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It is but too well known how these hints, or orders, were fulfilled to the very letter. But the Popedom, and the power of his Holiness, were not at once annihilated. Bonaparte already knew mankind, and the power of religious feeling, whatever the religion may be in which men have been bred; which is rooted in their hearts, and has taken hold of their imagination; the religion of their fathers, their country, and their childhood-whether it be that of Catholic, Jew, or Mahommedan. Besides, there were already symptoms of religious re-action even in France itself; and, though still dating his letters by the new Republican calendar, he saw that France was again becoming Roman Catholic. It was, therefore, too late, although it had even been safe-three years too late to crush and destroy the Bishop of Rome, as if he had been the ordinary sovereign of a petty principality, and the politic young general of the republic became the protector of the Holy See. "Bonaparte," says our editor,

"Aware of the boundless influence of the Pope and the popish clergy over all Catholics, had for some time taken pains to gain their goodwill-perhaps foresecing, in those prophetic visions which might already have begun to float before his imagination, to what advantage that influence might some day be employed."

No long time had elapsed, when victory having given France the power to dictate, he sought to renew friendly negotiations with the hitherto refractory court of Rome. Cacualt, the agent or envoy of the Republic, was still at Rome, and had stated to Napoleon that the difficulty of destroying "the colossus of Rome" might not be so great as was imagined, by "going coolly about it, and taking nothing from the priests but the temporal government." Bonaparte was again the better statesHe requested Cacualt to signify to his Holiness the willingness of France to negotiate. He had been ordered to settle every difference either by force of arms or amicable treaty; and he continues:

man.

"Wishing to give the Pope a mark of the desire I have to see this long war terminated, and an end put to the calamities which atflict human nature, I offer in an honourable manner still to save his honour and the head of religion. You may assure him verbally that I have always been against the treaty that has been proposed to him, and especially to the manner of negotiating; that it is in consequence of my particular and repeated applications that the Directory has charged me to open to a new negotiation. I am more ambitious to be the saviour of the Holy See than its destroyer."

the way

Here, again, the young soldier manifested that extraordinary and precocious capacity for statesmanship which gave earnest of his future greatness. In the meanwhile, with the counsels of Carnot for his guidance, so far as he felt it convenient to follow them, he was overrunning Italy, recommended, as he advanced, "to strike, and strike hard," and, as a first duty, to pillage without scruple. One

might smile at the following order, if indignation permitted, on such a subject, one light thought :—

ral, that you consider the glory of the fine arts as attached "The Executive Directory is persuaded, citizen-geneto that of the army which you command. To them Italy owes, in a great measure, its wealth and its fame; but the time is come when their reign must be transferred to France, in order to establish and embellish that of liberty. The National Museum must contain the most celebrated productions of all the arts, and you will not neglect to the army of Italy, and the future ones which are yet reenrich it with those which await the present conquests of served for it. This glorious campaign, while placing the Republic in a condition to give peace to its enemies, must and combine with the splendour of military trophies the also repair the ravages of Vandalism in its own bosom, charm of the beneficent and cheering arts.

"The Executive Directory, therefore, invites you, citizen-general, to choose one or several artists, to select and transmit to Paris the most valuable objects of this kind, and to give precise orders for the enlightened execution of these dispositions, concerning which it wishes "CARNOT." you to report.

We see none of the general's letters in reply to such requisitions; but it appears that he did not neglect Carnot's orders. From Parma, an agent

writes to him :

"I lose no time in sending back your courier, and replying to your letter of the 27th. The celebrated picture of St. Jerome, by Correggio, with the four best that could be found here, will be packed to-morrow, and sent to Tortona. As for the others, I repeat to you that it is indispensable, if you would make a good selection, that you should send me some connoisseur from Milan, for I might be deceived, knowing nothing of painting, and having no one to consult."

