rowd enter the courtyard, ordered
his servitors to provide them with wine and refreshment, regaled the
good monks in his great hall, and then led the way to a small room,
where he received the messenger.

"This," said the youth, "will best explain my mission," as he placed a
letter before Montreal.

The Knight cut the silk with his dagger, and read the epistle with great
composure.

"Your Tribune," said he, when he had finished it, "has learned the
laconic style of power very soon. He orders me to render this castle,
and vacate the Papal Territory within ten days. He is obliging; I must
have breathing time to consider the proposal; be seated, I pray you,
young sir. Forgive me, but I should have imagined that your lord had
enough upon his hands with his Roman barons, to make him a little more
indulgent to us foreign visitors. Stephen Colonna--"

"Is returned to Rome, and has taken the oath of allegiance; the Savelli,
the Orsini, the Frangipani, have all subscribed their submission to the
Buono Stato."

"How!" cried Montreal, in great surprise.

"Not only have they returned, but they have submitted to the
dispersion of all their mercenaries, and the dismantling of all their
fortifications. The iron of the Orsini palace now barricades the
Capitol, and the stonework of the Colonna and the Savelli has added new
battlements to the gates of the Lateran and St. Laurence."

"Wonderful man!" said Montreal, with reluctant admiration. "By what
means was this effected?"

"A stern command and a strong force to back it. At the first sound of
the great bell, twenty thousand Romans rise in arms. What to such an
army are the brigands of an Orsini or a Colonna?--Sir Knight, your
valour and renown make even Rome admire you; and I, a Roman, bid you
beware."

"Well, I thank thee--thy news, friend, robs me of breath. So the Barons
submit, then?"

"Yes: on the first day, one of the Colonna, the Lord Adrian, took the
oath; within a week, Stephen, assured of safe conduct, left Palestrina,
the Savelli in his train; the Orsini followed--even Martino di Porto has
silently succumbed."

"The Tribune--but is that his dignity--methought he was to be king--"

"He was offered, and he refused, the title. His present rank, which
arrogates no patrician honours, went far to conciliate the nobles."

"A wise knave!--I beg pardon, a sagacious prince!--Well, then, the
Tribune lords it mightily, I suppose, over the great Roman names?"

"Pardon