"Then I think I must go myself. It's clear the poor fellow ought to know of his good fortune." "I suspect that the Countess Brancaleone, the annuitant I mentioned, will not send to tell him," said the lawyer, smiling; "for if Mr Butler should get knocked over in this ugly business, she inherits everything, even to the family plate with the Butler arms." 66 She shan't, if I can help it," said M'Gruder, firmly. "I'll set out to-night." Mr Culter passed a warm eulogium on this heroic devotion, enlarged on the beauty of friendship in general, and concluded by saying he would step over to his hotel, where he had ordered dinner; after which he would certainly drink Mr M'Gruder's health. "I shall want some details from you," said M'Gruder-" something written and formal-to assure my friend that my tidings are trustworthy. I know it will be no easy task to persuade him that he is a man of fortune." "You shall have all you require, sir-a copy of the will, a formal letter from our house, reciting details of the property, and, what will, perhaps, impart the speediest conviction of all, a letter of credit, in Mr Butler's favour, for five hundred pounds for immediate use. These are the sort of proofs that no scepticism is strong enough to resist. The only thing that never jests, whose seriousness is above all levity, is money;" and so M'Gruder at once acknowledged that when he could go fortified with such testimonies, he defied all doubt. His preparations for departure were soon made. A short letter to his brother explained the cause of his sudden leaving; a longer one to Dolly told how, in his love for her, he could not do enough for her friend; and that, though he liked Tony well for his own sake, he liked him far more as the "adopted brother and old playfellow of his dearest Dolly." Poor fellow! he wrote this from a full heart, and a very honest one too. Whether it imparted all the pleasure he hoped it might to her who read it, is none of our province to tell. It is only ours to record that he started that night for Genoa, obtained from a friend-a subordinate in the Government employment-a letter to Garibaldi himself, and sailed with an agent of the General's in charge of a supply of small-arms and ammunition. They were within thirty miles of Sicily when they were boarded by the Neapolitan corvette "The Veloce," and carried off prisoners to Palermo-the one solitary capture the royal navy made in the whole of that eventful struggle. The proofs that they were Garibaldians were too strong and too many for denial; and for a day and a half their fate was far from hopeful. Indeed, had the tidings of the first encounters between the King's forces and the buccaneer's been less disastrous than they were, the prisoners would have been shot; but already a half doubt had arisen as to the fidelity of the royal troops. This and that general, it was rumoured, had resigned; and of those who remained, it was said, more than one had counselled concessions." Ominous word at such a moment, but the presage of something darker and more ominous still. 66 M'Gruder bore up with a stout heart, and nothing grieved him in all his calamity more than__the thought that all this time Tony might be exposing his life as worthless and hopeless, while, if he only knew it, he had already succeeded to what men are content to pass their whole existence to grasp and gain. Nor was he inactive in his imprisonment. He wrote letters to Garibaldi, enclosing others to Tony; he wrote to all the Consuls he could think of; to the Minister at Naples, or to his representative; and he proclaimed his right as a "civis Romanus," and threatened a Palmerstonian vengeance on all and every that had a hand in curtailing his freedom. In this very natural and British pursuit we must now leave him, and betake ourselves to other cares and other characters. CHAPTER LII.-ON THE CHIAJA AT NIGHT. The night had just closed in after a hot sultry day of autumn in Naples, as Maitland and Caffarelli sat on the sea-wall of the Chiaja, smoking their cigars in silence, apparently deep in thought, or sometimes startled by the distant shouts and cries of the populace who crammed the Toledo or the Quarter of St Lucia; for all Naples was now in the streets, and wild songs and yells resounded on every side. In the bay the fleet lay at anchor, but the rapid flash of lanterns, as they rose and fell in the riggings, showed that the signalman was at work, and that messages were being transmitted and replied to throughout the squadron. A like activity seemed to prevail in the forts above the city, and the roll of the drum and the bugle-call occasionally could be heard overtop ping all other sounds. "No; not one in fifty-not one in a hundred. You don't seem to apprehend that loyalty is not a sudden instinct. It is a thing a man inherits. Take my word for it, Carlo, these men will not fight to keep a certain set of priests around a bigoted old Queen, or support a King whose highest ambition is to be a