XXIV

dyoftheCount!' Helookedatme,thennoddedandwhispered,— 'Quickly!' IrantothePalaceandtoldMarcoScorsacanawhatIhadcomefor.WewentintotheHalloftheNymphsthebodywaslyingonitsface,almostdoubledup,andthefloorwasstainedwithahorriblestreamofbloodinthebackweretwowounds.LodovicohadindeedmadesurethattheCountwassafe....Wecaughtholdofthebodyitwasnotyetcold,anddraggedittothewindow.Withdifficultywelifteditontothesill. 'Hereisyourenemy!'Icried. Thenhoistinghim,wepushedhimout,andhefellonthestoneswithagreat,dullthud.Amightyshoutburstfromthemobastheyrushedatthebody.Onemantorethechainoffhisneck,butashewasrunningawaywithitanothersnatchedatit.Inthestruggleitbroke,andonegotawaywiththechain,theotherwiththejewel.Then,withcriesofhate,theysetonthecorpse.Theykickedhimandslappedhisfaceandspatonhim.Theringswerewrenchedoffhisfingers,hiscoatwastornawaytheytookhisshoes,hishoseinlessthanaminuteeverythinghadbeenrobbed,andhewaslyingnaked,nakedaswhenhewasborn.Theyhadnomercythosepeopletheybegantolaughandjeer,andmakefouljokesabouthisnakedness. Thepiazzawasthronged,andeverymomentpeopleenteredthewomenofthelowerclasseshadcome,joiningtheirshrillcriestotheshoutsofthemen.Thenoisewasstupendous,andaboveallrangthecriesofLibertyandDeath. 'TheCountess!TheCountess!' Itbecamethegeneralcry,drowningtheothers,andfromallquarters. 'WhereistheCountess?Bringherout.DeathtotheCountess!' AcrywentupthatshewasinthePalace,andtheshoutbecame,— 'TothePalace!TothePalace!' Checcosaidtous,— 'Wemustsaveher.Iftheygetholdofhershewillbetorntopieces.Letherbetakentomyhouse.' MatteoandPansecchitookallthesoldierstheycouldandenteredthePalace.InafewminutestheyappearedwithCaterinaandherchildrentheyhadsurroundedherandwerewalkingwithdrawnswords. Ayellbrokefromthesethousandsofthroats,andtheysurgedtoward