A horrid shudder ran through them all. De Lana strove to speak and could not.
"The door is not fastened," whispered Visconti, hoarsely. "Fasten the door—some one!"
But no one moved, no one dared, for superstitious horror.
Something fell back from the door, then the sound of something that dragged itself against it painfully, then a rattle at the unbolted door.
"He is not dead!" half screamed Visconti. "A town to the man who will go out and slay him!"
No one moved.
"A half-dead man!" cried the Duke, "and no one will end his misery?"
They dared not.
"Hark! he will have the door open. De Lana, I command you——" He pointed with a shaking hand, but de Lana only shook his head.
"There has too much been done already," he said, shudderingly.