"The Minister of War, the Prefect, Commendatore Angelelli, and one of
his delegates," replied the secretary.
"Bring the Prefect first," said the Baron, and a severe-looking man of
military bearing entered the room.
"Come in, Senator. You know Donna Roma. Our business is urgent--she will
allow us to go on. I am anxious to hear how things stand and what you
are doing."
The Prefect began on his report. Immediately the new law was promulgated
by royal decree, he had sent out a circular to all the Mayors in his
province, stating the powers it gave the police to dissolve associations
and forbid public meetings.
"But what can we expect in the provincial towns, your Excellency, while
in the capital we are doing nothing? The chief of all subversive
societies is in Rome, and the directing mind is at large among
ourselves. Listen to this, sir."
The Prefect took a newspaper from his pocket and began to read:
"ROMANS,--The new law is an attempt to deprive us of liberties
which our fathers made revolutions to establish. It is, therefore,
our duty to resist it, and to this end we must hold our meeting on
the 1st of February according to our original intention. Only thus
can we show the Government and the King what it is to oppose the
public opinion of the world.... Meet in the Piazza del Popolo at
sundown and walk to the Coliseum by way of the Corso. Be peaceful
and orderly, and God put it into the hearts of your rulers to avert
bloodshed."
"That is from the Sunrise?"
"Yes, sir, the last of many manifestoes. And what is the result? The
people are flocking into Rome from every part of the province."
"And how many political pilgrims are here already?"
"Fifty thousand, sixty, perhaps a hundred thousand. It cannot be allowed
to go on, your Excellency."
"It is a levée-en-masse certainly. What do you advise?"
"That the enemies of the Government and the State, whose erroneous
conceptions of liberty have led to this burst of anarchist feelings, be
left to the operation of the police laws."
The Baron glanced at Roma. Her face was flushed and her eyes were
flashing.
"That," he said, "may be difficult, considering the number of the
discontented. What is the strength of your police?"
"Seven hundred in uniform, four hundred in plain clothes, and five
hundred and fifty municipal guards. Besides these, sir, there are three
thousand Carabineers and eight thousand regular troops."