Part 5 (1/2)
”They came here, but have already left,” stammered Procopio, as soon as he had recovered from his surprise.
”Is it long since they quitted your Eminence?” asked Julia.
”But a few minutes,” was the reply.
”I presume they have left the palace, then?”
”a.s.suredly,” affirmed he, unblus.h.i.+ngly.
Julia, with a gesture of incredulity, bowed, and took her leave.
What is there perfect in the world? This English nation is by no means exempt from imperfection; yet the English are the only people who can be compared with the ancient Romans, for they resemble each other in the splendid selfishness of their virtues and their vices.
Egotists and conquerors, the history of both abounds in crime committed either in their own dominions, or in those countries which they invaded and subdued. Many are the nations they have overthrown to satisfy their boundless thirst for gold and power.
Yet who dare deny that the Britons, with all their faults, have contributed largely to the civilization and social advancement of mankind? They have laid the grand foundations of a new idea of humanity, erect, inflexible, majestic, free; obeying no masters but the laws which they themselves have made, no kings but those which they themselves control.
By untiring patience and indomitable legality, this people has known how to reconcile government and order with the liberty of a self-ruling community.
The isle of England has become a sanctuary, an inviolable refuge for the unfortunate of all other nations. Those proscribed by tyrants, and the tyrants who have proscribed them, flee alike to her hospitable sh.o.r.es, and find shelter on the single condition of taking their place as citizens among citizens, and yielding obedience to the sovereign laws.
England, too, be it ever remembered first proclaimed to the world the emanc.i.p.ation of the slave, and her people willingly submitted to an increased taxation in order to carry out this glorious act in all her colonies. Her descendants in America have, after a long and b.l.o.o.d.y struggle between freedom and oligarchy, banished slavery also forever from the New World.
Lastly, to England Italy is indebted in part for her reconstruction, by reason of that resolute proclamation of fair play and no intervention in the Straits of Messina in 1860.
To France Italy is also, indeed, indebted, since so many of her heroic soldiers fell in the Italian cause in the battles of Solferino and Magenta. She has also profited, like the rest of the world, by the writings of the great minds of France, and by her principles of justice and freedom. To France, moreover, we owe, in a great measure, the abolition of piracy in the Mediterranean. France marched, in truth, for some centuries alone, as the leader in civilization.
The time was when she proclaimed and propagated liberty to the world; but she has now, alas! fallen, and is crouching before the image of a fict.i.tious greatness, while her ruler endeavors to defraud the nation which he has exasperated, and employs his troops to deprive Italy of the freedom which he helped to give her.
Let us hope that, for the welfare of humanity, she will, ere long, resume her proper position, and, united with England, once again use her sublime power to put down violence and corruption, and raise the standard of universal liberty and progress.
CHAPTER XVI. ENGLISH JULIA
In Siccio's little room was that same evening gathered a group of three persons who would have gladdened the heart and eyes of any judge of manly and womanly beauty.
Is it a mere caprice of chance to be born beautiful? The spirit is not always reflected in the form. I have known many a n.o.ble heart enshrined in an unpleasing body. Nevertheless, man is drawn naturally to the beautiful. A fine figure and n.o.ble features instinctively call forth not only admiration, but confidence; and every one rejoices in having a handsome father, a beautiful mother, fine children, or a leader resembling Achilles rather than Thersites. On the other hand, how much injustice and mortification are often borne on account of deformity, and how many are the wounds inflicted by thoughtless persons on those thus afflicted by their undisguised contempt or more cruel pity.
Julia, for she it is who forms the loveliest of our triad, had just returned from her visit to the palace, and related to her auditors, Attilio and Muzio, what had transpired.
”Yes!” she exclaims, ”he told me they were gone; but you see how powerful is gold to obtain the truth, even in that den of vice! The ladies are there detained. I bought the truth of one of his people.”
Attilio, much disturbed, pa.s.sed his hand over his brow as he paced and repaced the floor.
Julia, seeing how perturbed in spirit he was by her discovery, went to him, and, placing her hand with a gentle pressure upon his shoulder, besought him to be calm, saying that he needed all possible self-control and presence of mind to procure his betrothed's release.
”You are right, Signora,” said Muzio, who until now had remained silent, but watchful; ”you are ever right.”