The Baron paused, and then repeated in a low tone with the utmost

deliberation: "I say, if any of these should escape, Commendatore...."

"They shall not escape, your Excellency."

There was a moment of profound silence, in which Roma felt herself to be

suffocating, and could scarcely restrain the cry that was rising in her

throat.

"Let me go," she said, when the Chief of Police had backed and bowed

himself out; but again the Baron pretended to misunderstand her.

"Only one more visitor! I shall be finished in a few minutes," and then

Charles Minghelli was shown into the room.

The man's watchful eyes blinked perceptibly as he came face to face

with Roma, but he recovered himself in a moment, and began to brush with

his fingers the breast of his frockcoat.

"Sit down, Minghelli. You may speak freely before Donna Roma. You owe

your position to her generous influence, you may remember, and she is

abreast of all our business. You know all about this meeting at the

Coliseum?"

Minghelli bent his head.

"The delegates of police have received the strictest orders not to give

the word to the military until an overt act of resistance has been

committed. That is necessary as well for the safety of our poor deluded

people as for our own credit in the eyes of the world. But an act of

rebellion in such a case is a little thing, Mr. Minghelli."

Again Minghelli bent his head.

"A blow, a shot, a shower of stones, and the peace is broken and the

delegate is justified."

A third time Minghelli bent his head.

"Unfortunately, in the sorrowful circumstances in which the city is

placed, an overt act of resistance is quite sure to be committed."

Minghelli flecked a speck of dust from his spotless cuff and said: "Quite sure, your Excellency."

There was another moment of profound silence, in which Roma felt her

heart beat violently.

"Adieu, Mr. Minghelli. Tell my secretary as you pass out that I wish to

dictate a letter."

The letter was to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"Dear colleague," dictated the Baron, "I entirely approve of the

proposal you have made to the Governments of Europe and America to

establish a basis on which anarchists should be suppressed by means of

an international net, through which they can hardly escape. My

suggestion would be the universal application of the Belgian clause in

all existing extradition treaties, whereby persons guilty of regicide

may be dealt with as common murderers. In any case please say that the

Government of Italy intends to do its duty to the civilised world, and

will look to the Governments of other countries to allow it to follow up

and arrest the criminals who are attempting to reconstruct society by

burying it under ruins."




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