1740-1743

how, out of a school-boy's quarrel, it came that i kissed the hands of his majesty, james iii.; that i met with h.r.h. the prince of wales and other company, both high and low, until, from one thing to another, i took leave of my books to follow the drum.

no sooner was our arrival announced than we were ushered into the reception-room, where, in a moment, the rector, father urbani, came to meet us, giving us such a welcome that our hearts warmed to him at once.

he knew all about our people, and, indeed, had a knowledge of the families as if he had been brought up in the highlands; he enquired after each one in turn, asking for news of good father innes of paris, and bishop hay of edinburgh, both old friends of his. nor did he forget even luigi, but thanked him handsomely and paid him well for his care, bidding him return the next day to take his farewell of us.

when he bade us good-night he said to me: "you will be the youngest boy in the college, and you have a face worthy of your holy name, john; but i shall call you little john, giovannini." and by that name it was that i went all the time i was in rome.

we were given a room together, and i, remembering my father's word, looked at the wall near the beds, but could find no "sir patrick spens," and so knew it was not his room, but resolved to ask the rector the next day.

then began our regular round of work. the rector engaged a private tutor to instruct us in latin and italian, and before the winter was over we were deemed ready to go to the schools taught by the jesuits in the collegio romano; for there was no teaching in the scots college, only the learning of our tasks and submission to the discipline imposed.

it was not long before we welcomed mr. o'rourke again, for he was now at the propaganda, and there and elsewhere he gained much credit for us by publishing the story of our adventure with the captain, which lost nothing, i can answer, in the telling.

at the roman college we met with lads from all parts of the world, and i made such progress before the year was out that i was put into a higher class, and there, unfortunately, fell foul of a fellow in a way that nearly put an end to my studies.

this was a swarthy maronite, from near mount libanis, who attempted to palm off a dirty trick on me in school hours. not being allowed to speak then, i bided my time until the bell rang, when i made for the door, and the moment he came out gave him a boy's punishment, swelling his upper lip and sending him off holding his nose, which was bleeding. all my fellows were rejoiced at the outcome, and promised me their support.

now there were two punishments in vogue in the collegio romano, styled, respectively, the mule and the horse—the first of which was to be put into the stocks, hands and feet, and receive as many lashes on the bare back with a cat as might be thought proper; the horse was for less atrocious crimes, for which the offender was made to stand on a bucket-stool and was flogged on the small of the legs.

soon after our return from school a message was sent to father urbani, giving an account of the crime committed by giovannini mcdonell. i was in due course called for by the superior, in presence of all my fellow-collegioners, and accused. without hesitation i avowed my guilt, and was thereupon told by the superior i must undergo the punishment of the mule. there was a dead silence at this, and all looked at me and waited.

i write this as an old man who has lived through a life of action, not without its reverses, but as i write i can distinctly recall the wretched misery that chilled my blood and turned my heart to water as the superior gave his sentence. no distress i have ever gone through since has equalled the helpless despair that wrung my lonely, miserable little heart as i stood there trembling in every limb before my judge. i was sick with the shame and humiliation; i was indignant at the injustice; i was overcome by my powerlessness, but i do not think i was afraid.

"i gave him a boy's punishment"

"sir," said i, when i could speak, "i was falsely accused by a coward and a liar for his own dirty trick, and i did the only thing in my power to right myself. if my way was wrong, i am sorry, but i will not be tied up and punished like a soldier or a thief. i am a gentleman born, sir, and i would rather die first!" but here i had to stop, for i could trust my voice no longer.

"well, well, my lad, we won't talk of any such heroics as dying yet," said the superior, smiling; whereupon my fellows, taking heart, joined in, vowing they would rather leave the collegio romano and go to the propaganda than submit to such punishments. but the only result of their protest was that they were packed off to school, as usual, and i was kept at home.

after the others were gone, and i alone in my room, i had begun to wonder what was in store for me, when word was, brought that the rector, father urbani, waited for me. i entered his presence with a heavy heart, for a boy in disgrace sees a possible enemy in every one; but that kind old man beckoned me to his side, and, instead of questions or reproaches, patted my cheek, and, calling me his "caro giovannini," asked me if i would not like to accompany him in his coach and see some of the sights of rome.

i was so overcome i could not help bursting into tears, through which i sobbed: "dear, dear father urbani. i will go with you anywhere, but i will never take a mule or a horse!"

"my dear giovannini," said he, "the only horses we will think about are those for the shafts of our coach. be ready after the siesta, and let me see a more smiling face when next you meet me."

so take me he did, and was so sumptuously received at all the great houses he visited—and i as well—that i soon forgot my terrors.

father urbani was a gentleman of birth, connected with many of the highest families, and whatever his real name was, he well deserved that of his profession, for no one could be more urbane than he, and his softness of voice always brought my dear father before me. he was full of drolleries, too, for, when we visited st. peter's, he told me of the german in rome who had never seen the church, though he had started several times with that in view, but always found the sun too hot and the taverns too cool for the long walk, and so kept out of the one and in, the other until his day was done before his pilgrimage was accomplished. at length, on being rallied by his friends, he made a great effort and passed safely by his dangers, saw the great church, and returned full of satisfaction. "but," says he, "i think it strange that they should put st. peter on horseback before the high altar!"—a speech which mightily piqued the curiosity of his friends, until they discovered he had been no farther than the loggia, and had taken the statue of the roman emperor constantino for that of the saint.

on the third day of our travels we went into the church of the santi apostoli, and there father urbani drew my attention to a man kneeling in prayer before a tomb near the high altar. though i saw nothing more than a dark velvet coat, the soles of his shoes, and part of his powdered head, i asked, with a sudden curiosity, who it might be.

