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diff --git a/old/65606-0.txt b/old/65606-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b5d818d..0000000 --- a/old/65606-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3071 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Queen Maria Sophia of Naples, A -Forgotten Heroine, by Carl Küchler - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Queen Maria Sophia of Naples, A Forgotten Heroine - Life Stories for Young People - -Author: Carl Küchler - -Translator: George P. Upton - -Release Date: June 13, 2021 [eBook #65606] - -Language: English - -Produced by: D A Alexander, Stephen Hutcheson, and the Online - Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This - file was produced from images generously made available by - The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK QUEEN MARIA SOPHIA OF NAPLES, -A FORGOTTEN HEROINE *** - - - - - - [Illustration: _MARIA SOPHIA - Queen of Naples_] - - _Life Stories for Young People_ - - - - - QUEEN MARIA SOPHIA - OF NAPLES - A FORGOTTEN HEROINE - - - _Translated from the German of - Carl Küchler_ - - BY - GEORGE P. UPTON - _Author of “Musical Memories,” “Standard Operas,” etc. - Translator of “Memories,” “Immensee,” etc._ - - WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS - - [Illustration: A·C·M^cCLURG] - - CHICAGO - A. C. McCLURG & CO. - 1910 - - Copyright - A. C. McClurg & Co. - 1910 - Published September 24, 1910 - - THE · PLIMPTON · PRESS - [W·D·O] - NORWOOD·MASS·U·S·A - - - - - Translator’s Preface - - -The story of the exiled Queen of Naples, Maria Sophia, as the title-page -of this little volume sets forth, is the story of a “forgotten heroine.” -In many respects it recalls the story of her sister, Elizabeth of -Hungary, though her fate was not so tragic. She was saved from the fury -of the assassin; but she revealed many of her sister’s attributes—the -same courage, the same beauty, the same gayety of disposition, clouded -in much the same manner, the same love of nature and of animals, the -same love of the people, the same domestic misfortunes. Her -comparatively brief sovereignty included a thrilling period of the -struggle for Italian unity. Her marriage was a brilliant one, her -honeymoon most strange, and her after life most lonely. She was a strong -woman united to a weak man, not of her choice and not honored by her -love. She had many faults, but of her heroism the siege of Gaeta will -always bear witness. The other figures in the story, the fascinating -Lola Montez, Count Cavour, the great statesman, King Victor Emanuel, -King “Bomba,” and the red-shirted Garibaldi, add to its picturesqueness, -and the manners and customs of the court of Bavaria as well as the -sketches of the Wittelsbachs are not without historic interest. - - G. P. U. - -Chicago, _July, 1910_. - - - - - Contents - - - Chapter Page - I The House of Wittelsbach 11 - II Life at Munich and Possenhofen 17 - III Political Disturbances in Bavaria 24 - IV The Wittelsbach Sisters 31 - V The Neapolitan Royal Family 37 - VI Maria Sophia’s Arrival 44 - VII A Strange Honeymoon 50 - VIII Accession of Francis II and Maria Sophia 57 - IX Garibaldi 63 - X The Flight from Naples 70 - XI Siege of Gaeta 81 - XII Capitulation 90 - XIII After the Fall of Gaeta 98 - XIV Royalty in Exile 105 - XV Conclusion 112 - Appendix 121 - - - - - Illustrations - - - Maria Sophia, Queen of Naples _Frontispiece_ - Maria Sophia at the Time of Accession 48 - Francis the Second, King of Naples 58 - Francis the Second, in his Sixtieth Year 114 - - - - - Queen Maria Sophia of Naples - - - - - Chapter I - The House of Wittelsbach - - -The house of Wittelsbach, one of the most ancient of the royal families -of Europe, was divided, toward the end of the eighteenth century, into -three branches. The old Elector, Karl Theodore, who died in 1799, was -without issue, and his successor, Maximilian of the Pfalz-Zweibrücken -line, became the founder of a new dynasty. Being the third son, there -had seemed little prospect of succeeding to the throne in his earlier -years, most of which were spent in the strictest seclusion at Mannheim -and Zweibrücken. Later, he entered the French army and until the -outbreak of the French Revolution was stationed as colonel at -Strassburg, where the jovial warrior made himself most popular, not only -in military but in social circles. - -In 1785 he was married to Princess Augusta of Hesse-Darmstadt, by whom -he had two sons, Ludwig (his successor) and Karl, and three daughters, -one of whom died in childhood. Augusta, the second, married Eugene -Beauharnais, while Charlotte, the youngest, became the fourth wife of -Emperor Francis the First of Austria. Maximilian’s first wife died -early, and in 1796 he formed a second and equally happy alliance with -the Princess Caroline of Baden, who presented him with six daughters, of -whom three became queens of Saxony and Prussia, and the two youngest, -the mothers of Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria and the Empress -Elizabeth, respectively. - -The branch of the Wittelsbachs to which Maximilian belonged was divided -into two lines, both descending from the Count Palatine, Christian the -First. A cousin, the Count Palatine Wilhelm of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, -had hopes of securing the Electoral seat at Munich for himself, -especially as ancient tradition required that a portion of the domain -should fall to the share of the younger branch of the family. As Wilhelm -had but one child, however, a son who was feeble-minded and under -constant guardianship, an agreement was made between the cousins that in -future there should be no division of the Wittelsbach possessions. -Maximilian was to succeed to the Electorship of Bavaria undisturbed, in -return for which the reigning sovereign was to treat the descendants of -Count Wilhelm as his own. The younger branch was to rank equally with -the older and to receive a large share of the ancestral possessions, -with a handsome yearly income and the title of “Dukes in Bavaria.” - -In accordance with this agreement, Maximilian became Elector of Bavaria, -which was raised by Napoleon to the dignity of a kingdom in 1806, and in -1818 granted a constitution by its sovereign. Maximilian was much -beloved by his subjects and so simple and patriarchal in his dealings -with them that he was generally known as the “Citizen King.” On his -birthday, October 12, 1825, he was present at a ball given in his honor -by the Russian ambassador, full of life and vigor as usual, and the next -morning was found dead in his severely simple bedchamber at Schloss -Nymphenburg. - -Duke Wilhelm of Birkenfeld long survived him, and it now devolved upon -the new King, Ludwig the First, to carry out the family compact. -Meanwhile Wilhelm’s son, Duke Pius, had also died, leaving one son, Duke -Max. Almost from the birth of this prince it had been decided that he -should marry King Maximilian’s youngest daughter Ludovica, who was born -the same year, and on the ninth of September, 1828, the marriage was -duly celebrated, three months before the bridegroom had reached his -twentieth year. Although dictated by family reasons, this marriage -proved a remarkably happy one. The two young people had grown up -together, knowing that they were to be united for life, and were -sincerely attached to each other. Their honeymoon was spent in the -Bavarian Alps with Ludovica’s mother, the widowed Queen Caroline, at her -Summer home at Tegernsee. At the time of the King’s death, two of the -daughters were still unmarried and the constant companions of their -mother, to whom they were devoted, and Ludovica’s marriage made no -change in their life except that a son-in-law was added to the family -circle. - -Duke Max at that time was called the handsomest prince in Europe. He was -slender and well built, with a distinguished ease of manner and a -graciousness that won the hearts of all with whom he came in contact, -regardless of class or station. Naturally gay and light-hearted, fond of -pleasure and society, an accomplished musician and composer, with a -passion for nature and out-of-door life, it is small wonder that he was -universally adored. Even his mother-in-law, to whose age and habits his -lack of seriousness did not at first especially appeal, was completely -won by his devotion to her and her daughter, and his constant efforts to -divert and entertain them. When the famous violinist, Paganini, came to -Munich, Max invited him to visit the castle at Tegernsee and sent one of -the royal carriages to meet him. He often arranged amateur concerts, to -which all the neighboring families were invited, and whiled away the -long Autumn evenings playing and singing with his friend Petzmacher, the -zither-player. - -Ludovica was very different from her husband. She disliked meeting -people, cared nothing for social life or gayety, and had an abhorrence -for noise or confusion of any kind. Max was a great admirer of the fair -sex and made no concealment of the fact. He had the true artist nature, -sanguine, impulsive, and susceptible, and must have caused the Duchess -many unhappy hours, innocent as most of the love affairs attributed to -him seem to have been. Whatever her feelings were, however, she -carefully concealed them from the eyes of the world. To all appearances -the relations between her and her husband were most harmonious. In many -ways, too, their opposite temperaments were of mutual advantage. His -cheerfulness and careless gayety often banished the fits of melancholy -to which she was subject, while her firmness and good sense proved a -balance to his volatile nature, and they were united in their love of -nature and country life. - -The first three years of their marriage were childless, but in 1831 the -Duchess presented her husband with an heir, who was named Ludwig, for -the King. As time went on the family circle increased. The oldest -daughter, Hélène, was born in 1834. On Christmas Eve of 1837, Elizabeth -came into the world, followed, in the Summer of 1839, by a second son, -Karl Theodore. On the fourth of October, 1841, at Possenhofen, the -Duchess gave birth to her third daughter, Maria Sophia Amalia, the -future Queen of Naples. Two years later, Mathilde Ludovica was born. On -the twenty-second of February, 1847, the youngest daughter of the ducal -pair, Sophie Charlotte Augusta, made her appearance at Munich, and on -the seventh of December, 1849, their youngest son, Maximilian Emanuel -was born, also in Munich. - -Nearly all these children were destined to bring sorrow or anxiety to -their parents. The Duke’s mercurial nature helped him to bear and rise -above these troubles, but they sank deep into Ludovica’s heart. But she -was sustained by her religion and a firm faith in Providence, whose -decrees she bore with dignity and patience. Little as she spoke of it, -devotion to her children was the ruling passion of her life. She never -was diverted, by any consideration, from what she felt to be her duty -toward them; and while her methods of training did not bear equal fruit -with all, they loved her devotedly in return and always regarded her -with the deepest respect and confidence. - - - - - Chapter II - Life at Munich and Possenhofen - - -Up to the end of the first half of the last century intellectual and -artistic development had made little progress in Bavaria. Weimar had -become famous as the home of Goethe and Schiller, Herder and Wieland, -but Munich was still merely a provincial town, not so large by half as -it is to-day, while the many gardens scattered about among the houses -gave it an almost rustic air. The population consisted chiefly of -artisans, with a few wealthy citizens, the students of the university, -and court _attachés_. Visitors to the capital at that time were few. Of -social life, so called, there was practically none, and the free -mingling of all classes in public places suggested Italian popular life, -especially after King Ludwig’s plans for beautifying the city had begun -to attract thither artists of all countries and ages. - -With the kings of Bavaria, however, a new order of things was -instituted. Ludwig the First, who succeeded Maximilian, was far ahead of -most German princes of his time in learning and culture. In early youth -he had made himself conspicuous by his hatred of Napoleon, although the -conqueror had been his father’s friend and ally. At the Congress of -Vienna, Talleyrand had called him a clever madman, and he had been -laughed at for his intense enthusiasm over everything pertaining to -Germanism. His frequent sojourns in Rome were destined to be of the -greatest importance to the art life of Germany, for, on ascending the -throne, he swore to make his capital a city of such prominence that “no -one should know Germany who had not seen Munich”; and to his honor be it -said that he not only kept this vow, but did so with comparatively small -means at his command. Thanks to his zeal and energy the finances of the -country were soon in excellent condition. Most economical as to his own -personal expenses, he devoted large sums to the purchase of rare -treasures for the art collections he had planned for his capital, and -employed a number of distinguished artists and architects to beautify -the city, which now possesses many imperishable reminders of this -art-loving sovereign. - -Few royal houses of the present day can furnish examples of such harmony -and attachment between different branches of the family as that of -Wittelsbach exhibited. The relations between King Ludwig and Duke Max -were always most affectionate, and the brothers-in-law had many tastes -and characteristics in common. Both were full of originality and energy, -and both had a genuine love of art, the King having a great fondness for -painting and poetry, while Max devoted himself principally to music. It -was Ludwig the First who instituted the famous artist balls in Munich, -which he and the Duke rarely failed to attend, and there was seldom a -concert given at the Academy of Music where both royal and ducal -families were not to be seen seated in the dress circle just behind the -orchestra. However pressing the affairs of state, the King never failed -to take part in the many religious festivals observed by the Church, and -on All Saints’ Day he invariably made a visit to the cemetery -accompanied by all his relatives. - -While Ludwig was busy erecting his magnificent public edifices, Max -employed himself building and rebuilding palaces. Possenhofen, where -most of his children were born, was the favorite residence both of -himself and his family, although they usually spent the Winters in -Munich; and here, in the years 1833-1835 the celebrated architect, Leo -von Klenze, built for them a magnificent residence in the Ludwigstrasse. -Rank and state, however, by no means excluded simple kindliness and true -hospitality from the splendid halls of the Duke and Duchess. They -frequently gave large balls which were eagerly looked forward to by the -younger set in the aristocratic world of Munich. Duke Max always stood -by the door to welcome his guests on these occasions, offering each lady -a bouquet of flowers with true knightly gallantry. Fountains plashed in -the huge ballroom where inviting seats were placed here and there among -groups of splendid foliage plants, while from behind a leafy screen -floated the strains of an orchestra inviting to the dance. All chatted, -laughed, and danced with perfect unconstraint, and the Duke was always -the gayest of the gay, with the right word for every one. - -During Lent the Duke and Duchess issued invitations for a series of -concerts. Again the spacious rooms were turned into gardens. Comfortable -chairs were arranged among masses of rose-bushes, and during pauses in -the music refreshments were served and the guests promenaded about -conversing gayly. It was never crowded, never too warm or too cool, in -these splendid salons, and Duke Max’s entertainments were counted as the -choicest pleasures of the Winter. - -In the great courtyard of the palace he had a ring made where -exhibitions of fancy riding were given before the ladies of the family -and a few invited guests, Max himself often taking part. This became the -favorite resort of his daughters in Winter, who would spend whole days -there exercising, with their dogs and horses for companions, and it was -here that Elizabeth of Austria and Maria Sophia of Naples acquired the -skill that afterward made them the most perfect horsewomen of their day. - -Properly to classify a plant it is necessary to study the soil that has -nourished it. That from which the Wittelsbach sisters sprung was -Bavarian, of course, but more accurately speaking, the region about -Possenhofen and Starnberg Lake, whither the family repaired every year -with the first signs of Spring. The shores of Starnberg are fringed with -castles, among them the solitary Schloss Feldafing, whence King Ludwig -the Second flung himself into the waters of the lake. Back of these are -many small villages interspersed with villas built by artists from -Munich. Between lie stretches of dark pine forest or clumps of lighter -beeches, their branches drooping over the surface of the water, while as -a background to this entrancing scene rise majestic mountain peaks. -Possenhofen was known in the twelfth century as “Pozzo’s Hof.” In the -fifteenth it was presented by the Palatine Friedrich von -Scheyern-Wittelsbach to a neighboring convent, but later it came into -the possession of the Elector Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria, a peace-loving -prince, who made Starnberg Lake the scene of many splendid _fêtes_. In -1834 Duke Max bought the castle, had the outer wall and vaulted gateway -torn down and the moat filled in, thus making room for the large gardens -that now surround Possenhofen. Outwardly the building was allowed to -retain its original form, but the interior was completely changed. -Four-post bedsteads, huge antique stoves, and chests of olden days were -replaced by modern furniture and conveniences. An additional wing or two -made room for guests, and a chapel was built, connecting the ancient -edifice with its newer parts. The castle courtyard and gardens are still -surrounded by a high wall, extending along the shore of the lake, and -this with the old towers forms the last link with those days when -Pozzo’s Hof served not only as a residence for its noble masters, but -also as a stronghold against the enemies of the prince and people. -Inside the wall rises the huge pile of reddish yellow stone, its whole -eastern side covered with a natural mantle of ivy, making an attractive -picture against the fresh green of the park and the gardens, with their -flower-beds and fountains. - -Duke Max and his family may be said to have grown up with this beautiful -spot. Here he brought his bride one bright summer morning; here they -spent their happiest days together, far from the burdensome restrictions -of court etiquette; here their children received their first impressions -of life; and hither they always returned with a feeling