XXIV

mselvesrushedinagain.Allthelittlethingsweretakenfirst,andthenitwastheturnofthefurniture.Peoplecameoutwithchairsorcoffersontheirheads,bearingthemawayquicklylesttheirclaimshouldbedisputed.Sometimestheentrancewasstoppedbytwoorthreemencomingoutwithaheavychestorwiththepiecesofabedstead.Thentheshoutingandpushingandconfusionwereworsethanever....Eventhefurnituregaveoutunderthekeenhands,andlookingroundtheysawthatthewallsandfloorswerebare.Buttherewasstillsomethingforthem.Theymadeforthedoorsandwrenchedthemaway.Fromthepiazzawesawmentearoutthewindowframes,eventhehingesweretaken,andtheystreamedoutofthePalaceheavilyladen,theirhandsbloodyfromtheworkofdestruction. Alloverthetownthebellswereringing,andstillpeoplesurgedintothepiazza.ThousandshadgotnothingfromthePalace,andtheycriedoutinangeragainsttheircompanions,enviousattheirgoodluck.Bandshadformedthemselveswithchiefs,andtheyweregoingaboutexcitingtheothers.Checcostoodamongthem,unabletorestrainthem.Suddenlyanothercryrosefromathousandthroats,— 'TheTreasury!' Andirresistibleasthesea,theyrushedtotheGabella.Inafewminutesthesameruinhadovertakenit,anditwaslyingbareandempty. Scarcelyoneofthemremainedinthepiazza.Thecorpsewaslyingonthecoldstones,naked,thefaceclosetothehouseinwhichthelivingmanhadtakensuchprideandthehouseitself,withthegapingaperturesfromthestolenwindows,lookedlikeabuildingwhichhadbeenburntwithfire,sothatonlythewallsremained.Anditwasemptybutforafewrapaciousmen,whowerewanderingaboutlikescavengerstoseewhetheranythinghadbeenleftunfound. Thebodyhaddoneitsworkanditcouldrestinpeace.Checcosentforfriars,whoplaceditonastretcher,coveringitsnakedness,andboreittotheirchurch. Nightcame,andwithitalittlepeace.Thetumultwithwhichthetownwasfilledquieteneddownonebyonethesoundsceased,andoverthecityfellatroubledsleep....