When I walked through it there were two hundred and fifty prisoners, all political.
The people of the country told me that in 1856 these unfortunate men had made an attempt at escape.

Five or six had been shot on the roof like so many sparrows.

The remainder, according to the common law, would be liable to the galleys for eight years; but an old ordinance of Cardinal Lante was revived, by which, God willing, some of them may be guillotined.
It is, however, beyond the Apennines that the paternal character of the Government is chiefly displayed.

The French are not there, and the Pope's reactionary police duty is performed by the Austrian army.

The law there is martial law.