there that smile which he had
already, bold as he was, learned to dread. He felt himself fairly
sunk in the pit he had digged for another. There was that in the
Senator-Tribune's brow that told him to refuse was to declare open war,
and the moment was not ripe for that.

"Ye accede," said Rienzi; "ye have done well."

The Senator clapped his hands--his guard appeared.

"Summon the head constables of the soldiery."

The brothers still remained dumb.

The constables entered.

"My friends," said Rienzi, "Messere Brettone and Messere Arimbaldo have
my directions to divide amongst your force a thousand florins. This
evening we encamp beneath Palestrina."

The constables withdrew in visible surprise. Rienzi gazed a moment on
the brothers, chuckling within himself--for his sarcastic humour enjoyed
his triumph. "You lament not your devotion, my friends!"

"No," said Brettone, rousing himself; "the sum but trivially swells our
debt."

"Frankly said--your hands once more!--the good people of Tivoli expect
me in the Piazza--they require some admonitions. Adieu till noon."

When the door closed on Rienzi, Brettone struck the handle of his sword
fiercely--"The Roman laughs at us," said he. "But let Walter de Montreal
once appear in Rome, and the proud jester shall pay us dearly for this."

"Hush!" said Arimbaldo, "walls have ears, and that imp of Satan, young
Villani, seems to me ever at our heels!"

"A thousand florins! I trust his heart hath as many drops," growled the
chafed Brettone, unheeding his brother.

The soldiers were paid--the army marched--the eloquence of the Senator
had augmented his force by volunteers from Tivoli, and wild and
half armed peasantry joined his standard from the Campagna and the
neighbouring mountains.

Palestrina was besieged: Rienzi continued dexterously to watch the
brothers of Montreal. Under pretext of imparting to the Italian
volunteers the advantage of their military science, he separated them
from their mercenaries, and assigned to them the command of the less
disciplined Italians, with whom, he believed, they could not venture
to tamper. He himself assumed the lead of the Northmen--and, despite
themselves, they were fascinated by his artful, yet dignified
affability, and the personal courage he displayed in some sallies of the
besieged Barons. But as the huntsmen upon all the subtlest windings of
their prey,--so pressed the relentless and speeding Fates upon Cola di
Rienzi!