nd, might be; and
over all the banner of Austria--the black double-headed eagle ramping on
a yellow ground. This was the flower of iron meaning on such a field.

The two young men held their peace. Countess Ammiani had pushed her chair
back into a dark corner of the room, and was sitting there when they
looked back, like a sombre figure of black marble.

CHAPTER XVII

IN THE PIAZZA D'ARMI

Carlo and Luciano followed the regiments to the Piazza d'Armi, drawn
after them by that irresistible attraction to youths who have as yet had
no shroud of grief woven for them--desire to observe the aspect of a
brilliant foe.

The Piazza d'Armi was the field of Mars of Milan, and an Austrian review
of arms there used to be a tropical pageant. The place was too narrow for
broad manoeuvres, or for much more than to furnish an inspection of all
arms to the General, and a display (with its meaning) to the populace. An
unusually large concourse of spectators lined the square, like a black
border to a vast bed of flowers, nodding now this way, now that. Carlo
and Luciano passed among the groups, presenting the perfectly smooth
faces of young men of fashion, according to the universal aristocratic
pattern handed down to querulous mortals from Olympus--the secret of
which is to show a triumphant inaction of the heart and the brain, that
are rendered positively subservient to elegance of limb. They knew the
chances were in favour of their being arrested at any instant. None of
the higher members of the Milanese aristocracy were visible; the people
looked sullen. Carlo was attracted by the tall figure of the Signor
Antonio-Pericles, whom he beheld in converse with the commandant of the
citadel, out in the square, among chatting and laughing General officers.
At Carlo's elbow there came a burst of English tongues; he heard
Vittoria's English name spoken with animation. 'Admire those faces,' he
said to Luciano, but the latter was interchanging quiet recognitions
among various heads of the crowd; a language of the eyelids and the
eyebrows. When he did look round he admired the fair island faces with an
Italian's ardour: 'Their women are splendid!' and he no longer pushed
upon Carlo's arm to make way ahead. In the English group were two
sunny-haired girls and a blue-eyed lady with the famous English curls,
full, and rounding richly. This lady talked of her brother, and pointed
him out as he rode down the line in the Marshal's staff. The