stheonlymeansofraisingthemoney,andgatheringangerfromtheirsullenlooksandtheirsilence,hetoldthemthatiftheywouldnotgivetheirsanctiontothedecree,hewoulddowithouttheirsanction.Then,breakingshort,heaskedthemfortheiranswer.Thecouncillorslookedatoneanother,ratherpalebutdeterminedandthereplycamefromoneaftertheother,quietly,—
'No—no—no!'
AntonioLassiwascowed,anddarednotgivehisansweratall.TheCount,withanoath,beathisfistonthetableandsaid,'Iamdeterminedtobelordandmasterhereandyoushalllearn,allofyou,thatmywillislaw.'
Withthathedismissedthem.
Whenthepeopleheardthenews,therewasgreatexcitement.ThemurmursagainsttheCount,whichhadhithertobeencautiouslyexpressed,werenowcriedoutinthemarket-placetheextravaganceoftheCountesswasbitterlycomplainedof,andthetownsmengatheredtogetheringroups,talkingheatedlyoftheproposedexaction,occasionallybreakingoutintoopenmenace.Itwasverylikesedition.
Onthedayafterthecouncil,theheadofthecustomshadbeenalmosttorntopiecesbythepeopleashewaswalkingtowardsthePalace,andonhiswaybackhewasprotectedbyatroopofsoldiers.AntonioLassiwasmeteverywherewithhootsandcries,andCheccod'Orsi,meetinghimintheloggiaofthepiazza,hadassailedhimwithtauntsandbittersarcasms.ErcolePiacentiniinterposedandthequarrelnearlyendedinabrawlbutChecco,withdifficultyrestraininghimself,withdrewbeforeanythinghappened....
OnleavingDonnaGiulia,Iwalkedtothepiazza.andfoundthesamerestlessnessasontheprecedingdays.Throughallthesepeopleastrangecommotionseemedtopass,atremorlikethewavesoftheseaeverywherelittleknotsofpeoplewerelisteningeagerlytosomeexcitedspeakernooneseemedabletoworkthetradesmenweregatheredattheirdoorstalkingwithoneanotheridlerswerewanderingtoandfro,nowjoiningthemselvestoonegroup,nowtoanother.
Suddenlytherewasasilencepartofthecrowdbeganlookingeagerlyinonedirection,andtherestintheircuriosi