of joy and -comfort no other place could offer. The young princesses spent long days -riding and swimming, training their dogs and horses, or clambering about -on the mountain tops. It was this life in the open air that stamped them -with so marked an individuality and gave them their love of freedom and -simplicity. They were quite at home among the country folk and deeply -resented any slight or injury to their mountain friends. In this, -however, they merely followed the example set them by their parents. The -beautiful home at Possenhofen had roots stretching far out into the -countryside, and all who were in trouble hastened at once for help and -comfort to Duchess Max, whose womanly sympathies were by no means -confined to her own family circle. - -Her handsome husband was even more popular, and his gay good nature and -easy charm of manner made him adored by all. He was passionately fond of -hunting, and spent whole days tramping about through the mountains alone -with his gun. One evening after a long chase he arrived at a small -tavern, tired and hungry, and his shabby old hunting clothes soiled and -torn. No one recognizing him, he seated himself by the fire, took out -his zither, and began to play. Some wood-cutters were so pleased with -the stranger’s music that they offered to pay him if he would play a few -peasant dances for them. Max cheerfully agreed, and played and sang till -the whole room joined in the sport and coppers rained into the player’s -hat. When the merrymaking was over the musician ordered a meal so little -in keeping with his appearance that the landlady gazed at him in -astonishment, convinced that he was a suspicious character who would -probably attempt to leave without paying for his food, and determined to -keep a watchful eye on him. As soon as he had eaten he began to play -again, and the fun was at its height when a corporal entered and, -recognizing the august guest, saluted him respectfully. It always -annoyed the Duke to have his incognito betrayed, and flinging a gold -piece on the table he hastily departed, to the great relief of the -embarrassed assemblage. - - - - - Chapter III - Political Disturbances in Bavaria - - -This idyllic life at Possenhofen was interrupted for a time, however, by -the political agitations in Munich. All over Europe the spirit of -revolution was stirring, a spirit that was soon to find expression in a -general outbreak. Nowhere did the royal power seem more secure than in -Bavaria. No monarch was more beloved than Ludwig the First, no people so -universally loyal to the crown as his good-natured, easy-going subjects. -Nevertheless the popular upheaval was here, too, bearing fruit, and a -demand for more share in the government, with a freer constitution, was -becoming general, although the immediate cause of the outbreak in Munich -and the King’s subsequent abdication had seemingly little to do with -politics. - -About this time a very beautiful and fascinating public dancer, called -Lola Montez, made her appearance there and created a great sensation. -Her origin was obscure and uncertain; but the best authorities seem to -make her the daughter of an Irish officer and a beautiful Spanish woman -of Moorish descent. She was born in Ireland in 1820 and at the age of -seventeen married one Lieutenant James, with whom she went to the West -Indies. She soon left her husband, however, and returned to England, -where she prepared herself to become a dancer. While hardly a regular -beauty, Lola Montez seems to have possessed in the highest degree what -the French call _la beauté du diable_. She had wonderful black hair, -fiery eyes that could change in an instant to melting warmth, a perfect -figure, with hands and feet so small and beautifully shaped that a -duchess might have envied them. - -Her first appearance in London met with no great success—a marked -contrast to the enthusiasm she afterward excited everywhere she went. -After a season in Paris she obtained a permanent position at the royal -theatre in Dresden, where she created a tremendous sensation and was -shown great favor by the court. From there she went to Berlin, Warsaw, -and St. Petersburg, making a succession of conquests and also many -enemies by her violent temper and the frequent use she made of her -riding-whip or dagger. - -On the tenth of October, 1846, she appeared for the first time at the -court theatre in Munich and immediately became the subject of violent -discussion, some raving over her beauty, her adventures, and her -triumphs, others denouncing her manners and behavior and creating -prejudice against her by reports which even went so far as to call her a -political spy. Instead of the traditional ballet skirts, Lola presented -herself on this occasion in a Spanish costume of silk and lace, diamonds -sparkling here and there upon it, her wonderful blue eyes flashing as -she curtsied low before the King, who was seated in the royal box. She -danced several Spanish dances and all sat spellbound as one charming -pose followed another, fascinated by her supple grace of motion and the -art with which she could suddenly change from glowing passion to the -roguish smiles of an innocent young girl. As soon as she stopped -dancing, however, the charm was broken and hisses were mingled with the -applause. - -It was Ludwig’s custom to receive all foreign artists in person, before -they could appear at the court theatre. At his interview with Lola -Montez the old man had been completely fascinated by her beauty and -lively conversation, and was soon desperately in love with the clever -dancer, who knew so well how to amuse and entertain him. He was -constantly seen in her company and at all her evening parties, an -intimacy which was not long in arousing the displeasure of his family -and subjects to the highest degree. Public feeling against the hated -dancer soon began to display itself, and in the following Spring she -retired with the King to Würzburg, where she behaved with the same -boldness and indiscretion as in the capital. - -One day she made a frightful scene because the guard would not allow her -dog to enter the park where she wished to walk. The officer on duty was -hastily summoned and tried to make her understand that the soldier was -in the right, whereupon she struck him across the face with her -riding-whip. Out of respect for the King, no one ventured to arrest her, -but the officers and citizens of Würzburg were so infuriated she was -forced to leave the city secretly. - -The leader of the old Catholic party, Joseph Görres, worked actively -against her, and the press was not slow to fan the flame. Libels and -lampoons were spread broadcast throughout the city, enraging the dancer, -who in revenge forced the King to gratify all her wishes and drew him -ever deeper into her toils. To annoy her enemies, and at the same time -obtain entrance for herself into the highest circles, she persuaded the -King to make her a countess. This he could not do, however, without the -consent of his ministers, who positively refused to agree to such an -act; furthermore they sent a memorandum to the King urging that Lola be -expelled from the kingdom. Ludwig replied to this request by dismissing -not only the entire ministry, but many of their adherents, among whom -were several professors in the university; and from this time on “the -Bavarian Pompadour,” as Lola Montez has been called, became an important -factor in politics. - -The university was now like the glowing crater of a volcano whence -issued all the pent-up hatred and discontent, and on the ninth of -February, 1848, came the first great eruption. Lola, whose southern -blood craved excitement, attempted to show herself among the riotous -throngs, but was forced to take refuge in a church, thoroughly -frightened for once. The King was furious when he heard of this, and as -the students had been at the bottom of the demonstration, he ordered the -university closed and all non-resident students sent away from Munich. -The next day the whole body of students marched through the Karlstrasse -to the house of their distinguished chaplain, Professor Thiersch, -singing songs of farewell, and greeted with cheers from every window -they passed. There was a close bond of sympathy between the university -and the citizens, who held a meeting at once, protesting against the -severity of the King’s order and petitioning him to open the university -again. Ludwig promised to take the matter into consideration, and after -a conference with his ministers agreed to yield to the wishes of the -citizens, furthermore proclaiming that the Countess Landsfeld, as Lola -was now called, should be requested to leave Munich. “No one shall come -between me and my people,” he declared. This news was received with -great rejoicing and the house in which the hated favorite lived was -surrounded day and night by curious throngs, anxiously awaiting her -departure. At last, on the morning of the eleventh of February, the -doors were suddenly thrown open by a squad of police, and before the -crowd outside realized what was happening, the coach containing the -Countess had started off at a furious gallop on the road to Blutenburg. -From there she fled to Lindau and thence to England, subsequently making -her way to the United States and later to Australia, where she died in -1861 at the age of forty, after a varied and adventurous career. - -The revolution of February, which had already taken place in Paris, was -followed by similar uprisings throughout Europe, and added fuel to the -fire in Bavaria. The citizens of Munich again rose in revolt, and the -Government could no longer remain deaf to their just demands for a more -liberal constitution. The King made some concessions which partially -appeased the loyal Bavarians, and the disturbance seemed about to -subside, when a report that Lola Montez had returned to Munich caused a -fresh outbreak. Official notices were posted that evening on every -street corner, affirming that the Countess Landsfeld had left Karlsruhe -on the fourteenth of March for Frankfort, and had been forbidden ever to -set foot again on Bavarian soil; but the people laughed this to scorn. -The placards were torn down and the insurgents continued their work of -destruction. - -On the eighteenth of March, Munich found itself in a state of siege. Ten -thousand troops were in arms to put an end, if possible, to the -uprising. Many deputations waited on the King and on the States -Assembly, which had convened in the meantime, while the greater part of -the people who had taken no part in the disturbance waited anxiously for -developments. But King Ludwig was unable to crush the rebellion; neither -was he able to reconcile himself to a new system of government. Two days -later Munich was startled by an unexpected event. A proclamation was -issued by the sovereign, announcing his abdication, after a reign of -twenty-three years, in favor of his eldest son, to whom he left the task -of carrying out the reforms demanded by the people. Dumbfounded at this -unforeseen step, the Bavarians, loyal still to the house of Wittelsbach, -were much affected, and many felt remorseful at having rebelled against -their King, who, in spite of his faults, had been a good sovereign and -done much for his country. After his abdication, Ludwig spent the -remainder of his life as a private citizen, partly in Bavaria, partly in -Italy and the south of France, interesting himself still in art and -plans for the further improvement of Munich. He soon regained all his -old popularity, and felt no regrets for the rank and honors he had -renounced. He died in February, 1868; but some years before that event, -an equestrian statue of him was erected in Munich by the grateful people -of that city. - - - - - Chapter IV - The Wittelsbach Sisters - - -These stirring events naturally had not been without their influence on -Duke Max and his family, although the relations between them and the new -sovereigns were no less cordial and intimate than they had been with the -former ones. - -At the time when Duke Max bought Possenhofen the Crown Prince had -acquired the castle of Hohenschwangen in that same region and set a -force of artists and architects at work to make it an ideal home for his -bride. Prince Maximilian had spent the greater part of his youth in -travel, and during a visit to the court of Berlin had first seen his -future wife, then but four years of age. She was a daughter of Prince -Karl of Prussia, and when he again met the Princess Marie as a lovely -girl of sixteen, he fell in love with her on the spot. In the Autumn of -1841 he made a formal offer for her hand, and the marriage took place on -the fifth of October, 1842. - -Like the ducal family, the youthful pair spent most of the year at -Hohenschwangen, the two princes hunting and riding together, while a -close friendship developed between the Crown Princess and the Duke’s -young daughters, which was in no way interrupted by her becoming Queen -of Bavaria. - -These daughters, the Wittelsbach sisters, were tenderly attached to one -another and there was a strong family resemblance between them. Four had -inherited their parents’ good looks, and Hélène, the oldest, while not -so beautiful as the rest, was clever and clear-headed like her mother. -Elizabeth and Maria both had a share of the family eccentricity; but of -all the eight children, Maria was the only one endowed with Duke Max’s -high spirits and cheerful, sunny nature. She also possessed to a marked -degree the distinguished bearing and grace of movement so characteristic -of the whole race, while added to the gentle sweetness of Elizabeth’s -face, whom she much resembled, was an expression of strength and -firmness unusual in one so young. - -The five sisters were brought up in the simplest manner, without regard -to etiquette, and often walked about the streets of Munich without -attendants of any kind. The Duke was much away from home and concerned -himself little with his children’s education, except as to music, sport, -and out-of-door exercise; but Ludovica was constantly with her -daughters, and devoted her whole life to fitting them for the positions -she was ambitious they should occupy. - -Elizabeth was famous for her beauty and Hélène for her cleverness, while -Maria was endowed with almost an equal share of both. She was -warm-hearted, sweet-tempered, and incapable of falsehood, but very -impulsive and unable to adapt herself to people; and the Duchess’s -methods of education did little to modify her independence of speech and -action. Like Elizabeth, she was a passionate lover of nature and of -animals; but she was bolder and less sensitive than her sister and early -developed a love of danger and excitement. The happy days of childhood -soon passed, however, and one by one the sisters left the home nest. In -1854 Elizabeth became Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, to the -bitter disappointment of Hélène, who had been selected as bride of -Francis Joseph. The Emperor preferred her younger sister, however, and -in 1858 Hélène consoled herself with the enormously wealthy Hereditary -Prince of Thurn and Taxis, and went to Regensburg to live. Ludwig, the -eldest son, had renounced his right of succession the preceding year to -marry an actress in Augsburg, making Karl Theodore, then in his -twentieth year, the future head of the house. Although the court of -Possenhofen was seemingly of small importance, it enjoyed universal -respect, and the Catholic royal houses of Europe were glad to ally -themselves with it. - -In the Autumn of 1858 a messenger arrived from the King of Naples -desiring to know whether the Duke and Duchess would consent to an -alliance between their daughter Maria, then eighteen years old, and his -eldest son. The two families were scarcely acquainted personally, and -the young people had never seen each other, yet the Duke and Duchess -returned an unconditional acceptance of the offer. To be sure, the -Neapolitan Prince was considered a good match, being a Bourbon on his -father’s side and a member of the royal house of Sardinia on his -mother’s, and the heir, moreover, to an ancient and important kingdom in -fair Italy. - -On the twenty-second of December, King Ferdinand’s minister, Count -Ludolff, arrived in Munich with a formal proposal of marriage, and after -receiving the young princess’s consent, presented her on a velvet -cushion a portrait of her future husband, a rather pleasant-looking -young man in the uniform of a hussar. Two weeks later the marriage took -place by proxy, as was the custom of the time. On the evening of the -eighth of January, 1859, Maria Sophia Amalia, Duchess in Bavaria, was -solemnly united in wedlock to Francis Maria Leopold, Duke of Calabria -and Crown Prince of the Two Sicilies, in the court chapel at Munich. All -the members of the royal house were present with the entire diplomatic -corps and many nobles and high officials of the State. King Maximilian -and Queen Marie led the bride to the altar, where the bridegroom’s -brother, Prince Leopold (the present Regent of Bavaria), represented him -in his absence. Following this ceremony the King and Queen held a -reception, during which crowds gathered outside the palace windows, -eager for a glimpse of the little bride who had gone about among them -all her life so gayly and familiarly. - -On the thirteenth of January, Maria left her parents’ home with many -tears and embraces for the dear ones she was leaving behind. She had -never seen her husband nor any member of his family. Both the land and -people that were to be hers in future were strange to her—an uncertain -fate, indeed, to look forward to! But she was young and light-hearted, -full of hope and courage, and well equipped by nature for the trials -that awaited her. Her brother Ludwig, with several Bavarian ladies and -gentlemen, accompanied her on the journey, besides a Neapolitan court -lady, Nina Rizzo, sent by the Queen of Naples to instruct her in her new -duties. At Vienna a stay of several days was made, owing to news of King -Ferdinand’s illness; but on the thirtieth of January the party resumed -its way with the addition of the Empress Elizabeth, and on the following -day reached Trieste, where they were met by the Duke of Serracapriola, -sent by the King to welcome the future Queen of Naples. This pompous -personage discharged his errand with such ceremonious solemnity that the -simple, unaffected Bavarian princess knew not whether to laugh or cry. - -On the first of February, at half-past one, the ceremony of delivering -the bride into the hands of the Neapolitan envoy took place in the -Governor’s palace. Across the centre of the great salon a silken cord -had been stretched, representing the boundary line between Bavaria and -Naples. Beside this were placed a table, covered with red velvet, and -two gilded arm-chairs. The room had folding doors at either end, one of -which was decorated with the colors of Naples and guarded by Neapolitan -marines, while at the other, similarly adorned with Bavarian arms and -banners, stood a band of the royal Bavarian