The prefect cast a scornful glance at him.

“Your servant, signorina, and gentlemen all!” said Brandolaccio.  Then stretching out his arm, “Hi, Brusco,” he cried to his dog, “jump for the Signor Prefetto!”

The dog jumped; the bandits swiftly snatched up their arms in the kitchen, fled across the garden, and at a shrill whistle the door of the room flew open as though by magic.

“Signor Barricini,” said Orso, and suppressed fury vibrated in his voice, “I hold you to be a forger!  This very day I shall charge you before the public prosecutor with forgery and complicity with Bianchi.  I may perhaps have a still more terrible accusation to bring against you!”

“And I, Signor della Rebbia,” replied the mayor, “shall lay my charge against you for conspiracy and complicity with bandits.  Meanwhile the prefect will desire the gendarmes to keep an eye upon you.”

“The prefect will do his duty,” said that gentleman sternly.  “He will see the public order is not disturbed at Pietranera; he will take care justice is done.  I say this to you all, gentlemen!”

The mayor and Vincentello were outside the room already, and Orlanduccio was following them, stepping backward, when Orso said to him in an undertone: 

“Your father is an old man.  One cuff from me would kill him.  It is with you and with your brother that I intend to deal.”

Orlanduccio’s only response was to draw his dagger and fly like a madman at Orso.  But before he could use his weapon Colomba caught hold of his arm and twisted it violently, while Orso gave him a blow in the face with his fist, which made him stagger several paces back, and come into violent collision with the door frame.  Orlanduccio’s dagger dropped from his hand.  But Vincentello had his ready, and was rushing back into the room, when Colomba, snatching up a gun convinced him that the struggle must be unequal.  At the same time the prefect threw himself between the combatants.

“We shall soon meet, Ors’ Anton’!” shouted Orlanduccio, and slamming the door of the room violently, he turned the key in the lock, so as to insure himself time to retreat.

For a full quarter of an hour Orso and the prefect kept their places in dead silence, at opposite ends of the room.  Colomba, the pride of triumph shining on her brow, gazed first at one and then at the other, as she leaned on the gun that had turned the scale of victory.

“What a country!  Oh, what a country!” cried the prefect at last, rising hastily from his chair.  “Signor della Rebbia, you did wrong!  You must give me your word of honour to abstain from all violence, and to wait till the law settles this cursed business.”

“Yes, Signor Prefetto, I was wrong to strike that villain.  But I did strike him, after all, and I can’t refuse him the satisfaction he has demanded of me.”

“Pooh! no!  He doesn’t want to fight you!  But supposing he murders you?  You’ve done everything you could to insure it.”