The ever-memorable Bridge of Lodi had been passed, and the fate of Italy decided. We find little on the subject from Bonaparte to the Direc tory. The official bulletins managed all that; but Carnot, become for the moment an enthusiast, thus greets the victors :--

"Immortal glory to the victors of Lodi! Honour to the general-in-chief, who prepared for the daring attack on the bridge of that town, by going through the ranks of the French warriors, and exposing himself to the most murderous fire of the enemy, and disposing everything for victory! Honour to the intrepid Berthier, who rushed on at the head of that fierce and formidable republican column which overturned and overthrew the enemy! Honour to Generals Massena, Cervoni, Dallemagne, to the chiefs of brigade Saluce, Dupas, and Sugni, to adjutant-major Toiret, of the third battalion of the grenadiers! Glory to the gallant second battalion of the carabineers, to those victorious grenadiers who decided the issue of that battle! Glory to the brave division commanded by General Augereau and to its leader! Glory to the commissioner of the government Salicetti!

"Ye have conquered, French Republicans, ye have saved your country, ye are consolidating the Republic." One may forgive, nay, sympathise, with what follows:-" Ye are annihilating that monstrous coalition which would have swallowed us up."

But we cannot pretend to give any adequate account of this remarkable correspondence, though confining ourselves to the letters of the two principal personages, Carnot and Bonaparte; so, with one or two more significant extracts, we must conclude our notice of a work which demands much closer and fuller examination.

The head-quarters of the French army were now

dishonourable dealing, how is he to be acquitted?

at Milan, and the Italian States read, one by one, | the above letter before us, when we find Bonatheir coming fate. The Venetians were to suffer parte charged with duplicity, dissimulation, and for their tardiness, or lukewarmness, in the cause of the French Republic; between whom and the Austrians, they were placed in no little perplexity. They had permitted, Bonaparte alleged, Beaulieu to occupy a fortress though in this instance the acensation was like that of the wolf to the lamb, which had drunk of the stream beneath the place where the wolf lapped. Bonaparte says:—

"From a conversation which I had this morning with M. Azara, minister of Spain, sent by the Pope, it appeared to me that he had orders to offer us contributions. I shall soon be at Bologna. Is it your pleasure that I should then accept from the Pope, as the price of an armistice, twenty-five millions of contributions in cash, ive millions in kind, three hundred pictures, statues, and manuscripts in proportion, and that I insist on the release of all patriots confined for revolutionary acts? I shall have sufficient time to receive your orders, since I shall not be at Bologna for these ten or fifteen days.'

A previous letter had announced to Carnot that two millions in gold, part of the contributions levied on the conquered territory, were already on the road to Paris, and Carnot directed the General to transmit another million to the army of the Rhine and Moselle, and acquainted his correspondent that the Directory had authorised the Minister of Finance to draw upon Genoa for ten millions, adding, that in these ten millions are included other pillage already exacted and expended, and the produce of “the jewels, diamonds, plate, &c., sent to Tortona." Venice was also to be drawn upon, but as a guarantee was to have assigned the desperate debt incurred by Holland, for being wrested from the Stadtholder by the arms of the French Republic, and converted into the Batavian Republic.

The Senate of Venice demurred to this requisition; but Carnot persisted, and in reply to Bona

"As soon as I was apprised that the Austrians were at Peschiera, I knew that not a moment was to be lost in investing the place and depriving the enemy of the means of provisioning it. A few days' delay would have entailed pon me a siege of three months. The battle of Borg-parte's letter quoted above, still fancied that it might Letto and the passage of the Mincio put that place into be possible to borrow 12,000,000 tournois, and kindly our hands two days afterwards. The proveditor came in pointed out how the money might be raised, by gat haste to justify himself: I gave him a very ill reception. I declared that I should march to Venice, to seizing the funds which the King and Government complain in person to the senate of such a manifest trea- (and the people too) of England had in the Treasury chery. While we were talking, Massena had orders to of Venice. There might here be breach of faith, of national honour, but what was that? In conclusion, Carnot was "highly pleased" with the chicanery displayed by the General to the Proveditor

enter Verona at whatever cost. The alarm at Venice

was extreme. The Archduke of Milan, who was there, immediately fled to Germany.

"The senate of Venice has just sent to me two sages of the council, to ascertain definitively how matters stand. I repeated my complaints to them; I also referred to the reception given to Monsieur; I told them that, for the rest, I had given you an account of every thing, and that I knew not how you would take the matter: that, when I left Paris, you expected to find in the republic of Venice an ally faithful to principles; that it was not without regret that their conduct in regard to Peschiera

had obliged me to think otherwise; that, at any rate, I

believed that this would be a storm which it would be possible for the envoy of the senate to lay. Meanwhile, they agree with the best grace to supply us with every thing necessary for the army.

