CHAPTER VI. THE ARREST
We took leave of Manlio at the moment when Gianni had delivered hismaster's message. The sculptor acceded to the Cardinal's request, and,after an interview with him, proceeded to execute the order for thestatuettes. For some days nothing occurred to excite suspicion, andthings seemed to be going on smoothly enough. From the room which Giannihad hired Cencio watched the artist incessantly, all the while carefullymaturing his plot. At last, one evening, when our sculptor was hard atwork, Cencio broke into the studio, exclaiming excitedly, "For the loveof God, permit me to remain here a little while! I am pursued by thepolice, who wish to arrest me. I assure you I am guilty of no crime,except that of being a liberal, and of having declared, in a momentof anger, that the overthrow of the Republic by the French was anassassination." So saying, Cencio made as though to conceal himselfbehind some statuary.
"These are hard times," soliloquized Manlio, "and little confidence canbe placed in any body; yet, how can I drive out one compromised by hispolitical opinions only--thereby, perhaps, adding to the number of thoseunfortunates now lingering in the priests' prisons? He looks a decentfellow, and would have a better chance of effecting his escape if heremained here till nightfall. Yes! he shall stay." Manlio, therefore,rose, and, beckoning to the supposed fugitive, bade him follow to theend of the studio, where he secreted him carefully behind some massiveblocks of marble, little dreaming that he harbored a traitor.
Manlio had scarcely resumed his occupation before a patrol stoppedbefore the door and demanded permission to make a domiciliary visit, asa suspected person had been seen to enter the house.
Poor Manlio endeavored to put aside the suspicions of the officer, sofar as he could do so without compromising his veracity, and, littledivining the trap into which he had fallen, attempted to lead him in adirection opposite to that in which the crafty Cencio had taken refuge.The patrol, being in league with Cencio, felt, of course, quite certainof his presence on the premises, but some few minutes elapsed beforehe succeeded in discovering the carefully-chosen hiding-place; and theinterval would have been longer had not Cencio stealthily put out hishand and pulled him, the sbirro, gently by the coat as he passed.The functionary paused suddenly, exclaiming with an affected tone oftriumph, "Ah! I have you!" then, turning upon Manlio, he seized theartist by the collar, saying, in the sternest of tones, "you mustaccompany me forthwith to the tribunal, and account for your crime ingiving shelter to this miscreant, who is in open rebellion against thegovernment of his Holiness."
Manlio, utterly beside himself, in the first burst of indignation, casthis eye around among the chisels, hammers, and other tools for somethingsuitable with which to crack the skull of his insulter; but at thismoment his wife, followed by the lovely Clelia, rushed into theapartment to ascertain the cause of so unwonted a disturbance. Theytrembled at the sight of their beloved one in the grasp of the hatedpolice-officer, who cunningly relaxed his hold, and said, in a verydifferent voice, as soon as he perceived them, "Be of courage, signor,and console these good ladies; your presence will be needed for a shorttime only. A few questions will be asked, to which undoubtedly you cangive satisfactory replies."
In vain did the terrified women expostulate. Finding their tears andremonstrances of no avail, they reluctantly let go their hold of theunhappy Manlio, whom they had clasped in their terror. He, disdainingany appeal to the courtesy of such a scoundrel as he knew the patrol tobe, waved them an adieu, and departed with a dignified air.