Garibaldi said sadly that evening to an English friend:  ’They have sent us to the rear.’  It was the first sign of the ungenerous treatment meted out to the Garibaldian array to which the King lent himself more than he ought to have done.  He promised to be present on the 6th of November, when Garibaldi reviewed his volunteers, but after keeping them waiting, sent a message to say that he could not come.  The last meeting of all between the chief and his faithful followers was at Naples, on the occasion of the distribution of medals to as many as were left of the Thousand—­less than half.  In all his farewell addresses the same note sounded:  ’We have done much in a short time....  I thank you in the name of our country....  We shall meet again.’

The plebiscites in Umbria and the Marches and in the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily took place in October.  The formula adopted at Naples was more broadly framed than in the previous plebiscites; it ran:  ’The people desire an united Italy under the sceptre of the House of Savoy.’  The vote was almost unanimous.

On the 7th of November, Victor Emmanuel made his entry into Naples, with Garibaldi at his side.  Next day, in the great throne-room of the palace, the king-maker delivered to the King the plebiscites of the Two Sicilies.

Garibaldi had nothing more to do except to pay a last visit to Admiral Mundy, whose flagship still lay at anchor in the bay.  This duty was performed in the grey dawn of the 9th of November.  ’There is the ship which is to carry me away to my island home,’ he said, pointing to an American merchant vessel, ’but, Admiral, I could not depart without paying you a farewell visit.  Your conduct to me since our first meeting at Palermo has been so kind, so generous, that it can never be erased from my memory; it is engraven there indelibly—­it will last my life.’

On leaving the flagship he rowed straight to the American vessel, which soon afterwards steamed out of the bay.  The parting salute fired by the guns of the Hannibal was all the pomp that attended his departure.  Several hours later the people of Naples knew that their liberator had gone to dig up the potatoes which he had planted in the spring.

By Cavour’s advice, Victor Emmanuel offered Garibaldi a dukedom and the Collar of the Annunziata, which confers the rank of cousin to the King, besides riches to support these honours.  He refused everything, and returned to Caprera poorer than when he left it.

CHAPTER XVI

BEGINNINGS OF THE ITALIAN KINGDOM

1860-1861

Beginnings of the Italian Kingdom—­The Fall of Gaeta—­Political
Brigandage—­The Proclamation of the Italian Kingdom—­Cavour’s Death.