"The Italian; I don't know what was the matter; he suddenly cried out that some one was leaving the castle, and then sprang into the Tiber. Did you see anything?"
"Nothing at all; everything was quiet; the idiot was dreaming, I suppose."
"All this comes because of his want of respect for St. Michael," said Goswin. "The devil has blinded him so that he took the water to be the solid ground. I should have liked to save him, but it is not possible to fish in the dark."
The soldiers crowded around the bridge and gazed at the water, which was carrying the villain's body away.
CHAPTER LIII.
BARBAROSSA IN ROME.
Alexander was in safety at Gaeta before his flight was discovered by the Romans. Frederic's anger knew no bounds.
"He has succeeded, after all, in eluding your guards and your Brabançons," he said to Rinaldo, who communicated the fact to him.
"If we were unable to seize the Pope in Rome, we shall be more successful at Beneventon or Naples," replied the Chancellor. "It is probably a piece of good luck by which not only Alexander but also his champion, King William, will together swell the triumph of the Roman Emperor."
The news spread rapidly through the city, and a thousand details were added, all in favor of the Pope's sanctity. Some even asserted that he had penetrated unseen the line of sentinels, and that Guerrazzi had perceived and tried to seize him, but had been thrown by invisible hands into the Tiber. As he was going, added the crowd, the Holy Father had fulminated the anathema against Barbarossa, and had called down the vengeance of Heaven upon the head of the wicked Emperor, while a flash of lightning had pierced the clouds, announcing the most dire misfortunes.