"You know me not, I think?" said Montreal; "but that matters little,
we may easily commence our acquaintance: for me, indeed, I am fortunate
enough to have made myself already acquainted with you."

"Possibly we have met elsewhere, at the house of one of those nobles to
whose rank you seem to belong?"

"Belong! no, not exactly!" returned Montreal, proudly. "Highborn and
great as your magnates deem themselves, I would not, while the mountains
can yield one free spot for my footstep, change my place in the world's
many grades for theirs. To the brave, there is but one sort of plebeian,
and that is the coward. But you, sage Rienzi," continued the Knight, in
a gayer tone, "I have seen in more stirring scenes than the hall of a
Roman Baron."

Rienzi glanced keenly at Montreal, who met his eye with an open brow.

"Yes!" resumed the Knight--"but let us walk on; suffer me for a few
moments to be your companion. Yes! I have listened to you--the other
eve, when you addressed the populace, and today, when you rebuked the
nobles; and at midnight, too, not long since, when (your ear, fair
Sir!--lower, it is a secret!)--at midnight, too, when you administered
the oath of brotherhood to the bold conspirators, on the ruined
Aventine!"

As he concluded, the Knight drew himself aside to watch, upon Rienzi's
countenance, the effect which his words might produce.

A slight tremor passed over the frame of the conspirator--for so, unless
the conspiracy succeed, would Rienzi be termed, by others than Montreal: