a shade of doubt, of anxiety. One could see they were planning
something. From the Corso I wandered on through some of the narrower
streets, stopping now and then to watch one of the groups. Everywhere I
saw the same thing--crowds of people, all in a hurry, all coming and
going, with the same air that I had already noticed in the Corso, of
concealing from somebody what they were doing, although it was all being
done in the open. Knots, bands, hundreds of men and women passed me in
silence; they were all going in the same direction, as though to some
appointed meeting-place."

"Where were they going?" the father and mother interrupted.

"Wait a minute. I went back to the Corso. As I approached it I heard a
deep, continuous murmur of voices, growing louder and louder, like the
noise of a great crowd. The Corso was full of people, all standing still
and facing toward the Capitol, as though they expected something to come
from that direction. From the Piazza del Popolo to the Piazza di Venezia
they were jammed so tight that nobody could budge. I heard whispers
flying about: 'Now they're coming!'--'They're coming from over there!'--
'Who's coming?'--'The main column--here's the main column!'--'Here it
is!'--'No, it isn't!'--'Yes, it is!' All at once there was a stir in the
crowd, and a big shout, 'Here they are!' and down the middle of the
street a wide passageway seemed to open of itself, as though to make
room for a procession. Every head was uncovered. I fought my way through
from the outer edge of the crowd, to get a look at what was coming. I
can feel the shiver down my back now! First, a lot of generals in full
uniform, and gentlemen in civilian's dress, with the tri-colored scarf;
in the midst of them, girls, women, and ragged, tattered men; workmen,
peasants, women with babies, soldiers of all arms; smartly dressed
ladies, students, whole families clutching hold of each other's hands,