Jesuit." "And if you thought so meanly of the cause, why have you adopted it?" 66 Because, ill as I think of the Court, I hate the rabble more. Remember, Carlo"-and now he spoke in a rapid and marked tone-“ remember that, when I joined you, I deemed myself a rich man, and I had my ambitions, like the rest of you. Had I known what I now know-had I foreseen that the day was so near wherein I was to find myself a beggar" 66 No, no, Maitland; don't say this." "And why not say it? It is true. You know as well as I do that amongst that yelling rabble there is none poorer than myself; and for this reason, I repeat, Í might have chosen my associates more wisely. You yourself saw the treatment I met with this morning." What would a newly-come traveller say to all this?" said Caffarelli at last. "Would he think it was a city about to be attacked by an enemy, or would he deem it a town in open revolt, or one given up to pillage after the assault? I have seen to-night what might confirm any of these impressions.' "And all three are present," said Maitland, moodily. 66 "Your traveller could scarcely be more puzzled than we are. The other sighed wearily, and Maitland went on. "What do you trust, or whom? Is it these noisy legions up there, who only muster to disband; or that gallant fleet that has come to anchor, only the more easily to surrender and change its flag?" There may be some traitors, but the great majority, I'll swear, will stand by the King." 'Ay, but bear in mind, Maitland, what was the provocation you gave. It is no small thing to tell a King, surrounded by his ministers and generals, that he has not one loyal and true man in his train— that, what between treachery and cowardice, he will find himself alone, at the head of a few foreign regiments, who will only fight to cut their way through towards home." "I scarcely went so far as this," said Maitland, smiling. "Did you not, per Bacco ? I was there and heard you. You accused Laguila to his face of being bought, and named the sum; and you told Cadorno that you had a copy of his letter promising to surrender the flagship to Garibaldi." "And they listened to me with an admirable patience." "I don't know that; I am certain Cadorno will send you a message before the week is over." 66 And why not before the day was over? Are these accusations a man sleeps upon?" 66 The King commanded them both to reply to your charges formally and distinctly, but not with the sword; and he was right so far." "At all events, was it kingly to tell me of the favours that had been bestowed upon me, and to remind me that I was an alien, and unknown?" "The King was angry.” "He was angrier when I handed back his patent, and told him that I did not care to be the last-made noble of a dynasty." "It was outrageous. I was shocked to hear you; and for one so young, I was struck with the dignity with which he heard you." "I don't think he understood me; he was impassive, because he did not know he was wounded. But why do I talk of these things? they have no longer the faintest interest for me. Except yourself, there is not a man in the cause I care for." "This is a mere passing depression, my dear Maitland. All things seem sad - coloured to you Wait till to-morrow, or wait till there be a moment of danger, and you will be yourself again." now. out my part to the fall of the curtain." "What a strange scene that council was this morning!" said Caffarelli, half wishing to draw him from the personal theme. "What a strange thing to call a council, where not merely men walked in and out unbidden, but where a chance traveller could sit down amongst the King's advisers, and give his opinion like a servant of the crown! Do you even know his name?" "I'm not sure that I do; but it sounded like Tchernicheff. He distinguished himself against the Turks on the Danube." "And because he routed some ill-disciplined hordes with others a mere shade more civilised, he comes here to impose his opinion on our councils, and tell us how we are to defend ourselves!" "I did not hear him utter a word." 'No, but he handed in a paper drawn up by himself, in which he recommends the King to withdraw all the forces in front of Capua, and meet these marauders, where they will least like to fight, in the open. The advice was good-even though it came from a barbarian. In street-fighting your buccaneer is as good as, if not better than, a regular. All the circumstances of the ground favour him. Take him, however, where he must move and manoeuvre-where he will have to form and re-form-to dress his line under fire, and occasionally change his flank-then all the odds will be against him. So far the Scythian spoke well. His only miscalculation was to suppose that we will fight anywhere.” "I declare, Maitland, I shall lose temper with you. You can't surely know what insulting things you say." "I wish they could provoke any other than yourself, mio caro. But come away from this. Let us walk back again. I want to have one more look at those windows before I go." "And are you really in love?" asked the other, with more of astonishment in his voice than curiosity. 