us, my Lords; while
these obstacles are so great for our foes, now is the time for us to
form and cement a counter-league between all the princes of Italy. To
you, noble Stephen, I have come, as your rank demands,--alone, of all
the barons of Rome,--to propose to you this honourable union. Observe
what advantages it proffers to your house. The popes have abandoned Rome
for ever; there is no counterpoise to your ambition,--there need be none
to your power. You see before you the examples of Visconti and Taddeo
di Pepoli. You may found in Rome, the first city of Italy, a supreme and
uncontrolled principality, subjugate utterly your weaker rivals,--the
Savelli, the Malatesta, the Orsini,--and leave to your sons' sons an
hereditary kingdom that may aspire once more, perhaps, to the empire of
the world."

Stephen shaded his face with his hand as he answered: "But this, noble
Montreal, requires means:--money and men."

"Of the last, you can command from me enow--my small company, the best
disciplined, can (whenever I please) swell to the most numerous in
Italy: in the first, noble Baron, the rich House of Colonna cannot fail;
and even a mortgage on its vast estates may be well repaid when you have
possessed yourselves of the whole revenues of Rome. You see," continued
Montreal, turning to Adrian, in whose youth he expected a more warm ally
than in the his hoary kinsman: "you see, at a glance, how feasible is
this project, and what a mighty field it opens to your House."

"Sir Walter de Montreal," said Adrian, rising from his seat, and giving
vent to the indignation he had with difficulty suppressed, "I grieve
much that, beneath the roof of the first citizen of Rome, a stranger
should attempt thus calmly, and without interruption, to excite the
ambition of emulating the execrated celebrity of a Visconti or a Pepoli.
Speak, my Lord! (turning to Stephen)--speak, noble kinsman! and tell
this Knight of Provence, that if by a Colonna the ancient grandeur of
Rome cannot be restored, it shall not be, at least, by a Colonna that
her last wrecks of liberty shall be swept away."

"How now, Adrian!--how now, sweet kinsman!" said Stephen, thus suddenly
appealed to, "calm thyself, I pr'ythee. Noble Sir Walter, he is
young--young, and hasty--he means not to offend thee."

"Of that I am persuaded," returned Montreal, coldly, but with great
and courteous command of temper. "He speaks from the impulse of the
moment,--a praiseworthy fault