"You liar," cried Bruno, "you know it is true; and when I told you that

you were making me drag an innocent man to the galleys I struck you, and

the mark of my fist is on your forehead still. There it is, as red as a

Cardinal, while the rest of your face is as white as a Pope."

The president no longer tried to restrain Bruno. There was something in

the man's face that was beyond reproof. It was the outraged spirit of

Justice.

The chief warder went on to say that at various times he had received

reports that Rocco was communicating important facts to a

fellow-prisoner.

"Where is this fellow-prisoner? Is he at the disposition of the court?"

said the president.

"I'm afraid he has since been set at liberty," said the witness,

whereupon Bruno laughed uproariously, and pointing to some one in the

well, he shouted: "There he is--there! The dandy in cuffs and collar. His name is

Minghelli."

"Call him," said the president, and Minghelli was sworn and examined.

"Until recently you were a prisoner in Regina C[oe]li, and have just

been pardoned for public services?"

"That is true, your Excellency."

"It's a lie," cried Bruno.

Minghelli leaned on the witness's chair, caressed his small moustache,

and told his story. He had occupied the next cell to the prisoner, and

talked with him in the usual language of prisoners. The prisoner had

spoken of a certain great man and then of a certain great act, and that

the great man had gone to England to prepare for it. He understood the

great man to be the Deputy Rossi, and the great act to be the overthrow

of the constitution and the assassination of the King.

"You son of a priest," cried Bruno, "you lie!"

"Bruno Rocco," said the president, "do not agitate yourself. You are

under the protection of the law. Be calm and tell us your own story."

XVII

"Your Excellency," said Bruno, "this man is a witness by profession, and

he was put into the next cell to torture me and make me denounce my

friends. I didn't see his face, and I didn't know who he was until

afterwards, and so he tore me to pieces. He said he was a proof-reader

on the Official Gazette and heard everything. When my heart was bleeding

for the death of my poor little boy--only seven years of age, such a

curly-headed little fellow, like a sunbeam in a fog, killed in the

riot, your Excellency--he poisoned my mind about my wife, and said she

had run away with Rossi. It was a lie, but I was brought down by

flogging and bread and water and I believed it, because I was mad and my

soul was exhausted and dead. But when I found out who he was I tried to

take back my denunciation, and they wouldn't let me. Your Excellency, I

tell you the truth. Everybody should tell the truth here. I alone am

guilty, and if I have accused anybody else I ask pardon of God. As for

this man, he is an assassin and I can prove it. He used to be at the

embassy in London, and when he was sacked he came to Mr. Rossi and

proposed to assassinate the Prime Minister. Mr. Rossi flung him out of

the house, and that was the beginning of everything."




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