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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: XXIII MID the storm of obloquy and detraction that raged round Fa- brice's head his friend the venerable Archbishop alone remained faithful in adversity. In reply to the young man's enemies, even to those of most exalted rank, he urged the maxim of justice that no criminal, however strong appearances may be against him, shall be deprived of his right to be heard in his own defense. On the day succeeding Fabrice's escape several persons in the city received a weak, bombastic sonnet celebrating the flight as one of the greatest achievements of the age, and comparing the hero of it to an angel floating down to earth on outspread wings. On the day after that a really noble sonnet was in everybody's mouth. It purported to be Fabrice's monologue as he glided down the rope, reviewing the various incidents of his life. Two magnificent verses in it outshone the rest. Connoisseurs all recognized the style of Ferrante Palla. At this point I should be glad could I use the epic style for a time; how else am I to find words in which to depict the torrents of indignation that suddenly flooded all loyal hearts when tidings were received of the insolent illuminations at Sacca ? One universal howl went up against the Duchess; even the Liberals joined in it, declaring that such proceedings only served to imperil the lives of the poor suspects confined in the different prisons, and irritated the sovereign without accomplishing any useful end. Count Mosca asserted that the Duchess's friends had but one course left them, which was to forget her. The concert of execration, therefore, was unanimous. A stranger passing through the city would have been struck by the energy with which popular feeling displayed itself. But in that country, where the pleasures of revenge are appreciated so keenl...