d missed all the
reward of his deed, characteristically comes forward to receive its
punishment. The legate orders him to his own house; advises Chiappino,
with a little more joking at his expense, to leave the town for a short
time; takes possession of the key of the provost's palace, to which he
does _not_ intend to give a new inmate; bids a cheery goodbye to every
one, and rides away as he came. He has

"known _four_ and twenty leaders of revolts." (vol. iii. p. 302.)

The tragedy of "LURIA" is supposed to be enacted at some period of the
fifteenth century; being an episode in the historical struggle between
Florence and Pisa. It occupies one day; and the five acts correspond
respectively to its "Morning," "Noon," "Afternoon," "Evening," and
"Night." The day is that of a long-expected encounter which is to end
the war. The Florentine troops are commanded by the Moorish mercenary
Luria. He is encamped between the two cities; and with, or near him, are
his Moorish friend and confidant Husain; Puccio--the officer whom he has
superseded; Braccio--Commissary of the Republic; his secretary Jacopo,
or Lapo; and a noble Florentine lady, Domizia.

Luria is a consummate general, a brave fighter, and a humane man. Every
soldier of the army is devoted to him, and the triumph of the Republic
seems secured. But the men who trust him to win the victory cannot trust
him not to misuse it. They are afraid that his strength will be turned
against themselves so soon as it has disposed of their foreign foe: and
Braccio is on the spot, in order to watch his movements, to register
every deed that can give the slightest hold for an accusation--in short,
to supply the Signoria with the materials for a trial, which is
proceeding step by step with Luria's successful campaign, and is to
crush him the moment this is completed. Everyone but Husain is more or
less his enemy. For Lapo is almost blindly devoted to his chief. Puccio
is jealous of the stranger for whom he has been set aside. Domizia is
making him an instrument of revenge. Her brothers have been faithful as
he is, and condemned as he is to be. They accepted their sentence
because it was the mother-city who passed it. She encourages Luria to
encounter the same ingratitude, because she believes he will resist and
punish it.

He is not unwarned of his danger. The Pisan general, Tiburzio, has
discovered the conspiracy against him, and brings him, shortly before
the battle, an