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NoMihi;' So Pathetic.
••There in notliifnc so pathetic
In thin life ns to hear
The low. nad plunk of a tear."
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“Till now 7 continued Masaniello, ‘'These
jjave been your only means of attack and
defense; in default of other arms they will
still suffice. And if you ever discover a
traitor in your ranks, swear to mo that you
will use them to pierce him to tho heart.”
“We swear it.”
“And now, holy father,” added Masani
ello, kn<Ting before the Benedictine, “im
plore for us the protection of heaven and
bless our arms.”
All knelt down, like their leader. Tho
monk extended his arms over tho prostrate
crowd and said:
“Go forth, my children, to combat, for
your cause is just and holy. Bo prodigal of
your own blood, but sparing of that of your
oppressors, and may the God of armies pro
tect you in the struggle. I bless both you and
your arms in tho name of Heaven!”
“Thanks, father,” said Masaniello. Ho
then rose up and added: “Brothers, go and
take your repose. Sleep, as usual, on the
stones of the harbor, on the sand of tho
beach, on tho steps of cho churches, and un
der the peristyle of the palace, but to-morrow
morning at sunrise let me see you ail assem
bled before my cabin. Good night!”
“Good night!” repeated ull the conspir
ators.
Tho torches were extinguished; a few mo
ments afterward all those present were scat
tered through the avenues of Pausilippo, and
the catacombs were again enveloped in dark
ness.
CHAPTER VIL
VESUVIUS.
On leaving the catacombs, Masaniello
vaulted on a horse which he had waiting for
him. and hurried to Vesuvius. lie had just
reached the foot of the mountain, when the
challenge of the sentinel stopped him. Ma
saniello told him his name,
“Pass on,” said the sentinel. “Follow this
sulphur furrow which you see on your right,
and you will reach the edge of the volcano.”
In a quarter of an hour, Masaniello arrived
at the appointed place, but there was no Cor
celli to be seen. He at last perceived, at
somo distance, a light in the hollow of a rock;
ho drew near, and beheld forty or fifty indi
viduals, in tattered apparel, standing against
the walls of a grotto.
A man, with long hair and a velvet doublet,
was sitting with his back to tho others, to
ward whom, however, he frequently turned.
Ho had a pencil in his hand, and was tran
quilly taking silhouette sketches of tho figures
that surrounded him.
“I haf stayed a lonk time widout moving,
Mr. Artist,” said an athletic German. “Vill
you soon haf done niv bortrait?”
“Silence! you rogue,” answered the artist,
“and keep still. By St. Januarius, you had
better not make me spoil the drunkard I have
dreamed of so long.”
Masaniello recognized the voice of bia
friend, Salvator Rosa.
. i . ■ -~
Masaniello recognized the voice of his
friend, Salvaor llosa.
He entered the grotto without being seen
by any one.
“Mr. / rtist,” continued tho German, an
ex-lansque:iet, who had turned brigand after
having first been a vagabond, “don’t forget
t:> baint my mustdache, pegause the gilds of
Suapia ding it fery tine!”
Salvator Rosa replied to this observation
by a rap with his maul stick.
Tho bri garni drew iiis poniard.
I “Back to its sheath with that, scoundrel 1”
' exclaimed Corcelli, placing himself between
Salvator and his model.
At this moment, Masaniello touched tho
captain on tho shoulder.
“Ah! here ho is at last,” said Coreclli. “Rise,
Ml of you, you r..seals, and salute il Signoro
ilasaniello!”
At this name, Salvator Rosa turned round
quickly, and came and shook tho fisherman
by the hand.
“aon here?” said he.
“Acs, I have something of importance to
talk to Corcelli about. But how have you, my
dear Salvator, got into such company/”
“i left Maples three days back to go and
study the beauties of our mountains when
these three donkeys made me prisoner.”
“And you may be certain that von will
hot leave us before you have paid your ran
added the captain of the brigands.
Salvator began to laugh.
