o undo your work. But I could
not break the chains I had wrought, for I was a chief of followers. The
men had come from exile, or they had refused to join the Roman
enterprise:--they, in fact, had bound themselves to me; and that means, I
was irrevocably bound to them. I had an insult to wipe out: I refrained
from doing it, sincerely, I may tell you, on the ground that this admired
life of mine was precious. I will heap no more clumsy irony on it: I can
pity it. Do you see now how I stand? I know that I cannot rely on the
king's luck or on the skill of his generals, or on the power of his army,
or on the spirit in Lombardy: neither on men nor on angels. But I cannot
draw back. I have set going a machine that's merciless. From the day it
began working, every moment has added to its force. Do not judge me by
your English eyes: other lands, other habits; other habits, other
thoughts. And besides, if honour said nothing, simple humanity would
preserve me from leaving my band to perish like a flock of sheep."

He uttered this with a profound conviction of his quality as leader, that
escaped the lurid play of self-inspection which characterized what he had
previously spoken, and served singularly in bearing witness to the truth
of his charge against himself.

"Useless!" he said, waving his hand at anticipated remonstrances. "Look
with the eyes of my country; not with your own, my friend. I am disgraced
if I do not go out. My friends are disgraced if I do not head them in.
Brescia--sacrificed!--murdered!--how can I say what? Can I live under
disgrace or remorse? The king stakes on his army; I on the king. Whether
he fights and wins, or fights and loses, I go out. I have promised my
men--promised them success, I believe!--God forgive me! Did you ever see
a fated man before? None had plotted against me. I have woven my own web,
and that's the fatal thing. I have a wife, the sweetest woman of her
time. Goodnight to her! our parting is over."

He glanced at his watch. "Perhaps she will be at the door below. Her
heart beats like mine just now. You wish to say that you think me
betrayed, and therefore I may draw back? Did you not hear that Bergamo
has risen? The Brescians are up too by this time. Gallant Brescians! they
never belie the proverb in their honour; and to die among them would be
sweet if I had all my manhood about me. You would have me making a scene
with Violetta."

"Set the woman face to face with me!" cried Merthyr