retainers. The Neapolitan -envoy, with two ladies of high rank who had come to act as escort to the -Princess, were stationed on their side of the boundary line with the -Admiral and officers of the ship that was to carry Maria Sophia and her -suite to Naples, while the Duchess and her Bavarian escort entered -through the other door and took their places. The two envoys then -advanced from their respective positions to the silken cord, where they -exchanged documents concerning the marriage. The Count von Rechburg -addressed a few words of farewell to the youthful bride, who rose and -extended her hand for her German attendants to kiss, after which the -Count led her to the middle of the room and gave her into the hands of -the Duke of Serracapriola, who humbly begged her to seat herself in the -Neapolitan arm-chair while he delivered a short address of -congratulation and welcome. This almost mediæval ceremony concluded, -Maria left the salon through the door draped in Neapolitan colors and -went directly on board the _Fulminante_, in the cabin of which the -Empress Elizabeth and Prince Ludwig took an affecting farewell of their -young sister. The greater part of her suite embarked on another vessel, -the _Tancredo_, and an hour later both ships were steaming out of the -harbor of Trieste. - - - - - Chapter V - The Neapolitan Royal Family - - -King Ferdinand the Second, the reigning Prince of Naples at this time, -came of bad stock. The reign of his grandfather, Ferdinand the First of -Naples and Fourth of the Two Sicilies, of whom King Frederick of Prussia -once aptly remarked that he was more fit for a prison cell than a -throne, had been one long scandal, and his son, Francis the First, -followed faithfully in his father’s footsteps during his short reign -(1825-1830). Ferdinand the Second had naturally a good mind, and at the -time of his accession to the throne had roused great hopes by the -military and financial reforms he introduced and by his wise plans for -developing the resources of his impoverished kingdom. This did not last -long, however, for he soon began to display the same despotic tendencies -that had made his father and grandfather so abhorred by the people, and -the older he grew the more marked these became. - -The general movement toward liberty that shook Europe in the nineteenth -century had not been without its effect, both in Naples and Sicily, as -may easily be supposed, considering the harsh rule which the fiery -southerners had been forced to endure so long. Ferdinand had succeeded -in crushing one violent outbreak in 1848; but beneath the ashes the fire -still smouldered, and the inward ferment was constantly increased by the -extreme measures to which “Bomba,”[1] as the King was popularly called, -resorted, to maintain and strengthen his position. He ruled with a -despotism and intolerance that suggested the worst days of the -Inquisition. The prisons were full of political “criminals,” whose only -crime was the holding of liberal views, or the suspicion of doing so, -and these victims were treated with such revolting cruelty as to rouse -the horror of the civilized world. In spite of these things, however, -Bomba was not without some good qualities. In private life he was both -just and temperate, simple in his habits, a good husband and father. He -was twice married. His first wife, to whom he was united two years after -his accession to the throne, was the Princess Maria Christina of -Sardinia—Italy’s “Queen Dagmar”—an angel of goodness and piety. The -people called her Saint Christina even during her lifetime, and she was -afterward canonized by the Church of Rome. Such a woman could not but -exert a beneficial influence over her royal husband; but it was -unfortunately of short duration, for she died in 1836, four years after -her marriage, leaving a son two weeks old, the Crown Prince Francis -Maria Leopold. - -Ferdinand had no intention of remaining long a widower. He first wished -to marry a daughter of King Louis Philippe of France, but Austria -persuaded England to join in defeating this plan, which would have -resulted in too powerful a union of the reigning Bourbon families. He -then applied for the hand of an Austrian princess, and in 1837 was -married to Maria Theresa, daughter of the Archduke Karl, who presented -him with five sons and four daughters. In spite of her proud name and -lofty lineage, the new Queen was a very ordinary person, though not -without some homely virtues. Her horizon was bounded by her family and -her household, in the duties of which she took an active part, even -mending her children’s clothes with her own hands, it is said; and she -seems to have been utterly lacking in the realization that a queen -should have other and wider duties than those of a housekeeper. In -simplicity of tastes she much resembled her husband, who was most frugal -in his mode of living; but she sometimes went so far that even he was -annoyed, and one day at dinner he remonstrated with her, saying: “Come, -come, Ther! [a nickname he had for her] you will soon be making us wait -on ourselves at table!” - -The simplest fare was served in the royal household. Macaroni was one of -the principal articles of diet, and a favorite dish of the King’s was -raw onions, which he peeled with his fingers, declaring that contact -with a knife gave them an unpleasant flavor. The Queen, however, never -liked Neapolitan cooking and always had some substantial German dishes -prepared for herself. She could not speak Italian correctly, but learned -only the Neapolitan dialect, which she pronounced in a most dreadful -way, with her broad German accent. In short, Ferdinand’s second wife was -as unpopular as his first had been popular. She made no effort to win -the love of the people and her homely, plebeian ways were little to the -taste of the gay Neapolitans, who adored glitter and display of any -sort. The King’s favorite recreation was driving. He went out every -afternoon, taking some of his family and usually holding the reins -himself. The royal equipage was always accompanied by a mounted escort, -while horsemen were stationed along the route the King was to take, to -detain all chance travellers until he had passed by, not as a mark of -respect, but as a measure of precaution. - -Exemplary as this royal pair may have been from the standpoint of a -private citizen, as far as the education of their children was concerned -they were certainly not successful. The teachers they chose were almost -exclusively bigoted Jesuits. Ferdinand wished his sons to be taught -Latin, French, civil and administrative law, but they received no -military training of any kind. Even sports and physical exercises were -excluded from their plan of education, nor were they permitted to travel -or acquire any knowledge of foreign lands or peoples. Ferdinand’s own -education had been most imperfect. He read little or nothing himself and -wrote his orders, even those pertaining to important affairs of state, -on any scrap of paper that came to hand, sometimes even in the -Neapolitan dialect. He regarded all writers and literary men with -contempt as an inferior and objectionable race of beings—a curious -mixture of pride and prejudice which he also displayed toward people of -other nations. He called the English, fishmongers, the French, barbers, -the Russians, tallow-eaters, etc. Austrians were the only foreigners of -whom he ever spoke with any respect, and that was on his wife’s account. -In his younger days he had possessed a fair share of the Neapolitan -humor, but it soon degenerated into bitterness and sarcasm. - -The following anecdote of him is characteristic. Some public festival -was being held in the square in front of the palace and the King was -standing on a balcony with the Crown Prince, then still a child. Gazing -down on the crowds below and thinking perhaps of the high position to -which he would one day be called, the boy turned suddenly to his father -with the question: - -“What could a King do with all these people?” - -“He could kill them all!” replied Ferdinand, then added solemnly, bowing -low and crossing himself, “He could, my son, but he would not, out of -respect for the holy religion.” - - * * * * * * * * - -Ferdinand the Second’s system of police and priestly rule did not fail -to bear fruit in the shape of numerous uprisings and attempted -assassinations that terrorized the last years of his reign. He knew -himself to be an object of universal hatred and that hundreds were -plotting against his life, and grew more nervous and uneasy every day. -Added to these mental anxieties he had acute physical sufferings. The -unfortunate prince could find no rest, day or night. At the age of -forty-five his hair had turned completely white and he looked like an -old man. - -His natural tendency toward bigotry increased with illness and worry and -he became as superstitious as the most orthodox prince of the Middle -Ages. Before mounting a horse he always crossed himself, and he never -met a priest or monk on one of his drives without stopping the carriage -while he alighted and knelt upon the ground until the holy man had -passed. He went frequently to confession and had daily masses read for -himself in all the churches. Every night he prayed, rosary in hand, with -his wife and children, and before retiring would kiss each of the holy -images with which the walls of his bedchamber were adorned. But even -these pious observances failed to bring relief. Conscience tortured him, -and he sought sleep in vain. - -The betrothal of his eldest son and heir to the Bavarian Princess -brought a gleam of light into the darkness. The house of Wittelsbach, -besides its high rank and antiquity, was strongly orthodox in its -Catholicism, a most important item in Ferdinand’s eyes; and the alliance -was a strong one politically, for by it his son would become the -brother-in-law of the Emperor of Austria, and closely connected also -with several others of the reigning houses of Europe. In spite of his -state of health, the King had determined to be present at the second and -real wedding of Francis and Maria, and succeeded, indeed, in reaching -Bari, where the ceremony was to take place; but the fatigue and -hardships of a Winter journey over the Apennines were too much for his -strength, and he arrived at Bari so ill and exhausted that there was no -possibility of his being able to assist in the festivities. - -The King ill unto death, the country on the verge of revolution, the -royal house and kingdom threatened by enemies at home and abroad—a sorry -state of affairs to greet the fair young Bavarian Princess, entering for -the first time the land of which she was soon to become the sovereign! - - - - - Chapter VI - Maria Sophia’s Arrival - - -It was on a beautiful Spring morning, the third of February, 1859, that -the Crown Princess approached her new home. All the roads leading to -Bari were filled with curious sightseers, eager for a glimpse of the -bride. All tongues were busy with praises of her beauty and goodness. -Her name was on every lip; but instead of being called the Princess of -Bavaria or Duchess of Calabria, she was and still is familiarly spoken -of in Italy as Maria Sophia, to distinguish her from many of her -predecessors on the throne who had borne the name of Maria. The whole -royal family had journeyed to Bari to welcome her and were lodged on the -first floor of the Intendant’s palace, where apartments had also been -prepared for the Duchess of Calabria and her suite; but in spite of the -joyous air of expectancy that pervaded the town, a dark cloud hung over -the palace itself, owing to the condition of the King, who was confined -to his bed and suffering greatly. He had looked forward with the deepest -pleasure and interest to his son’s marriage, and it was a bitter -disappointment to him not to be present at the wedding ceremonies. - -About ten o’clock in the morning, the thunder of cannon proclaimed the -approach of the _Fulminante_ and the _Tancredo_. The troops lined up, -the mayor of Bari and other dignitaries took their places in a pavilion -which had been erected in the middle of the landing stage for the -bride’s reception, while ten state equipages, escorted by a mounted -guard, issued from the palace and drove down to the pavilion, where the -Queen, with her stepson, the Duke of Calabria, and her little daughters, -alighted and boarded a steam launch to go out to meet the Duchess. - -On the _Fulminante_, meanwhile, all was stir and excitement. The bride, -as she stood on deck dressed in a handsome travelling costume, looked -more than ever like her sister Elizabeth. She had the same wonderful -dark blue eyes and rich brown hair; and although not so tall as the -Empress, her figure was quite as beautifully formed. On this occasion -her usual expression of childish innocence and gayety had given place to -one of serious expectancy, and she was very pale, a result partly owing -to fatigue, partly to emotions natural to the situation. During the -journey she had plied Nina Rizzo and her new chamberlain with questions -about her future husband; how he looked, how he behaved toward his -parents, his brothers, and his subjects; and she had never tired of -hearing tales of his childhood. To her naive inquiry as to whether -Francis was really as disagreeable as he was said to be in Bavaria, both -had done their best to reassure the Princess by expatiating on his good -qualities. - -It had stormed all night, but the sea now lay calm and smiling as if in -welcome, and it seemed to Maria that she had never seen such a wonderful -blue before. As they drew near the beautiful harbor with the town of -Bari beyond, bathed in Italian sunshine, she was so absorbed in the -enchanting scene that at first she did not notice the approaching -launch. Suddenly she caught sight of Francis standing up in the craft in -his gay hussar uniform, and her face lit up with a joyous smile. She -recognized him at once from his portrait and found him more -agreeable-looking than she had expected. Advancing to the side of the -vessel to meet him as he came aboard, she held out her hand with -charming impulsiveness and said, “Bonjour, François!” - -“Bonjour, Marie!” replied the Prince, shyly taking both her hands in his -and kissing her on the forehead. The Queen then embraced the young girl -and presented her to the princesses, Maria inquiring solicitously for -the King and expressing her regret at his absence. She then asked with -great interest about the coast, the town they were approaching, the -vessels in the harbor, and all the new sights and scenes about her. The -young bridegroom, meanwhile, stood silent and embarrassed beside his -stepmother, so overcome with the emotion of meeting his bride and -finding her even more fascinating than he had dared to imagine, that he -was more shy and awkward than usual and could only stammer a few -disjointed words in answer to her questions. - -At the landing they were met by the assembled officials and escorted to -the pavilion, where the royal party entered their coaches and drove back -to the palace. Maria’s beauty and girlish charm won instant favor. A -storm of cheers greeted her entrance into the new land; and even after -she had disappeared within the palace, the enthusiastic Italians -continued to shout till she was obliged to come out and show herself -once more on a balcony. The Crown Princess had scarcely time, however, -to acknowledge the people’s homage, before she was summoned to the -King’s bedside. She found him sitting up to greet her, his face deeply -lined with suffering. With all a father’s tenderness, Ferdinand embraced -his new daughter-in-law, shedding tears at this sorrowful meeting, so -different from what he had hoped for, while Maria also wept and returned -the embrace warmly. It was the first time in this foreign land that she -had been welcomed with anything like the affection to which she had been -accustomed at home, and she felt drawn at once to her dying -father-in-law, who had taken her into his heart at their very first -meeting, realizing with pity how thickly strewn with thorns must be the -path in life of this fair young creature who seemed made only for joy -and happiness. Maria had little time to dwell on this scene, however, -for the Queen led her away almost immediately to her chamber, where Nina -Rizzo exchanged her travelling suit for the white satin bridal robe, and -placed on her luxuriant hair—a characteristic of all the Wittelsbach -sisters—a wreath of orange blossoms with a magnificent lace veil which -she had brought with her from home. - -An altar had been erected in the banqueting hall, the walls of which -were lined with pictures of the Madonna. Before the altar a throne with -arm-chairs was placed for the princes and princesses. The bishops and -distinguished guests had taken their places and the ceremony was about -to begin, when an incident occurred that made it hard for those present -to preserve their gravity. The Queen’s second son, Alphonso, Count of -Caserta, who though eighteen years old was as wild and ungovernable as a -schoolboy, had succeeded in fastening a long paper train to the uniform -of one of the highest court officials, whose solemn air of -unconsciousness only added to the humor of the situation. One of the -court gentlemen, however, quietly managed to remove the ridiculous -appendage, the victim remaining in blissful ignorance of the trick that -had been played upon him. - - [Illustration: _MARIA SOPHIA - at the time of the accession_] - -The young couple entered and took their places before the altar, where -the bishop concluded the ceremony with a solemn address in Italian, -invoking the blessing of God upon them. At the close of the Te Deum an -orchestra struck up the National Hymn and a salvo of artillery announced -to the waiting crowds without that the marriage was completed, while the -bridal pair went at once to the King’s chamber to receive his paternal -blessing. That evening the whole town was brilliantly illuminated, and -the square before the palace was filled with cheering throngs far into -the night; but in spite of these demonstrations there was much secret -uneasiness as to the King’s condition. The excitement of the wedding had -had a bad effect on Ferdinand; though he did all in his power to conceal -his sufferings, and the royal family seemed quite unaware of the -alarming nature of his illness. - -When the Count of Caserta’s mischievous prank reached the ears of the -King, he sent for that youth and administered a sharp rebuke, declaring -such a performance could only have been expected of a street urchin. -Three days’ confinement to his room was to be his punishment, but at the -Queen’s intercession the sentence was somewhat lightened. - - - - - Chapter VII - A Strange Honeymoon - - -The early months of the married life of Francis and Maria Sophia were -similar in many ways to those of Marie Antoinette and Louis the -Sixteenth of France. Francis, like Louis, was awkward, timid, and -doubtful of himself. Although brought up in the land of art and beauty, -he had no taste for such things. Like