And then a loud voice thundered above the tumult:

"Fuori i barbari! Away with the foreigners!"

The next minute the students climbed on to the stage and divided the palms. A roar of a thousand voices was heard singing the national hymn:

"Chi per la patria muore
Vessuto ha assai!"

La Luciola was carried in triumph to her coach by the students; the enthusiastic young men took the horses out of the traces and bore the carriage along themselves, shouting through the night air:

"Long live La Luciola! Long live Italy!"


CHAPTER XXIV