der lock and bolt. The guards at the gate had been cut
down, and we were entirely masters of the place.

Sforza-Fogliani, Copallati, and the two servants were fetched from the
Duke's chamber and taken away to be locked up in another room until the
business should be ended. For after all, it was but begun.

In the town the alarm-bell was ringing from the tower of the Communal
Palace, and at the sound I saw Galeotto's eyes kindling. He took
command, none disputing it him, and under his orders men went briskly to
turn the cannon of the fortress upon the square, that an attack might be
repulsed if it were attempted. And three salvoes were fired, to notify
Ferrante Gonzaga where he waited that the castle was in the hands of the
conspirators and Pier Luigi slain.

Meanwhile we had returned with Galeotto to the room where the Duke
had died, and where his body still lay, huddled as it had fallen. The
windows of this chamber were set in the outer wall of the fortress,
immediately above the gates and commanding a view of the square. We were
six--Confalonieri, Landi, the two Pallavicini, Galeotto, and myself,
besides a slight fellow named Malvicini, who had been an officer of
light-horse in the Duke's service, but who had taken a hand in betraying
him.

In the square there was by now a seething, excited mob through which
a little army of perhaps a thousand men of the town militia with their
captain, da Terni, riding at their head, was forcing its way. And they
were shouting "Duca!" and crying out that the castle had been seized by
Spaniards--by which they meant the Emperor's troops.

Galeotto dragged a chair to the window, and standing upon it, showed
himself to the people.

"Disperse!" he shouted to them. "To your homes! The Duke is dead!"

But his voice could not surmount that raging din, above which continued
to ring the cry of "Duca! Duca!"

"Let me show them their Duca," said a voice. It was Malvicini's.

He had torn down a curtain-rope, and had attached an end of it to one
of the dead man's legs. Thus he dragged the body forward towards the
window. The other end of the rope he now knotted very firmly to a
mullion. Then he took the body up in his arms, whilst Galeotto stood
aside to make way for him, and staggering under his ghastly burden,
Malvicini reached the window, and heaved it over the sill.

It fell the length of the rope and there was arrested with a jerk
to hang head downwards, spread-eagle against the br