ens at nightfall, with one of the scenes so common
in those days, an attempt on the part of the Orsini to carry off
by force a beautiful girl from the presumably safe shelter of
her own home. The street is silent and deserted, the armed band
steal noiselessly along, place their scaling ladder under the
fair one's casement, and the head of the Orsini, climbing up,
seizes her and tries to carry her off in spite of her frantic
cries and entreaties.

The noise attracts the attention of Adrian, heir of the Colonna
family, and when he perceives that the would-be kidnappers wear
the arms and livery of the Orsini, his hereditary foes, he seizes
with joyful alacrity the opportunity to fight, and pounces upon
them with all his escort. A confused street skirmish ensues,
in the course of which Adrian rescues the beautiful maiden,
whom he recognises as Irene, Rienzi's only sister. Attracted by
the brawl, the people crowd around the combatants, cheering and
deriding them with discordant cries, and becoming so excited
that they refuse to disperse when the Pope's Legate appears
and timidly implores them to keep the peace.

The tumult has reached a climax when Rienzi suddenly comes
upon the scene, and authoritatively reminds his adherents that
they have sworn to respect the law and the Church, and bids
them withdraw. His words, received with enthusiastic cries
of approbation by the people, are, however, scorned by the
barons, who would fain continue the strife, but are forced
to desist. Anxious to renew hostilities as soon as possible,
and to decide the question of supremacy by the force of arms,
the irate noblemen then and there appoint a time and place
for a general encounter outside the city gates on the morrow,
when they reluctantly disperse.

The appointment has been overheard by Rienzi, who, urged by the
Legate of the Pope and by the clamours of the people to strike
a decisive blow, decides to close the gates upon the nobles on
the morrow, and to allow none to re-enter the city until they
have taken a solemn oath to keep the peace and respect the
law. In an impassioned discourse Rienzi then urges the people
to uphold him now that the decisive moment has come, and to
rally promptly around him at the sound of his trumpet, which
will peal forth on the morrow to proclaim the freedom of Rome.

When they have all gone in obedience to his command, the Tribune,
for such is the dignity which the people have conferred upon
their cha