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• If your plan is to extract five or six millions from Venice, I have purposely provided this sort of rupture for you. You might demand it by way of indemnity for the battle of Borghetto, which I was obliged to fight in order to take that place. If you have more decided intentions, I think you ought to keep up this subject of quarrel, inform me of what you design to do, and await the favourable moment, which I will seize according to circumstances: for we must not have all the world upon our hands at once.

"The truth of the affair of Peschiera is, that Beaulieu basely deceived them: he demanded a passage for fifty men, and made himself master of the town.

"A commissioner of the Directory is come for the contributions. A million has been dispatched to Basle for the army of the Rhine. You have eight millions at Genoa; you can reckon upon that. Two millions more were going off for Paris; but the commissary assured me that it is your intention that the whole should go to Genoa."

And this "truth of the affair," Bonaparte well knew, when he bullied the Proveditor-General, terrified the Senate of Venice, and kept alive a pretty little quarrel, of which citizen Carnot might avail himself either to fine, confiscate, or deal with as seemed good to the Executive Directory. With

General of Venice and the two "

sage senators." Decrees were issued by the Directory, negotiating the amount and modes of payment of whatever it chose to levy on the conquered States, and the Commander-in-Chief was as active in such

departments as in the field. General Vaubois was to be sent to occupy or garrison Leghorn, and the detailed instructions for his conduct, drawn up by Bonaparte, are certainly a curiosity. After giving minute directions for putting the batteries which command the harbour into a proper state of defence, the important points of his multifarious duties

are thus alluded to:

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He will spare no means for keeping Leghorn in perfect tranquillity; he will act in such a manner as to attach to himself the troops of the grand-duke of Tuscany, on whom he will keep a constant eye; he will keep himself in good harmony with the governor; he will refer to him all matters of detail, pay him great respect, especially in private, but preserve a great superiority over him, especially in public. Should there be plots at Leghorn, or anything else involving the existence of the French troops, he will then take all the measures necessary for restoring tranquillity and punishing the evil-disposed. He will not spare either persons, or property, or houses.

"In all the difficult affairs that may happen, he will consult citizen Miot, minister of the French Republic at Florence, who will be able to give him useful information. tion with which he is charged: being the first agent of the He will protect the consul in the interesting operaRepublic at Leghorn, he will attend to all the interests of the Republic, and report to me on all the abuses which it may not depend on him to repress.

He will live in suitable style. He will frequently have at his table the officers of the grand-duke and the

consuls of the foreign powers: an allowance shall be granted to him for extraordinary expenses.

"He will appoint an officer to superintend the harbour: he will appoint a commandant of each fort; he will keep privateers under a severe discipline, and see to it that they respect the neutral flag, especially the Spanish. He will have daily accounts rendered to him of the reports of the sentries; he will inform me regularly of all that passes in the country where he is, and send me a report of all news from Corsica that reaches him. He will write to the imperial fiefs around the city to induce them to recognise the Republic, and he will acquaint me with the number of those fiefs, their population, their wealth, and the spirit which animates them. He will keep up severe discipline among his troops; he will make a point of having all the soldiers in barracks, and not allowing any one, from the general to the lowest employé, to lodge at any inhabitant's."

The penetration and sagacity of Bonaparte, at this early stage of his career, are shown in his estimate of his Generals. It is thus he reports of them to the Directory;

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in his favour.

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Augereau-A great deal of character, courage, firmness, activity, habit of war; is beloved by the soldiers, lucky in his operations.

Massena Active, indefatigable, daring; has quickness of apprehension and promptness in decision.

Serrurier-Fights like a soldier, takes nothing upon himself, firm, has not a very good opinion of his troops; is ill. "Despinois-Soft, without activity, without daring, has not fighting habits, is not liked by the soldiers, does not fight at their head; has, for the rest, hauteur, intelligence, and sound political principles: fit to command in the interior. "Sauret-Good, very good soldier, but not enlightened enough to be general; not lucky.

"Abatucci-Not fit to command fifty men. "Garnier, Meunier, Casabianca-Incapable; not fit to command a battalion in so active and so serious a war as

this.

"Macquart-A brave man, no talents, fiery. "Gauthier-Fit for an office [bureau]; never was engaged in war.

"Vaubois and Sahuguet were employed in the fortresses; I have transferred them to the army: I shall learn to appreciate them; they have both acquitted themselves extremely well of the commissions that I have hitherto given them; but the example of General Despinois, who was all right at Milan, and all wrong at the head of his division, orders me to judge of men by their actions."

We meet with one solitary instance of good nature in Bonaparte's correspondence. He addressed five lines to the French Minister at Basle, desiring him to attempt the restoration of the property of General Laharpe-confiscated when he became a Republican-to his orphan children. Carnot also showed policy or liberality in one instance. He directed that Oriani, a celebrated astronomer of Milan, should be protected, and that the General should, wherever he went, visit and pay attention to men eminent in science or art. There were, indeed, no bounds to Carnot's admiration of art, or desire to plunder its treasures from the Italian towns to enrich Paris. Could he but then have foreseen the day of retribution and restitution! Could he have foreseen the Consulate-the Empire! But it was punishment enough that he saw both their rise and fall. The following is an entire letter:

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"The exquisite productions of the fine arts, of the dispatch of which you give us notice, will add to the splendour of the trophies of the army of Italy. 1.1?

"We must at once embellish and enrich France with all the valuable monuments and all the interesting pro-" duetions of those flourishing countries."'

The civil servants of the Republic attached to the army, the Commissaries, and Commissioners appointed to raise the contributions and supply the army were worthy of their vocation, but might have been forgiven if they had not as freely and adroitly cheated their employers as they plundered the Italians. Their conduct made Bonaparte, as he tells the Directory, "blush to be a French-: man." In short, they were rogues all round"thinking," Napoleon said, " of nothing but thiev ing." But complaints of dishonest and peculating Commissaries were not at that period confined to the French service; and this might pass, if the Commander-in-chief and the Executive Direc tory could be exonerated.

The volumes close with the end of the year 1797, and the secret articles of the treaty of Campo For-" mio, transmitted in substance to the Directory. There was to be peace with Austria and Italy, aud France was to be left free to combat England alone. The conquest of England, the last of many gains to the French Republic enumerated by her victorious General, is thus alluded to :

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"Lastly, The war with England will open to. ús a field of activity more extensive, more essential, more glorious. The people of England are of more worth than the Venetian people, and their liberation will for ever consolidate the liberty and happiness of France; or if we force that Government to peace, our commerce, and the s advantages which we shall procure for it in the two worlds, will be a great step towards the consolidation of liberty and public prosperity.

"If I am mistaken in all these calculations, my heart is pure, my intentions are upright; I have silenced the interest of my glory, of my vanity, of my ambition. I have kept in view the country, and the Government alone; mited confidence which the Directory has been pleased to I have answered in a manner worthy of myself the unli-" grant me for these two years.

"I think that I have done what every member of the Directory would have done in my place.

"I have merited by my services the approbation of the Government and of the nation; I have received res peated marks of its esteem. I have now no more to do the plough of Cincinnatus; and to set an example of but to mingle again with the world; to grasp once more. respect for magistrates and aversion for military rule, which has destroyed so many Republics, and ruined several states. Be assured of my devotedness, and my desire to do everything for the liberty of the country,,

"BONAPARTE,

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'The Italian's mention of a night attack, and the firm decided tone in which he spoke, produced a startling change in his two companions.

am not without arms, gentlemen;" so saying, he dragged his last saddle-bag into the adjoining room, to which he had already hurried his luggage since the close of Mary's How so? What do you mean?" exclaimed the book-story, and deaf to all intreaties, he shut and bolted the seller, turning deadly pale, and rising in alarm, whilst the door behind him. steward gazed at him, aghast and speechless, some dawning fears beginning to clear up the mists of his somewhat dease comprehension,

"You, Sir," said the stranger, first answering the bookseller's query have never ceased vaunting the feetness of your good horse; and you," he continued, addressing the steward, “ if I am not mistaken, have pis

tos.

Sancta Maria! do you think I ever load them?'' cried the now terrified steward, expanding his pale blue eyes to their utmost capability, the roseate hue that had forsaken his cheeks to refugiate itself in his capacious nose, rapidly turning to blue.

Great was his companions' consternation, and bitterly did they repent having so inconsiderately banished the stranger from their room.

