In Direst Peril

us ten minutes' hard fighting to reach the neighboring school-room in which the public meeting was to be held. The way was cleared at last, and a score or so of us filed on t

m swung round upon us, and in a voice like

that morning, but I had never seen anything which did more than a

at wave of swarthy, eager faces, and could hear nothing but a tumult like the roaring of the sea. There was hardly a man in the whole assemblage who wa

d roared till he was hoarse in the vain effort to secure silence. It took a full quarter of an hour to wear out this prodig

ears were streaming down her face without cessation, but I had never seen her look so radiant-not even

nd, and his tears ran like rain through his wasted fingers. I have tried many and many a time to

darkness, torture, utter despair, and then freedom and human tears, and this astounding roar of triumph, sympathy, and welcome! It was no

tily sick of the name of the courageous, illustrious, magnanimous, and altogether noble and magnificent Signor Fyfa. I knew perfectly well, though I could not understand a tenth part of what was said, that Brunow's shameless exaggerations were accepted here as solid truth, and that I was being lauded for a number of splendid

of the chieftains had gone away, when I first became aware of the presence of the Baron

ver been so moved in my life. I have

n only for a moment at a time, and under circumstances of no especial interest. She saw the doubt in my face, and reintrod

ung and innocent. She owned that look of youth and freshness in spite of the fact that she was rouged and powdered and painted as if she had been ready for the stage. It was pretty easy to s

ungarian all over, and I hate, I hate, I hate the Aus

retence of vindictiveness, but h

justified in doing? I had rather not answer that question, even to myself. But if I had known for a certainty what was

beseeching him to introduce her to the acquaintance of that dear and charming Miss Rossano, who had so much her sympathy, and the spectacle of whose natural emotion had so much affected her. I am not very observa

u anything about that terrible government, but-mon Dieu! the things I have seen and known! I am a stranger, Mees

o the count in a low and rapid voice, and he answered by the offer of his hand, and a mere broken murmur of response. I made out that she had asked to be honored by taking the hand of one ennobled by so much suffering, and the quiet and unobtrusive fashion in which she

, having begun her work o

arning, he swooned away. I felt his arm slipping rapidly from mine, and caught him just in time to save him from a heavy fall. I carried him back to the vestry, and there we loosened his collar and laid him on the couch, and dashed water in his face, while Brunow ran for brandy. He recovered in a while, but was even then too we

t with great reluctance. I was so eager to be there, I was so willing to spend every hour in Miss Rossano's company, that I

her there in the daintiest and most becoming of visiting cost

emely evil grace. I resemble my neighbors in liking to have credit for what I have done, but I know nothing more hateful than unmerited praise. I silenced

e, madame," I said to myself, and my e

been sent for. Like a wise man, he had prescribed rest and complete freedom from all excitement. There

into Piedmont, and that the Pope is favorable to devolution. One never knows how much truth there is in these stories, but I have lived in an atmosphere of them all my life." Then she laughed on a sudden, and, clapping her hands together, turned on me with a swift gesture like that of a pleased child. "You saw the Count Ruffiano yesterday?" she asked; and I, answering in the affirmative, she laughed again. "The poor dear old gentleman," she said, "is my father's one surviving comrade, and ever since I have been able to und

houghts. And let me tell you, Miss Rossano, that I think your friend Count Rumano's dr

restrained vehemence. "You have

kening spirit of liberty on the Continent, and unless I am much mistaken, a map of

orld's affairs which was not evident to everybody, though a soldier of fortune like myself, who made the cause of liberty his trade, was bound to be aware of it. The great politicians knew it all, no doubt; but they kept their knowledge to themse

aly," she said, "if the

oaching a chance," I respond

fact that it was her cause, that she espoused it and hoped for it, that her father had been buried alive for it, made it dearer

and turn her fine eyes to the ceiling as if the word inspired her-"Italy! oh, if I were a man I would fight for Italy

n; and allowing for her partial knowledge of the language, and for the oratorical turn her people have, I saw nothing overstrained in the little woman's raptures. I had even a modified belief in their reality; and even to this

r of an hour or so, with many expressions of good-will and ardent hope for the count'

ur father's sake, who has been a martyr in such a cause. You will let me see you sometimes. People who know me better than you do wil

My silence on that topic went unobserved; and until I took my leave we talked about the count and the prospects of The Cause. It makes me smile now to remember how savagely in earnest I grew to be about that matter of Italian independence when once I had discovered that Miss Rossano was seriousl

g to ask you a favor. I know very little of my father as yet. I have not spent twelve hours in his society, but

with a look of s

I inter

at he is likely to be very mu

ged a word together on t

ally solid character, and I am sure you will be able to influence him greatly. You must remember, too, what a debt of gratitude he owes you. The more warmly you are disposed to The Caus

ead him into useless danger, I would do my best to warn him from the enterprise. I promised further (but this was to myself, and I said

d happy, and when I got home to my chambers who should I find awaiting me but the Count Ruffiano, buttoned to the throat to disguise the absence of the linen which had be

y dear sir," he began; "I will e

again, striding about my little room in such a heat of excitement that, lean as he was, th

im to be seated, "you are one of us? That you are a f

Rossano, and I assured the count that I

e need of you! We have need of

declaimed from that position as if it had been a rostrum, employing a wealth a

ger who brought that news had within twenty-four hours encountered a messenger from Turin, who prophesied insurrection there; this messenger in turn had news

English sang-froid"-he called it "sanga-froida," and puzzled me for a passing instant. "The hour is here," he declared, "and the

he slightest idea. I can give no notion of his fertility in unnecessary vowels, and I should be afraid to say h

his headlong walk to shake a long forefinger i

t lesson there and then, and

glish. To be practical and to be English is to be succes

en all about it, and was pounding up and down the room at as great a rat

, severely; "if this means any

ponded, "decisiv

orted, "well ma

his own impetuosity. "Do not you think because I am an old gas-balloon that there are not among us no wiser and cooler heads than mine! We are at a white-heat now, but there are men among us who can keep their wits even in a furnace like this. I, dear sir"-he would have been on his

d to Italy; and a few hours later made one of a caucus of conspirators, poor and needy and inconsiderable enough to look at, but holding in the