For the first moment soldiers
and officials stood as if they had been turned to
stone, and watched the ghastly thing that writhed
and struggled on the ground; then both doctor
and colonel rushed forward with a cry, for he had
dragged himself up on one knee and was still facing
the soldiers, and still laughing.
"Another miss! Try--again, lads--see--if you can't----"
He suddenly swayed and fell over sideways on
the grass.
"Is he dead?" the colonel asked under his
breath; and the doctor, kneeling down, with a
hand on the bloody shirt, answered softly:
"I think so--God be praised!"
"God be praised!" the colonel repeated. "At
last!"
His nephew was touching him on the arm.
"Uncle! It's the Cardinal! He's at the gate
and wants to come in."
"What? He can't come in--I won't have
it! What are the guards about? Your Eminence----"
The gate had opened and shut, and Montanelli
was standing in the courtyard, looking before him
with still and awful eyes.
"Your Eminence! I must beg of you--this is
not a fit sight for you! The execution is only just
over; the body is not yet----"
"I have come to look at him," Montanelli said.
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