the King of France, he was honest, -just, and deeply religious, but weak and irresolute, and conspicuously -lacking in those qualities naturally looked for in princes of royal -lineage. - -Equally marked were the points of resemblance between Marie Antoinette -and Maria Sophia. Both were gay, childish, and impulsive, with -remarkable personal courage and a frankness that was as attractive as it -was dangerous; both were too beautiful not to excite envy, and too full -of high spirits not to cause offence. The Wittelsbach Princess, however, -had qualities the Dauphiness lacked—perfect honesty and the robust -health and splendid vitality brought from her Bavarian Alps. She was a -finished horsewoman, a good shot, a tireless walker, and devoted to -out-of-door recreations of all sorts. Her husband, on the other hand, -was grave, silent, and melancholy. Sports had no attraction for him. He -never hunted, and in spite of his hussar uniform the Neapolitans declare -that he was never known to mount a horse. One point, however, they -shared in common—indifference to luxury and love of simplicity. - -At the time of her marriage the Crown Princess could scarcely speak a -word of Italian. Francis’s knowledge of French was very limited, and of -German he was entirely ignorant, so that unrestrained communication -between the young couple was difficult at first. The education of the -Duke of Calabria had done little to prepare him for the lofty position -that awaited him. His stepmother, who completely spoiled her own -children, neglected him shamefully in some ways and was unnecessarily -harsh in others. Overshadowed by his cleverer stepbrothers, who despised -him, and conscious of his own mental and physical deficiencies, the poor -boy had become morbidly shy and reserved. Yet he had many good -qualities. He never forgot the smallest service shown him, and was -invariably kind and courteous even to the humblest. Many tales are told -of his sympathy with the poor and suffering, and even as a child he -would part with his dearest treasure to help any one in distress. But -his appearance was so unprepossessing as to be almost unpleasant; and -the consciousness of this made him appear at his worst with his wife, -whose beauty and vivacity so enthralled him that he became dumb at her -approach and would often hide behind the door when she entered the room, -to avoid speaking to her. - -The Neapolitan court was a contrast in more ways than one to the home -Maria Sophia had left, and for which she yearned so longingly. Barely -eighteen years old, overflowing with health and spirits, she found -herself surrounded by an atmosphere of false humility, deceit, and -religious hypocrisy; and although her natural light-heartedness helped -her through many troubles and disappointments in the new life, yet she -could never forget that she was a stranger in a strange land, alone and -almost friendless. Fond as her father-in-law was of her, he was too ill -to be able to do anything toward making her life pleasant, and the -little princesses, while outwardly civil, were stiff and unsympathetic. -With her brothers-in-law she was on a somewhat better footing, for they -were charmed with the zest with which she entered into their sports; but -the Queen from the very first had treated her with the most marked -unfriendliness, correcting her constantly, as if she had been a -schoolgirl, and regarding her most innocent diversions with suspicion. -She even refused to allow her to ride, as she had been used to do at -home; and the young Duchess sorely missed her favorite occupation. - -Maria Theresa was a woman of strong will and had been accustomed to -obedience from her family as well as her subjects. She had selected her -most trusted lady-in-waiting to attend her stepson’s wife, hoping that -Nina Rizzo, who was devoted to her mistress, would teach the Crown -Princess to bow to her will as every one else did. But in this she was -mistaken, for though Maria Sophia liked Nina, she remained deaf to all -her exhortations on the subject, firmly determined to preserve her -independence at all costs. - -Meanwhile the King grew steadily worse, and the cloud over the palace -darkened. The young princes tried to relieve the gloom and pass away the -time by walks about the town, running races in the palace courtyard, and -playing tricks on the gentlemen of the court, pastimes in which they -were frequently joined by Maria Sophia. One day she went down to the -shore and, with the help of an old boatman, succeeded in catching a -whole basketful of fish which she bore home in triumph and had cooked -for the royal table. Another time she promised her brothers-in-law to -make them some Bavarian pancakes. A portable grate was secured and -placed over a charcoal fire, and the Princess set to work. But no -frying-pan or ladle was to be had. At this moment the mayor of Bari made -his appearance, in gold-laced coat and knee breeches, to pay his -respects at court. Maria Sophia was no longer in a quandary. In her own -lively way she begged the official to go down into the market-place and -get her the needed utensils. The obliging mayor hastened to do her -bidding, and soon returned with the desired articles; but the result of -the Princess’s culinary labors was most unsatisfactory after all, for -the pancakes proved uneatable. Large holes were burned in the tablecloth -and napkins, and amid shouts of laughter Maria Sophia abandoned any -further attempts to shine as a cook in Italy. The mayor carried the -frying-pan and ladle home with him as souvenirs of the merry scene, and -they are still preserved as relics in his family. - -Amid the general sadness that prevailed, however, these lively outbreaks -became less and less frequent, and the young Duchess hailed with joy the -news that the court was to move to Caserta. Nina Rizzo had often told -her of the beauties of that place, and she eagerly looked forward to -their departure as an hour of deliverance. The journey was long -deferred, however, as the King’s sufferings were so acute he would not -allow himself to be moved. A monk at length succeeded in persuading the -sick man to consent, and he was carried on a mattress to a steam frigate -which was to convey him from Bari to Portici in order to avoid any stop -at Naples. From Portici to Caserta the five hours’ journey caused the -unfortunate sovereign such torture that the Archbishop of Naples ordered -continuous prayers to be offered for him in all the churches. Once amid -these new surroundings—the lofty halls and salons of the palace, the -enchanting park and gardens—Maria Sophia’s spirits rose, and she felt -almost happy again. But it was not for long. Between the Queen’s -animosity and her husband’s weakness, she soon relapsed into her old -loneliness and helplessness. Almost her only diversion now was her -family of parrots. She had ten, and her laughter over the ludicrous -results of their attempts to speak German was the sole evidence that her -natural gayety was not entirely suppressed and crushed. - -Meanwhile the Queen’s supposed treasonable designs were freely discussed -throughout the kingdom. It was said that on the King’s death she -intended to seize the double crown for her own son, and that many of the -police officials were ready to support her plans; also that the Crown -Prince was forcibly excluded from his father’s sick-room. There was no -truth in this latter report, however; for although Francis had indeed -been carefully kept from taking any part in affairs of state hitherto, -now at the eleventh hour, Ferdinand insisted upon having his son with -him constantly, and giving him instructions for future guidance; these -the Crown Prince copied on a sheet of paper and used frequently to -consult after he became King. On the tenth of April Ferdinand made his -last will and testament, leaving equal portions of his property to each -of his children, with a large share to his wife, and a twelfth part to -be divided among religious institutions. - -In spite of the statements already published in regard to the amount and -distribution of his estate, Ferdinand was popularly believed to own -enormous sums in private, mainly derived from confiscation of the -property of political criminals. His fortune was said to amount to three -hundred million ducats. As a matter of fact, however, the King’s actual -property was scarcely more than seven million ducats, although he owned -a great number of jewels and other valuables. - -On the twelfth of April Ferdinand received the last sacrament; but he -lived on for more than a month. The superstitious Neapolitans expected -his death to occur on the fifteenth of May, the anniversary of the riots -there in 1848, of which the King had taken advantage for his shameful -persecution of his subjects; but it was not till the twenty-second of -May that his sufferings were finally ended. A frightful storm broke out -during the hour of his death and this was looked upon by many as a bad -omen for the new reign. - - - - - Chapter VIII - Accession of Francis II and Maria Sophia - - -Aside from the comparatively small circle at Bari, few of her subjects -had ever seen the new Queen, while Francis himself was almost as little -known to the people. A few days after their accession, the youthful -sovereigns held a levee at the royal palace in Naples. The King in his -hussar uniform, and the Queen in her crown and ermine robes, stood under -a canopy in the centre of the great hall, while all the high officials, -nobles, and dignitaries of the court and kingdom stepped forward to kiss -the hands of Their Majesties. As the gorgeously attired procession wound -its way past the throne, the sudden appearance of a band of poets -striding along in their long black cloaks and broad-brimmed hats formed -such a startling contrast to the rest of the glittering throng that -Maria Sophia burst into an irrepressible peal of laughter which soon -spread to all about her. - -Freed at last from the dreadful oppression that had weighed her down as -Crown Princess, she quickly recovered her exuberance of spirits, which -found expression in various ways. The relations between her and her -husband also became much more free and natural after their accession to -the throne. Francis had begun, soon after the wedding, to be in love -with his wife, although he did not show it. The long system of -repression to which he had become accustomed had inflicted permanent -injuries on his sensitive nature; but Maria Sophia’s personal charm was -so great and her gayety so spontaneous that it was impossible for him to -escape her fascination. Under his awkward manner, however, she did not -perceive his dawning love for her, while he felt strange in the world of -lovers and was unable to express his feelings, except by the eagerness -with which he fulfilled her slightest wish. Nor did Maria Sophia -hesitate to use her power. Once her own mistress, she quickly cast off -the yoke laid upon her by the Queen at Bari and Caserta, and gave -unmistakable proof that she, too, had a strong will. - -At table she would beg permission to have her favorite dog, Lyonne, in -the room. The King always consented; and the huge Newfoundland with her -four pups would come tearing in and enjoy themselves during the rest of -the meal, leaping madly about the table, and sometimes even upon it, to -the indignation of the court and their mistress’s intense delight. -Photography had recently come into fashion, and she had herself taken in -every possible position and costume, greatly to the disgust of her -mother-in-law, who objected strongly to her continual changes of costume -and her frequent riding excursions. But the time was past when Maria -Sophia allowed herself to be dictated to. Like a young Amazon she dashed -about the streets of Naples, exciting universal admiration and amazement -at her daring horsemanship. - - [Illustration: _FRANCIS SECOND - King of Naples_] - -As Crown Prince, Francis the Second had not been unpopular with the -people. His mother had been almost worshipped; and the Neapolitans -pitied the sickly boy whose life, even, so it was said, had been -attempted by his stepmother. But he was utterly lacking in the qualities -necessary for a sovereign. It needed a clear head and a firm hand to -guide the ship of state safely through those stormy seas. His judgment -was sound enough; but he was good-natured to the point of weakness, and -superstitious to an almost fanatical degree. He never let a day pass -without hearing mass, and went regularly to confession. One of his -favorite occupations was to hold long religious conversations with -Father Borelli and other priests who happened to be at court. He talked -much of his dead mother, before whose portrait he would kneel for hours -in prayer, and he would frequently clasp his head in his hands as if in -distress, crying, “Ah, how heavy this crown is!” - -One day, soon after his accession, while holding a conference with his -minister of finance, Raymondo del Liguoro, the table at which they sat -moved slightly, and the minister turned to see what had caused it. - -“It was I who shook the table,” said the King. “I had a sudden fit of -trembling. That is a bad sign. It means that I shall die soon.” - -Liguoro adjured His Majesty to banish such thoughts, as his life was not -his own, but belonged to the people over whom he ruled. “I do not value -either my life or my kingdom very highly,” replied Francis. “I always -think of what is written, ‘The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.’” - - * * * * * * * * - -The dowager Queen was a truly proverbial stepmother. She had never been -able to reconcile herself to having her stepson inherit the united -kingdoms while her own sons had nothing; even during her husband’s -lifetime she had attempted to secure the succession of her eldest boy to -the throne of Sicily. But King Ferdinand would not listen to this. On -his death-bed he had extracted a solemn oath from each member of his -family to support the rightful heir, and after his death the widowed -Queen had flung herself at her stepson’s feet and promised him her -allegiance. That she broke this vow has never been historically -verified, the only proofs having been generously destroyed by King -Francis himself. It happened in this way. Minister Filangieri had long -suspected Maria Theresa of being at the head of a conspiracy to depose -the young sovereign and place her son, the Count of Trani, on the -throne, and at last succeeded in obtaining certain proof of this. He -carried the documents at once to the King; but Francis refused to look -at them. Without a glance he flung them into the fire, saying, “She was -my father’s wife!” - -Maria Theresa afterward indignantly denied this, declaring the whole -affair a plot to sow discord between her and the King; but, be that as -it may, there is no doubt that she was greatly to blame for Francis’s -lack of education and training in early youth and childhood. She had -brought him up as if he had been a girl, destined to live in retirement, -rather than as a man who had a lofty mission to fulfil, emphasizing his -natural awkwardness and timidity, and choosing tutors totally unfitted -to prepare his mind for the demands of the times and his future -position. His whole nature had been cowed and stunted in order that he -might be kept subservient to her will. - -She had also attempted these tactics with Maria Sophia, but with less -success. The Bavarian Princess was far too self-reliant to submit to any -such yoke. She was quite as strong-willed as her mother-in-law, besides -being far wiser and cleverer. She also had her own political views, -which were directly opposed to those of the dowager Queen. The latter -was full of the old ideas of absolutism and had no sympathy with the new -spirit of liberty, while Maria Sophia openly proclaimed her liberal -opinions and urged the King to grant the country more freedom. - -History shows that many women have filled the highest and most important -positions with credit and honor. England has her Elizabeth, Russia her -Catherine, Austria and Hungary their Maria Theresa, Scandinavia its -Margareta. Maria Sophia of Naples is yet another example of feminine -ability and judgment in political affairs. King Francis had no abler -counsellor than his own wife, and had he followed her advice the issue -of events might have been very different. But he was blinded by -prejudice, by family tradition, by his education, and by court -intrigues. As a child he had witnessed the bloody riots in Naples and -been taught to regard such outbreaks as criminal attacks on a divinely -instituted form of government. Even before his illness, Ferdinand had -taken pains to instill his own principles into his son, and almost with -his last breath had urged him never to allow himself to be carried away -by the stream of liberalism that threatened to overflow Italy. Much as -Francis loved and admired his young wife, therefore, he found it -impossible to break away from the despotic ideas in which he had been -steeped from his infancy, and not until it was too late did he realize -the wisdom of her advice. - - - - - Chapter IX - Garibaldi - - -Meanwhile events were occurring in northern Italy that were to exert a -far-reaching influence on the Kingdom of Naples. The throne of Sardinia -was occupied by a bold and able sovereign, Victor Emanuel of Savoy, who -was fortunate enough to have as his counsellor Cavour, one of the -foremost statesmen of the nineteenth century. - -Together with Napoleon the Third, Victor Emanuel had inflicted a series -of defeats on the Austrians early in 1859, breaking their rule in -Lombardy, and thereby giving a tremendous impetus to the spirit of -Italian unity. It was as if the whole country had suddenly awakened to a -realization of the fact that the various States into which Italy had -been divided for centuries really belonged together; and the idea of -uniting them seized the popular mind with irresistible force. It is -interesting to note that the national movement which occurred some ten -years later in Germany had many points of resemblance to this. Both -nations had only of late aspired to greater political importance: both -were good fighters and governed by princes who knew how to wield the -sword themselves, as well as to choose their generals and statesmen. In -both cases the right men appeared at the right moment—Von Moltke and -Bismarck in Germany, Garibaldi and Cavour in Italy. Cavour had several -times attempted to bring about an alliance between Sardinia and Naples -during the reign of Ferdinand; but his offers had been treated with -scorn by that short-sighted monarch. After his death and the brilliant -victory over the Austrians at Magenta, overtures to this end were again -made by Sardinia to the new King of Naples. - -On the twenty-fourth of June, 1859, Victor Emanuel sent Salmour, one of -his ablest and most trusted diplomats, to Naples. He reminded Francis of -the ties of blood that bound him to the house of Savoy, and pointed out -the fact that an alliance between the two kingdoms would be security for -the independence of Italy. The plan