He was past middle age; very tall, with a magnificent beard and a stern, dictatorial air, which answered admirably to the popular idea of what the conqueror of Sicily ought to be like, although there was no resemblance to the real person.  It happened that Eboli was a royalist town and beyond the pale of declared revolution—­a placid and antiquated little city with a forgotten air, where life had been probably too easy for its inhabitants to wish for a change.  But the supposed arrival of the Terrible Man turned everything upside-down.  Peard, with Commander Forbes, who was following the campaign as a non-combatant, rode up to the house of the old Syndic, who instantly became their devoted servant.  Like wildfire spread the news—­the whole population besieged the house, brass bands resounded, chinese lanterns were hung out; the Church, led by the bishop, hurried to the spot, the Law, headed by a judge, closely following, while the wives of the local officials appeared in perfectly new bonnets.  They all craved an audience, and the same answer was given to all:  that General Garibaldi was much fatigued and was asleep—­so he was, but ninety miles away.  He would be pleased to receive the deputations if they would return punctually at half-past three a.m.  In the meantime, Peard was in an inner room, engaged in cannonading Naples with telegrams.  He had sent for the telegraph master, who came trembling like an aspen, and from whom it was elicited that he had already telegraphed to the Home Office at Naples, and to the general commanding at Salerno, that Garibaldi was in the town.  Peard remarked casually that he supposed he knew his life was in jeopardy, and then handed him the following message:  ’Eboli, 11.30 p.m.—­Garibaldi has arrived with 5000 of his own men, and 5000 Calabrese are momentarily expected.  Disembarkations are expected in the bay of Naples and the gulf of Salerno to-night.  I strongly advise your withdrawing the garrison from the latter place without delay, or they will be cut off.’  This was despatched to General Ulloa, whom rumour reported to have been just made minister of war, and was signed in the name of one of his personal friends.  The rumour was false; but the telegram, of course, reached the desired quarter, and the name attached removed all doubt of its genuineness.  It was hardly sent off when a despatch came from the real war minister, asking the telegraph clerk if news had been received of the division Caldarelli?  To this Peard answered that General Caldarelli and his division had gone over to Garibaldi yesterday, and now formed part of the national army.  Similar information was sent to General Scotti at Salerno.  Finally, the Syndic of Salerno was asked if he had seen anything of the Garibaldian expeditions by sea?