uncleandIdraggedyouthroughthelittledoor,andeventuallycarriedyouhere.Youareaweight!'
'AndwhereamI?'
'Inmymother'shouse,whereyouarerequestedtostayaslongasitsuitsyourconvenience.'
'AndOrso?'
'Myunclewentouttosee,andreportsthattheyhaveputhiminprison.Asyetnoharmhasbeendonehim.Thepalacehasbeensackednothingbutthebarewallsremain.'
AtthatmomentPietrocameinpanting.
'Twooftheconspiratorshavebeentaken.'
'MyGod,notCheccoorMatteo!'
'NoPietroAlbaneseandMarcoScorsacana.'
'Howdidtheothersescape?'
'Idon'tknow.AllIheardwasthatthehorseofMarcobrokedown,andPietrorefusedtoleavehim.AtavillageclosetothefrontierPietrowasrecognised,andtheywerebotharrestedandsenthereforthesakeofthereward.'
'MyGod!'
'Theywerebroughtintothetownonasses,withtheirhandstiedbehindtheirbacks,andthemobyelledwithderision,andthrewstonesandrefuseatthem.'
'Andnow?'
'Theyhavebeentakentotheprison,and—'
'Well?'
'Theexecutionistotakeplaceto-morrow.'
Igroaned.PietroAlbaneseandMarcohadbeenlikeDamonandPythias.IshudderedasIthoughtofthefateinstoreforthem.TheyhadbeenconspicuousintheirhatredoftheCount,anditwastheywhohadhelpedtothrowthebodyintothepiazza.IknewtherewouldbenoforgivenessinCaterina'sheart,andallthenightIwonderedwhatvengeanceshewasmeditating.