had been warmly supported by the -press of northern Italy and its popularity was testified to by the -enthusiasm with which Salmour’s arrival was hailed in Naples. But, on -the other hand, it met with powerful opposition at court, especially on -the part of the dowager Queen, who, as an Austrian archduchess, was -bitter against Sardinia for the defeats her native land had suffered at -its hands, and used all her influence to prejudice the weak young King -against the plan. As a result, Salmour was obliged to return without -accomplishing his object and the diplomatic transactions were never made -public. But though Francis might reject the offer of such an alliance, -he could not prevent the idea of a union between northern and southern -Italy meeting with popular favor; and it spread with such lightning -rapidity throughout the two kingdoms that soon only a spark was needed -to kindle public enthusiasm into a blaze. In less than a year from the -time that Francis refused Victor Emanuel’s proposal, that spark appeared -in the form of Garibaldi. - -On the sixth of May, 1860, Garibaldi embarked at Genoa with a thousand -volunteers, and on the eleventh landed at Marsala, on the west coast of -Sicily. Brave and hardy as his followers were, it was a hazardous -undertaking to attempt, with such a force, to attack an army of over one -hundred thousand regular troops; but Garibaldi knew his adversary and -hoped for assistance from the people. On the fourteenth of May he -assumed the dictatorship of the island in the name of Victor Emanuel, -and the next day, with the aid of some hundred revolutionists, defeated -General Laudi’s force of three thousand men who were occupying the -heights of Calatafimi. When the Garibaldians lit their watchfires that -night on the field of victory, they had good cause for rejoicing. The -first battle had been fought and won. The Neapolitan troops were fleeing -in confusion toward Alcamo. The people’s leader had shown that he could -defeat a king’s army, and the Neapolitans had learned to fear the -tri-colored banner and the red shirt. While the Neapolitan generals were -vainly searching for Garibaldi in the mountains, he was already pressing -on towards Palermo, the capital, meeting with strong support from the -people everywhere. After three days of hard fighting before that city, -it capitulated, and was occupied by the revolutionists, although two -weeks elapsed before the dictator could follow up his victory. At the -end of that time he again took the war-path and at Melazzo surprised the -columns of General Bosco, who was in command of the finest and best -disciplined troops in Sicily. - -On the twenty-eighth of June the Neapolitans were forced to evacuate -Messina, and a few days later the “red shirts,” whose force had now -increased to about twenty thousand men, camped in the streets of that -city, from Taormina to Capo del Faro. Sicily was won. Garibaldi now -turned his glances toward the mainland, whose mountains towered -threateningly above him across the straits, and on the evening of the -twenty-first of August the banner of Italy floated above the -fortifications of Reggio, the strongest post in Calabria. The defence of -Reggio was the last effort of the royalist army south of Naples. -Defeated and disheartened, they retreated northward, leaving the -fortified towns to vie with one another in throwing open their gates to -the conquerors. The fleet, too, seemed paralyzed. It made no effort to -prevent the passage of Garibaldi’s men from Sicily, but proceeded -northward to Naples without having fired a gun. Europe was dumb with -amazement at the audacity of these champions of liberty. Garibaldi’s -march from the southern extremity of Italy to Naples appeared at that -time, as it still does, like a tale of the imagination. It seemed -incredible that the splendid army created by King Ferdinand with the -labors and sacrifices of thirty years could go to pieces like a building -in an earthquake. Of course there were many reasons for this, but the -chief one was Garibaldi himself. No man could have been better fitted -for the leadership of such a movement. Glowing with patriotism and love -of liberty, inspired with the idea of Italian unity, yet at the same -time a true democrat, friend of the oppressed and foe to tyranny, -disinterested, self-sacrificing, bold, and daring, a knight without fear -and without reproach, he seemed created to be an ideal popular hero. -Wherever he appeared in his red shirt and black felt hat he aroused the -wildest enthusiasm; and popular fancy soon invested him with a halo of -glory almost equal to that of William Tell in Switzerland or Joan of Arc -in France. - -By forced marches Garibaldi continued his triumphant progress, giving -the royal troops no time to recover themselves. Twenty days after he had -first set foot on the shores of Naples, he was at Salerno, only a few -miles from the capital. Everywhere he was hailed as a liberator, his -army welcomed with flowers and recruits where they had expected to find -only foes. Well might he have said with Cæsar, “I came, I saw, I -conquered!” - -These events created the greatest consternation at the court of Naples, -and many royalists fled the country in terror. The dowager Queen’s -father, Archduke Charles of Austria, had advised King Ferdinand many -years before to fortify Gaeta and Capua strongly, so as to have a safe -retreat in case of revolution; and mindful of her father’s words, Maria -Theresa immediately betook herself to Gaeta with all her children. - -On the news of Garibaldi’s landing, Francis had consulted the Duke de -Chambord as to the state of affairs. “With the enemy at the gates, there -is no time for concessions and reforms,” the head of the house of -Bourbon replied. “The King should mount and lead his troops against this -Garibaldi and his followers!” This answer was quite in accordance with -the young Queen’s opinion. She had been strongly in favor of the -alliance with Victor Emanuel; but now that the opportunity for that was -past and the enemy was advancing, it seemed to her there could be no -other course than to take up arms in defence of the kingdom. Mirabeau -declared that Marie Antoinette was the only man about Louis the -Sixteenth, and those who were with Maria Sophia at this time have said -the same of her; for she seemed to be the only one at court who did not -lose her head. She tried in every way to encourage her husband and urge -him to fight; but to her despair Francis seemed incapable of arriving at -any decisive course of action. He wavered to and fro like a reed in the -wind, doubtful of himself and suspicious of all about him; seeking for -support now here, now there, but unable to decide on anything till it -was too late, and the time for parleying was past. - - - - - Chapter X - The Flight from Naples - - -On the fourth of September news was received that Garibaldi was nearing -Naples with a large army, the number of which was enormously -exaggerated, however. The King hastily summoned a council in the middle -of the night. The only remedy for the situation now would have been to -attempt to block Garibaldi’s approach by attacking him at Salerno, which -was connected with Naples by rail; but General Bosco, who was in favor -of this course, was ill in bed, and his views were not shared by the -other commanders, who feared the revolutionists might effect a landing -nearer the city, thus cutting off the troops from a retreat. They all -agreed that it was better to make Capua and Gaeta the centre of -operations against the enemy, and the only dissenting voice was that of -the aged General Carrascosa, who declared to the King, “If Your Majesty -leaves Naples now, you will never return!” - -His words made no impression, however. Francis left it to the generals -to decide; but they refused to take the responsibility. - -As a last resort, Maria Sophia pointed out to her husband that it was -his duty to prevent his capital from being destroyed by a bombardment; -and in this appeal she was joined by Cardinal Riario Sforza, who -besought the King to save Naples from fire and sword. He was thinking, -no doubt, of the one hundred and eighty churches within the city walls; -but his words had the desired effect, for Francis had the deepest -reverence for anything that concerned religion. The next morning he -summoned Sforza to the palace and informed him that he had decided to -withdraw the army to a strong position between Capua and Gaeta. At the -same time he requested his trusted counsellor, Spinelli, to assist him -in drawing up a farewell proclamation to the people; and after this had -been accomplished, he went out to drive with the Queen in an open -carriage, escorted by two gentlemen of the court. It was their last ride -through the streets of Naples. - -Francis, however, did not betray the slightest anxiety over the -important step he was about to take; and as for the Queen, she was -apparently in her usual spirits, laughing and joking with the King and -her two cavaliers: yet how often in those weary years of exile must -their thoughts have reverted in memory to that scene they now looked -upon with such indifference! - -At the end of the Strada di Chiaja, directly in front of the court -apothecary’s shop, the royal carriage was stopped by a long line of -loaded wagons. The apothecary had a sign over his door, bearing the -Bourbon lilies, and a man was now mounted on a ladder busily engaged in -removing it. The Duke of San Donato, who happened to be passing, was -furious at the sight and expressed his anger in no measured terms; but -neither Francis nor Maria Sophia showed the least displeasure. They only -looked at each other and laughed at the apothecary’s foresight. The -following morning the King’s proclamation was displayed on every street -corner in Naples. It was calm and dignified in tone, and expressed less -resentment than resignation. At the same time he issued a protest to all -the foreign powers against Garibaldi’s invasion of his territory, -together with an assertion of his rights. It was no small task to -prepare for so sudden a flight, and there was little sleep that night in -the palace. Huge vans were loaded and sent off secretly under military -guard, and their contents carried early the next morning on board two -steamships which lay at anchor in the harbor; but in the hurry, only -personal belongings were taken, and all the treasures of the palace, -such as the vast quantities of gold and silver plate that had been -accumulated during the hundred and twenty-six years of Bourbon rule in -Naples, were left behind and afterwards confiscated by Garibaldi and -turned over to the provisional Government. All that Francis carried away -with him, except for a chest containing various relics and images of -saints, were a painting of St. Peter, a statue and marble bust of Pope -Pius the Ninth, a Titian portrait of Alexander Farnese, and a Holy -Family by Raphael. Of these, the last was undoubtedly the most valuable; -but even this splendid work of art the young sovereigns did not keep. -The Spanish ambassador, Bermudez de Castro, begged Francis to give it to -him, and the good-natured King consented. De Castro afterward tried to -sell it to the Louvre galleries, but was not satisfied with the price -offered. He then sent it to the South Kensington Museum in London, where -by an unskilful attempt at restoration it lost so much of its beauty and -value that no one would buy it. In his will the ambassador returned it -to the exiled King; but neither Francis nor Maria Sophia ever claimed -it, and the painting still remains at South Kensington. - -On the morning of the sixth of September, Francis sent for the commander -of the National Guard, and after expressing his thanks for their loyal -support, repeated the comforting assurance that the troops had received -strict orders to protect the capital. He had prepared a list of those of -his court whom he wished to accompany him to Gaeta; but when the time -came to leave, the royal master of the horse, Count Michaëlo Imperiale, -was the only member of the royal household present. The King was so -touched by his devotion that he presented him on the spot with the Grand -Cross of the Order of San Fernando. - -About four o’clock in the afternoon the ministers repaired in a body to -the palace to take leave of their sovereign, whose hand they were to -kiss for the last time under his own roof. Francis tried hard to control -himself, speaking kindly to all, and tenderly embracing his two most -devoted friends, Torella and Spinelli. But the number present was -pitifully small. Those who had received the most favor at the hands of -their sovereigns were as usual the first to desert them. Nor were there -any special manifestations of regret and sympathy among the populace at -the departure of the King and Queen, which was regarded merely as a -measure for assuring the safety of the city, while Garibaldi’s approach -was anticipated with mingled hope and fear. - -About half-past six Francis and Maria Sophia left the palace on foot, he -in uniform as usual, she in an ordinary travelling dress and large straw -hat trimmed with flowers. Accompanied by several ladies and gentlemen of -the court, they walked through the palace gardens and down the long -flight of steps that led to the arsenal, the Queen leaning on her -husband’s arm, gay and cheerful as ever in spite of the ominous cloud -that shadowed their departure. Below them lay the Gulf of Naples, smooth -and bright as silver; but in the distance the bare, sombre peak of -Vesuvius rose like a menace amid the smiling beauty of nature. The -firemen of the ship in which the royal party was to embark had had to be -kept on board by force, and some advised the King to place himself under -the protection of some foreign flag, or to escape from the city -secretly. Undecided, as usual, Francis knew neither what he could do, -nor what he ought to do; but the captain of the vessel, who was -thoroughly loyal, finally persuaded him to go on board, urging that it -would be beneath the King’s dignity to flee from his capital like a -criminal. - -Only one Italian vessel accompanied the King, but with it were two -Spanish warships carrying the Austrian, Prussian, and Spanish -ambassadors. The journey was most depressing. It had been decided upon -so suddenly that no one thought of taking such ordinary things as food -or even the few necessaries that would have made them comfortable. It -was a wonderfully beautiful night, and the Queen sat on deck until ten -o’clock, when it grew cold. Worn out with the fatigues and excitement of -the last twenty-four hours, she went into the little deck cabin and lay -down on a sofa. The King did not go to bed at all. Except for a few -words now and then with the Captain, he spent the night silently pacing -up and down the deck, watching the shores of Naples gradually fade from -view, and thinking, who knows what? - -About two o’clock he asked whether the Queen had retired, and when told -she was still asleep in the little cabin he went in and stood for a long -time gazing down at her. Then removing his own cloak he gently spread it -over her to protect her from the chill of the night air, and returned to -his silent watch. Early the next morning they entered the harbor of -Gaeta, and were met at the landing by Maria Theresa and her children -with Father Borelli, her confessor. Francis had consulted this priest -some months before as to the advisability of granting his subjects a -more liberal form of government, and Father Borelli had merely echoed -the views of the deceased King, declaring that such a course would only -hasten a revolution, and warning him against it. - -“I believe you are right,” Francis answered, “but fear it will be -impossible for me to follow your advice.” - -“Then Your Majesty may perhaps remember this day as the last on which I -shall kiss the hand of a King of Naples,” returned the priest. - -This conversation now recurred to them both, as Borelli came forward to -greet the King, kissing his hand again and again with tears in his eyes. - -“Father,” said Francis, with a melancholy smile, “do you remember what -you said to me on St. John’s Day at Portici?” - -“Ah, Your Majesty,” replied Borelli, “even though you should no longer -be a King on earth, you may yet become a saint in heaven.” - - * * * * * * * * - -Francis and Maria Sophia had no sooner left the capital than a -deputation was sent out to welcome the liberator, while the former -minister of foreign affairs prepared an address to Garibaldi, declaring -that Naples was waiting with impatience to greet him as the deliverer of -Italy, and lay the fate of the kingdom in his hands. They did not have -long to wait. The popular hero hastened his advance, and arrived so -quickly that there was barely time to prepare for his reception. There -was little sleep that night in Naples, and the first rays of the morning -sun found the whole city astir. The principal thoroughfares were -thronged with men, most of them armed, for fear of a reactionary -movement. Windows, balconies, even the roofs of houses were crowded with -spectators. Everything conspired to surround Garibaldi and his men with -a halo of romance. Their picturesque garb, rapid conquests, and fiery -proclamations appealed to the imagination of the hot-blooded southerners -and roused them to wildest enthusiasm. Guards had been placed at all the -exits of the railway station, where a large number of prominent citizens -had assembled to welcome the hero. Presently a bell was heard, and a -train drew in. A great shout arose; but it was found to contain only a -band of foreign mercenaries who had recently joined the victorious -party. At noon another bell sounded, and Garibaldi’s approach was -signalled. The train stopped. Thousands of voices joined in the shout of -“Long live Garibaldi!” as two men in red shirts appeared. They were -embraced with such vehemence by the excited Neapolitans that one of -them, who was taken for Garibaldi, barely escaped alive. The great man -himself had gone out by another door, however, and when this was -discovered there was a general stampede to find him. This time they were -successful. - -Garibaldi’s entry into Naples was as brilliant and spectacular as the -rightful sovereign’s departure had been quiet and unnoticed. A huge -national flag had been unfurled, bearing the arms of the house of Savoy, -with the white horse of Naples and the lion of Venice; and Garibaldi -kissed this with tears rolling down his cheeks, declaring, “Soon we -shall all be united brethren!” while many of the spectators also wept. -He and a few of his companions then entered the open carriages that were -waiting to convey him to the city. Eight thousand of the royal troops -had been left in the citadel and a few outposts to maintain order; but -they had received no orders to resist the revolutionists, and even had -such been the case, it is doubtful if they would have obeyed, so carried -away were they by the tide of popular enthusiasm, as, amid deafening -cheers, the waving of hundreds of tri-colored banners and showers of -blossoms