ject was agreed to, all the
more readily that Skeff assured them his presence was au aegis that all
parties would know how to respect; he was, in fact, as he put it, a sort
of emblematized British lion, who with folded paws was about to take an
airing for his own amusement.

"As we drive along," whispered he to Bella, "just watch the recognitions
fellows will throw me,--a look, a gesture, a sign, scarcely perceptible,
but enough to say, 'Your Excellency may depend upon us.'"

And Bella felt a certain elation at the thought that she was the chosen
one of a man so eminent and so distinguished. And, oh dear, let us not
be severe upon her for it! If we could not make occasional swans of our
geese in this life, we should be very ill off in matters of ornithology.
Away they drove down the Chiaja and up the Toledo, where, amidst wild
yells and cries for the King, and at times for Garibaldi, a dense mass
of people surged and swayed like a mighty monster awaking out of slumber
and arousing to deeds of violence.

The populace seemed intoxicated, but not with wine or with joy, but a
sort of dare-devil recklessness which sought something--anything--to
vent its passion upon. Lines of men linked arm in arm, and, filling the
full breadth of the street, marched rapidly on, chanting wild songs; and
it was strange to mark in these the old gray-headed feeble man coupled
with the stalwart youth, or, perhaps, the mere boy. Here and there were
groups listening to some street-orator, now greeting his words with a
cheer, now with a burst of vociferous laughter; and through all these
went other men, busily, eagerly whispering to this, conferring with
that, now exerting every effort of persuasiveness, now seeming to employ
incentives to vengeance.

Except the carriage where sat the Lyles, not another vehicle of any kind
was to be seen; and as the horses moved slowly along through the dense
crowd, many a rude jest and droll comment was passed upon the _matti
Inglesi_,--the mad English,--who had taken such a time and place for a
carriage airing. Nor was the courage of the act unrecognized, and twice
or thrice a wild cheer proclaimed what they thought of a nation whose
very ladies were above all fear and timidity.

The most striking, feature in all this tumult was that soldiers were
seen everywhere mixed up with the civilians; not merely furloughed men
in undress, but soldiers in full uniform and perfectly armed, but yet
displaying, sometimes