"Alas! that I should ever have been obliged to leave my family and quiet fireside, to expose myself to such enormous perils," groaned forth the steward in the bitterness of his heart, and that for no good that is ever likely to accrue to me from my risks.

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"My poor Dorothea," said the pale young man, with quivering lips, "what will become of her if harm befall me?"

"What would my family-nay, the Count himself, do if my earthly career be thus cut short? Where will he And how am I to get at my horse?'' piteously added find a man so trusty, so able, so devoted, so courageous, the no less frightened bookseller...

*Certainly neither unseen nor unprevented," said the Italian.I avi..NO I DA

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As neither of his companions offered to stir, and he would not for worlds have crossed the threshhold alone, the arguments of the stranger prevailed; and, without further discussion, the bookseller returned to his seat,

"And now, gentlemen," continued the Italian, who, although his sallow countenance grew paler, gave no other outward signs of emotion than might be betrayed by the compression of his lips and the lighting up of his eye, "suffer me to retire to the separate apartment you were kind enough to provide for me."

-ach! ach!" and he wrung his hands in despair.

"If I come not back she'll break her heart!" Here the bookseller drew out his pocket handkerchief, unable any longer to control his emotions.

'I am only sixty-three," said in a lamentable tone his old companion.

"She is only nineteen," sighed forth the bookseller. "My father died at eighty-five, and I am only sixtythree." Here the worthy steward burst into a passion of tears, whilst his young friend chimed in with his sobs.

The scene was every moment augmenting in pathos. To add to their terror, the storm without, which had been gradually rising since sunset, now blew a hurricane; the thunder rolled at intervals, the lightning played through the large, desolate apartment, throwing into fantastic shape with strong light and black shadow the few objects it lighted upon. Their lamentations grew louder and louder, and their sorrow was increasing in violence, when it was suddenly checked by the strange sounds that proceeded from the stranger's chamber. Ever since he had been there he had shown quite as much restlessness as on the previous eve; but so long as they heard nothing remarkable, the two Germans were too much wrapped up in their fears, and busy with their own complaints, to pay the least attention: but now, even in spite of their critical situation, their curiosity became roused, and their tears ceased to flow as they listened intently to the smallest movement of their singular associate. Previously they had distinctly heard him dragging the furniture all about the room, and they naturally concluded he was barricad

Oh! No! no!--you are without defence!" screamed the steward, to whom the sight of the foreigner's calmness and collected air gave the only scrap of courage he could muster, now such horrid doubts had taken possession of his soul. Let us remain together-we can always be some protection to you;" and his trembling hand sought that of the diminutive stranger, but only caught the inordinately long queue which, according to the fashion of the day, depended from that worthy's dark shocking himself in; now, however, to their extreme surprise, head.

** And I—I will stand by you to the last," murmured in faint accents the young bookseller, making a desperate effort to take hold of him.

they fancied they heard him unpacking. They came closer to the door-listened more attentively-they were not mistaken. The trailing of ropes and unlocking of padlocks was too familiar a sound not to be recognised. Thank you thank you both," said the stranger, They immediately decided he was seeking his pistols; but shaking them off; "but I will tell you, for your conso-when the unpacking continued for so long a space of time lation, that I am better prepared for the struggle than you fancy-perhaps better than yourselves." Here he gave them one of his peculiar and sneering smiles. "I

that it rather seemed like the operations of a traveller returned home after a journey and setting all to rights about him, and when the bustle increased from minute to

"That'll not fail," said the stranger, "of that rest assured. I wish I could be as secure of your gratitude as I am that there will be cause for it. Now listen to me. Do not follow me into my chamber, but sit so near to it as to be able to rush in at the very first alarm. I shall leave my door but half closed for the purpose. Remember, the moment you enter to hide yourselves behind the first object of concealment you find. Mind, gentlemen, I expect you to be as true to your word as I shall endeavour to be to mine." So saying, he withdrew, gently pushing the door to without absolutely closing it.

