riage at the front door in an ostentatious manner, he told the Syndic that he was himself going towards Salerno to reconnoitre, that the greatest circumspection was necessary, and that his departure must on no account be known. The official received this state secret with every mark of devotion and importance, and I followed the imaginary Dictator through a backdoor and a labyrinth of alleys to the high-road, where we found the carriage, and were soon rapidly retracing our steps towards Auletta.

Peard now recounted his proceedings in the inner chamber, from whence he had opened a feu d'enfer, with that terrible instrument the telegraph, on the authorities at Naples and Salerno. On arrival, he had sent for the master of the telegraph, who appeared with his books between a file of the National Guard. The poor fellow trembled like an aspen leaf as the supposed Garibaldi read the telegram, which had already been despatched, announcing his arrival to the Home Secretary at Naples, and to General Scotti commanding at Salerno. The station-master had added that several thousand men were a few miles behind the General, and that he would report precisely as soon as he could give more perfect information.

Casually remarking that he supposed he knew that his life was in jeopardy, by way of preventing his playing any tricks, Peard commenced by sending the following

telegram to Naples, addressed to General Ulloa, whom report had made minister of war: "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 Gulf of Salerno to-night. I strongly advise your withdrawing the garrison from the latter place without delay, or they will be cut off; and let me beg of you, as a personal friend but a political enemy, to abandon a sinking cause which must be your ruin." This was signed with the name of a personal friend of Ulloa's.

In the mean time a telegram arrived from the real Minister of War at Naples, who fondly imagined that he was corresponding with the telegraph master. "Any news of the division Caldarelli?" Peard answered"General Caldarelli and his division yesterday passed under the orders of Garibaldi at Lagonegro, and now form a portion of the national army." This was the first news the Minister received of that fact. Next came General Scotti, who was commanding the province, and at Salerno; he also demanded information, and was treated in a similar strain. Subsequently Peard inquired of the Syndic at Salerno if the rations which he had ordered the previous day were ready, and if anything had been seen of the expeditions by sea? I said to Peard, "What on earth is the good of all this? you don't imagine they will be fools enough

Р

to believe it." "You will see," he replied; "it will frighten them to death, and to-morrow they will evacuate Salerno:" and he was right. The division under Afant de Rivera, consisting of 12,000 men and 30 guns, was ordered, by telegraph, to fall back from Salerno to La Cava, on the way to Naples, and commenced its march at four in the morning, just one hour before we reached Auletta. Peard, on arrival, went back to Sala, to meet the real "Simon pure." I was too glad to tumble into bed.

On my subsequent arrival at Naples, I learnt from one of the ex-ministers that the fact of the telegram being addressed to Ulloa by a private friend was what gave the colouring to the whole proceeding.

PEARD SENT ON.

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CHAPTER XX.

NAPLES, Sept. 7.

WHILST at dinner at Auletta on the 5th, we received the news of the evacuation of Salerno; such a happy result had scarcely been anticipated—12,000 men and 30 guns driven back by the magic name of Garibaldi, and a judicious use of the electric wire-but it was merely one of the many ludicrous scenes in this comedy. Shortly after, Peard arrived. Much pleased with his performance, Garibaldi had ordered him to go on to Salerno and repeat the dose, hoping to expedite the King's flight from Naples.

Anxious to witness a repetition of the farce, I sought for a conveyance, but it was impossible to obtain one. Garibaldi arrived at seven, and took up his quarters for the night; he had passed rather a stormy evening at Sala yesterday. The two rival committees in Naples, Ordine and Azione-the former consisting of Cavour's agents, under Silvio Spaventa, Belleli, and Leopardi (who had just been appointed Minister to Berlin), working for immediate annexation, and endeavouring to

228

THE RIVAL COMMITTEES.

usurp Garibaldi's power-and the latter, under Susana and Fabrizi, Mazzinians, supporting Garibaldi. Both committees sent out deputies to meet the General, and Dr Tommasi, of the Cavourian party, had the audacity to read him an address, tantamount to saying that he was a very fine fellow, but that he was not wanted in Naples, where they were going to form a provisional government and to annex immediately; at the same time he presented a printed list of its members. Garibaldi, naturally outraged at this flippancy, gave vent to his feelings, and told him that he was, and intended to remain, Dictator of the Two Sicilies, and that he would not hear of annexation, until, having taken the Roman States and Venetia, he could invite Victor Emmanuel to come to Rome, and there be crowned King of Italy. This well meaning but ardent partisan received a lesson he is not likely to forget in a hurry, which I have mentioned merely because it serves to illustrate the audacity of the Cavourian intriguers, and the length to which they were prepared to go; not that they were not working for the same end as Garibaldi, but in a different way. At the same time there is no denying that their conduct was not only ungracious but ungenerous to the last degree, and that it paved the way for that wretched system of intrigue between the two factions which was so speedily to follow Garibaldi's entry into Naples, where his presence had now become