St.Peter's Gate, which adjoins the house of the Antonellis, was ornamented with a garland of human heads, which eloquent relics grinned dogmatically enough in their iron cages.

If the stage be a school of life, surely such a stage as this is a rare teacher.

Young Giacomo was enabled to reflect upon the inconveniences of brigandage, even before he had tasted its sweets.
About him some men of progress had already engaged in industrial pursuits of a less hazardous nature than robbery.

His own father, who, it was whispered, had in him the stuff of a Grasparone or a Passatore, instead of exposing himself upon the highways, took to keeping bullocks, he then became an Intendant, and subsequently was made a Municipal Receiver; by which occupations he acquired more money at considerably less risk.
The young Antonelli hesitated for some time as to the choice of a calling.

His natural vocation was that of the inhabitants of Sonnino in general, to live in plenty, to enjoy every sort of pleasure, to make himself at home everywhere, to be dependent upon nobody, to rule others, and to frighten them, if necessary, but, above all, to violate the laws with impunity.