, as one
may easily suppose, those whose condition was least exalted, whose lives
were least valuable, Tommaso Pace and Nicholas of Melazzo. They were led
before the tribunal to be first of all tortured, as the custom was. As
they approached the judges, the notary passing by Charles in the street
had time to say in a low voice--

"My lord, the time has come to give my life for you: I will do my duty;
I commend my wife and children to you."

Encouraged by a nod from his patron, he walked on firmly and
deliberately. The chief-justice, after establishing the identity of the
accused, gave them over to the executioner and his men to be tortured in
the public square, so that their sufferings might serve as a show and an
example to the crowd. But no sooner was Tommaso Pace tied to the rope,
when to the great disappointment of all he declared that he would
confess everything, and asked accordingly to be taken back before his
judges. At these words, the Count of Terlizzi, who was following every
movement of the two men with mortal anxiety, thought it was all over now
with him and his accomplices; and so, when Tommaso Pace was turning his
steps towards the great hall, led by two guards, his hands tied behind
his back, and followed by the notary, he contrived to take him into a
secluded house, and squeezing his throat with great force, made him thus
put his tongue out, whereupon he cut it off with a sharp razor.

The yells of the poor wretch so cruelly mutilated fell on the ears of
the Duke of Durazzo: he found his way into the room where the barbarous
act had been committed just as the Count of Terlizzi was coming out, and
approached the notary, who had been present at the dreadful spectacle
and had not given the least sign of fear or emotion. Master Nicholas,
thinking the same fate was in store for him, turned calmly to the duke,
saying with a sad smile--

"My lord, the precaution is useless; there is no need for you to cut out
my tongue, as the noble count has done to my poor companion. The last
scrap of my flesh may be torn off without one word being dragged from
my mouth. I have promised, my lord, and you have the life of my wife and
the future of my children as guarantee for my word."

"I do not ask for silence," said the duke solemnly; "you can free me
from all my enemies at once, and I order you to denounce them at the
tribunal."

The notary bowed his head with mournful resignation; then raising it in
affright, made