she dragged me to the opening between the cells. But a sudden
thought had crossed my mind.

"We may yet be saved," I whispered. "Do what I tell you at once
and without argument. Go into my cell.

Quick!"

I pushed her through the gap and helped her to replace the
planks. I had retained her cloak in my hands, and with this
wrapped round me I crept into the darkest corner of her cell.
There I lay when the door was opened and several men came in. I
had reckoned that they would bring no lantern, for they had none
with them before.

To their eyes I was only a dark blur in the corner.

"Bring a light," said one of them.

"No, no; curse it!" cried a rough voice, which I knew to be that
of the ruffian, Matteo. "It is not a job that I like, and the
more I saw it the less I should like it. I am sorry, signora,
but the order of the tribunal has to be obeyed."

My impulse was to spring to my feet and to rush through them all
and out by the open door. But how would that help Lucia?
Suppose that I got clear away, she would be in their hands until
I could come back with help, for single-handed I could not hope
to clear a way for her. All this flashed through my mind in an
instant, and I saw that the only course for me was to lie still,