lic which expelled the Citizen-King of France. Louis was anxious
to conciliate the French army and clergy. He besieged Rome with an
army of 85,000 men, and met with a brave resistance.

There were famous names in the list of Roman defenders--Mameli, the
war-poet, and Ugo Bassi, the great preacher, fought under Garibaldi,
the leader of the future. Mazzini cried out on them that surrender was
not for them. "Monarchies may capitulate, republics die and bear their
testimony even to martyrdom."

On July 3rd, 1849, Rome fell before overwhelming numbers, though the
conquerors were afraid to face the sullen foes who opposed them at the
very gates of the doomed Republican stronghold. The prophet lingered
{194} in the streets where he would have kept the flag flying which had
been lowered by the Assembly. He was grey with the fierce endurance of
the two months' siege, but his heart bade him not desert his post from
any fear of death. Secretly he longed for the assassin's knife, for
then he would have shed the blood of sacrifice for the cause of
patriotism.

{195}

Chapter XVII

"For Italy and Victor Emmanuel!"

The year of Revolution, beginning with most glorious hopes, ended
disastrously for the Italian patriots. Princes had allied with
peasants in eager furtherance of the cause of freedom but defeat took
away their faith. The soldiers lost belief in the leaders of the
movement and belief, alas! in the ideals for which they had been
fighting.

Charles Albert, the King of Sardinia, continued to struggle on alone
when adversities had deprived his most faithful partisans of their zeal
for fighting. He had once been uncertain and vacillating in mind, but
he became staunch in his later days and able to reply courageously to
the charges which his enemies brought against him. He mustered some
80,000 men and put them under Polish leaders--a grave mistake, since
the soldiers were prejudiced by the strange foreign aspect of their
officers and began the war without enthusiasm for their generals.

Field-Marshal Radetsky, a redoubtable enemy, only brought the same
numbers to the field, but he had the advantage of being known as a
conquering hero. His cry was "To Turin!" but the bold Piedmontese
rallied to defend their town and spread the news of joyful victory
throughout the Italian peninsula. Other {196} defenders of liberty
dared to raise their heads now, thought once more of Italy free and
united.

At the b