"Say twelve thousand five hundred armed men in all?"

"Precisely, and what is that against fifty, a hundred, perhaps a hundred

and fifty thousand people?"

"You want the army at call?"

"Exactly! but above everything else we want the permission of the

Government to deal with the greater delinquents, whether Deputies or

not, according to the powers given us by the statute."

The Baron rose and held out his hand. "Thanks, Senator! The Government

will consider your suggestions immediately. Be good enough to send in my

colleague, the Minister of War."

When the Prefect left the room Roma rose to go.

"You cannot suppose this is very agreeable to me?" she said in an

agitated voice.

"Wait! I shall not be long ... Ah, General Morra! Roma, you know the

General, I think. Sit down, both of you.... Well, General, you hear of

this levée-en-masse?"

"I do."

"The Prefect is satisfied that the people are moved by a revolutionary

organisation, and he is anxious to know what force we can put at his

service to control it."

The General detailed his resources. There were sixteen thousand men

always under arms in Rome, and the War Office had called up the

old-timers of two successive years--perhaps fifty thousand in all.

"As a Minister of State and your colleague," said the General, "I am at

one with you in your desire to safeguard the cause of order and protect

public institutions, but as a man and a Roman I cannot but hope that you

will not call upon me to act without the conditions required by law."

"Indeed, no," said the Baron; "and in order to make sure that our

instructions are carried out with wisdom and humanity, let these be the

orders you issue to your staff: First, that in case of disturbance

to-morrow night, whether at the Coliseum or elsewhere, the officers must

wait for the proper signal from the delegate of police."

"Good!"

"Next, that on receiving the order to fire, the soldiers must be careful

that their first volley goes over the heads of the people."

"Excellent!"

"If that does not disperse the crowds, if they throw stones at the

soldiers or otherwise resist, the second volley--I see no help for

it--the second volley, I say, must be fired at the persons who are

leading on the ignorant and deluded mob."

"Ah!"

The General hesitated, and Roma, whose breathing came quick and short,

gave him a look of tenderness and gratitude.




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