resence alone, in the prime of his age, he might make propaganda for
the cause of his country. The Queen presented her guest with a
handsome riding-horse, and when he thanked her in warm and feeling
terms, she spoke the memorable words, the effect of which spoken at
that date by the Queen of England can hardly be imagined: 'I hope you
will ride this horse when the battles are fought for the liberation of
Italy.'

The battle-day was indeed to come, but when it came the sword which
the young Duke wielded with such gallantry in the siege of Peschiera
would be sheathed for ever. The Prince Charming of Casa Savoia died in
February 1855, leaving a daughter to Italy, the beloved Queen
Margaret.

In the space of a few weeks, Victor Emmanuel lost his brother, his
mother, and his wife. The King, who felt keenly when he did feel, was
driven distraught with grief; no circumstance was wanting which could
sharpen the edge of his sorrow. The two Queens, both Austrian
princesses, had never interfered in foreign politics; what they
suffered they suffered in silence. But they were greatly influenced by
the ministers of the religion which had been a comfort of their not
too happy lives, and they had frequently told Victor Emmanuel that
they would die of grief if the anti-papal policy of his government
were persisted in. Now that they were dead, every partisan of the
Church declared, without a shadow of reticence, that the mourning in
which the House of Savoy was plunged was a clear manifestation of
Divine wrath. Victor Emmanuel had been brought up in superstitious
surroundings; it was hardly possible that he should listen to these
things altogether unmoved. But on this as on the other occasions in
his life when he was to be threatened with ghostly terrors, he did not
belie the name of 'Re Galantuomo,' which he had written down as his
profession when filling up the papers of the first census taken after
his accession--a jest that gave him the title he will ever be known
by. Harassed and tormented as the King was, when the law on religious
corporations had been voted by the Senate and the Chamber, and was
presented to him by Cavour for signature, he did his duty and signed
it. The commentary which came from the Vatican was the decree of
major excommunication promulgated in the Consistory of the 27th of
July against all who had approved or sanctioned the measure, or who
were concerned in putting it into execution.

The law was known as t