popular, well-born,
and wealthy, may be found at my right hand."

Pandulfo hemmed, and coloured.

Montreal proceeded. "A committee of trades might furnish an honourable
employment to Signor Vivaldi; and the treatment of all foreign
affairs--the employment of armies, &c., might be left to the Barons,
with a more open competition, Signor di Bruttini, to the Barons of
the second order than has hitherto been conceded to their birth and
importance. Sirs, will you taste the Malvoisie?"

"Still," said Vivaldi, after a pause--(Vivaldi anticipated at least the
supplying with cloth the whole of the Grand Company)--"still, such a
moderate and well-digested constitution would never be acceded to by
Rienzi."

"Why should it? what need of Rienzi?" exclaimed Bruttini. "Rienzi may
take another trip to Bohemia."

"Gently, gently," said Montreal; "I do not despair. All open violence
against the Senator would strengthen his power. No, no, humble
him--admit the Barons, and then insist on your own terms. Between the
two factions you might then establish a fitting balance. And in order
to keep your new constitution from the encroachment of either extreme,
there are warriors and knights, too, who for a certain rank in the
great city of Rome would maintain horse and foot at its service.
We Ultra-Montanes are often harshly judged; we are wanderers and
Ishmaelites, solely because we have no honourable place of rest. Now, if
I--"

"Ay, if you, noble Montreal!" said Vivaldi.

The company remained hushed in breathless attention, when suddenly there
was heard--deep, solemn, muffled,--the great bell of the Capitol!

"Hark!" said Vivaldi, the bell: "It tolls for execution: an unwonted
hour!"

"Sure, the Senator has not returned!" exclaimed Pandulfo di Guido,
turning pale.

"No, no," quoth Bruttini, "it is but a robber, caught two nights ago in
Romagna. I heard that he was to die tonight."

At the word "robber," Montreal changed countenance slightly. The wine
circulated--the bell continued to toll--its suddenness over, it ceased
to alarm. Conversation flowed again.

"What were you saying, Sir Knight?" said Vivaldi.

"Why, let me think on't;--oh, speaking of the necessity of supporting a
new state by force, I said that if I--"

"Ah, that was it!" quoth Bruttini, thumping the table.

"If I were summoned to your aid--summoned, mind ye, and absolved by the
Pope's Legate of my former sins--(they weigh heavily on me, gentles)--I
would my