66 I wish I knew how to make her believe it-that's all," said he, sadly; and, drawing his arm within his friend's, moved on with bentdown head, and in silence. “I think your friends are about the only travellers in Naples at this moment, and indeed none but English would come here at such a season. The dog-days and a revolution together ought to be too much even for tourist curiosity." Caffarelli went on to describe the arrival of the three heavily-laden carriages with their ponderous baggage and their crowd of servants, and the astonishment of the landlord at such an apparition; but Maitland paid him no attentionperhaps did even not hear him. Twice or thrice Caffarelli said something to arouse notice or attract curiosity, even to pique irritability, as when he said "I suppose I must have seen your beauty, for I saw two-and both good-looking-but neither such as would drive a man distracted out of pure admiration. Are you minding me? Are you listening to me?" "No. I have not heard one word you were saying." "Civil, certainly; but, seriously, Maitland, is there not something more pressing to do at this moment than to loiter along the Chiaja to catch a glimpse of the closed curtains within which some blonde angel may be taking her tea?” 66 Go home, and I will join you later on. I have given orders about the horses. My man will have all in readiness by daybreak. You seem to me most terribly eager to have your head smashed. The King ought to reward your valour. It will be the only Cross' he will have to bestow.' Caffarelli turned impatiently from him, and walked away. Maitland looked after him for a moment, and then continued his way. He sauntered on, rather like one seeking to kill time than to reach a goal, and once or twice he stopped, and seemed to reflect whether he would go on. At last he reached a spot where a broad path of light streamed across the street, and extended till it was lost in the thick foliage of the garden on the sea-side, and, looking suddenly up, he saw he was in front of the great hotel of Naples, “L'Universo." The drawing - room windows were open on a long balcony, and Maitland could see into the well-lighted room certain figures which he persuaded himself he could recognise even through the muslin curtains, which slightly moved and waved in the faint night-air. As he still strained his eyes to mark the scene, two figures approached the window, and passed out upon the balcony. There could be no mistake-they were Alice and her sister; and so perfect the stillness of the air, and so thin withal, that he could hear the sound of their voices, though not trace their words. "Is it not delicious here, Alice?" said Bella. "These are the glorious nights of Italy Maitland used to tell us of so calm, so balmy, and so starry." "What was that Skeffy was saying to you about Maitland as you came up-stairs?" asked Alice, sharply. 66 Oh, it was a rumour he mentioned that Maitland had quarrelled with the Court party. He had advised something, or rejected something; in fact, I paid little attention, for I know nothing of these Italian plots and schemes, and I like Maitland much better when he does not speak of them." "Is he here now, do you know?" "Yes; Skeff said he saw him this morning." "I mean, why not receive him on the terms of an easy intimacy? A person of his tact is always quick enough to appreciate the exact amount of favour he is held in." "It is of myself I am thinking -not of him," said she, with something of resentment in her tone. "If you speak this way, Alice, I shall believe that you care for him." "The greater mistake yours, my dear Bella." "Well that you did once care for him, and regret the fact, or regret the change-which is it?" "Neither, on my honour! He interested me-I own to that; but now that I know his mystery, and what a vulgar mystery it is, I am half ashamed that I even felt an interest in him." why this man's name is to persecute me. I left Ireland half to avoid it. I certainly need not encounter it here." "And if you meet him?" "I shall not meet him. I don't intend to go out so long as we are here, and I trust I can refuse to receive him when at home." "I had almost said, Poor fellow!" "Say it by all means; compassionate-console him too, if Skeff has no objection." Oh, Alice!" 66 "Your own fault, Bella, if I say provoking things. No, mamma,' added she, to some remark from within ; our secrets, as you call them, cannot be overheard; for, first of all, we are talking English; and secondly, there is no person whatever in the street." Lady Lyle now made her appearance on the balcony, and soon afterwards they all re-entered the room. Maitland sat hours long on the stone bench, watching with intense eagerness as a shadow would pass or repass behind the curtains, and there he remained till all the lights were out in the hotel and the whole house sunk in silence. |
