'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.