from every window, Garibaldi entered in triumph the gayly -decorated city, while even the skies seemed to share the joy of the -people and smile upon the liberator of “La Bella Napoli.” - -He refused to occupy the royal palace which had been so lately vacated -by the sovereigns, but drove on to a smaller one, generally used for the -accommodation of foreign princes, where he took up his quarters. Vast -crowds surged about the building, shouting for the Dictator, till at -length one of the revolutionists appeared on a balcony, then another, -and finally the hero himself. Again a storm of cheers broke forth, and, -unable to make himself heard above the uproar, he leaned over the iron -railing and gazed down at the throng below. His usually ruddy face was -pale with emotion, and wore a look of sadness curiously in contrast to -the feverish joy of his admirers; but there was a gleam in his eye that -betrayed the fires that glowed within. He lifted his hand to command -silence, then began in tones so clear and distinct that not a syllable -escaped the ear: - -“Neapolitans! This is a solemn and memorable day. After long years of -oppression under the yoke of tyranny, you are to-day a free people. I -thank you in the name of all Italy. You have completed a great work, not -only for your countrymen but for all mankind, whose rights you have -upheld. Long live freedom! the dearer to Italy, since she, of all -nations, has suffered the most. Long live Italy!” - -The shout was taken up by thousands of throats and, their “Viva Italia!” -could have been heard from one end of the city to the other. - -That afternoon Garibaldi visited the cathedral and was greeted with even -greater enthusiasm than in the morning. At night every house was -illuminated, and a torch-light procession paraded through the principal -streets, which were filled with excited throngs rushing about, every man -with a flag in one hand and a sword or a knife in the other, shouting -and embracing one another for joy. Garibaldi was the idol of the hour, -and Naples was his completely. - -But here and there were still a few who remained loyal to the reigning -family and were anxious as to their fate. Francis, in his haste, had -neglected to remove his private fortune of eleven million ducats—the -dowry Queen Maria Christina had brought with her from Sardinia—from the -Bank of Naples where it was kept. When Garibaldi learned this he sent -for the man to whom the receipt had been entrusted, an officer of the -royal household named Rispoli, and forced him to give up the document, -which, afterward, he handed over to the new government. - -Poor Rispoli, who was devoted to his master, was so overcome at being -deprived of his trust that he was stricken with apoplexy and died the -following day. - - - - - Chapter XI - Siege of Gaeta - - -It is probable that Francis at the time of his departure from Naples had -no definite ideas as to how far he should offer resistance to the course -of events. His friends urged him to wait quietly till the first wave of -enthusiasm had passed, hoping he might then return to the throne as a -member of an Italian confederation. From Gaeta he went with his brothers -to Capua, where their presence did much to restore unity among the royal -troops and revive their sinking courage, and where he was speedily -joined by all who had anything to gain by adhering to the Bourbon cause -or were too deeply compromised to venture to remain in Naples under the -new regime. A much more valuable addition to the King’s forces, however, -was a large number of volunteers from southern Germany, who had hastened -to the aid of their fair countrywoman, and to whose valor it was largely -owing that they were able to hold out so long. - -The arsenal and other stores in Naples had fallen into the hands of the -enemy; but after Francis had collected and organized his troops beyond -the Volturno, he found himself with fifty thousand well provisioned and -equipped men at his command. Fired now for the first time with true -martial spirit, he determined to cut his way through Garibaldi’s forces -to Naples, where, he was assured by secret agents, the fickle populace -would welcome him back with open arms. On the first of October, at -daybreak, accordingly, the attack was begun; but the royal troops were -defeated and driven back across the Volturno, the gates of Capua being -thrown open at five o’clock that afternoon to admit the fugitives. - -Victor Emanuel had already determined to take a hand in affairs, -although Naples had voted unanimously for the annexation of the Two -Sicilies to an “Italia una,” and was by this time well on his way -thither to assist in the reorganization of this new portion of his -domains. The news of his approach spread terror and despair among the -King’s forces; but Francis and his generals decided to await the enemy -in a strong position on the further bank of the Garigliano, where on the -twenty-eighth of October they were fortunate enough to repel an attack. -But the advantage was a brief one. Capua soon had to be abandoned and, -led by Victor Emanuel himself, the Piedmontese crossed the Garigliano, -forcing the Neapolitans to retire within the shelter of Gaeta. - -This town, often called from its location the Gibraltar of Italy, is one -of the most strongly fortified places on the peninsula, and has played a -prominent part in the wars of southern Italy. The Bay of Gaeta not only -compares well with the gulf of Naples in beauty, but as a harbor is even -better adapted to commerce, being both larger and deeper. The town is -situated some sixteen miles from Naples, ten from Capua, three from the -boundaries of what were then the Papal States, and seventeen from Rome; -forming with San Germano and Capua a trio of defences capable of -offering a long and stout resistance. - -Gaeta at this time had a population of about fifteen thousand. It was a -gay and picturesque little town, irregularly but not unattractively -built, with well-paved if somewhat steep and narrow streets. Tradition -points to a neighboring grove as the spot where Cicero was murdered by -Antony’s orders; and between the citadel and the shore are some ruins -called by the people the tower of Roland, where a friend of the Emperor -Augustus was buried. The town and the citadel are situated on two rocky -heights, separated by a steep cleft, the greater part of the town -occupying the southernmost of these, while on the northern and much the -larger one, rises the citadel with its fortifications. Both are -practically inaccessible from the sea, while the west side of the neck -of land, that connects the mainland with the outer point, also falls -away steeply. Small villages line the shore; and still farther to the -south, where the coast recedes so deeply that the bay lies between it -and Gaeta, is the town of Mola, where the Piedmontese established their -headquarters. It would seem that Victor Emanuel’s generals, made -over-confident by the easy victories they had met with thus far in the -Kingdom of Naples, scarcely looked for any serious resistance here. - -But supported by a French fleet which protected the coast, by the -presence of a well equipped and disciplined army, and above all by his -heroic wife, Francis had at length determined to hold out in spite of -everything. In the citadel, besides the King and Queen, were Maria -Theresa with her five sons and four daughters, the youngest of whom was -not yet three years old; the King’s two uncles, the Prince of Capua and -the Count of Trapani; a few faithful friends who had followed their -sovereign, and all the diplomatic corps, with the exception of the -English and French ambassadors, who had received explicit orders from -their Governments to remain in Naples to report what was passing there. -All communication between Francis and the Emperor Napoleon, therefore, -had to be carried on through the French admiral. - -In spite of their recent experiences, the royal family did not seem to -realize at first the seriousness of the situation. Gaeta had a garrison -of twenty-one thousand men, and the citadel was well supplied with -ammunition, while provisions for the army could easily be obtained from -the Papal States, through the ports of Terracina and Civita Vecchia. The -Count of Trapani was in nominal command, but the real leader of the -defence was General Bosco. At the time of his surrender to Garibaldi in -Sicily, this able officer had sworn not to take up arms for six months; -but this period had now elapsed, and his return inspired the royal -family with hope and confidence. - -On the thirteenth of November, 1860, the bombardment of Gaeta was begun -by the Piedmontese, whose fire was vigorously returned from the citadel. -A week later the dowager Queen retired to Rome with her younger -children, and on the same day the diplomats took their departure, all -except the Spanish ambassador, Bermudez de Castro, who was a personal -friend of the King. Even the Archbishop of Gaeta deserted the sinking -ship, though his place should have been now, more than ever, with his -flock. Francis tried to persuade Maria Sophia to leave him, and go to -her home in Bavaria while it was yet possible, but she absolutely -refused. More closely drawn to her husband in this time of danger than -ever before, she announced her firm intention of remaining with him to -the last, even though abandoned by all the world. - -Europe had held but a poor opinion of Francis the Second during his -short reign. His weakness and cowardice had been openly criticised; -while in Naples itself he had been variously nicknamed “Bombino,” -“Franciscillo,” and “Il Re Imbecile.” But in misfortune all his better -qualities came to the surface. At Gaeta, no longer distracted by -conflicting counsels, he became firmer and more manly, while his -readiness to sacrifice all personal feeling to what he believed to be -his duty, and his generosity toward those who should have been his foes, -could not but command respect. For example, two Piedmontese merchantmen -took refuge in the harbor of Gaeta one terribly stormy night; but -instead of seizing them and their cargoes, as would have been his right, -he permitted them to leave the bay the next morning, unmolested. He was -constantly visiting the outworks, inspecting the work, and doing his -best to keep up the courage of his men, in which he was bravely assisted -by his two elder half-brothers; but the Queen surpassed them all in -courage, scorning every danger and discomfort and looking death calmly -in the face. Every day and often at night she visited the hospitals, -carrying food, medicines, and fruit, doing all she could to relieve the -sufferers, and shrinking from no wound, however terrible. Once during -the illness of one of the Sisters of Mercy, Maria Sophia took her place -as nurse, and though shells were falling so thick about the hospital -tent that her life was in constant danger, she refused to leave her -post. The soldiers were always rejoiced to see her and would follow her -about with their eyes in the most adoring way. They gloried in their -beautiful, spirited young Queen, dashing about on her horse from one to -another of the hastily improvised hospitals that were set up on the -different batteries. - -The Piedmontese noticed that at the sound of a certain bell there always -seemed to be some commotion in the citadel of the besieged city, and -curious to know the meaning of it, some officers in one of the nearest -outposts fixed their field-glasses on the fortress at that particular -time. Much to their surprise they discovered a young woman in the -Calabrian costume, moving about among the guns and encouraging the -artillerymen, quite regardless of the storm of shells that was falling -about her. It was Maria Sophia, making her daily visit to the so-called -“Queen’s Battery” to watch the firing from there, and a striking picture -she made in her long cloak and Calabrian hat, gay and smiling as ever, -glorying apparently in danger, and careless of her own fate. - -It had been agreed that a black flag should be hoisted while the Queen -was making her rounds among the wounded, and the sign was at first -respected by the enemy, but Maria Sophia herself paid no attention to it -as she rode calmly about her business even in those fortifications -exposed to the heaviest fire. One day a bomb fell so close to her feet -that she would certainly have been torn to pieces had not an officer -seized her in his arms and swung her behind a projecting wall. Another -day, while standing in one of the window embrasures in the citadel, -talking with the Spanish ambassador, a shell burst so near that the -window panes were shattered and the Queen’s face was cut by the flying -glass. But she only laughed, saying, “It is unkind of the enemy to leave -me nowhere in peace. They have just driven me from one place, and now -will not let me stay here, either.” - -“Ah, but you have had your wish granted, madame,” replied the -Ambassador, “you wanted to see a ball as close as possible.” - -“Yes, and I also wished for a slight wound,” added the Queen gayly. - - * * * * * * * * - -From Gaeta Francis had issued another proclamation to his subjects, -protesting against the new order of things, and avowing his good faith -toward them and the constitution he had granted them, in spite of all -that had happened; but though widely distributed, it was powerless to -stem the current of events. As we have seen, the King had lost many -opportunities of securing an advantage at the beginning of the war. By -retreating to Gaeta he was placed in the curious position, for a -commander, of having cut himself off from two-thirds of his army. He had -given orders for the majority of these to slip away across the Roman -borders, hoping they might be reassembled later, to form the nucleus for -an uprising in the Abruzzo Mountains. Reports, however, of the terrible -treatment received by prisoners at the hands of the Piedmontese so -alarmed the soldiers that they made no attempt to escape till it was too -late, and the few that did reach Roman territory were promptly disarmed. -The French fleet, lying in the Bay of Gaeta, had proved of inestimable -value in protecting the city from attack by sea. The friendly attitude -of the Admiral also made it possible for the King’s friends to furnish -him with provisions, while the supply ships carried many of the -Neapolitan troops away from Gaeta, landing them at Civita Vecchia and -Terracina. In this way the garrison was reduced to fifteen thousand men; -but even so, the food supply soon began to fall short. - -As early as the twenty-second of November, a journalist wrote in his -diary that provisions of all kinds had doubled in price, and the -situation grew worse and worse as time went on. Rice, beans, even bread, -were almost impossible to obtain, and macaroni and potatoes were sold -for thrice their usual value. Fish and meat were to be had only by the -officers in small quantities and of the poorest quality. Then an -epidemic of typhus fever broke out, which soon filled every bed in the -hospitals. The King and Queen did all in their power to obtain -nourishing food for the sick and wounded, sending fish and other -delicacies procured for their own table to the Sisters of Mercy to be -distributed in the hospitals. - - - - - Chapter XII - Capitulation - - -The siege of Gaeta lasted from the thirteenth of November, 1860, to the -thirteenth of February, 1861, a space of three months. With the new year -it was pushed with redoubled vigor. Both town and citadel were exposed -to incessant fire, and the noise was so deafening that people had to -scream to make themselves heard. Not a single building remained intact. -Many lives were lost by exploding shells or falling houses, and the -whole place presented a scene of utter destruction. The Piedmontese have -been accused of sparing neither church nor hospital, and the sick and -wounded, as well as their nurses, were exposed to the same dangers as -the rest of the inhabitants. The Red Cross Society was not in existence -at that time; but the terrible experiences of the wounded in the wars of -northern Italy the preceding year led to the formation of that -association three years later. - -The enemy’s fire now began to be directed chiefly against the citadel -where the royal family were known to reside, and the officers begged the -King and Queen to move to a place of greater safety. One of the -casemates of an adjoining battery was accordingly prepared for their -occupancy, and here in this small damp vault they lived for the -remainder of the siege, with the princes, the few members of the court -who had remained loyal, and some of the officers. The casemate was -divided by thin wooden partitions into a number of small chambers, each -containing a bed, one chair, and a small table. The narrow passage -connecting these cells was always crowded with people waiting to speak -to the officers and servants who had long since laid aside all badges of -royal service. - -A low door led to the square chamber occupied by the Queen, which was -furnished in addition with a couch and a _prie-dieu_; a small recess -adjoining having been made into a dressing-room. As a protection against -shells or flying missiles, a heavy oak beam had been placed diagonally -across the tiny window overlooking the street; a precaution which made -the room so dark a light had to be kept burning day and night. The -little air that penetrated to the cell was thick with smoke and tainted -with foul odors, while the ceaseless thunder of cannon directly above -must have made it a far from pleasant place of residence. Yet from this -gloomy vault Maria Sophia wrote her parents not to worry about her, for -under the circumstances she was doing very well. She bore all these -dangers and hardships with the same cheerful courage she had shown from -the first, tending the wounded, inspiring the soldiers by her presence -among them in the smoke of battle—the soul, in short, of the defence, -and a splendid example of bravery and fortitude. Through the efforts of -the French admiral, a ten days’ truce was arranged, and the Neapolitans -hastened to take advantage of it to procure a supply of provisions from -Terracina and to strengthen their batteries, while the officers tried to -encourage the garrison by reports of speedy assistance from without. On -the sixteenth of January the sound of guns was heard again; but this -time it was not those of the besieging army, but of the French fleet -which had not yet left the harbor, although the Emperor Napoleon had -notified Francis that it would be impossible for him to continue the -neutrality he had hitherto maintained. Decorated from deck to mast-head -with flags, the foreign squadron was saluting the King in honor of his -twenty-fifth birthday, the last he was ever to spend within the -boundaries of his kingdom. - -Three days later the truce was declared at an end, and in the -beleaguered city all eyes were fixed anxiously upon the fleet. Although -there were rumors in the air of its departure, the people still hoped -they might be false as so many others had proved. About two