berty
was but the shadow of her former self,--such was the acknowledged
prerogative of your fathers! All power was the gift of the people. What
have ye to give now? Who, who, I say,--what single person, what petty
chief, asks you for the authority he assumes? His senate is his
sword; his chart of license is written, not with ink, but blood. The
people!--there is no people! Oh! would to God that we might disentomb
the spirit of the Past as easily as her records!"

"If I were your kinsman," whispered Montreal to Adrian, "I would give
this man short breathing-time between his peroration and confession."

"What is your Emperor?" continued Rienzi; "a stranger! What the great
head of your Church?--an exile! Ye are without your lawful chiefs; and
why? Because ye are not without your law-defying tyrants! The licence
of your nobles, their discords, their dissensions, have driven our Holy
Father from the heritage of St. Peter;--they have bathed your streets in
your own blood; they have wasted the wealth of your labours on private
quarrels and the maintenance of hireling ruffians! Your forces are
exhausted against yourselves. You have made a mockery of your country,
once the mistress of the world. You have steeped her lips in gall--ye
have set a crown of thorns upon her head! What, my Lords!" cried he,
turning sharply round towards the Savelli and Orsini, who, endeavouring
to shake off the thrill which the fiery eloquence of Rienzi had stricken
to their hearts, now, by contemptuous gestures and scornful smiles,
testified the displeasure they did not dare loudly to utter in the
presence of the Vicar and the people.--"What! even while I speak--not
the sanctity of this place restrains you! I am an humble man--a citizen
of Rome;--but I have this distinction: I have raised against myself
many foes and scoffers for that which I have done for Rome. I am hated,
because I love my country; I am despised, because I would exalt her. I
retaliate--I shall be avenged. Three traitors in your own palaces shall
betray you: their names are--Luxury, Envy, and Dissension!"

"There he had them on the hip!"

"Ha, ha! by the Holy Cross, that was good!"

"I would go to the hangman for such another keen stroke as that!"

"It is a shame if we are cowards, when one man is thus brave," said the
smith.

"This is the man we have always wanted!"

"Silence!" proclaimed the officer.

"O Romans!" resumed Rienzi, passionately--"awake! I conjure you! Let
t