"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."