Orazio having received and welcomed his friend and brethren, now began
to think of their general safety. He therefore called aside Attilio and
the Prince (who by this time had become firmly devoted to them and the
national cause), and addressed them as follows:-
"It is true we have been victorious in our last encounter, and have
vanquished you, Prince, whose noble conduct now conquers our hearts; but
I fear now this castle has become too notorious for us to remain longer
in it in safety. The Government will employ every means in its power to
hunt us out of our retreat and to destroy us, and is capable of sending
a whole army with artillery to demolish these old walls. I do not,
however, advise an immediate retreat, as the Cardinals will require time
to form projects and make arrangements; but it behoves us now to use all
vigilance, and from this moment to ascertain the movements of the enemy
and guard against surprise. As for yourself, Prince, you had better
return to Rome; your presence here is not needed for the present, and
there you may be of the greatest use to us. Let it be thought that you
were set at liberty on parole, on condition that you would not bear arms
against us, and then send in your resignation."
"Yes," replied the Prince, "I can be of more service to you in Rome, and
I pledge my word of honor to be yours until death."
Attilio was of the same opinion, and added that Regolo would advise them
of the movements of the Pontifical troops. On the Prince desiring some
secure means of remaining with them, Attilio presented him with a
piece of paper--so small that it might easily be swallowed in case of
emergency--containing a line of recommendation for the Prince to Regolo.
The rest of the day was devoted to the interment of the dead, of which
there were not a few, and to tending the wounded, nearly all of whom
were Papalini. Three of the Liberals only were wounded, and those not
seriously. This proves that, in the strife of battle, the valorous run
the least danger; and if the statistics of the field were referred to,
it would be seen that fugitives lose more men than any army which stands
its ground.
At midnight the Prince started for Rome. And who acted as his guide?
Who, but Gasparo, the veteran chief of the bandits in old times, now an
affiliated Liberal, as he had proved in the last affray, in which he had
done wonders with his unerring carbine.
I who write this am well persuaded of the truth of the perpetual
amelioration of the human race. I am wholly opposed to the cynic and the
pessimist, and believe with all my heart and soul in the law of human
progress by various agencies, under many forms, and with many necessary
interruptions. Providence has willed that happiness shall be the final
end of this sad planet and suffering race; but Its decrees work slowly,
and only by the submission of mankind to the higher law of light is
happiness attainable. Not by miracles will men become regenerated.
Voltaire has well said-
"J'en al vaincu plu d'un,
Je n'ai forco personne,
Et le vrai Dieu, mon fils,
Est un Dieu qui pardonne."
If humanity does not improve along with the progress of knowledge, as
it should do, the fault must lie with the various governments, for with
kind treatment and judicious care, even the wild beasts of the forest
become domesticated, and their fierce passions are tamed. What, then,
may we not accomplish with the very lowest grade of mankind? But can any
thing be expected from a people kept purposely in ignorance, and reduced
to misery by exaction, imposts, and taxes? We know that these taxes
and exactions are not, as it is stated, imposed upon the Romans for the
defense of the state, or for the support and maintenance of national
honor, but to fatten the Pontifical Government and its multitude of
parasites, who are to the people what vermin are to the body, or what
the worm is to the corpse, and who exist only to plunder and devour. Who
can deny that the people of Southern Italy were more prosperous in 1860
than at the present day, and is not the reason because they were better
governed?
In those days brigandage was scarcely known; there were no prefects,
no gendarmes, no bravos. Now, with the multitude of satellites who ruin
Italian finance existing in the South, anarchy, brigandage, and misery
prevail. Poor people! They hoped, after so many centuries of tyranny,
and after the brilliant revolution of 1860, to obtain in a reformed
Government an era of repose, of progress, and of prosperity. Alas, it
was but a delusion! "Put not your trust in princes," says Holy Writ.
Gasparo had baptized himself a Liberal in the Wood of the oppressors. He
was received by the young brigand with indulgence, and even enthusiasm,
and intrusted, as already mentioned, with the important mission of
conducting Prince T------ out of the forest into the direct road to Rome.
The prediction of Orazio respecting the steps that would be taken by
the Papal Government fulfilled itself exactly. After the reverse it had
sustained at the castle of Lucullus, the bishops decided in council to
send a large body of troops, with artillery, against this stronghold of
the Liberals; and as it was thought they would not tarry long for such
a descent, the resolution was to carry the assault into immediate
execution.
With this in view, it was determined that not only the Papal, but also
the foreign troops at the service of the Pope, should be drawn upon for
the expedition. A foreign general of note was called in to direct the
enterprise, and every thing was made ready with alacrity, that the
critical assault might be delivered on Easter Day, generally so
propitious to the priests, who on that occasion, after their long fast,
gorge even more than usual their capacious stomachs at the expense of
their ignorant and superstitious flocks.
Orazio and his companions meanwhile were not sleeping, and received
regular information from their friends in Rome of the plans and
preparations made by the Pontifical Government, albeit it kept them as
secret as possible. The first thing Orazio did was to explore the
subterranean passages thoroughly. These were known, even to him, only
partially, and a few of his comrades; but Gasparo, who had already
returned from his mission, had had better opportunities of examining
them, and, with his assistance, a thorough exploration was to be made.