is your stone,' said Checco, handing it to him, but awkwardly, so that when Girolamo wanted to take it, it fell between their hands. Instinctively he bent down to catch it. In a moment Checco drew his dagger and buried it in the Count's back. He staggered forward and fell in a heap on his face.
'Oh God!' he cried, 'I am killed.'
It was the first thing we had heard outside. We heard the cry, the heavy fall. The servant rushed to the curtain.
'They are killing my master,' he cried.
'Be quiet, you fool!' I said, seizing his head from behind and with my hands on his mouth dragging him backwards. At the same moment Matteo drew his dagger and pierced the man's heart. He gave a convulsive leap into the air, and then as he fell I pushed him so that he rolled to one side.
Immediately afterwards the curtain was lifted and Checco appeared, leaning against the door-post. He was as pale as death, and trembling violently. He stood silent for a moment, open-mouthed, so that I thought he was about to faint; then with an effort he said in a hoarse, broken voice,—
'Gentlemen, we are free!'
A cry burst from us,—
'Liberty!'
Lodovico Pansecchi asked,—
'Is he dead?'
A visible shudder passed through Checco, as if he had been struck by an icy wind. He staggered to a chair and groaned,—
'Oh God!'
'I will go and see,' said Pansecchi, lifting the curtain and entering.
We stood still, waiting for him. We heard a heavy sound, and as he appeared, he said,—
'There is no doubt now.'
There was blood on his hands. Going up to Checco, he handed him the jewelled dagger.
'Take this. It will be more use to you than where you left it.'
Checco turned away in disgust.
'Here, take mine,' said Matteo. 'I will take yours. It will bring me good luck.'
The words were hardly out of his mouth when a step was heard outside. Scipione looked out cautiously.
'Andrea Framonti,' he whispered.
'Good luck, indeed!' said Matteo.
It was the captain of the guard. He was in the habit of coming every day about this hour to receive the password from the Count. We had forgotten him. He entered.
'Good-day to you, gentlemen! Are you waiting to see the Count?'
He caught sight of the corpse lying against the wall.
'Good God! what is this? What is—?'
He looked at us, and stopped suddenly. We had surrounded him.
'Treason!' he cried. 'Where is the Count?'
He looked behind him; Scipione and Matteo barred the door.
'Treason!' he shouted, drawing his sword.
At the same moment we drew ours and rushed for him. He parried a few of our blows, but we were too many, and he fell pierced with a dozen wounds.
The sight of the fray had a magical effect on Checco. We saw him standing up, drawn to his full height, his cheeks aflame, his eyes flashing.
'Good, my friends, good! Luck is on our side,' he said. 'Now we must look alive and work. Give me my dagger, Matteo; it is sacred now. It has been christened in blood with the name of Liberty. Liberty, my friends, Liberty!'
We flourished our swords and shouted,—
'Liberty!'
'Now, you, Filippo, take Lodovico Pansecchi and Marco, and go to the apartment of the Countess; tell her that she and her children are prisoners, and let no one enter or leave. Do this at any cost.... The rest of us will go out and rouse the people. I have twenty servants armed whom I told to wait in the piazza; they will come and guard the Palace and give you any help you need. Come!'
I did not know the way to the Countess's chamber, but Marco had been a special favourite and knew well the ins and outs of the Palace. He guided me to the door, where we waited. In a few minutes we heard cries in the piazza, and shouts of 'Liberty.' There came a tramp of feet up the stairs. It was Checco's armed servants. Some of them appeared where we were. I sent Marco to lead the others.
'Clear the Palace of all the servants. Drive them out into the piazza, and if anyone resists, kill him.'
Marco nodded and went off. The door of the Countess's apartments was opened, and a lady said,—
'What is this noise?'
But immediately she saw us, she gave a shriek and ran back. Then, leaving two men to guard the door, I entered with Pansecchi and the rest. The Countess came forward.
'What is the meaning of this?' she said angrily. 'Who are you? What are these men?'
'Madam,' I said, 'the Count, your husband, is dead, and I have been sent to take you prisoner.'
The women began to weep and wail, but the Countess did not move a muscle. She appeared indifferent to my intelligence.
'You,' I said, pointing to the ladies and women servants, 'you are to leave the Palace at once. The Countess will be so good as to remain here with her children.'
Then I asked where the children were. The women looked at their mistress, who said shortly,—
'Bring them!'
I signed to Pansecchi, who accompanied one of the ladies out of the room, and reappeared with the three little children.
'Now, madam,' I said, 'will you dismiss these ladies?'
She looked at me a moment, hesitating. The cries from the piazza were growing greater; it was becoming a roar that mounted to the Palace windows.
'You can leave me,' she said.
They broke again into shrieks and cries, and seemed disinclined to obey the order. I had no time to waste.
'If you do not go at once, I shall have you thrown out!'
The Countess stamped her foot.
'Go when I tell you! Go!' she said. 'I want no crying and screaming.'
They moved to the door like a flock of sheep, trampling on one another, bemoaning their fate. At last I had the room free.
'Madam,' I said, 'you must allow two soldiers to remain in the room.'
I locked the two doors of the chamber, mounted a guard outside each, and left her.
XXIV