‘‘i bis is one of the most original beings I
bare ever met with,” said he to Masaniello.
He imagines that a painter has money and
phh pay a ransom! Oh, Corcelli! what an
illusion is yours!”
‘ bet us retire for a moment, and talk of
° Ur affairs,” said Masaniello, drawing the
° a ptain out of the cave.
“Hi the first place,” said Masaniello, “I re
quire you to restore Salvator Rosa to lib
erty.”
“M hat! after I have kept him gratis?”
“Has he not drawn the portraits ©f nearly
k bli your men V ’
r “A fine family picture gallery, indeed!”
r “Salvator is my friend.”
W ell, then, let him pay mo a hundred du
and go.”
A hundred ducats! Why, Corcelli, no
ar tist ever possessed such a sum.”
‘‘Then fifty.”
Capture cardinals, abbes, monsignori, and
make them capitulate, if you like; but do
not t hink that an artist possesses even fifty
ducats.”
“Mot fifty? nor twenty?”
“No, nor twenty. It appears that you roll
in gold, Coice 11. Oh! it is easy to sea that
you are a robber.”
“Well, then, take the prisoner a way with
you. Where there is nothing”
“The brigand loses his rights. Now that
the preliminaries are settled, let ra know
how many men you have.”
“Two hundred.”
“Brave?”
“As lions.”
“ Devoted f’
“Like dogs.”
“Capable of bearing fatigue?”
“Very donkeys.”
“And what arms?” ’
“Three hundred muskets and fire hundred
poniards. ”
“And you place all these at the service of
tho insurgents?”
“Yes, all.”
“On what conditions?”
“I ask for nothing, or next to nothing, my
dear Masaniello.”
“What is it?”
“Two hours’ pillage.”
“Oh, that’s all?”
“Yes. ”
“ Well, hear me. I hare given 'orders to
have tho man who appropriates to himself
one shiglo article shot. You see how we
agree."
“But why, then, aro you going to have a
revolution, my little angel?”
“To free Naples, and not for the sake of
pillage.”
“And what advantage shall I find in Naples
being freed?”
“You will profit by the victory.”
“How?”
“You will be ablo to beeome an honest
man, and to servo in the army as my lieu
tenant. ”
“I am captain already, and you want me
to expose my doublet to the balls of tho enemy
to become a lieutenant!”
“Your men shall receive good pay.”
“How much a day?”
“Two ducats.”
“From whom?”
“From me.”
“Ah! piccolo rmo, what excellent security!
But where is the Jew who would discount
your bills? He is still in his swaddling
clothes.”
“1 will pay in ready money.”
“With what?”
Masaniello pointed to tho Spanish vessels
riding at anchor in the bay*.
“Among those vessels,” added he, “there is
a galleon loaded with - three hundred thousand
ducats, the fruit of exaction and rapine.”
“Three hundred thousand ducats!” ex
claimed Corcelli, stroking his mustache.
“And how many guns to protect them?”
“i know not.”
“liuml Three hundred thousand ducats!
It’s a pretty sum.”
“It i§ from tho Indians of Mexico and the
burgesses of Flanders that this money was
extorted. Stolen from tho people, it will pay
for the people’s victory; for to-morrow wo
will attack the flotilla of Don Juan Fernan
dez. ”
“We are beginning to understand each
other. But how will you manage to get at
this treasure?”
“My plan of attack is already arranged. ”
“\V hat post will 3*oll assign to us, Masaui
ello?”
“You will occupy the gate of Marina.”
“Good.”
“And 3*ou will wait quietly until y*ou hear
tho tocsin of tho convent of the Francis
cans. ”
“Well, what then?”
“Then 3 T ou will make a sally on the market
place, wfiero you will And us engaged with
the viceroy’s troops.”
“Well?”
“By our lady del Carmine, 3*ou will then
be ablo to see what 3*ou are to do. You can
ohooso from the reiters, tho lansquenets,
tho Castilian arquebusiers and tho cavalleria
del ra All I recommend 3 r ou is to do your
business well.”
