ithbellsandbaubleontheasswasamiserableoldman,OrsoOrsi.
'Oh,'Igroaned.'Whataretheygoingtodotohim?'
Ashoutoflaughterburstfromthemob,andtheclownflourishedhisbaubleandbowedacknowledgmentsfromsidetoside.Ahaltwasmadebeforethestage,andCaterinaspokeagain.
'OrsoOrsi.Youhavebeensentencedtoseeyourpalacedestroyedbeforeyoureyes—stonebystone.'
Thepeopleshouted,andarushwasmadefortheOrsiPalace.Theoldmansaidnothingandshowednosignofhearingorfeeling.Ihopedthatallsensationhadlefthim.Theprocessionmovedonuntilitcametotheoldhouse,whichstoodalreadylikeawreck,forthepillagershadleftnothingwhichcouldbemoved.Thentheworkbegan,andstonebystonethemightybuildingwastorntopieces.Orsolookedonindifferentlyattheterriblework,fornogreaterhumiliationcanbeofferedtotheItaliannoblemanthanthis.TheOrsoPalacehadstoodthreehundredyears,andthemostfamousarchitects,craftsmenandartistshadworkedonit.Andnowitwasgone.
Theoldmanwasbroughtbackintothepiazza,andoncemorethecruelwomanspoke.
'Youhavereceivedpunishmentforyourself,Orso,andnowyouaretoreceivepunishmentforyourson.Makeroom!'
Andthesoldiers,repeatingherwords,cried,—
'Makeroom!'
Thepeoplewerepushedandhustledbacktilltheywerecrammedagainstthehousewalls,leavinginthecentreanenormousemptyspace.Thenaflourishoftrumpets,andthepeoplemadeanopeningattheendofthesquaretoallowthepassageofahorseandman,thehorse—ahugeblackstallion—prancingandplunging,andoneachsideamanwasholdingthebridle.Onhisbacksatabigman,dressedallinflamingred,andaredhoodcoveredhisheadandface,leavingtwoaperturesfortheeyes.Ahorrifiedwhisperranroundthesquare.
'Thehangman!'
Inthecentreofthepiazzahestopped.CaterinaaddressedtheOrso.
'Haveyouanythingtosay,OrsoOrsi?'
Atlastheseemedtohear,helookedatherandthen,withallthestrengthhehad,hurledthewordather,—
'Bastard!'
Sheflushedangrilyandmadeasign.Twomenseizedtheoldmananddraggedhimoffthemuletheycau