The men doubled their fists and raised their arms, uttering savage threats and imprecations, as they pressed round Lucia who sat like a statue, watching the growing excitement and tumult with intense interest.
“Who was it? who did it?” they shouted to her from all sides. “Do you know him? Who has dared to insult you and all of us? You must say who it is!” were the cries uttered in various tones by a hundred angry men and women.
“He must marry you, he must, or he shall die! Who was it? who?”
“A man in Palene,”answered Lucia in a clear voice.
“Palene? he shall die if he won’t do his duty. But what is his name?”
“Don Ernano!”
“What, he? a foreigner! the light-haired man! the sportsman!” cried several voices.
“It’s all the same,” screamed others, “it’s just the same. It would make no difference if he were a townsman—he shall die if he won’t do you justice and restore you to honor; yes, he shall die by our hands,” cried all, old and young, with angry, flashing eyes.
“He must give the village satisfaction at once,” cried one who had taken the lead; “I will go to him now. Take your knives, my men, and say who’ll go with me?”
“I! I!”cried at least twenty voices and a number of men separated from the rest and started off at a rapid pace along the road to Palene.