Novelist. BY SLOW DEGREES. A STORY OF AUSTRALIA. BY ALEXANDER MONTGOMERY. UNKNOWN CHAPTER XXXIV—(Continued.)

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1619, 18 November 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

Novelist. BY SLOW DEGREES. A STORY OF AUSTRALIA. BY ALEXANDER MONTGOMERY. UNKNOWN

CHAPTER XXXlV— (Cont inued.)

" I xemeraber his appeaiance well, as I saw him on the day of his depaituie for Venice. Tall, stiong, and .somewhat rugged of featuie, he nevertheless presented a favourable contrast to the little, weakly, degenerate beings into which the Old Eonwn race, lias in too many instances, deteiiorated, He was strongly affected at paiting from the sister, who had been a mother to him as well, but he was a man of great self-control, and no tear showed itself in his deep set eye, as my mother hung weeping on his shoulder. ' I shall never see you again,' she said. 'You will be plotting against the Austiians, and they are even more remorseless than ,' she did not finish the sentence, foi walls had ears in Home, at the time. 'It is in God's hands, 1 he answered. 'If the saciilice of my life for Italy should be called for — much as it grieves me to part from you, my sister — I shall not hesitate to render it like a Hoinan.' " Well, he went to Venice, and obtained a situation in a noble family theie, as tuLoi, to the only son, but, soon he wiotc to us, that matters in Venice were no better than in Home ; oppression was the older of the day, and, what was moic intoleiable — foreign oppression. I need scaiccly tell you that liinaldo joined the patriotic band, which laboured ceaselessly to arouse the dormant spint of liberty. His pupil, an idle and selfish young man, displayed, or pretended, a leaning towards the national cause, so that, though ltinaldo trusted him but little, the traitor became acquainted with many particular concerning the society, and, some time after my uncle had left Venice, this contemptible wietch communicated all he knew to the Austrian authoiities. Hinaldo was then livng in the family of a Milanese gentleman called Sfoizetti, as instructoi of his thieo sons. There were no other children, and my uncle was treated in every respect, as one of the family, to the members of winch he soon became much attached. His plotting nevci ceased for a moment, however, and hofoio long, he became one of the most trusted agents of the society in Milan. " Then came the discoveiy. Signoi Sforzetti's residence was situated se\eial miles frefm Milan, and, one morning, while the family were at breakfast, an affrighted servant rushed in, with news that a detachment of Austrian troops was bui rounding the house. Signor Sforzetti looked inquiringly at my uncle. ' Fear nothing,' said the latter — ' there is nothing to compromise you !' and the next moment an Austiian oflicei enteied the room, followed by his white-coated men. ' This is our man,' he said, in Geiinan,— pointing to my uncle, ' but seize and seaich them all.' ' What the children, too,captain ?' asked the sergeant to whom the order was ghen. ' Yes, the childicn, too,' said the flax-en-haired scoundiel. ' Accmsed whelps of an Italian dam !—lf! — If I had my way, they should be bayonetted before they were old enough to plot against the Emperior ; Search the mother first.' " I must tell you " — interjected Paola — " that the distinguishing characteristic of Austrian brutality towards Italians, was that it made no distinction of sex, the women being tieated by these cowardly barbarians with an atiocity of which no other chilised nation would be capable. Can you wonder that we hate them 9 " she exclaimed, laising her clenched hand in the air, while an unwonted Hush burned upon hei cheek. " Can you wonder that my father — citi/.en of the world, as he is— would almost die sooner than sit at the same table witli an Austiian? "Well, to resume. Two of the white-coated machines had achanccd to lay hands on the terrified and shrinking Signora Sf6rzetli, when Hinaldo, with a sudden cftoit, shook off the men who held him, and knocked the Austiian captain down. My uncle was a poweiful young man, and, when the half -stunned ofucei was helped to his feet again, it was seen that his cheek was split open from eye to mouth, and the front of his white uniform drenched with blood. ' Bind his arms !' he cried, as soon as ho could speak for fury. ' Down into the couit-yaid with him !' ' Oh, what are you going to do ?' cried Signoia Sfoi/.etti, flinging herself on her knees before the officer; ' spaie him, for God's sake!' 'Do with him?' echoed the Austiian. 'If you will look out of that window for five minutes, you will see what I do with him! Downstairs with him, instantly !' " With his arms bound, my uncle was quickly dragged downstairs, and placed against the wall of the court-yard, while a paity of soldiers was ranged on the side opposite to him. Signor Sforzetti described the terrible affair afterwards, in a letter to my mother. The morning sun shone full into 'liinaldo's pale, stern face, as he gazed, without a tremor, ■ at the line . of executioners in front of him ; white, scared countenances looked down from many a window round, and a flock of pigeons, in strange contrast with the spirit of the scene, fluttered and cooed about the dovecote, atyo've the doomed man's head. ' Hinaldo — Kinaldo !' cried Sforzetti, piessing forward, ' Have you no message foi your sister ?' •,6nly this,' returned by uncle, steadily: • tell her I died for Italy, and died like, a Eoman! Farewell to yourself, Sforzetti. This Austrian hound will think twice before he insults another Italian woman.' ' Heady !' roared the captain to the firing party. * Present ! What now ?' he added, angrily, to Jiis lieutenant, who touched him on the arm before the third and fatal word could be uttered. The lieutenant whispered in his superior's ear, and, after a few moments of hesitation, the captain ordered his men to order arms again. ' Einaldo Caraffa,' he „ gaid then, • your treason is all discovered. We have ample proofs of it ; and by shootv * ing*you now for your insolent attack upon me, I, should only anticipate the fate which -awflit^'ybu at-Mildri. ' (But, on one condition, f ryfljjc life, .will be spared. . Give up, the VS:O? V S :O? all yQur\acc6mplices.;' acquaint the aiUhothe. details of your^conspiracy^and.

lewaid.' There was 11 dead silunue ; llio prisoner seemed as if he had not heaid a word of what had been said to him. ' Consider well,' said the Austrian ; ' I will ask you three times. Once !' No sound, but the gentle coo of the pigeons, and the rustle of the poplars in the breeze. • Twice !' The piisoner compressed his proud lips, but uttered not a word till the third, and last warning had been given, when, witli a contemptuous smile, he looked the olHcer full in the face. ' Viva V ltalia /' he said, and that was all. With a fierce stamp'of his foot, the captain turned to his men — the rapid words of command were followed by the crash of the volley — and Einaldo Caraffa had healed his patriotism with his blood." There were teai sin the girl's pi oud eyes as she concluded, and I felt my own blood strangely stirred, as much by the dramatic force with which she iiad told the stoiy, as by the tragic inteiobt of the tale itself. " There is a future for Italy yet," I thought, as I looked at her. " The ancient spirit of her people may be buried — it is not dead !''