as if my nearest and dearest were among you,
liable to be shot down by the rifles of the military, not to give any
excuse for violence."

Roma turned to look at the soldiers. As far as she could see in the
uncertain light, they were standing passively in their circle, with
their rifles by their sides.

"Romans," said Rossi again, "a month ago we protested against an
iniquitous tax on the first necessary of life. The answer is sixty
thousand men in arms around us. Therefore we are here to-night to appeal
to the mightiest force on earth, mightier than any army, more powerful
than any parliament, more absolute than any king--the force of moral
sympathy and public opinion throughout the world."

At this there were shouts of "Bravo!" and some clapping of hands.

"Romans, if your bread is moistened by tears to-day, think of the power
of suffering and be strong. Think of the history of these old walls.
Think of the words of Christ, 'Which of the prophets have not your
fathers stoned?' The prophets of humanity have all been martyrs, and God
has marked you out to be the martyr nation of the world. Suffering is
the sacred flame that sanctifies the human soul. Pray to God for
strength to suffer, and He will bless you from the heights of Heaven."

People were weeping on every hand.

"Brothers, you are hungry, and I say these things to you with a beating
heart. Your children are starving, and I swear before God that from this
day forward I will starve with them. If I have eaten two meals a day
hitherto, for the future I will eat but one. But leave it to the powers
that are over you to do their worst. If they imprison you for resisting
their tyrannies, others will take your place. If they kill your leader,
God will raise up another who will be stronger than he. Swear to me in
this old Coliseum, sacred to the martyrs, that, come what may, you will
not yield to injustice and wrong."

There was something in Rossi's face at that last moment that seemed to
transcend the natural man. He raised his right arm over his head and in
a loud voice cried, "Swear!"

The people took the oath with uplifted hands and a great shout. It was
terrible.

Rossi stepped down, and the excitement was overwhelming. The vast crowd
seemed to toss to and fro under the smoking lights like a tumultuous
sea. The simple-hearted Roman populace could not contain themselves.

The crowd began to break up, and the people went off singing. Rossi and
his group o