theme. So ye detain in your fortress my
old friend the Baron di Castello?"

"Ay," said Luca di Savelli; for Stefanello, stung by Montreal's threat,
which he dared not openly resent, preserved a sullen silence; "Ay, he is
one noble the less to the Senator's council."

"You act wisely. I know his views and temper; at present dangerous to
our interests. Yet use him well, I entreat you; he may hereafter serve
us. And now, my Lords, my eyes are weary, suffer me to retire. Pleasant
dreams of the New Revolution to us all!"

"By your leave, noble Montreal, we will attend you to your couch," said
Luca di Savelli.

"By my troth, and ye shall not. I am no Tribune to have great Signors
for my pages; but a plain gentleman, and a hardy soldier: your
attendants will conduct me to whatever chamber your hospitality assigns
to one who could sleep soundly beneath the rudest hedge under your open
skies."

Savelli, however, insisted on conducting the Podesta that was to be, to
his apartment. He then returned to Stefanello, whom he found pacing the
saloon with long and disordered strides.

"What have we done, Savelli?" said he, quickly; "sold our city to a
barbarian!"

"Sold!" said Savelli; "to my mind it is the other part of the contract
in which we have played our share. We have bought, Colonna, not
sold--bought our lives from yon army; bought our power, our fortunes,
our castles, from the Demagogue Senator; bought, what is better than
all, triumph and revenge. Tush, Colonna, see you not that if we had
balked this great warrior, we had perished? Leagued with the Senator,
the Grand Company would have marched to Rome; and, whether Montreal
assisted or murdered Rienzi, (for methinks he is a Romulus, who would
brook no Remus), we had equally been undone. Now, we have made our own
terms, and our shares are equal. Nay, the first steps to be taken are in
our favour. Rienzi is to be snared, and we are to enter Rome."

"And then the Provencal is to be Despot of the city."

"Podesta, if you please. Podestas who offend the people are often
banished, and sometimes stoned--Podestas who insult the nobles are often
stilettoed, and sometimes poisoned," said Savelli. "'Sufficient for the
day is the evil thereof.' Meanwhile, say nothing to the bear, Orsini.
Such men mar all wisdom. Come, cheer thee, Stefanello."

"Luca di Savelli, you have not such a stake in Rome as I have," said
the young Lord, haughtily; "no Podesta can take from you the ran