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sasuddendeviceofAntoniotomakehispeacewiththevictor.Onecouldseetheagitationoftheirminds.Theyweretortured:theydidnotknowwhatCheccothought.Shouldtheyspeakorbesilent?Therewasalookofsupplicationintheirfaceswhichwasquitepitiful.Finally,oneofthemmadeuphismind,androsetosecondAntonioSassi'smotion.ThenotherstooktheircourageinbothhandsandmadespeechesfullofpraiseforChecco,begginghimtoacceptthesovereignty. AgravesmileappearedonChecco'sface,butitdisappearedatonce.Whenhethoughttherehadbeensufficienttalkingherosetohisfeet,and,afterthankinghispredecessorsfortheireulogies,said,— 'Itistruethatwehaveconqueredthecityattheriskofourlivesbutitwasforthecity,notforourselves....Nothoughtofourownprofitenteredourminds,butwewerepossessedbyagravesenseofourdutytowardsourfellowmen.Ourwatch-wordswereLibertyandtheCommonweal!FromthebottomofmyheartIthankAntonioSassiandallofyouwhohavesuchconfidenceinmethatyouarewillingtosurrenderthetowntomykeeping.IntheirgoodopinionIfindasufficientrewardforallIhavedone.But,Godknows,Ihavenodesiretorule.Iwanttheloveofmyfellow-citizens,notthefearofsubjectsIlookwithdismayuponthetoilsofaruler.Andwhowouldbelieveinmydisinterestednesswhenhesawmetakeupthesceptrewhichthelifelesshandhasdropped? 'ForgivemeIcannotacceptyourgift. 'Butthereisonewhocanandwill.TheChurchisnotwonttocloseherbreasttohimwhoseeksrefugebeneathhersacredcloak,andshewillpardonusforhavingshakenfromournecksthehardyokeofTyranny.LetusgiveourselvestotheHolyFather—' Hewasinterruptedbytheapplauseofthecouncillors:theydidnotwanttohearfurther,butagreedunanimouslyanditwasforthwitharrangedthatanembassyshouldbesenttotheGovernorofCesenatomaketheoffer.ThemeetingwasbrokenupamidstshoutsofpraiseforChecco.Ifhehadbeenstrongbefore,hewastentimesstrongernow,forthebetterc