sputava," he says of him when at
Prague, "disputava con Mastri di teologia; molto diceva, parlava cose
meravigliose...abbair fea ogni persona."--"He disputed with Masters of
theology--he spoke much, he discoursed things wonderful--he astonished
every one.")

"But if so honoured at Prague, how comes he a prisoner at Avignon?"

"Giacomo," said Angelo, thoughtfully, "there are some men whom we, of
another mind and mould, can rarely comprehend, and never fathom. And of
such men I have observed that a supreme confidence in their own fortunes
or their own souls, is the most common feature. Thus impressed, and thus
buoyed, they rush into danger with a seeming madness, and from danger
soar to greatness, or sink to death. So with Rienzi; dissatisfied with
empty courtesies and weary of playing the pedant, since once he had
played the prince;--some say of his own accord, (though others relate
that he was surrendered to the Pope's legate by Charles,) he left the
Emperor's court, and without arms, without money, betook himself at once
to Avignon!"

"Madness indeed!"

"Yet, perhaps his only course, under all circumstances," resumed the
elder page. "Once before his fall, and once during his absence from
Rome, he had been excommunicated by the Pope's legate. He was accused of
heresy--the ban was still on him. It was necessary that he should clear
himself. How was the poor exile to do so? No powerful friend stood
up for the friend of the people. No courtier vindicated one who had
trampled on the neck of the nobles. His own genius was his only friend;
on that only could he rely. He sought Avignon, to free himself from the
accusations against him; and, doubtless, he hoped that there was but one
step from his acquittal to his restoration. Besides, it is certain that
the Emperor had been applied to, formally to surrender Rienzi. He had
the choice before him; for to that sooner or later it must come--to
go free, or to go in bonds--as a criminal, or as a Roman. He chose the
latter. Wherever he passed along, the people rose in every town, in
every hamlet. The name of the great Tribune was honoured throughout all
Italy. They besought him not to rush into the very den of peril--they
implored him to save himself for that country which he had sought to
raise. 'I go to vindicate myself, and to triumph,' was the Tribune's
answer. Solemn honours were paid him in the cities through which he
passed; ("Per tutto la via li furo fatti solenni onori,"