Faustina sat leaning her head upon Corona’s shoulder, while Giovanni looked out of the window into the dark streets, his rage boiling within him, and all the hotter because he was powerless to change the course of events.  From time to time he uttered savage ejaculations which promised ill for the prefect’s future peace, either in this world or in the next, but the sound of the wheels rolling upon the uneven paving-stones prevented his voice from reaching the two women.

“Dear child,” said Corona, “do not be frightened.  You shall be free to-night or in the morning—­I will not leave you.”

Faustina was silent, but pressed her friend’s hand again and again, as though she understood.  She herself was overcome by a strange wonderment which made her almost incapable of appreciating what happened to her.  She felt very much as she had felt once before, on the night of the insurrection, when she had found herself lying upon the pavement before the half-ruined barracks, stunned by the explosion, unable for a time to collect her senses, supported only by her physical elasticity, which was yet too young to be destroyed by any moral shock.

CHAPTER XXII.

On the following morning all Rome rang with the news that the Saracinesca had lost their title, and that Faustina Montevarchi had murdered her father.  No one connected the two events, but the shock to the public mind was so tremendous that almost any incredible tale would have been believed.  The story, as it was generally told, set forth that Faustina had gone mad and had strangled her father in his sleep.  Every one agreed in affirming that he had been found dead with her handkerchief tied round his neck.  It was further stated that the young girl was no longer in the Palazzo Montevarchi, but had been transferred to the women’s prison at the Termini, pending further examination into the details of the case.  The Palazzo Montevarchi was draped in black, and before night funeral hatchments were placed upon the front of the parish church bearing the Montevarchi arms.  No one was admitted to the palace upon any pretext whatever, though it was said that San Giacinto and Flavia had spent the night there.  No member of the family had been seen by any one, and nobody seemed to know exactly whence the various items of information had been derived.

Strange to say, every word of what was repeated so freely was true, excepting that part of the tale which accused Faustina of having done the deed.  What had taken place up to the time when Corona and Giovanni had come may be thus briefly told.