Rienzi, Last of the Roman Tribunes by Baron Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton
page 200 of 660 (30%)
page 200 of 660 (30%)
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So, save by one attendant, alone, and in peace, the young patrician
proceeded leisurely through the long streets, empty and deserted,--for nearly one half of the inhabitants were assembled at the walls, and nearly the other half were engaged in a more peaceful duty,--until, penetrating the interior, the wide and elevated space of the Capitol broke upon his sight. The sun was slowly setting over an immense multitude that overspread the spot, and high above a scaffold raised in the centre, shone, to the western ray, the great Gonfalon of Rome, studded with silver stars. Adrian reined in his steed. "This," thought he, "is scarcely the hour thus publicly to confer with Rienzi; yet fain would I, mingled with the crowd, judge how far his power is supported, and in what manner it is borne." Musing a little, he withdrew into one of the obscurer streets, then wholly deserted, surrendered his horse to his squire, and, borrowing of the latter his morion and long mantle, passed to one of the more private entrances of the Capitol, and, enveloped in his cloak, stood--one of the crowd--intent upon all that followed. "And what," he asked of a plainly dressed citizen, "is the cause of this assembly?" "Heard you not the proclamation?" returned the other in some surprise. "Do you not know that the Council of the City and the Guilds of the Artisans have passed a vote to proffer to Rienzi the title of king of Rome?" The Knight of the Emperor, to whom belonged that august dignity, drew back in dismay. |
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