BOOK IX.  THE RETURN.

“Allora la sua venuta fu a Roma sentita; Romani si apparecchiavano a riceverlo con letizia...furo fatti archi trionfali,” &c. &c.—­“Vita di Cola di Rienzi”, lib. ii. c. 17.

     “Then the fame of his coming was felt at Rome; the Romans
     made ready to receive him with gladness...triumphal arches
     were erected,” &c., &c.—­“Life of Cola di Rienzi”.

Chapter 9.I.  The Triumphal Entrance.

All Rome was astir!—­from St. Angelo to the Capitol, windows, balconies, roofs, were crowded with animated thousands.  Only here and there, in the sullen quarters of the Colonna, the Orsini, and the Savelli, reigned a death-like solitude and a dreary gloom.  In those fortifications, rather than streets, not even the accustomed tread of the barbarian sentinel was heard.  The gates closed—­the casements barred—­the grim silence around—­attested the absence of the Barons.  They had left the city so soon as they had learned the certain approach of Rienzi.  In the villages and castles of the Campagna, surrounded by their mercenaries, they awaited the hour when the people, weary of their idol, should welcome back even those ferocious Iconoclasts.

With these exceptions, all Rome was astir!  Triumphal arches of drapery, wrought with gold and silver, raised at every principal vista, were inscribed with mottoes of welcome and rejoicing.  At frequent intervals stood youths and maidens, with baskets of flowers and laurels.  High above the assembled multitudes—­from the proud tower of Hadrian—­from the turrets of the Capitol—­from the spires of the sacred buildings dedicated to Apostle and to Saint—­floated banners as for a victory.  Rome once more opened her arms to receive her Tribune!

Mingled with the crowd—­disguised by his large mantle—­hidden by the pressure of the throng—­his person, indeed, forgotten by most—­and, in the confusion of the moment, heeded by none—­stood Adrian Colonna!  He had not been able to conquer his interest for the brother of Irene.  Solitary amidst his fellow-citizens, he stood—­the only one of the proud race of Colonna who witnessed the triumph of the darling of the people.

“They say he has grown large in his prison,” said one of the bystanders; “he was lean enough when he came by daybreak out of the Church of St. Angelo!”

“Ay,” said another, a little man with a shrewd, restless eye, “they say truly; I saw him take leave of the Legate.”

Every eye was turned to the last speaker; he became at once a personage of importance.  “Yes,” continued the little man with an elated and pompous air, “as soon, d’ye see, as he had prevailed on Messere Brettone, and Messere Arimbaldo, the brothers of Fra Moreale, to accompany him from Perugia to Monte Fiascone, he went at once to the Legate d’Albornoz, who was standing in the open air conversing with his