“He rendered payment for it,” said Agostino.

“He perished; yes! as we shake dust to the winds; but she!—­it’s terrible!  You place women in the front ranks—­girls!  What can defenceless creatures do?  Would you let the van-regiment in battle be the one without weapons?  It’s slaughter.  She’s like a lamb to them.  You hold up your jewel to the enemy, and cry, ‘Come and take it.’  Think of the insults! think of the rough hands, and foul mouths!  She will be seized on the boards—­”

“Not if you keep your tongue from wagging,” interposed Ugo Corte, fevered by this unseasonable exhibition of what was to him manifestly a lover’s frenzied selfishness.  He moved off, indifferent to Carlo’s retort.  Marco Sana and Giulio Bandinelli were already talking aside with the Chief.

“Signor Carlo, not a hand shall touch me,” said the signorina.  “And I am not a lamb, though it is good of you to think me one.  I passed through the streets of Milan in the last rising.  I was unharmed.  You must have some confidence in me.”

“Signorina, there’s the danger,” rejoined Carlo.  “You trust to your good angels once, twice—­the third time they fail you!  What are you among a host of armed savages?  You would be tossed like weed on the sea.  In pity, do not look so scornfully!  No, there is no unjust meaning in it; but you despise me for seeing danger.  Can nothing persuade you?  And, besides,” he addressed the Chief, who alone betrayed no signs of weariness; “listen, I beg of you.  Milan wants no more than a signal.  She does not require to be excited.  I came charged with several proposals for giving the alarm.  Attend, you others!  The night of the Fifteenth comes; it is passing like an ordinary night.  At twelve a fire-balloon is seen in the sky.  Listen, in the name of saints and devils!”

But even the Chief was observed to show signs of amusement, and the gravity of the rest forsook them altogether at the display of this profound and original conspiratorial notion.

“Excellent! excellent! my Carlo,” said old Agostino, cheerfully.  “You have thought.  You must have thought, or whence such a conception?  But, you really mistake.  It is not the garrison whom we desire to put on their guard.  By no means.  We are not in the Imperial pay.  Probably your balloon is to burst in due time, and, wind permitting, disperse printed papers all over the city?”

“What if it is?” cried Carlo fiercely.

“Exactly.  I have divined your idea.  You have thought, or, to correct the tense, are thinking, which is more hopeful, though it may chance not to seem so meritorious.  But, if yours are the ideas of full-blown jackets, bear in mind that our enemies are coated and breeched.  It may be creditable to you that your cunning is not the cunning of the serpent; to us it would be more valuable if it were.  Continue.”

“Oh! there are a thousand ways.”  Carlo controlled himself with a sharp screw of all his muscles.  “I simply wish to save the signorina from an annoyance.”