They knew what he had done now; they understood that of them all he was the hero.

One of the men took off his cap reverently, and immediately the others followed his example, and so they all stood for a few moments looking at him in silence and in deference to his brave deeds.

Then they set to work in silence to move the heavy block of broken masonry that had felled him, and their comrade helped them too, though he was stiff and bruised and dazed from the terrific shock.

As the mass yielded at last before their strength and rolled away, one of the men uttered a cry.
'He is alive!' he exclaimed.

'He moved his head!' Before he had finished speaking the man was on his knees beside Giovanni, tearing open his tunic and his shirt to listen for the beating of his heart.