"Sot x-our mind at rest. My men will not
fail to dash into the hottest part of the fray.”
“Do not forget to return to the harbor
after the battle, and wait for me there.”
“You will bo obe>*ed in everything, caris
irao. Yet”
‘Well, what?”
If tho expedition which attacks the flotilla
is repulsed may I not interfere?”
“Corcelli! Corcelli!” replied Masaniello,
“the thought of this galleon will lose 3*ou.”
“Nonsense!” said the brigand, laughing.
“But day is breaking. I will go and muster
my men, and follow 3-ou in a quarter of an
hour.”
Masaniello returned to the grotto, where
ho found Salvator still sketching.
“Come, Salvator’” said the fisherman, “let
us go.”
“What! have >*ou made this miscreant
reasonable at last?” said the artist, pointing
to Corcelli.
“Bo oil' with you, 3*ou beggarly painter,”
said the brigand; “return to Naples and
rid us of all these papers, pencils and colors,
which tako up my men’s attention and hin
der them from doing their business. And
you, 3*oll scoundrels,” added Corcelli, ad
dressing his band, “look at him well, so that
you may bo ablo to know him, for ho among
3*oll who ever brings him back snail receive
a hundred lashes. ”
“My sword,” said Salvator.
“Give it him, sangue di Cristo! and let him
go,” cried Corcelli, impatiently.
The artist belted on lus sword, slung his
box 01 colors over his shoulder, took up his
stick and followed Masaniello.
“And now 1 will tell you, Salvator, what
brought me to Vesuvius this morning. Dur
ing 3*our absence, the most surprising things
havo taken place at Naples.”
Here Masaniello gave Salvator a graphic
account of everything which had happened.
“Bravo! bravo! exclaimed the painter,
“fly St. Januarius! 1 will join you! it shall
never be said that tho sword of Salvator
Rosa slept in its scabbard while the roar of
musketry rolled through the streets of Na
ples in the name of liberty!”
Masaniello and his companion descended
the rest of the mountain in silence and soon
arrived at the icn where the young fisher
man had left his horse.
As time pressed, Masaniello took Salvator
up behind him, and tho horse darted oil at
full gallop.
CM AFTER VIII.
REVELATION.
When tho daughter of the Duke of Afcos
recovered and saw that Masaniello had left
the cabin, she understood that the young
man had resolved to make the sacrifice of
her love. She bad wept at his knees, hail
owned her oSection, and yet ho had remained
inflexible. The prido, therefore, of the noble
Spaniard suddenly overcame her despair.
She rose up haughtily, imposed, with a ges
ture, silence on Jeanne, who was attempting
to console her, and, to the great satisfaction
of Dame Pedrilia, left the cabin.
When she arrived in Naples the streets
were empty. All those who usually filled
them at that hour had gone to the catacombs.
Isabella hurried through the city, and was
soon in the sumptuous apartments into
which Inez had received orders to admit no
one.
“Oh, Heaven! senora, where can you have
been to at this hour?’' said Inez.
“Silence!” replied Dame Pedrilia.
Then, approaching lsalella, who had just
fa Ren with a s.gh into a chair, she said:
“i felicitate you, 1113’ child, on the step you
have taken. Follow my advice, and go and
find the vicero3*. Acquaint him with the
project of this miserable fisherman, so that
prompt measures may be taken for arresting
him and ail the wretches of his kind.’*
“V* nat do you say?” cried the young girl,
s;art mg up. and burning with indignation.
“1 S4V,” stammered the duenna, “that this
Thomas Aniello ought to be hanged immedi
ately, with all his accomplices.”
“Miserable creature!” shrieked Isabella,
with a furious burst of passion. “Out of
my sight, and let me not see your face
again!”
The duenna hung her head and loft the
room.
