"Accursed woman," roared the robber, on finding himself recognized, "you
shall die!"
And he hurled himself, with his knife raised, against the old woman, who
swooned on the spot.
The assassin dealt the blow.
But Ferruccio, with an exceedingly rapid movement, and uttering a cry of
desperation, had rushed to his grandmother, and covered her body with
his own. The assassin fled, stumbling against the table and overturning
the light, which was extinguished.
The boy slipped slowly from above his grandmother, fell on his knees,
and remained in that attitude, with his arms around her body and his
head upon her breast.
Several moments passed; it was very dark; the song of the peasants
gradually died away in the campagna. The old woman recovered her senses.
"Ferruccio!" she cried, in a voice that was barely intelligible, with
chattering teeth.
"Grandmamma!" replied the lad.
The old woman made an effort to speak; but terror had paralyzed her
tongue.
She remained silent for a while, trembling violently.