The one who remained behind, and who was still holding Ferruccio fast, showed his knife to the boy and the old woman, who had opened her eyes again, and said, “Not a sound, or I’ll come back and cut your throat.”
And he glared at the two for a moment.
At this juncture, a song sung by many voices became audible far off on the highway.
The robber turned his head hastily toward the door, and the violence of the movement caused the cloth to fall from his face.
The old woman gave vent to a shriek; “Mozzoni!”
“Accursed woman,” roared the robber, on finding himself recognized, “you shall die!”
And he hurled himself, with his knife raised, against the old woman, who swooned on the spot.
The assassin dealt the blow.
But Ferruccio, with an exceedingly rapid movement, and uttering a cry of desperation, had rushed to his grandmother, and covered her body with his own. The assassin fled, stumbling against the table and overturning the light, which was extinguished.
The boy slipped slowly from above his grandmother, fell on his knees, and remained in that attitude, with his arms around her body and his head upon her breast.