As soon it s she was alone with Inez, Isa
bella burst into tears, and related to her all
that had taken place in the fisherman’s
cabin.
This was not the first time that Isabella had
made a confidante of Inez, and the sparkling
soubrette was far from disapproving her
mistress’ intention to see Masaniello once
more.
“Retire, senora, to rest,” said sho, “for a
few hours. 1 will awake 3*oll at day break,
and we will go together to. the cabin on the
Merge lima. ”
The first rays of tho next da3*’s sun had
scarcely kissed the waters of the sparkling
bay, when the two young girls were to be seen
walking along the beach in tue direction of
Masaniello’s dwelling. But what was their
surprise on beholding an immense crowd as
sembled round the cabin! All those who had
taken the oath at the catacombs the night
before had already arrived, and were impa
tiently waiting for their y*ou ig leader.
Isabella and Inez traversed these groups of
men, who were clothed in rags, and whose
looks were somber and suspicious.
The viceroy’s daughter guessed too well
the cause of the tumultuous assemblage. She
entered the cabin, and found Jeanno alono
with Pietro.
Isabella ran and embraced the young fisher
man’s sister, and begged forgiveness for the
manner in which she left her the evening be
fore; then, looking at her uneasily, she trem
blingly* murmured:
“Where is he, Jeanne?”
Before Pietro’s affianced could answer, a
loud, joyous clamor was heard outside, and
the air rang with cries of “Masaniello! Masa
niello!”
It was the 3*oung fisherman, who had just
returned from Vesuvius with the artist.
“Go, Jeanne,” said Isabella, “go and tell
him that 1 implore him to see me once
again.”
Jeanne obeyed. But when she approached
her brother, and whispered something in his
ear, ho started, and made a violent move
ment, expressive of refusal.
The viceroys daughter saw the gesture
and shuddered.
“Salvator, m3* friend,” said Masaniello to
the artist, “go back, I beg of you, with
Jeanne; she will take }*ou to a person whose
tears have already made wo waver. She is
a Spaniard. You must make her understand
that I can neither speak to nor see her now.”
The artist followed Jeanne to the cabin,
and Masaniello, turning to the crowd, ex
claimed:
“Everything is ready*; wo are provided
with arms.”
“Where are they*?” was heard on every*
side.
“At the gate of the Marina, hidden in
three cart loads of straw, which aro under
the care of some of Corcelli's men, disguised
as peasants. ”
“Bravo!” cried all the conspirators.
“And now.” continued Masaniello, “listen
to my* last orders. ”
All were instantly silent.
“Divide yourselves into two parts. The
first will remain, unarmed, under my com
mand; the other will proceed to the gate of
the Marina, where the men who form it will
receive partisans, blunderbusses and mus
kets. Keep your arms as secret as possible;
utter no cries, but ait for the signal, and
enter the city the moment you hear tho tocsin
of the cathedral sound.”
“We will obey y*ou,” cried they a!L
“I name Salvator Rosa, whom you all
know, leader of this division.”
“Bravo! bravo I”
“Hong live our leader!”
“Long live Salvator Rosa!”
At this instant the artist rejoined Masa
niello.
“Brother,” said he, in a low voice, “where
did 3*ou make the acquaintance of this young
girl?”
“Here, on the beach.”
“Do 3*ou know her family?”
“No.”
“Has sho never spoken of her father to
you ?”
“Her father is a captain in tho Spanish
arm 3*. ”
“You have been deceived.”
“What do I hear?”
“1 sa3* that she has deceived 3*011; her name
is Isabella d’Areos, and her father is viceroy
of Naples.”
Masaniello started like a wounded tiger.
“Viceroy of Naples!” exclaimed he.
“I am sure of it,” replied the artist. “She
did not recognize me, although I have often
worked at the frescoes of the Vicaria. Her
presence here must be owing to some deep
design. Masaniello, beware!”
“Great God!” cried Masaniello, “my* head
burns. She, the daughter of the despot, in
my cabin! I understand all now; she doubt
less came here os a spy.”
