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Updated: July 20, 2025
"You have the key of the vault which contains the arms and ammunition?" Ali nodded. "Go and show the Marquis of Sante-Croce the way to the vaults. Arm the patriots, marquis, and believe my words, before night Radetzky will give up the fight and to-morrow will leave Milan. Stop, one instant yet; I told the patriots that the Marquis Aslitta would lead them. I have kept my word. See for yourself.
Take Spero with you. Let him vouch for his father with his head!" Sante-Croce refused to accept the guarantee, but Monte-Cristo was firm. The boy, with proudly uplifted head, strode toward the old man and said: "I shall accompany you. My father has taught me to do my duty."
They all rose up from their seats, and, taking off their hats, greeted the count with loud cries of: "Long live Italy!" Monte-Cristo approached a white-haired old man, the Marquis of Sante-Croce, and asked him to preside over the assembly. Sante-Croce nodded, and began his address: "Friends and patriots," he said, "the long-wished-for day has come. Are you ready to defend the flag?"
"To arms, then!" repeated the Marquis of Sante-Croce, solemnly, "and may God be with us!" "But where is Aslitta? He must lead us," some cried. La Luciola advanced. "The patriot Aslitta has been imprisoned," she sorrowfully said; "he is lying in the citadel." A cry of rage arose. "Let us rescue him," came from all sides. "Let us storm the citadel before they murder him."
At this instant Sante-Croce rushed into the apartment and excitedly exclaimed: "Things are bad, count. Radetzky has retreated with his troops into the citadel and begins to bombard the city! You have promised to assist us with act and counsel, and, instead of redeeming your word, you are wasting the time in useless revivification experiments. Let the dead alone and take care of the living."
"Oh, you have performed a miracle," said Luciola, enthusiastically. Monte-Cristo bowed his head and a tear glistened in his eye. It was in memory of his friend and teacher, the Abbe Faria. Sante-Croce looked wonderingly at the count. "You are a god!" he exclaimed; "forgive the words I spoke before." "I have nothing to forgive," replied the count, gently; "I have only to keep what I have promised.
"The emperor has repealed the censorship; the new press law is very liberal, and the representatives of the German and Lombard-Venetian provinces have been convoked." The astonishment was now general. Loud cries of "Impossible! impossible!" were heard. "And when will the convocation take place?" asked Sante-Croce. "Unfortunately not so soon on the 3d of July," said the count, sorrowfully.
"Yes, let us rescue him," said Monte-Cristo. "Let the fight begin to-morrow! To arms in the name of humanity and freedom!" Suddenly a man arose from the crowd, who had heretofore remained silent, and casting a look at the count, he slowly said: "We hardly know you. What guarantee will you give us that you won't betray us?" "The man is right," the count replied. "Sante-Croce, here is my own child.
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