ed!"

A moment later Luigi Vampa entered a raised enclosure serving the
purpose of a dock in the custody of two stalwart and thoroughly armed
military policemen. His face was ashen, but he glanced about him
nonchalantly and defiantly. When his eyes rested upon Monte-Cristo and
the Viscount Massetti he smiled in a peculiar sort of way as if he felt
convinced that all their labors would be in vain. Suddenly he saw the
two gray-robed women in their linen nuns' bonnets, starting slightly as
he recognized Annunziata Solara, but otherwise evincing no emotion.

The men and women in the distant portions of the hall got upon the
benches, craning their necks to see the accused, and there arose a
murmur, a faint hiss, that was promptly checked by the vigilant Court
officials who were marching here and there with their long white staffs
in their hands and their black caps upon their heads.

Then Cardinal Monti again arose, speaking in a deep, impressive voice:

"Luigi Vampa, prisoner at the bar," said he, "you stand here accused of
many grave crimes, but the charge which the Court will first consider is
blacker than all the rest; that charge, Luigi Vampa, prisoner at the
bar, is that you abducted and afterwards seduced a peasant girl named
Annunziata Solara and, in collusion with her father, Pasquale Solara,
conspired to throw the onus and suspicion of your crime upon an innocent
man, the Viscount Giovanni Massetti. What say you, Luigi Vampa, prisoner
at the bar, are you guilty or not guilty?"

"Not guilty, your Eminence!" responded the unabashed brigand chief.

At this there was another murmur in the hall which was promptly
suppressed as before.

"Accused, you can take your seat," said the Cardinal.

Vampa did as directed, the policemen remaining standing at his sides
with drawn swords in their hands.

"Let the first witness be called," said the Cardinal, addressing the
clerk of the Court.

That official arose and called out, in a loud voice:

"Annunziata Solara!"

The former flower-girl came forward, slowly and timidly, and went upon
the elevated witness stand, where the accustomed oath was administered
to her by the clerk.

Again there was a general craning of necks, the women showing the
strongest anxiety to behold the girl who was said to have been Vampa's
victim.

In a low, faltering voice Annunziata proceeded to give her testimony.
She repeated her sad story precisely as she had done before, entirely
exoner