“Masaniello, be calm.”
“I will,” said the fisherman
“I think,” added Salvator, “that y*on ought
to go and speak to her. If there is treachery
she can be detained as a hostage. But, in
this case, there must be no mercy, no weak
ness.” •
“I would pluck out my heart sooner than
show any,” said Masaniello, pressing tho
artist's hand.
Salvator Rosa put himself at the head of
his division and moved toward tho place
where the arms were to be distributed. As
for Masaniello, he chose a lieutenant and
ordered him to take his men and await his
arrival on the road leading to Portico. This
done, he hurried to the cabin. He entered
with a fiery eye and a beating heart. Having
waved to Jeanne, Inez arid the smuggler to
retire, he folded his arms on his breast and
cast a withering look on the daughter of tho
viceroy. The unhappy girl let fall her eye
be tore the irritated countenance of the fish
erman. who cried out in a voice of thunder:
“Isabella d’Arcos, what do y*ou want here?' 1
Had a thunderbolt fallen on the poor girl’s
head it could not ha ve produced a more ter
rible effect; she clasped a chair, in order not
to fall, and murmured, in a stifled voice:
“Pity! Masaniello, pity! Oh! who could
have acquainted you with a secret which you
ought stdl to be ignorant of?”
"So you own it! You do not seek to de
ceive mo any longez*. I have no time to lose,
therefore, I again call on you, Isabella
and Arcos. the daughter of the viceroy* of Na
ples, of the tyrant of my country, to tell me
what you want here, in the abode of the man
of the people, by whom your father is ab
horred?”
t _,“Masaniello, speak not thus to me; you
kill me with terror. Alas' I came to try
once more to save you.”
“Il is fal-e! What interest can you take
in my* safety
“Oh. beaten! how can he ask mo!”
These mst woixi* were pronounced with so
true an accent of despair and real grief that
Masaniello felt lus heart tremble arid Lus
anger y*ield. \
■*Oh,” murmured he, “do not still ho-'e to
deceive me. Your conduct is beyond excuse.
It is impossible that you, the daughter of him
who represents the king of Spain, could ever
have loved the jxior fisherman of the Mergel
lina!”
“Masaniello!”
“No, no!” continued the young man, “you
merely came to trouble my happiness, or
from idle curiosity; and may heaven grant
that it was not for a worse purpose!”
“What do you mean, Masaniello?” asked
Isabella, trembling.
“On! I know, senora, what your justifica
tion will l>e. But if a sentiment of filial love
excuses you in your own eyes, if, in order to
save the viceroy from the dangers which sur
round him, y*ou had recourse to stratagem,
you might at least have spared my* heart, aud
not lent your own to falsehood, in order to
obtain my confidence.”
Isabella listened to him with a starting eye
and a face as pale as death.
“This idea is not your own, Masaniello!”
cried sho. “Confess it! It has been sug
gested to you by some one else—by a person
who cannot, judge our acquaintance prop
erly, and who calumniates mo without
knowing me.”
“It is true,” said Masaniello.
“Who is this person?”
“He whom I just now sent to you, and who
recognized your ] >erson.”
Tho viceroy’s daughter placed her hand on
her heart, and uttered a sigh, as if she' had
just been relieved of an enormous weight.
“Oh!” said she, “1 should have despised
you, if I had found y*ou capable of entertain
ing such an ignoble suspicion. I can under
stand that the revelation of my rank and
birth confused your head, and made my* con
duct appear unaccountable. One word will
suffice to enlighten y*ou on everything. As I
could not descend to 3*oll, I had formed tho
project of raising you high enough to present
y*ou, some day, to my father and to say* to
him: ‘This is the man I love!”’
“Isabella!—uo more!” exclaimed the fish
erman, with the greatest anguish.
“Nay*,” answered she, “let me justify my
self, for you have accused me. Such was my
dream, then. You possess all that is neces
sary to rise rapidly to a brilliant position.
