so, had been permitted
to take part in the plot. It is possible that the revolutionists, who
saw the immense advantage of the services of so able a general as Murat,
intended to repudiate him after they had gained their ends. But at that
time they flattered him with the hope of becoming the king as well as
the deliverer of all Italy.

As Celio Benvoglio toiled over his papers he was amazed at the
imagination of his mistress which had first discerned the possibility of
making the cause of Italian liberty serve her brother's ambitious
imperialism, and the marvellous finesse with which she had vanquished
Murat's gascon envy and resentment and made him once more a tool in the
hand of the Emperor. Still more he admired Napoleon's acumen and
resource as he saw order coming out of chaos and all things working
together for the success of his stupendous undertaking. The Emperor had
planned to first secure Paris, and then, proclaiming the independence of
Italy, to make common cause with her against Austria and at the head of
the united French and Italian armies, one hundred thousand strong, march
by way of the Julian Alps upon Vienna.

As the impressionable secretary traced the burning proclamation which
Napoleon dictated to his old soldiers, he doubted not that it would fire
the heart of every veteran and the great enterprise seemed infallible.

"Take again the eagles you followed at Ulm, Austerlitz, Jena, and
Montmirail," pleaded their adored commander. "Range yourselves under the
banners of your old chief. Victory shall march with every step. In your
old age you shall say with pride, I also was one of that great army
which twice entered the walls of Vienna, took Rome, Berlin, Madrid, and
Moscow, and which delivered Paris from domestic treason and the
occupation of strangers."

What wonder that, carried away by the immensity and daring of the
conquest of the continent, the happiness of one longing heart should
have seemed a very insignificant thing, and that Celio should have quite
forgotten that his master, Camillo Borghese, was waiting for some
reassuring word from him, that he had heard of the Princess's reckless
removal to Naples, and was distracted between anger at her flagrant
disregard of his wishes, suspicion of what such heartlessness might
mean, and acute distress on learning of her illness? The Prince could
not, on account of personal reasons, present himself at the Court of the
King of Naples, but he had writte