"Say twelve thousand five hundred armed men in all?"
"Precisely, and what is that against fifty, a hundred, perhaps a hundred
and fifty thousand people?"
"You want the army at call?"
"Exactly! but above everything else we want the permission of the
Government to deal with the greater delinquents, whether Deputies or
not, according to the powers given us by the statute."
The Baron rose and held out his hand. "Thanks, Senator! The Government
will consider your suggestions immediately. Be good enough to send in my
colleague, the Minister of War."
When the Prefect left the room Roma rose to go.
"You cannot suppose this is very agreeable to me?" she said in an
agitated voice.
"Wait! I shall not be long ... Ah, General Morra! Roma, you know the
General, I think. Sit down, both of you.... Well, General, you hear of
this levée-en-masse?"
"I do."
"The Prefect is satisfied that the people are moved by a revolutionary
organisation, and he is anxious to know what force we can put at his
service to control it."
The General detailed his resources. There were sixteen thousand men
always under arms in Rome, and the War Office had called up the
old-timers of two successive years--perhaps fifty thousand in all.
"As a Minister of State and your colleague," said the General, "I am at
one with you in your desire to safeguard the cause of order and protect
public institutions, but as a man and a Roman I cannot but hope that you
will not call upon me to act without the conditions required by law."
"Indeed, no," said the Baron; "and in order to make sure that our
instructions are carried out with wisdom and humanity, let these be the
orders you issue to your staff: First, that in case of disturbance
to-morrow night, whether at the Coliseum or elsewhere, the officers must
wait for the proper signal from the delegate of police."
"Good!"
"Next, that on receiving the order to fire, the soldiers must be careful
that their first volley goes over the heads of the people."
"Excellent!"
"If that does not disperse the crowds, if they throw stones at the
soldiers or otherwise resist, the second volley--I see no help for
it--the second volley, I say, must be fired at the persons who are
leading on the ignorant and deluded mob."
"Ah!"
The General hesitated, and Roma, whose breathing came quick and short,
gave him a look of tenderness and gratitude.