es lay dead along the mountain
gorges--who believed, too, that they were in sight of the reward of
their sacrifices--were thrown into a ferment, almost into a revolt by
the order to retreat. They had expected in a day or two to shake hands
with Medici, who, after some hard fighting, was within a march of
Trento. The order was explicit: instant evacuation of the enemy's
territory. Garibaldi, to whom from first to last had fallen an
ungrateful part, took up his pen and wrote the laconic telegram:
'Obbedisco.' 'I have obeyed,' he said to the would-be mutineers, 'do
you obey likewise.' Someone murmured 'Rome.' 'Yes,' said the chief,
'we will march on Rome.'

The armistice was signed at Cormons on the 12th of August, and the
treaty of peace on the 3rd of October at Vienna. Italy received Venice
from the hands of the French Emperor, whose interference since the
beginning of the campaign had incensed Prussia against her ally
without benefiting the Power which he affected and, perhaps, really
meant to serve. Italy would have received Venetia without his
interposition, for besides the Prussian obligation to claim it for
her, Austria had no further wish to keep it. Despite the fact that
Italian populations still remained under the rule of the Empire, the
melancholy book of Austrian dominion in Italy might be fairly said to
be closed forever. A new era was dawning for the House of Hapsburg,
which was to show that, unlike the Bourbons, it could learn and
unlearn.

The comedy of the cession of Venice to Napoleon was enacted between
General Le Boeuf and General Alemann, the Austrian military
commandant. Among other formalities, the French delegate went the
round of the museums and galleries to see that everything was in its
place. Suddenly he came upon a most suspicious blank. 'A picture is
missing here,' he said. 'It is, blandly assented the Austrian officer.
'Well, but it must be sent back immediately--where is it?' 'In the
Louvre.'

At last Austrians and French departed, and Italy shook off her
mourning, for however it had come about, the great object which had
cost so much blood, so many tears, was attained; the stranger was
gone!

Out of 642,000 votes, only 69 were recorded against the union of
Venetia with the Italian kingdom. When the plebiscite was presented
to the King, he said: 'This is the greatest day of my life: Italy is
made, though not complete.' On the 7th of November he entered Venice,
and of all the pageants