tle jewel enclosed belonged to my mother, the Queen Agrippina. She
told me that I was never to part with it, except to somebody I loved
as much as herself. There is only one person in the world to whom I owe
affection. It is to her who from the first was always kind to me, and
who, through dreary years of danger and anxiety, has been the charm and
consolation of the life of

"Florestan."

CHAPTER LXXXVI

On the evening of the day on which Prince Florestan personally left
the letter with Lady Roehampton, he quitted London with the Duke of St.
Angelo and his aides-de-camp, and, embarking in his steam yacht, which
was lying at Southampton, quitted England. They pursued a prosperous
course for about a week, when they passed through the Straits of
Gibraltar, and, not long afterwards, cast anchor in a small and solitary
bay. There the prince and his companions, and half-a-dozen servants,
well armed and in military attire, left the yacht, and proceeded on
foot into the country for a short distance, when they arrived at a large
farmhouse. Here, it was evident, they were expected. Men came forward
with many horses, and mounted, and accompanied the party which had
arrived. They advanced about ten miles, and halted as they were
approaching a small but fortified town.

The prince sent the Duke of St. Angelo forward to announce his arrival
to the governor, and to require him to surrender. The governor, however,
refused, and ordered the garrison to fire on the invaders. This they
declined to do; the governor, with many ejaculations, and stamping with
rage, broke his sword, and the prince entered the town. He was warmly
received, and the troops, amounting to about twelve hundred men, placed
themselves at his disposal. The prince remained at this town only
a couple of hours, and at the head of his forces advanced into the
country. At a range of hills he halted, sent out reconnoitring parties,
and pitched his camp. In the morning, the Marquis of Vallombrosa, with a
large party of gentlemen well mounted, arrived, and were warmly greeted.
The prince learnt from them that the news of his invasion had reached
the governor of the province, who was at one of the most considerable
cities of the kingdom, with a population exceeding two hundred thousand,
and with a military division for its garrison. "They will not wait for
our arrival," said Vallombrosa, "but, trusting to their numbers, will
come out and attack us."

The news of the s