he birthday of King Francis. "Victory all along the line" was
the message sent by Garibaldi to Naples after ten hours' fighting.
There had been grave fears expressed by Cavour that the army would
march on Rome and expel the French after this conclusion. But the King
was advancing toward the south of Italy to prevent any move which would
provoke France, and Garibaldi, marching north, dismounted from his
horse when he met the Piedmontese, and walking up to Victor Emmanuel,
hailed him King of Italy. Naples and Sicily, with Umbria and the
Marches, decided in favour of a united sceptre under the House of
Savoy. It was Garibaldi's proclamation to the people which urged them
to receive the new King with peace and affection. "No more political
colours, no more parties, no more discords," he hoped there would be
from the 7th of November, 1860. It was on that day that the king-maker
and the King together entered Naples. Garibaldi refused all the
honours which his sword had won, and left for his island-home at
Caprera, a poor man still, but one whose name could stir all Europe.

The Italian kingdom was proclaimed by the new Parliament which met in
February 1861, at Turin. All parts of Italy were represented save Rome
and Venice, and King Victor Emmanuel II entered on his reign as ruler
of Italy "by the Grace of God and the will of the nation."

{207}

Chapter XVIII

The Third Napoleon

Italy was free, but Italy was not yet united as patriots such as
Garibaldi had hoped that it might be. Venice and Rome must be added to
the possessions of Victor Emmanuel before he could boast that he held
beneath his sway all Italy between the Alps and Adriatic.

Rome, the dream of heroes, was in the power of a Pope who had to be
maintained in his authority by a garrison of the French. Napoleon III
clung to his alliance with the Catholic Church, and refused to withdraw
his troops and leave his Papal ally defenceless, for he cared nothing
about the views of Italian dreamers who longed that the Eternal City
should be free.

There was romance in the life-story of this French Emperor upon whose
support so many allies had come to depend. He was the son of Louis
Buonaparte and Hortense Beauharnais, who was the daughter of the
Empress Josephine. During the reign of Louis Philippe, this nephew of
the great usurper had spent his time in dreary exile, living in London
for the most part, and concealing a character of much ambition be