"Benissimo!" he observed, quietly. "But how will you get to the castle?"
The remark was received with a burst of laughter. How would they get there? Oh, bello! on their feet, of course—how else?
Don Agostino looked at Sor Stefano gravely.
"Signor Mazza," he said, "if somebody tried to force their way into your house against your will, what would you do?"
"Perbacco! lock the door and close the shutters, I suppose," replied Sor Stefano, staring at him.
"Precisely," returned Don Agostino, dryly. "That is what I imagine the princess will do. And then?" he added, abruptly.
A shout, almost a howl, of indignation greeted his words. In a moment every man in the caffè had started to his feet, and each one was trying to make his voice heard above that of his neighbors.
"If they lock us out, we will break the doors down!" shouted a tall, well-made young peasant, with a chest and a pair of arms evidently capable of affording valuable assistance towards the carrying out of his suggestion.
A round of applause greeted his words, followed by cries of "Abbasso gli stranieri! Abbas so gli sfruttatori! Evviva la Principessina Bianca!"—cries which were taken up by those outside the caffè till presently the whole street rang with them.
Don Agostino waited for a lull in the excitement raging around him. Then, seizing his opportunity, he got up from his seat and looked round the room calmly and composedly.