“Well, then, he is in Rome.  Some daring thought—­some well-supported and deep-schemed villany, could alone make that bandit venture openly into an Italian city, whose territories he ravaged by fire and sword a few months back.  But his brothers have lent me money—­assisted my return;—­for their own ends, it is true:  but the seeming obligation gives them real power.  These Northern swordsmen would cut my throat if the Great Captain bade them.  He counts on my supposed weakness.  I know him of old.  I suspect—­nay I read, his projects; but I cannot prove them.  Without proof, I cannot desert Palestrina in order to accuse and seize him.  Thou art shrewd, thoughtful, acute;—­couldst thou go to Rome?—­watch day and night his movements—­see if he receive messengers from Albornoz or the Barons—­if he confer with Pandulfo di Guido;—­watch his lodgment, I say, night and day.  He affects no concealment; your task will be less difficult than it seems.  Apprise the Signora of all you learn.  Give me your news daily.  Will you undertake this mission?”

“I will, my Lord.”

“To horse, then, quick!—­and mind—­save the wife of my bosom, I have no confidant in Rome.”

Chapter 10.II.  Montreal at Rome.—­His Reception of Angelo Villani.

The danger that threatened Rienzi by the arrival of Montreal was indeed formidable.  The Knight of St. John, having marched his army into Lombardy, had placed it at the disposal of the Venetian State in its war with the Archbishop of Milan.  For this service he received an immense sum; while he provided winter quarters for his troop, for whom he proposed ample work in the ensuing spring.  Leaving Palestrina secretly and in disguise, with but a slender train, which met him at Tivoli, Montreal repaired to Rome.  His ostensible object was, partly to congratulate the Senator on his return, partly to receive the monies lent to Rienzi by his brother.

His secret object we have partly seen; but not contented with the support of the Barons, he trusted, by the corrupting means of his enormous wealth, to form a third party in support of his own ulterior designs.  Wealth, indeed, in that age and in that land, was scarcely less the purchaser of diadems than it had been in the later days of the Roman Empire.  And in many a city torn by hereditary feuds, the hatred of faction rose to that extent, that a foreign tyrant, willing and able to expel one party, might obtain at least the temporary submission of the other.  His after-success was greatly in proportion to his power to maintain his state by a force which was independent of the citizens, and by a treasury which did not require the odious recruit of taxes.  But more avaricious than ambitious, more cruel than firm, it was by griping exaction, or unnecessary bloodshed, that such usurpers usually fell.