id in 1870 they would have done in 1867;
they were ready to acclaim any conquering liberator; they were not
ready to make a revolution on their own account, and with all their
leaders in prison or in exile, they are hardly to be blamed for it.
For such a policy Italy might have pleaded that necessity which knows
no law. Everybody allowed that if Garibaldi went to Rome the Italians
must go there too: the very security of the Pope demanded it--at
least, he said so. As to the first part of the programme, complicity
in the preparation of the movement, it would have been an infringement
of the Convention, but had France kept the Convention? French bishops
recruited soldiers for the Pope in every province of France, and the
Antibes Legion was drawn, officers and men, from the French army. When
some of the men deserted, the French War Office sent General Dumont to
Rome to look to the discipline of the regiment. Those who argued that
the spirit, if not the letter, of the agreement had been already
evaded, could make out a good case for their position.

It has been suggested that this is what Rattazzi's policy would have
been, but for the opposition of the King. Were it so, the minister
ought to have resigned at the beginning of the proceedings instead of
at the end. That in the ultimate crisis it was the King who prevented
the troops from moving is a fact, but the propitious moment was then
past and gone. 'Do as you like, but do it quickly,' Napoleon said to
Cavour when Cialdini was to be sent to the Cattolica. And it was done
quickly.

After letting Garibaldi make what arrangements and issue what
manifestoes he chose for six weeks, Rattazzi suddenly had him arrested
at Sinalunga on the 23rd of September. The only consequence was fatal
delay; not knowing what to do with their prisoner, the Government
shipped him to Caprera. Personally he was perfectly free; no
conditions were imposed; but nine men-of-war were despatched to the
island to sweep the seas of erratic heroes. In spite of which,
Garibaldi escaped in a canoe on the 14th of October.

That night, between sundown and moonrise, there was only one hour's
dark, but it sufficed the fugitive to make good his passage from
Caprera to the island of Maddalena. A strong south-east breeze was
blowing; the waves, however, were rather favourable to the venture, as
they hid the frail bark from any eyes that might be peering through
the night. Garibaldi did not fear; he had often put