"Strange mystery of a woman's love! That she who set out to destroy her

slanderer should become his slave! If he were only worthy of it!"

"He is worthy of it."

"If you should hear that he is not worthy--that he has even been untrue

to you?"

"I should think it is a falsehood, a contemptible falsehood."

"But if you had proof, substantial proof, the proof of his own pen?"

"Good-morning! I must go."

"My child, what have I always told you? You will give the man up at last

and carry out your first intention."

With a deep bow and a scarcely perceptible smile the Baron turned to the

open door of his carriage. Roma flushed up angrily and went on, but the

poisoned arrow had gone home.

The military tribunal had begun its session. A ticket which Roma

presented at the door admitted her to the well of the court where the

advocates were sitting. The advocate Fuselli made a place for her by his

side. It was a quiet moment and her entrance attracted attention. The

judges in their red armchairs at the green-covered horse-shoe table

looked up from their portfolios, and there was some whispering beyond

the wooden bar where the public were huddled together. One other face

had followed her, but at first she dared not look at that. It was the

face of the prisoner in his prison clothes sitting between two

Carabineers.

The secretary read the indictment. Bruno was charged not only with

participation in the riot of the 1st of February, but also with being a

promoter of associations designed to change violently the constitution

of the state. It was a long document, and the secretary read it slowly

and not very distinctly.

When the indictment came to an end the Public Prosecutor rose to expound

the accusation, and to mention the clauses of the Code under which the

prisoner's crime had to be considered. He was a young captain of

cavalry, with restless eyes and a twirled-up moustache. His long cloak

hung over his chair, his light gloves lay on the table by his side, and

his sword clanked as he made graceful gestures. He was an elegant

speaker, much preoccupied about beautiful phrases, and obviously anxious

to conciliate the judges.

"Illustrious gentlemen of the tribunal," he began, and then went on

with a compliment to the King, a flourish to the name of the Prime

Minister, a word of praise to the army, and finally a scathing satire on

the subversive schemes which it was desired to set up in place of

existing institutions. The most crushing denunciation of the delirious

idea which had led to the unhappy insurrection was the crude explanation

of its aims. A universal republic founded on the principles enunciated

in the Lord's Prayer! Thrones, armies, navies, frontiers, national

barriers, all to be abolished! So simple! So easy! So childlike! But

alas, so absurd! So entirely oblivious of the great principles of

political economy and international law, and of impulses and instincts

profoundly sculptured in the heart of man!




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