Yesterday you talked to me of honor, and
said you would not betray the cause of the
people. Is it betraying the cause of the
people to approach him whom you blame,
and to gain, by reasoning, that which an ill
advised revolt will forever place beyond your
reach? The viceroy* would yield to persua
sion; but he' will chastise violence. Oh! I
implore you, do not let me have the sorrow
to see y*ou treated like a criminal, you whose
life might l>e so brilliant. y*ou for whom I
had conceived such boundless hopes”
“Mad and chimerical hopes!” interrupted
Masaniello, led away, for an instant, by* tho
mirage of ambition which Isabella had held
before his eyes, but who quickly recovered
all his fiery energy on thinking of the wrongs
of the people, and of tho poniards blessed by
Dora Francesco.
“Then you and still bent on this revolt?”
said Isabella.
“Yes.”
“And you renounce my love?”
“Senora, Don Juan Fernandez cast anchor
in the bay yesterday. He has come from
Spain on purpose to marry the viceroy’s
daughter. ”
“But I hate him—and will never be his!*’
“What! senora,” said the fisherman, his
face radiant with joy*, “will .3*oll refuse this
alliance ?”
“Yes,” murmured she, in the midst of her
sobs, “I will refuse it; for it is you alone,
Masaniello, that I love. Oh! yield to my en
treaties. Yield! 1 implore you!”
“It is impossible. Were Ito betray* the
cause of tho people 1 should lie forever cursed
both in heaven and on earth.”
“But I have just told y*ou of a better way
to serve the cause of the people.”
“Illusion! Were I even to obtain the posi
tion your dreams have placed me in, I should
become corrupted, like the rest, and practice
pei ady* as they* do. No! no! I will remain
Masaniello, tho fisherman, and hasten to the
combat.”
“Gracious heaven! You are hurrying to
your destruction.”
“"W hat matters? When tyrants vanquish,
the scaffold they* raise becomes a throne of
martyrdom for the vanquished.”
“Masaniello! Masaniello! has everything
ceased, then, between us!”
“Yes, senora. The daughter of the viceroy
and the fisherman of the Mergellina must
forget past days My heart will bleed in
consequence. It is with sorrow and regret
that i tear in twain this page of my* life. But
the suffering people expect their deliverance
from me. Adieu! lam henceforth unknown
to you!”
CHAPTER IX.
TCE TOCSIN.
Pietro accompanied Masaniello some dis
tance along the road leading to the place
where his men were waiting for him.
“"W ell,” said the young fisherman, “since
you wish to bo useful, take your affianced
with you to the Abbey of Santa Chiarn,
which I have supplied with fish for the last
two years, and the abbess of which will not
refuse to take my sister in. If we arc van
quished, Jeanne, while there, will escape the
brutality of our murderers, and my mind
will be at rest about her.”
“I will,” said the smuggler; “what next?”
“As soon as Jeanne is in safety, go to the
gate of the Mafrina, and keep an eye on Cor
eelli and his band. I mistrnst this man.
There is. or I great!}’ mistake, some fatal
project hidden beneath his proffered ser
vices.”
“Good,” said Pietro, and the}* shook hands
and separated.
Two hours after, a curious scene occurred
in the interior of the city, in the market
place, and before the very office of the cus
toms, which had been reduced to ruins.
The collector and his officers, who had been
driven away the day before, returned earl v
in the morning to resume their function
escorted by a company of lansquenets, who
had been sent on purpose to protect and de
fend them.
The officers, visibly uneasy, set about pre
paring to receive the market dues.
In about an hour, a number of men, walk
ing two and two, were observed coming
along, with the greatest regularity. Each
man who carried a basket qf. fruit had at his
side a companion who carried nothing, but
whose right hand, buried in his bosom,
seemed to clasp an offensive arm.
The head of the cortege stopped before the
custom house.
