XXVII

torestrainhimself.AllatonceCesarecaughtsightofhismother,andhecalledtoher.Ottavianojoinedhim,andtheybothcriedout,— 'Mother!Mother!' Shelookedatthem,butmadenottheslightestmotion,shemighthavebeenofstone....Oh,itwashorribleshewastoohard! 'Oncemore,Iaskyou,'saidSavello,'willyousurrenderthecastle?' 'No—no!' Hervoicewasquitesteady,ringingclearasasilverbell. Savellomadeasign,andtwomenapproachedtheboys.ThensuddenlytheyseemedtounderstandwithashriektheyrantoChecco,and,fallingathisfeet,claspedhisknees.Ottavianocouldholdoutnolongerheburstintotears,andhisbrother,attheelder'sweakness,redoubledhisowncries. 'Oh,Checco,don'tletthemtouchus!' Checcotooknonoticeofthemhelookedstraightinfrontofhim.AndevenwhentheCounthadjustfallenunderhisdaggerhehadnotbeensoghastlypale....Thechildrenweresobbingdesperatelyathisknees.ThemenhesitatedbuttherewasnopityinthemanofGodherepeatedhissignmoredecisivelythanbefore,andthemenadvanced.ThechildrenclungtoChecco'slegs,crying,— 'Checco,don'tletthemtouchus!' Hemadenosign.Heheldhiseyesstraightinfrontofhim,asifhesawnothing,heardnothing.Buthisface!NeverhaveIseensuchagony.... Thechildrenweretornfromhim,theirhandsbound