rrest by order of the
Italian Government. His officers had their hands on their swords, but
he forbade their using force. The arrest seemed an unnecessary slight
on the beaten man, who had loved Italy too well. But General Menabrea,
who ordered it, believes that he thereby saved Italian unity.
According to an account given by him many years after to the
correspondent of an English newspaper, Napoleon wrote at this juncture
to King Victor Emmanuel, that as he was not strong enough to govern
his kingdom, he, Napoleon, was about to help him by relieving him of
all parts of it except Piedmont, Lombardy and Venetia. The arrest of
Garibaldi, by showing that the King 'could govern,' averted the
impending danger. In communicating it to Napoleon, the King is said to
have added 'that Italians would lose their last drop of blood before
consenting to disruption,' a warning which he was not unlikely to
give, but the whole story lacks verisimilitude. It appears more
credible that an old man's memory is at fault than that a letter, so
colossally insolent, was actually written. Menabrea, and even the
King, may have feared that something of the kind was in the mind of
the Emperor.

As after Aspromonte so after Mentana; Garibaldi was confined in the
fortress of Varignano, on the bay of Spezia. A few weeks later he was
released and sent to Caprera. As he left the fortress-prison he wrote
the words: 'Farewell, Rome; farewell, Capitol; who knows who will
think of thee, and when?'

The last crusade was over; destiny would do the rest.

CHAPTER XX

ROME, THE CAPITAL

1867-1870

M. Rouher's 'Never'--Papal Infallibility--Sedan--The Breach in Porta
Pia--The King of Italy in Rome.

Mentana had its epilogue in the debate in the French Corps Legislatif,
which lasted from the 2nd to the 5th of December. Jules Favre proposed
a vote of censure on the Ministry for their Roman policy. The most
distinguished speaker who followed him was Thiers, who said that
though in opposition, he would support the Government tooth and nail
in their defence of French interests at Rome. The debate was wound up
by the memorable declaration of the Prime Minister, Rouher, that
'never' should Italy get possession of Rome. 'Is that clear?' he
asked. It was quite clear. The word escaped him, he afterwards said,
in 'the heat of improvisation.' The French Chamber confirmed it by
throwing out Favre's motion by 237 votes against 17.

Now, indeed, the Ultra