The collector called on the man who came
first to pay his dues. He pretended to sub
mit his basket of watermelons to the inspec
tion of the officer, but the latter, on ap
proaching, suddenly felt his throat touched
by the sharp point of a dagger.
The companion of the man carrying the
basket had just drawn his hand from be
neath his jacket, and cried out, in a voice of
thunder:
“Back with you! front today the people
pay no more market dues,”
The officer drew back, terrified.
Then Came a basket of fi s, and the fiqs
passed like the watermelons —by the aiu of
the dagger.
The whole cortege went by in the same
maimer.
At the first sign of violence the custom
house officers had called on the company of
lansquenets for aid and protection;'but the
facetious Germans were so amused at the
scene passing l>efore them, thee they ex
tinguished tneir matches, shouldered their
muskets and began clapping their hands, like
the market women standing around, and
laughed heartily at the disconcerted appear
r.nre of the collector, at the f: ight of his sub
alterns and at the 4 imperturbability with
which the insurgents followed the example
of their leader. For it was Masamello who
opened the procession.
Having stopt>ed the peasants along the
road and at the gates of the city, he had no
difficulty in inducing them to refuse to pay
the market dues.
Maddened by the conduct of the lansque
nets, the collector rushed through the narrow
streets that surrounded the place, and soon
reappeared with a squadron of re iters, a
grotesque kinclof horsemen, whose disordered
costume and reckless appearance made them
look like so many beggars on horseback, and
who can only be compared to the Cossacks of
the present day,
Masaniello saw them issue forth from the
streets leading to tire Vicaria.
Lazaroui, mariners, porters and peasants
all had their eyes bent on Masaniello, and
were ready to obey his nod and rush to death
on a single sign from him. Every fruit sellei
liad orders to remain perfectly quiet, by the
side of his baskets and his companion, whose
dagger was again hidden beneath his rags.
Masaniello kept his eye constantly fixed on
a dark edifice, which might have been taken
for a fortress if a tapering spire had not tow ‘
ered above its ramparts. This was the con
vent of the reverend Franciscan fathers, fur
nished with battlements and bastions, like
that of the monks of St. Benedict. Twenty
stalwart men had been -sent through the back
streets, and before the inmates of the con
vent could receive an alarm had forced an
entrance, and taken possession of the belfry.
Masaniello saw a red flag floating out of
one of the tower windows.
“My men are there,” said he.
Three other bands, sqnt in different direc
tions, had also made themselves masters of
the bells of Santo Filippo di Neri, of Sant >
Domenico,, and of the cathedral.
At. the first signal the tocsin was to be
sounded everywhere.
The peasants, followed by their armed
acolytes, now drew up in a line. If the lans
quenets had favored the disorder the reiters,
who had come at full speed from the palace
of the Vicaria, did not seem at all inclined
to follow their example; they drew up in
battle array before the insurgents, and the
collector, followed by his officers, again sum
moned the peasants to pay.
“In the name of the viceroy,” said he, *4
command you to pay the dues!’'
His words were hooted.
Masaniello a{>proached.
“Go, and tell your master,” said he, “that
the people refuse! Go, and tell him that
they demand the charter of Charles the Fifth,
and all their former rights! Say, also, that
we are ready to die, and that if he does not
comply with our demands fire and carnage
will presently stalk through the streets of
Naples!”
The collector and his men drew back before
the awful expression of Masaniello’s coun-
tenance.
They sought refuge in the ranks of the
German cavalry, and the reiters spurred on
their horses to the charge.
“Our liberties!” roared the crowd, “or
death to the viceroy!”
In an instant every basket was overturned;
. oranges, melons and figs strewed the ground.
A thousand hands picked them up and show
ered them on the horsemen’s heads.
It was iu vain that the reiters spurred their
horses—the latter, frightened by the yells of
the people, reared and threw their riders, or
turned round and disappeared, with the ra
pidity of lightning, in the adjoining street.
A minute afterward there was not a single
enemy to be seen near the market place.