o’clock, -however, smoke was seen rising from one of the vessels, and it was soon -evident that the whole squadron was getting up steam. One after another -lifted anchor and began to move; and an hour later the huge flagship, -_La Bretagne_, glided majestically past the lighthouse on the outermost -point of the harbor, leaving the last of the Italian Bourbons to his -fate. With the French fleet, vanished the last hope of rescue; and from -this time until the end of the siege, nearly a month later, Gaeta was -completely cut off from the rest of the world, and surrounded on all -sides by the enemy. With the increase of famine and sickness the -situation grew daily worse. Help from without could no longer be looked -for, and rumors of treachery began to be heard among the troops. The -barracks were damp, the hospitals overflowing, and they were tired of a -struggle that could have but one end. The King and his brothers worked -bravely to keep up the courage of the garrison, and the Queen was -untiring in her efforts to relieve the sick and suffering; but even they -had lost hope. - -All correspondence between Napoleon and King Francis had ceased on the -twelfth of December, but about the middle of January a vessel arrived -from France bringing a confidential letter from the Empress Eugénie to -Maria Sophia. In it she declared frankly and without circumlocution that -it would be as well to abandon the defence of Gaeta which had cost so -many lives, since it would be quite useless to look for aid from any -European power—the latter sentence underlined. - -This left no room for misunderstanding. At last the King realized that -his cause was lost—that all his wife’s splendid energy and the loyalty -of his troops had been wasted in a hopeless struggle. On the -twenty-seventh of January he received a letter from Napoleon informing -him that the French corvette, _La Movette_, had been prepared for the -accommodation of Their Majesties in case of the surrender of Gaeta, and -would remain in the Bay of Naples awaiting their orders. The town was -now only a smoking heap of ruins. The explosion of powder magazines had -caused even greater destruction than the enemy’s guns, and the casemate -in which the royal family had taken refuge might be destroyed at any -moment should the siege be continued. The garrison was reduced to twelve -thousand men with over twelve hundred in the various hospitals, most of -them victims of the epidemic of typhus which had proved so fatal. Among -those who had succumbed already to the disease were four of the King’s -generals and the priest, Father Borelli, who had remained in Gaeta to -minister to the sick and wounded. - -Francis hesitated no longer, but sent a message to the Piedmontese -commander-in-chief requesting an armistice to arrange articles of -capitulation. The terms were as follows: the garrison should retain -their military honors, but remain prisoners until the surrender of -Messina and the citadel Del Tronto. When this had taken place, both -officers and men were to receive full pay with the choice of entering -the Piedmontese army or returning to their homes, all who were honorably -discharged to be pensioned. The King and Queen, with the rest of the -royal family, were to be permitted to embark on the French vessel which -had been placed at their disposal, with as many persons as they wished -to take with them in their suite. - -The capitulation was signed on the thirteenth of February, and the next -morning at eight o’clock _La Movette_ entered the Bay of Gaeta. The -troops were already drawn up in long lines, extending from the casemate -occupied by the King and Queen to the landing; their tattered clothes -and wasted forms bearing witness to these last terrible months. -Misfortune had formed a close bond between the survivors of the siege, -and as the soldiers presented arms to their sovereigns for the last -time, their cheeks were wet with tears. - -An eyewitness of the departure of Francis the Second and Maria Sophia -from Gaeta has described the touching scene. The King was in uniform, -with sword and spurs, the Queen wearing the round Calabrian hat shown in -the photograph taken of her at that time. The deposed monarch was deadly -pale, and as gaunt as any of his soldiers. “As for the Queen,” declared -this observer, “I could not see how she looked, my eyes were so blinded -with tears.” - -The people had gathered in crowds, every face showing traces of the -suffering they had undergone; but all seemed to forget their own -troubles in the misfortunes of their sovereigns. When the King and Queen -appeared, their emotion burst all bounds. Many wept aloud as they -pressed forward to kiss the hand of the Queen with far greater warmth -and enthusiasm than was shown by the people of Bari when they greeted -her arrival as a bride on the shores of Italy, two years before. Only -two short years, and yet how much had been crowded into them! And how -different that day from this! - -Francis had already issued a parting proclamation to his troops, -thanking them in touching terms for their devotion to him and to the -honor of the army; and as _La Movette_, flying the banner of the -Bourbons, glided slowly out of the harbor, a unanimous and deafening -shout of “Evviva il Re!” was their last farewell to the exiled -sovereign. The French on the corvette welcomed their guests with royal -honors, the officers in full uniform and the sailors lined up on deck to -receive them. With the King and Queen were the Counts of Trani and -Caserta and three of the Neapolitan generals. During the journey from -Gaeta to Terracina, Francis and his brothers showed the greatest -calmness, conversing cheerfully with their suite, and the French -officers could not refrain from expressing their admiration at the -King’s dignified acceptance of his fate. Maria Sophia had remained alone -on the after deck, leaning over the railing, her eyes fixed on the -cliffs of Gaeta. The smiling landscape seemed an irony of her mood. A -gloomy sky would have been more suited to the thoughts that filled her -bosom. She remembered with what noble aims she had come to this new -land, what fine resolutions to share in all works for promoting the -welfare of the people over whom she had been called to rule—and what had -been the result? Even her labors at Gaeta had been in vain. - -As _La Movette_ passed the battery “Santa Maria,” a royal salute was -fired, and soon after the corvette rounded the point and Gaeta was lost -to sight. The crew hauled down the Bourbon lilies and hoisted the French -tri-color—Maria Sophia was no longer a Queen. She turned away with a -chill at her heart. The deck was empty and a cold wind had suddenly -arisen, banishing the warmth of the sunshine and sending a shiver -through her from head to foot. - - - - - Chapter XIII - After the Fall of Gaeta - - -The news of the fall of Gaeta was hailed with joy by the fickle -Neapolitans, who seized the occasion as a welcome excuse for more -parades and festivities, with dancing and singing from morning till -night. The day after the departure of Francis and Maria Sophia, the -garrison evacuated the town. Officers and soldiers laid down their arms -before the walls of the citadel, and the fortifications were occupied by -the Piedmontese. Soon after, the citadel Del Tronto opened its gates to -Victor Emanuel’s troops, and with the surrender of Messina on the first -of March, the Bourbon lilies disappeared from southern Italy. - -On the fifteenth of February, the exiles landed at Terracina, heavy at -heart, and were escorted by a company of French dragoons to Rome, where -they took up their residence in the Palazzo Farnese as guests of Pope -Pius the Ninth. Maria Sophia was not a devout Catholic like her husband. -She had not wished to go to Rome, and found no comfort in the Holy -Father’s friendship. The dowager Queen was also living in Rome with her -children, and the close companionship into which the exiles were thus -forced by circumstances did not tend to improve the relations between -the ex-Queen and her mother-in-law. - -In times of trouble we naturally turn to our kin for sympathy, and Maria -Sophia was seized with desperate longing for her mother and her Bavarian -home. Early in April, therefore, she set out for Possenhofen, -accompanied by General Bosco. The two years she had spent in Naples had -been far from happy. She returned a queen without a crown, deprived of -all save honor. But the familiar scenes and faces, and above all the -comfort of pouring out her heart to the strong, noble mother, who had -suffered so much herself, restored her courage, and she soon became her -cheerful, lively self once more, her eyes sparkling with animation, full -of spirit and energy. - -The young Queen’s heroic behavior during the defence of Gaeta had taken -Europe by storm. Her praises were on every tongue, and the beauty, the -courage, the warm-heartedness of the “Heroine of Gaeta” were lauded in -prose and verse. She was deluged with tokens of admiration and sympathy, -among which were a gold laurel wreath from the princesses of Germany and -a sword of honor from the women of Paris. The dowager Queen, Maria -Theresa, had not yet given up hope that she and her children might -return to Naples. Since Francis the Second had proved himself incapable -of maintaining his place on Ferdinand’s throne, she was more determined -than ever that her own eldest son should occupy it; and in order to -prevent any opposition on the part of the Wittelsbach and Hapsburg -families, she succeeded in arranging a marriage between the Count of -Trani and Maria Sophia’s sister Mathilde soon after the arrival of the -exiles in Rome, neither of the young people’s wishes in the matter -having been consulted in the least. Maria Sophia returned to Rome after -a month’s stay with her parents, and in May the bridegroom went to -Munich to meet his unknown bride. This prince was far more attractive -than his stepbrother in outward appearance, having a frank, winning -manner and the utmost propriety of behavior. The wedding was put off for -a month, that the young people might become better acquainted, the Count -accompanying the ducal family to Possenhofen, where he occupied a -neighboring villa on Starnberg Lake. - -On the sixth of June, 1861, the ceremony took place in the ducal palace -at Munich, and the next morning the newly married pair set out on their -wedding journey, escorted as far as Zürich by the bride’s parents and -sisters. At Marseilles a Spanish warship was waiting to convey them to -Civita Vecchia, where they were warmly welcomed by the ex-King and Queen -of Naples, who accompanied them back to Rome. - -Immediately after the fall of Gaeta, Francis had despatched a letter to -the Emperor Napoleon, thanking him for the friendly interest he had -shown and expressing his appreciation of the courteous treatment he and -his wife had received from the officers of _La Movette_. As yet the -exiled sovereign scarcely knew how his position was regarded by the -European powers; Victor Emanuel had already assumed the title of King of -Italy, and this moved Francis to issue a circular urging them to -discountenance any pretensions on the part of the King of Sardinia. - -It is doubtful whether he had at first any idea of continuing the -struggle, but he had no sooner arrived in Rome than he became the centre -of a counter revolution planned by the Legitimist and Papist party, the -object of which was to make Naples again an absolute monarchy, this -being regarded as the surest safeguard of the Pope’s temporal power in -Rome. The dowager Queen contributed a large share of her property to aid -this undertaking, and Francis himself gave all he could spare of the -little he had been able to retain of his private fortune. But all in -vain. The attempt was unsuccessful and the Bourbon cause in Italy -hopelessly lost. - -Maria Sophia took no part in these efforts to recover the lost crown. -She had no confidence in her husband’s ability and strongly disapproved -of her mother-in-law’s intrigues. As Queen of the Two Sicilies she had -boldly put aside everything that interfered with her personal liberty; -but under these changed conditions and the protection of the papal power -she had no longer the right to assert her independence or resent the -elder woman’s jealous opposition. The monotony and inactivity to which -she was doomed in Rome were torture to her energetic spirit, and she -became nervous and irritable. By way of retaliation and diversion she -resorted to all sorts of tricks and foolish pranks, which enraged her -mother-in-law and were little becoming a queen on whom the eyes of -Europe had been so recently fixed with admiration and respect. - -But this unnatural life had much more serious results also. Meeting, as -she constantly did, men far more clever and attractive than the ex-King -of Naples, it was not strange that the latter should have suffered in -comparison, although, had he shown his love for her in the early days of -their married life, she might still have preferred him to others. Her -husband’s apparent coldness, however, had chilled the warmth of her -impulsive nature and turned her affections back upon herself. With such -a temperament and capacity for love, these pent-up emotions could not -fail to find an outlet sooner or later. A Belgian officer won her heart; -and Maria Sophia, full of life and ardor, forgot her dignity as Queen, -remembering only that she was young, a woman desperately craving -affection, alone in a dull, joyless court, where the life was -intolerable to her. - -Less than a year after the heroic defence of Gaeta it was said that the -ex-Queen of Naples was suffering from a disease of the lungs, and much -alarm was felt for her health. Early in the Summer she left Rome, -accompanied by the Count and Countess of Trani, and went to Possenhofen, -where the family was once more reunited. Fate had not dealt kindly with -the Wittelsbach sisters. It was no secret that the Empress of Austria’s -happiness was wrecked and her health deranged, and Hélène of Thurn and -Taxis had fared little better. Elizabeth’s marriage to Francis Joseph -had crushed her ambitious hopes, and the disappointment had embittered -her whole life, although it had made no difference in the affectionate -relations between the sisters, Hélène having left her own home to -accompany the invalid Empress to Madeira. Mathilde of Trani had been -married only a year; but the temperaments of the Count and Countess were -totally unsuited to each other. The young couple had no permanent place -of residence, no prospects for the future, and the present was full of -difficulties. - -It was generally known that the climate and life in Rome had seriously -affected the health of the ex-Queen of Naples; but a mother’s sharp eyes -soon discovered that there was a deeper source of trouble. This -daughter, who had inherited all her father’s brilliancy and charm, was -especially dear to the Duchess Ludovica, and as she had always shared -her child’s joys, she now comforted her in her hour of despair. Early in -August Maria Sophia left Possenhofen for a sojourn at the baths of -Soden, which it was hoped would benefit her health, and after a visit to -her eldest sister at Taxis, returned to Bavaria with her mother and the -Empress Elizabeth. Francis still loved his wife deeply, in spite of the -blow his faith in her had received, and both he and her own family tried -to persuade her to return to him; but her health was still so poor she -had little wish to expose herself again to the climate of Rome. In -October she retired to an Ursuline convent at Augsburg, much against the -wishes of her family, who feared it would appear to the world like a -permanent separation from her husband. They begged her at least to come -to Munich and live; but the quiet convent life suited Maria and she -refused to leave her peaceful retreat. - -Next to the Duchess Ludovica, her most frequent visitor at Augsburg was -Queen Marie of Bavaria, who had always been her closest friend, and it -was she who finally persuaded her cousin to exchange the convent for a -residence in Munich. In January, 1863, Maria Sophia moved to the Schloss -Biederstein, situated close to the English gardens and one of the most -beautiful spots in the Bavarian capital. Again and again the ex-King of -Naples made offers of reconciliation, and at length his patience and -devotion touched his wife’s heart. Possibly, also, her eyes were -gradually opened to the silent martyrdom he, on his own part, had -endured so long and which she at the time had little understood or -appreciated. It was not until two or three months later, however, that -she finally decided to return to Italy. On the thirteenth of April she -arrived once more in Rome, where she was warmly welcomed by her husband -and all the friends of the exiled family, after an absence of nearly a -year. - - - - - Chapter XIV - Royalty in Exile - - -Of all the sovereigns of Europe, Maximilian of Baden had been the most -loyal champion of King Francis’s cause. Neither Garibaldi’s triumphant -progress, nor Victor Emanuel’s victories, nor the unanimous shouts of -six million people for “Italia una” could reconcile him to the new state -of affairs. He had been ill for a long time, and in the Autumn of 1863 -his physicians recommended a sojourn in the south. So strong was his -feeling, however, against the new ruler of Italy, that rather than pass -through any part of his dominions, he travelled by way of Switzerland to -Marseilles, and there boarded a vessel that would land him in papal -territory. - -The voyage was terribly rough and the King suffered so acutely with -seasickness that it brought on an attack of his old complaint. Fearful -of the consequences of continuing the voyage, his physician declared he -must be taken ashore at all costs; but the sea was too high to permit of -the vessel’s landing, so the suffering monarch had to be lowered into an -open boat on a mattress and rowed ashore by two sailors. Fortunately, -they succeeded in reaching land safely near San Stefano, where they were -met by the French consul, and King Max, more dead than alive, was cared -for so attentively that he was able to continue his journey to Civita -Vecchia by carriage the next morning, arriving in Rome the following -day. Here he took up his residence in the Villa Mattei, and his health -began to improve at once. - -Maria Sophia was overjoyed to see her cousin again. She herself was far -from well, and had been urged by her physicians to leave Rome; but Max, -to whom she was devoted, begged her to remain, and she yielded to his -wishes. In December, however, her condition became so alarming that -Francis was forced to leave with her at once for Venice, a change of air -being absolutely necessary if her life was to be preserved. The ex-King -realized at last that it was out of the question for his wife to live in -Rome, and henceforth they spent only the winter months there. In the -purer air of Venice she soon began to gain strength and was able once -more to enjoy her favorite recreations. The relations between Maria -Sophia and her husband