The Germans dragged their portmanteaus quite close to the door, and cowering down upon them, began, for the first time, to agitate the question between them, whether they had not as much to apprehend from their singular associate as from the bad Peter Stieber himself, but without being able to come to any final conclusion or resolve. Another heavy quarter of an hour passed without anything arising that could justify their uneasiness. They were already beginning to grumble at the comfortless night their companion had again contrived to make them spend, when suddenly the door flew open, and Mary, with a wilder look than she had yet worn, rushed towards them.

minute, the wondering Germans were lost in conjectures. | made that the old man could not but follow his example, The circumstance had, however, one good result for only insinuating the clause that real danger must have them-it enabled them to forget, in some measure, the been incurred. alarm that had nearly distracted them. The thought never once occurred to their minds that they might profit by the example of the foreigner, barricade themselves in, and make at least a show of resistance. Indeed, had they possessed sufficient coolness to take such a determination, they would still have rejected the plan as unsafe, and only likely to aggravate their danger. As it was, a happy change had come over their spirit. Timid minds possess a property highly agreeable to them in depressing circumstances, and which consists in disputing, or completely denying, the existence of dangers which they know neither how to face nor avoid. From having given way to utter hopelessness, they suddenly passed to fresh doubts and new hopes. The transition was so congenial to their nature, they felt so relieved by the idea of having been misled by their own weakness, and that the Italian had excited their fears merely in jest-for they could not otherwise account for his coolness and his smile-all these considerations were so encouraging as to banish from their breasts the unpleasant feeling which had, but a moment before, such entire possession of them. They thought themselves gradually into perfect composure, and became altogether occupied with the creakings, pullings, haulings, and various other extraordinary noises the Italian continued to make, and which, had not the Germans been convinced by their own eyes of his being the solitary tenant of the apartment, they could never have ascribed to one individual alone. Indeed, it was to them a perfect wonder what he could be about, and their surmises concerning this mysterious person prolonged their conversation until a very late hour. True, his movements were of a nature not to suffer their curiosity to relax. Now he seemed to be climbing the walls-now to be scrubbing the floor-now to pile up furniture, and then again to knock it about. At last he seemed fairly tired out,-a pause ensued,-the eyes of the Germans were fixed on the door,-the bolts were withdrawn, and he appeared before them with so serious an aspect as again to chill the hearts of the two companions.

"They have delayed it long," he said; "longer than I had expected, but now they will soon come. How is

it, gentlemen, that I find you so unprepared? Have you nothing wherewith to defend yourselves? Or have you not the spirit to do so?" he concluded, with a flashing

eye.

"If there were anything to dread," said the steward, "we have no means of averting our fate; but I do not see what real cause we have to give way to such terrors. It is near twelve by my watch, and yet nothing has stirred in the house."

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Come, sir, do not throw your life away in that manner. I doubt not it is very dear to you. I have my treasures, too, but unfortunately they are not of a nature to make me very rich." A bitter smile passed over the Italian's face as he spoke these words. "A bargain is a bargain-will you pay me well if I am the means of saving your lives?"

The bookseller unhesitatingly replied-"Sir, you shall not name any sum within my power in vain, if you but restore me to my Dorothea." This proffer was so warmly

"What on earth brings you here so late?" said the steward, rising, in surprise and no small fear, for Mary looked like a ghost with her ashy cheek, and large, fierce eyes.

"I heard you talking so late that I thought you would never retire to rest," she said, "and came to ask if you lacked anything to make you comfortable;" but whilst she spoke she threw a rapid glance first at their persons, then all round the chamber.

There was something so strange in her investigating look that both the men quailed, terrified, before it. Suddenly a smile of satisfaction crossed her face-but such a smile-it turned their hearts sick to behold it. She then gave a shrill, piercing whistle-the hurried tramp of heavy feet was heard along the passage-a pause ensued, then she clapped her hands three times, and several men poured into the room.

At first the Germans were rooted to the spot with bewilderment; but this sight brought back their senses, and they both rushed with one accord into the Italian's chamber. Here all was total darkness, and the light they had left in the other room suddenly going out, they were compelled to grope their way along the wall, each ensconcing himself, as the Italian had recommended, behind the first object that afforded protection. That they found such provided for them in a moment of so much agitation as permitted their judgment no play, and left them abandoned to the mere mechanical impulse of instinct, proved how wisely the stranger had calculated his plan of defence. A bedstead raised up against the wall on either side the door formed the outworks behind which the friends crept, and from whence, in comparative security, they could catch a clear view of the extraordinary scene that was going on; and happy was it for them that astonishment and the excess of terror kept them mute.

The room was, as we have said, of pitchy darkness, except a small focus of light, which grew every moment

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