money with me,
partly because, to tell the truth, I had scarcely got any, and partly
because I was afraid of being robbed by brigands of the little I had.
I therefore eschewed the character of a _milordo Inglese_; but I never
succeeded in dispelling all suspicion that I might not be a nephew of
the Queen, or at least a very near relative of Palmerston in disguise.
It was so natural, seeing what a deep interest both her Majesty and the
Prime Minister took in Italy, that they should send some one incognito
whom they could trust to tell them all about it.

Meantime, I was not surprised, when I came to know the disposition of
the inhabitants, at the success of brigandage. It has never been my
fortune before or since to live among such a timid population. One day
at a large town a leading landed proprietor received notice that if he
did not pay a certain sum in blackmail,--I forget at this distance of
time the exact amount,--his farm or _masseria_ would be robbed. This
farm, which was in fact a handsome country house, was distant about ten
miles from the town. He therefore made an appeal to the citizens that
they should arm themselves and help him to defend his property, as he
had determined not to pay, and had taken steps to be informed as to the
exact date when the attack was to be made in default of payment. More
than three hundred citizens enrolled themselves as willing to turn out
in arms. On the day preceding the attack by the brigands, a rendezvous
was given to these three hundred on the great square for five in the
morning, and thither I accordingly repaired, unable, however, to induce
my host to accompany me, although he had signed as a volunteer. On
reaching the rendezvous, I found the landed proprietor and a friend
who was living with him, and about ten minutes afterward two other
volunteers strolled up. Five was all we could muster out of three
hundred. It was manifestly useless to attempt anything with so small a
force, and no arguments could induce any of the others to turn out; so
the unhappy gentleman had the satisfaction of knowing that the brigands
had punctually pillaged his place, carrying off all his live stock
on the very day and at the very hour they said they would. As for the
inhabitants venturing any distance from town, except under military
escort, such a thing was unknown, and all communication with Naples
was for some time virtually intercepted. I was regarded as a sort of
monomaniac of recklessn