XXIX

THEnightfellandwaspassedwithoutsleeporrest.Thecitizensweregatheredtogetheronthewalls,talkinganxiously,tryingtopiercethedarknesstoseetherescuingarmyfromRome.Nowandthensomeonethoughtheheardthetrampofcavalryorsawagleamofarmour,andthentheystoodstill,holdingtheirbreaths,listening.Buttheyheardnothing,sawnothing....Otherswereassembledinthepiazza,andwiththemacrowdofwomenandchildrenthechurcheswerefullofwomenprayingandweeping.Thenightseemedendless.Atlastagreaterchillinessoftheairtoldthemthatthedawnwasathandgraduallythedarknessseemedtothinawayintoacoldpallor,andaboveabankofcloudintheeastappearedasicklylight.MoreanxiouslythaneveroureyesturnedtowardsRomethemisthidthecountryfromus,butsomeofthewatchersthoughttheysawablackmass,faraway.Theypointeditouttotheothers,andallwatchedeagerlybuttheblackmassgrewneitherlargernorclearernornearerandasgreatyellowraysshotupabovetheclouds,andthesunroseslowly,wesawtheroadstretchedoutbeforeus,anditwasempty,empty,empty. Itwasalmostasobthatburstfromthem,andmoaninglytheyaskedwhenhelpwascoming.Atthatmomentamanascendedtherampartsandtoldusthattheprotonotaryhadreceivedale