had much improved, and while he had no sympathy -with her tastes, nor was able to join her in her rides, he no longer -opposed her in the indulgence of them. - -Meanwhile the Schleswig-Holstein affair had become a burning question in -Germany. King Frederick the Seventh of Denmark had died, and in the -latter part of November news was received in Munich of Prussia’s protest -against his successor, the Duke of Augustenburg. Public feeling ran -high, and the issue of events was anxiously awaited. Under these -circumstances the people of Bavaria felt the need of their sovereign’s -presence among them and King Max was obliged to leave Rome. Although so -much improved in health that his physicians held out hope of a permanent -cure, he was still too ill to travel. He suffered a relapse soon after -reaching home, and died three months later, deeply mourned both by his -subjects and his family. - - * * * * * * * * - -In the Autumn of 1867 an epidemic of cholera broke out in Italy. The -dowager Queen insisted on remaining in her Albanian villa, though all -her children had hastily left the country. Deserted by her family and -her court, the widow of Ferdinand the Second fell a victim to the -scourge. Even the servants had fled, and the only person with her at her -death was an old Neapolitan nobleman who had been a friend of her -husband’s. Although Maria Theresa’s star had long since set, he remained -faithful to the last, tending and caring for her while she lay ill, and -accompanying her body—the only mourner—to its last resting-place in the -neighboring churchyard. - -The relations between Francis and Maria Sophia had never been actually -unpleasant; but after the death of the Queen dowager, they became more -attached to each other. Together they made frequent visits to their -various relatives or entertained them in Rome during the Winters. The -Empress Elizabeth especially was a frequent visitor. These two sisters, -as unlike in character as in their circumstances, had never lost any of -their sisterly affection for each other. Maria Sophia was with the -Empress in Hungary when her youngest daughter, Marie Valerie, was born -in 1868, and had shared her joy in that happy event. With it, however, -was a feeling of sadness for herself, childless and, in a way, homeless. -Children of her own would have given life a new aspect to her, and she -felt she would have been a different woman. But it was not her way to -indulge in vain regrets. She had long been indifferent toward the world; -her only interest now was in her dogs and horses, and she would spend -whole days in the saddle, riding the wildest and most ungovernable -animals. Once, on one of these rides, she met with an accident, from the -effects of which she was long in recovering, and her husband’s quiet -devotion during this time furnished a proof of his affection for her -that drew them still closer together. - -Maria Sophia’s joy was boundless when, on Christmas Eve, 1869, after ten -years of married life, she gave birth to a daughter in Rome. Four days -later, the little princess was christened, Pius the Ninth, who performed -the ceremony himself, acting as godfather, and the Empress Elizabeth as -godmother. She received the names Maria Christina Louisa Pia, for her -two grandmothers and the Holy Father. But the happiness of the ex-King -and Queen was destined to be of short duration, for their only child -lived but three months. She died in the following March, and was buried -in Rome. - - * * * * * * * * - -The withdrawal of the French troops from Rome in 1870 to take part in -the war against Germany, put an end to the temporal power of the Popes. -Pius the Ninth was forced to relinquish the Quirinal to the same bold -conqueror who had deprived Francis and Maria Sophia of their kingdom, -and thereafter they had no permanent residence in Rome. As long as the -Duke and Duchess Max lived, they spent the summers in Bavaria, -travelling about from place to place during the Winter. The greater part -of Francis the Second’s property, some twenty million lire, had been -confiscated by the new Italian Government, which offered to refund it on -condition of his formally renouncing all rights to the crown he had -already lost; but this he refused to do. “A man does not sell his -honor,” was his unfailing reply. Eventually he was paid back his -mother’s dowry; but the immense sum that King Ferdinand had settled on -his eldest son at the time of his marriage to Maria Sophia was -appropriated by Victor Emanuel, as were the contents of the royal -palace. Many of the paintings and works of art are still shown at “Capo -di Monte” in Naples, to the indignation of many of the sovereigns of -Europe. - -Although the climate of Rome had never agreed with Maria Sophia, both -she and her husband often declared that they had never really known the -terrors of exile till they were forced to leave Italy. Francis never -quite gave up hope that some turn of events would pave the way for his -return to his own and his father’s throne; but the heroine of Gaeta -never looked backward. The pomp and show of royalty had never appealed -to her, and she indulged in no vain regrets. - -The lives of the Wittelsbach sisters had proved a source of grief and -anxiety to their parents. Hélène, left a widow in 1867, after ten years -of unhappy married life, had managed the vast estates of the Thurn and -Taxis family with great ability during the minority of her eldest son, -Maximilian. This prince, a most promising youth, died in 1885, at the -early age of twenty-three, and the blow almost cost his despairing -mother her reason, while the following year, Count Ludwig of Trani -drowned himself in one of the Swiss lakes. - -The youngest daughter of the ducal pair, Sophie Charlotte, had been -first betrothed to Ludwig the Second of Bavaria; but the King jilted his -cousin in the most heartless fashion, and she afterward married -Ferdinand d’Alençon, an uncle of Louis Philippe of France. Banished from -France with the rest of the house of Orleans, the Duke and Duchess spent -their time travelling from place to place, and Sophie was sickly and -discontented, a victim to fits of melancholia. By his death on the -fourteenth of November, 1888, good Duke Max was spared the tragedy of -Mayerling, where his favorite grandson and the hope of the Austrian -Empire, Rudolf of Hapsburg, met with a violent and mysterious death -three months later. On the twenty-fourth of January, 1890, the Duchess -Ludovica was seized with an attack of influenza at her palace in Munich, -which developed into pneumonia. The physicians at once pronounced her -condition serious on account of her advanced age, and the absent -daughters were telegraphed for. Sophie was already in Munich, as were -the three sons. The next afternoon the Duchess grew so much worse that -the sacrament was administered; but in spite of the evident approach of -death the indomitable old lady refused to go to bed. She insisted upon -remaining in the reclining chair which she had occupied from the -beginning of her illness, and where she soon sank into unconsciousness, -passing away quietly at four o’clock in the morning, surrounded by -children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, at the age of -eighty-three. The death of the Duchess Ludovica was an irreparable loss -to her family. They had leaned on her in joy as in sorrow, and as long -as she lived she had held them together, widely scattered as they were, -with a firm and loving hand. Her children’s troubles and pleasures had -been her own, and their devotion, her joy and reward. - - - - - Chapter XV - Conclusion - - -After the funeral of the Duchess Ludovica, Maria Sophia returned to -Paris, where the ex-King of Naples had bought a residence some years -before, and where they were living very quietly, seeing no one but old -friends or relatives. Her grief at her mother’s loss was deep and -sincere, and for a time she was inconsolable. For her it meant the -severing of all the old ties and associations; and henceforth she rarely -visited the home of her childhood. - -A few months later Hélène of Thurn and Taxis died after a long and -painful illness, at the age of fifty-eight. The Empress Elizabeth had -hastened to her and was with her when she died, but none of the three -younger sisters were able to be present. - -In the Autumn of 1894 the ex-King of Naples went to the baths at Arco in -the Tyrol for his health, while his wife remained in Paris. Francis had -suffered for several years with an incurable complaint, and it was -reported that his illness had recently taken a serious turn; but this -had been denied. Death came sooner than any one expected, however, to -the unfortunate monarch, for he expired on the twenty-seventh of -December—alone, as he had lived. Maria Sophia started at once for Arco -on the news of his illness, but arrived too late to find him alive. - -Not a flag was lowered in the kingdom of his fathers to mark the death -of Francis the Second of Naples, nor was his body even allowed to rest -in the land he had loved. In all his vicissitudes, the long years of -exile, and the hours of loneliness and pain, Italy had been ever in his -heart. Through all his wanderings he had been haunted by memories of the -blue skies and sunny gardens of his childhood days. His love for his -native land extended even beyond the grave, for in his will he -bequeathed a million lire to charitable institutions in Naples and -Palermo. - -Duke Karl Theodor and his wife, with several other members of Maria -Theresa’s family, hastened at once to Arco to comfort Maria Sophia and -be present at the ex-King’s funeral. It took place on the third of -January, 1895, and was attended by a large number of royalties and other -distinguished personages. - -In the bright Winter sunshine the body of Francis the Second was borne -to the cathedral where it was to be laid to rest. The narrow streets -were thronged with black-garbed men and women, and bells were tolled in -all the churches, while the trumpets of the two battalions of Austrian -Jägers sent by the Emperor Francis Joseph, to pay the last honors to the -deceased sovereign, sounded a farewell. At the door of the church the -procession was met by the ex-Queen with her sisters, Mathilde and -Sophie, with several of her sisters-in-law, and other noble ladies who -formed the band of mourners. The services lasted five hours, and were -conducted by the Archbishop of Trent; but at last all was ended, the dim -cathedral was left silent and empty, and only the sound of tolling bells -echoed mournfully through the wintry air. - -The life of Francis the Second of Naples was one of renunciation. Little -sympathy or affection fell to his lot. He was arbitrary where he should -have been yielding, and yielding where he should have been firm; yet -during his short reign he was one of the most conspicuous figures in -European politics, and he had carried a kingdom with him in his -downfall. He was a good man and a good Christian, and, in spite of his -shortcomings, a real hero; for while his heart was bleeding, he bore his -sorrows in silence and hid his sufferings from the world. - - * * * * * * * * - -Although Maria Sophia had never really loved her husband, a close and -sincere friendship had grown up between them, and she truly mourned his -death. After the funeral she returned with her brother and his wife to -Munich, where for a time she occupied her old residence, the Schloss -Biederstein; but now that she was alone the thought of living there was -unbearable to her. - - [Illustration: _FRANCIS SECOND - in his sixtieth year_] - -The claims of the ex-King to the throne of Naples passed at his death to -Alfonzo, Count of Caserta; and while Francis had left his wife a large -sum of money, the bulk of his fortune had been bequeathed to this -brother whose marriage had been blessed with ten children. The residence -in Paris occupied by the royal pair had been included in this; and as -Maria Sophia wished to be free to live her own life, she bought an -estate at Neuilly-sur-Seine, where she lives quite alone the greater -part of the year. She rarely goes to Bavaria, but spends a few weeks -each winter at Arco. It was her intention originally to have her -husband’s body removed to her family burial-place in Tegernsee; but the -last King of Naples still sleeps before the high altar in the cathedral -of the little Tyrolean town. This quiet spot has grown dear to the -ex-Queen, and she mixes freely and pleasantly with the people who go -there for the baths. She is still a distinguished woman,—distinguished -in the best sense of the word,—with much of that charm that is like a -reflection of the past. Most of her time, however, she devotes to the -real passion of her life, her farm, where she raises thoroughbred dogs -and horses. Maria Sophia is not a recluse; but she lives in a world of -her own, and cares for animals more than for people. In former days her -sisters used often to visit her at Neuilly, the Duchess d’Alençon then -living in Paris, and the Empress Elizabeth and Countess of Trani -frequently stopping there on their journeys. - -The portraits of these four sisters plainly show their differences of -character. Mathilde of Trani is the picture of discontent and -disillusionment; Elizabeth is the mourner; Sophie d’Alençon is resigned -and weary of the world, while Maria, unlike all the others, looks -bravely out at life, despite her years. - -She accepted the decrees of fate with courage and fortitude, and bore -her troubles more philosophically than her sisters, therefore she has -kept her cheerfulness and serenity, and much of her former beauty. She -is always active, for she still feels young. But her solitary life and -her preference for the society of animals to people, show that the life -of this gayest and soundest of the Wittelsbach sisters has also been a -tragedy. - - * * * * * * * * - -Three years after the death of the ex-King of Naples, another terrible -misfortune occurred in the family. On the fourth of May, 1897, the -French capital was the scene of a most frightful catastrophe. The ladies -of the French aristocracy were holding a bazaar for charity, in a -building which had been roughly and carelessly constructed, and lined -with booths in which many prominent society women sold wares donated for -the purpose. A kinematograph had also been installed to add to the -entertainment. In the middle of the afternoon, when the crowd was -greatest, a lamp attached to this suddenly burst, and in an instant the -whole building was in flames. The exits were insufficient and hard to -find, and scores of people perished. - -Among the most prominent of the workers was Sophie, Duchess d’Alençon, -who was a devout Catholic and had devoted the latter years of her life -almost entirely to charity. Witnesses of the scene of horror who escaped -with their lives have told of the Duchess’s heroism in attempting to -save others, forgetful of her own danger. One lady tried to carry her -out by force; but she broke away, and dashing back into the flames, took -her place in her own booth again, calmly assisting in getting the young -girls into a place of safety. - -All that night it was hoped that she, too, had succeeded in making her -escape. But the next day a wedding ring, bearing the name of Ferdinand -d’Alençon, was found in the ruins and all hope of finding her alive was -abandoned. Her body, burned beyond all recognition, was afterward -identified by a dentist who had supplied her with some false teeth -shortly before. Maria Sophia was in Neuilly at the time of the accident, -and her appearance with the Duke d’Alençon, at the requiem mass held in -memory of the dead in the Church of St. Philippe de Rule, was her last -public appearance in the world. When the Empress Elizabeth, who fell by -the hand of an assassin on the shore of Lake Geneva a year later, was -laid away in the vault of the Capucins at Vienna, Maria Sophia was -unable to be present. Only in spirit could she bid farewell to this -favorite sister, under whose cold and reserved exterior had beaten a -warm and loving heart. - - * * * * * * * * - -Many years have passed since the Rose of Starnberg Lake was planted at -the foot of Vesuvius, many since Francis the Second’s tottering throne -collapsed, burying the hopes of a lifetime. But time has treated Maria -Sophia gently. If she has wept bitter tears, the world has seen no trace -of them. Her smile is still that of the beautiful young Queen of Naples, -and she has kept that youth of the heart that never fades. But what her -thoughts are as she goes about among her pets, no one knows. Does she -still see Gaeta at times behind its dark, receding cliffs? Perhaps, for -it was there that she displayed for the first and only time the gifts -with which Providence had endowed her, and the supreme moments of life -one does not forget. - -The romance of Maria Sophia’s life ended at Gaeta: forced from the -world’s stage with all the splendid promise of her youth unfulfilled, -she has never since taken part in the affairs of men. Yet she is not -morbid or unhappy. She looks back upon her life without bitterness, and -if her heart has longings, it is not for her vanished crown and sceptre. - -The struggle for Italian unity has given place to other and newer events -in the world’s history. The Queen of Naples has hidden her royal honors -under the modest title of Duchess of Castro. When she dies, an almost -forgotten episode will be revived and the “Heroine of Gaeta” recalled to -the memory of men; but only the gray-haired soldiers who knew and served -under the young Queen will remember how gay and brilliant she was, will -see her again in all her fresh young beauty. - -Maria Sophia was a heroine but for a day; but time has no power to touch -her memory. Clothed in the radiance of perpetual youth, she stands a -glowing figure in the annals of history. - - - - - Footnotes - - -[1]The nickname of King Bomba was given to Ferdinand after the - bombardment of Messina in Sicily, but also referred to the huge, - unwieldy figure that he acquired, especially in the later years of - his life. - - - - - Appendix - - -The following is a chronological statement of the principal events -connected with this narrative: - - 1807 Birth of Garibaldi. - 1810 Birth of Ferdinand the Second. - 1836 Birth of Francis the Second. - 1859 Death of Ferdinand the Second. - 1859 Francis the Second succeeds to the Throne. - 1859 Beginning of the Italian Revolution. - 1859 Battles of Magenta and Solferino. - 1860 Garibaldi Dictator of Sicily. - 1860 Garibaldi enters Naples. - 1860 Francis the Second driven from Naples. - 1860 Annexation of Central Italy to Sardinia. - 1860 Outbreak of Revolution in Lower Italy. - 1861 Surrender of Gaeta. - 1861 Victor Emanuel proclaimed King of Italy. - 1862 Garibaldi invades Sicily. - 1862 Garibaldi defeated and retires. - 1866 French Garrison withdrawn from Rome. - 1870 Victor Emanuel occupies Rome. - 1882 Death of Garibaldi. - - LIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - - _Translated from the German by_ - GEORGE P. 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