"Don't be afraid, my child. Nothing has happened yet. The police had orders to fire first over the people's heads."
In her fear and agitation Roma ran back to the outer room, and a moment afterwards Angelelli opened the door and stood face to face with her.
"What have you done?" she demanded.
"An unfortunate incident, Excellency," said Angelelli, as the Baron appeared. "After the warning of the delegate the mob laughed and threw stones, and the Carabineers fired. They were in the piazza and fired up the steps."
"Well?"
"Unluckily there were a few persons on the upper flights at the moment, and some of them are wounded, and a child is dead."
Roma muttered a low moan and sank on to the stool.
"Whose child is it?"
"We don't yet know, but the father is there, and he is raging like a madman, and unless he is arrested he will provoke the people to frenzy, and there will be riot and insurrection."