheydidnotspread....Someoftheyoungeronesweretalkingexcitedly,butthemerchantskeptcalm,seemingafraid.Theyaskedwhatwastohappennow—whatCheccowoulddo?SomesuggestedthatthetownshouldbeofferedtothePopeotherstalkedofLodovicoSforzaandthevengeancehewouldbringfromMilan.
IcaughtsightofAlessandraMoratini.
'Whatnews?Whatnews?'
'OhGod,Idon'tknow!'hesaidwithanexpressionofagony.'Theywon'tmove.Ithoughttheywouldriseupandtaketheworkoutofourhands.Buttheyareasdullasstones.'
'Andtheothers?'Iasked.
'Theyaregoingthroughthetowntryingtorousethepeople.Godknowswhatsuccesstheywillhave!'
Atthatmomenttherewasastiratoneendofthesquare,andacrowdofmechanicssurgedin,headedbyagiganticbutcher,flourishingagreatmeat-axe.Theywerecrying'Liberty!'Matteowenttowardsthemandbegantoaddressthem,butthebutcherinterruptedhimandshoutedcoarsewordsofenthusiasm,atwhichtheyallyelledwithapplause.
Checcocameonthescene,accompaniedbyhisservants.Asmallcrowdfollowed,crying,—
'Bravo,Checco!bravo!'
Assoonasthemechanicssawhim,they
