Next morning David Rossi had not yet risen when some one knocked at his
door. It was Bruno. The great fellow looked nervous and troubled, and he
spoke in a husky whisper.
"You're not going to Donna Roma's to-day, sir?"
"Why not, Bruno?"
"Have you seen her bust of yourself?"
"Hardly at all."
"Just so. My case, too. She has taken care of that--locking it up every
night, and getting another caster to cast it. But I saw it the first
morning after she began, and I know what it is."
"What is it, Bruno?"
"You'll be angry again, sir."
"What is it?"
"Judas--that's what it is, sir; the study for Judas in the fountain for
the Municipality."
"Is that all?"
"All?... But it's a caricature, a spiteful caricature! And you sat four
days and never even looked at it! I tell you it's disgusting, sir.
Simply disgusting. It's been done on purpose, too. When I think of it I
forget all you said, and I hate the woman as much as ever. And now she
is to have a reception, and you are going to it, just to help her to
have her laugh. Don't go, sir! Take the advice of a fool, and don't
go!"
"Bruno," said Rossi, lying with his head on his arm, "understand me once
for all. Donna Roma may have used my head as a study for Judas--I cannot
deny that since you say it is so--but if she had used it as a study for
Satan, I would believe in her the same as ever."
"You would?"
"Yes, by God! So now, like a good fellow, go away and leave her alone."
The streets were more than usually full of people when Rossi set out for
the reception. Thick groups were standing about the hoardings, reading a
yellow placard, which was still wet with the paste of the bill-sticker.
It was a proclamation, signed by the Minister of the Interior, and it
ran:
"ROMANS,--It having come to the knowledge of the Government that a
set of misguided men, the enemies of the throne and of society,
known to be in league with the republican, atheist, and anarchist
associations of foreign countries, are inciting the people to
resist the just laws made by their duly elected Parliament, and
sanctioned by their King, thus trying to lead them into outbreaks
that would be unworthy of a cultivated and generous race, and
would disgrace us in the view of other nations--the Government
hereby give notice that they will not allow the laws to be
insulted with impunity, and therefore they warn the public against
the holding of all such mass meetings in public buildings,
squares, and streets, as may lead to the possibility of serious
disturbances."