Here Masaniello gave the signal, and the
belfry of the convent of the Franciscans im
mediately filled the air with a lugubrious
sound. The bells of Santo Filippo di Neri
tolled in their turn, then followed those of
Santo Domenico, and at last the great bell of
the cathedral was heard above ail the others.
As the gate of the Marina was not far dis
tant from the market place, Salvator Rosa
was now seen to issue forth at the head of his
division, and the brigands of Vesuvius, wear
ing helmets and armed with carbines, fol
lowed, and drew themselves up in line of
battle along the market place.
At this moment a formidable erv was
raised by all these men—an immense clamor,
which, for an instant, overcame the roar of
the tocsin. Masaniello had just perceived
the enemy; but, this time, it was-a formida
ble enemy—Spanish infantry, Castilian ar
quebusiers, and the cavalleria del re, com
posed of old soldiers barded with iron, tried
by twenty combats, and mounted on flerv
anel impetuous chargers, which already
seemed to scent carnage and death.
This menacing cavalry came down at full
speed on the insurgents. But Masaniello had
calculated everything; the measures he had
taken were such that this second charge
could not succeed better than the fin t.
Round the market place were about a hun
dred stalls, built of wood. By the time the
cavalry arrived every one of these were de
molished, and their materials —beams, dooi
benches, seats, etc.—rolled, at a signal fro: i
Masaniello, beneath the horses.’ feet, which
fell, neighing with pain. At the same time
a fire was opened along the whole line.
\\ hile Masaniello and his men were en
gaged with the cavalry, Salvator Rosa, who
had just stood a discharge from the Spani. .1
infantry, rushed up to them with his me 1,
before they could reload their muskets, and
obliged them to fall back in disorder on the
castle.
At another point, Corcqili and his brigan '.s
were engaged with the Castiiian arqueb 1-
siers. Bails whizzed about on every side,
the place was already strewn with corpse
and the grot:a i dyed with blood. The in
creasing uo.se of the tocsin continued to
summon forth from every part the ragg. and
population of the faubourgs, armed with
stakes, forks aud boat hooks. All this pant
ing, furious and foaming crow’d joined Mu
saniello after failing on the viceroy’s troo js
from behind.
At this moment the lansquenets, recognizir g
among Corceili's band some of their form ;•
companions in arms, went over to them, and
soon put the Castilian arquebusiers to rout.
Then was heard the voice of Masaniello.
“Stay! stay!” cried he, “kill no more!
Our enemies are put to flight, aud we ha . o
vanquished!”
“Long live Masaniello I” was heard on a 1
sides.
“Aud now,” said Masaniello, mounted c n
a platform which had been erected hastil \
“let us thank heaven for our victory, for k
is to heaven that we owe it!”
And the crowd knelt down in the bio. .1
that it had just spilled.
“Brothers,” continued he, “it is now time
for us to proclaim our rights!”
“Huzza!”
“Ne> more taxes!” ——
“We lieif gat ■ you fx> procure the restora
tion of our rig::ts.”
“i accent t,: * office,” replied the young
man, “alii. 1 6*. ear tu prove myself worthy
of it.”
“Lone live Masaniello!"
“Long live the Head of the People!"
Masaniello signed to Salvator Rosa to
mount the platform.
“Write,” said he. “what I dictate.”
The artist knelt down on one knee and
wrote three decrees. The first re-established
the charter of Charles the Fifth; the second
declared null the ordinances of the viceroy
wh.ch imposed an exorbitant tax on wine
and spirits; and the third abolished every
kind of tax on fruit and fish.
Salvator read the decrees, which were re
ceived by the crowd with frantic applause.
This done, Masaniello raised his hand.
“Brothers!" cried he, “wo must resume our
arms. Though vanquishers at one place, we
arc not so at all. We must go to the viceroy
and treat with him its between one power and
another. ”
And he descended from the platform.
[TO;BE CONTINUED ]
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