Before he was aware of the passing of time, the church bells were

tolling the first hour of night. Presently he became aware of flares

burning in the Piazza of St. Peter, and of the shadows of giant heads

cast up on the walls of the vast Basilica. It was the crowd gathering

for the last ceremonial of the Pope's Jubilee, and at the sound of a

double rocket, which went up as with the crackle of musketry, little

Joseph came running on to the roof, followed by his mother and Bruno.

David Rossi took the boy into his arms and tried to dispel the gloom of

his own spirits in the child's joy at the illuminations.

"Ever see 'luminations before, Uncle David?" said Joseph.

"Once, dear, but that was long ago and far away. I was a boy myself in

those days, and there was a little girl with me then who was no bigger

than you are now. But it's growing cold, there's frost in the air,

besides it's late, and little boys must go to bed."

"Well, God is God, and the Pope is His Prophet," said Bruno, when Elena

and Joseph had gone indoors. "It was like day! You could see the

lightning conductor over the Pope's apartment! Pshew!" blowing puffs of

smoke from his twisted cigar. "Won't keep the lightning off, though."

"Bruno!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Donna Roma's father would be Prince Volonna?"

"Yes, the last prince of the old papal name. When the Volonna estates

were confiscated, the title really lapsed, but old Vampire got the

lands."

"Did you ever hear that he bore any other name during the time he was in

exile?"

"Sure to, but there was no trial and nothing was known. They all changed

their names, though."

"Why ... what...." said David Rossi in an unsteady voice.

"Why?" said Bruno. "Because they were all condemned in Italy, and the

foreign countries were told to turn them out. But what am I talking

about? You know all that better than I do, sir. Didn't your old friend

go under a false name?"

"Very likely--I don't know," said David Rossi, in a voice that testified

to jangled nerves.

"Did he ever tell you, sir?"

"I can't say that he ever.... Certainly the school of revolution has

always had villains enough, and perhaps to prevent treachery...."

"You may say so! The devil has the run of the world, even in England.

But I'm surprised your old friend, being like a father to you, didn't

tell you--at the end anyway...."




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024