按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
adversary〃 simply from being well…informed on the subject and
honest。 He is as true as steel； and for no one will he bend right
or left。 。 。 。 。 Do not fancy him a Bobadil；' she adds； 'he is
only a very true； candid boy。 I am so glad he remains in all
respects but information a great child。'
If this letter is correctly dated； the cause was already lost and
the King had already abdicated when these lines were written。 No
sooner did the news reach Genoa； than there began 'tumultuous
movements'； and the Jenkins' received hints it would be wise to
leave the city。 But they had friends and interests； even the
captain had English officers to keep him company； for Lord
Hardwicke's ship； the VENGEANCE； lay in port； and supposing the
danger to be real； I cannot but suspect the whole family of a
divided purpose； prudence being possibly weaker than curiosity。
Stay； at least； they did； and thus rounded their experience of the
revolutionary year。 On Sunday； April 1； Fleeming and the captain
went for a ramble beyond the walls； leaving Aunt Anna and Mrs。
Jenkin to walk on the bastions with some friends。 On the way back；
this party turned aside to rest in the Church of the Madonna delle
Grazie。 'We had remarked；' writes Mrs。 Jenkin； 'the entire absence
of sentinels on the ramparts； and how the cannons were left in
solitary state； and I had just remarked 〃How quiet everything is！〃
when suddenly we heard the drums begin to beat and distant shouts。
ACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE to revolutions； we never thought of being
frightened。' For all that； they resumed their return home。 On the
way they saw men running and vociferating； but nothing to indicate
a general disturbance； until； near the Duke's palace； they came
upon and passed a shouting mob dragging along with it three cannon。
It had scarcely passed before they heard 'a rushing sound'； one of
the gentlemen thrust back the party of ladies under a shed； and the
mob passed again。 A fine…looking young man was in their hands； and
Mrs。 Jenkin saw him with his mouth open as if he sought to speak；
saw him tossed from one to another like a ball； and then saw him no
more。 'He was dead a few instants after； but the crowd hid that
terror from us。 My knees shook under me and my sight left me。'
With this street tragedy； the curtain rose upon their second
revolution。
The attack on Spirito Santo； and the capitulation and departure of
the troops speedily followed。 Genoa was in the hands of the
Republicans； and now came a time when the English residents were in
a position to pay some return for hospitality received。 Nor were
they backward。 Our Consul （the same who had the benefit of
correction from Fleeming） carried the Intendente on board the
VENGEANCE； escorting him through the streets； getting along with
him on board a shore boat； and when the insurgents levelled their
muskets； standing up and naming himself； 'CONSOLE INGLESE。' A
friend of the Jenkins'； Captain Glynne； had a more painful； if a
less dramatic part。 One Colonel Nosozzo had been killed （I read）
while trying to prevent his own artillery from firing on the mob；
but in that hell's cauldron of a distracted city； there were no
distinctions made； and the Colonel's widow was hunted for her life。
In her grief and peril； the Glynnes received and hid her； Captain
Glynne sought and found her husband's body among the slain； saved
it for two days； brought the widow a lock of the dead man's hair；
but at last； the mob still strictly searching； seems to have
abandoned the body； and conveyed his guest on board the VENGEANCE。
The Jenkins also had their refugees； the family of an EMPLOYE
threatened by a decree。 'You should have seen me making a Union
Jack to nail over our door；' writes Mrs。 Jenkin。 'I never worked
so fast in my life。 Monday and Tuesday；' she continues； 'were
tolerably quiet； our hearts beating fast in the hope of La
Marmora's approach； the streets barricaded； and none but foreigners
and women allowed to leave the city。' On Wednesday； La Marmora
came indeed； but in the ugly form of a bombardment； and that
evening the Jenkins sat without lights about their drawing…room
window； 'watching the huge red flashes of the cannon' from the
Brigato and La Specula forts； and hearkening； not without some
awful pleasure； to the thunder of the cannonade。
Lord Hardwicke intervened between the rebels and La Marmora； and
there followed a troubled armistice； filled with the voice of
panic。 Now the VENGEANCE was known to be cleared for action； now
it was rumoured that the galley slaves were to be let loose upon
the town； and now that the troops would enter it by storm。 Crowds；
trusting in the Union Jack over the Jenkins' door； came to beg them
to receive their linen and other valuables； nor could their
instances be refused； and in the midst of all this bustle and
alarm； piles of goods must be examined and long inventories made。
At last the captain decided things had gone too far。 He himself
apparently remained to watch over the linen； but at five o'clock on
the Sunday morning； Aunt Anna； Fleeming； and his mother were rowed
in a pour of rain on board an English merchantman； to suffer 'nine
mortal hours of agonising suspense。' With the end of that time；
peace was restored。 On Tuesday morning officers with white flags
appeared on the bastions； then； regiment by regiment； the troops
marched in； two hundred men sleeping on the ground floor of the
Jenkins' house； thirty thousand in all entering the city； but
without disturbance； old La Marmora being a commander of a Roman
sternness。
With the return of quiet； and the reopening of the universities； we
behold a new character； Signor Flaminio： the professors； it
appears； made no attempt upon the Jenkin； and thus readily
italianised the Fleeming。 He came well recommended； for their
friend Ruffini was then； or soon after； raised to be the head of
the University； and the professors were very kind and attentive；
possibly to Ruffini's PROTEGE； perhaps also to the first Protestant
student。 It was no joke for Signor Flaminio at first； certificates
had to be got from Paris and from Rector Williams； the classics
must be furbished up at home that he might follow Latin lectures；
examinations bristled in the path； the entrance examination with
Latin and English essay； and oral trials （much softened for the
foreigner） in Horace； Tacitus； and Cicero； and the first University
examination only three months later； in Italian eloquence； no less；
and other wider subjects。 On one point the first Protestant
student was moved to thank his stars： that there was no Greek
required for the degree。 Little did he think； as he set down his
gratitude； how much； in later life and among cribs and
dictionaries； he was to lament this circumstance； nor how much of
that later life he was to spend acquiri