Had there been any suspicious characters about, fellows who could have carried off the boy ?" "Such people would ask a ransom," answered Ercole.

"You would soon hear from them.

But I saw no one.

There have been no brigands about Rome for more than twenty years.

Do you dream that you are in Sicily?
Praise be to Heaven, this is the Roman Campagna; we are Christians and we live under King Victor! Where are the brigands?
They have melted.