"his enemies call him the pretender, his friends, the chevalier de st. george, but many hold he is properly styled his majesty, james the third of england," said father urbani, quietly, but very dryly; at which my heart broke into a rapid tattoo of loyalty in honour of the house whose fortunes my family had always followed, and for whose sake my uncle scottos had sacrificed himself.

we were for withdrawing quietly, and had almost reached the door, when the king finished his devotions and came slowly down the church—a thin, dark-visaged man, very grave and sad-looking, i thought, but his carriage was noble, and the broad riband on his breast looked in keeping. he stopped when he reached us and spoke to father urbani, who, to my surprise, did not seem at all put out, and made no greater reverence to the king than he would to any noble of high rank, answering him in his soft, quiet voice, as though speaking to an ordinary man. i only remembered this afterwards, when telling angus of the meeting. at the time i stood like one enchanted, devouring the king with my eyes.

at last he noticed my absorption, and said, still in italian, "ah! an english lad, i see?"

"no, your majesty," i made bold to answer, "a highlander." at which he smiled, gravely, and held out his hand, which i knelt and kissed with my heart on my lips.

we waited until the king had left the church, making his way on foot and alone to his palace alongside, when we took coach again and drove towards the college. i could see that father urbani did not wish to be disturbed, for there was a troubled look on his face, so i said nothing, but leaned back with my head full of the glorious vision i had just seen. had any one dared say there was nothing in meeting with a sad-faced, elderly man alone in an empty church—a man who claimed to be a king and had no throne, who claimed to be a king and had no country—i would have held it little short of blasphemy. to me he was a martyr for honour's sake, the true head of my nation and the hope of all loyal hearts. so i leaned back, i say, with these things running riot through my head, jumbled with old stories of killicrankie and 1715, with old songs i had heard from a child, and with thoughts of my uncle scottos, until i was suddenly brought back to earth again by one of father urbani's thin old hands quietly closing over mine.

"and now, giovannini, do you not think you can go back to school again?" he asked.

"i will, father, i will; for you i will do anything i am able. but you will not ask me to take either the mule or the horse?" i asked, my old trouble coming back on me again.

"have no more fear, my dear child," he said, quietly; "they will never be put to your offer. you have been punished enough by attending on an old man like me for three days." and as he embraced me tenderly at parting in our hall, he bade me, pointedly, not to attach too much to anything we had seen.

so i went back to my tasks quite content, and continued to make good progress and give satisfaction, though i could not altogether obey our good rector's bidding and forget that lonely figure of the santi apostoli. and angus and i whispered our secret to each other as we lay in the quiet of our room at night.

now, there was a privilege which our students had above those of all other colleges in rome, which was that any two of us might, at certain hours, go wherever our business called us. and angus and i found that the shortest way for all our business, as well as between the collegio romano and the via quattro fontane, was by the little street of the santi apostoli, whence we could feast our eyes on the palace, and were more than once rewarded by a sight of his majesty and one of the princes, whom we afterwards discovered to be the duke of york, going forth to take the air with a modest following.

our scheming might have ended here had it not been for mr. o'rourke. one day, when we went to visit him at the college of the propaganda, he said: "i hear you take a great many walks in the santi apostoli, young gentlemen"; at which we were much put out, and begged he would say nothing of it, for, although we had not been forbidden, we felt there were good reasons against its being mentioned. but he relieved us with his merry laugh. "faith, not i! i would not dream of interfering with the leanings of two gentlemen such as you, the more so that they have a bias in what i conceive to be the right direction. perhaps you do not know i am a descendant of kings myself," he went on, in his lively fashion, "and, having royal blood flowing freely in me, can enter into your feelings better than the best nobleman who ever ruled over your honourable college."

this was a hit at father urbani—and i suspect there may have been a certain jealousy between the propaganda and the jesuits, for the army is not the only fighting body in the world—so i broke in with, "none of your innuendoes, if you please, mr. o'rourke. we have never asked father urbani to enter into our feelings, but i hold him qualified to enter into the best thoughts of the best man in rome!"

"soft and easy, signor giovannini mcdonellini," says he, always laughing; "your stomach is high, even for a highlander! i was only about to propose, on my first free day, a visit to your lode-star, the palace of the santi apostoli, where, thanks to my royal ancestry, i have some small right of entry." and with the words he took the anger out of me at once.

it seemed an eternity until his first congé, or day of liberty, came round, and we were in waiting long before the appointed hour. we lost no time in setting out, but, to our surprise, did not take our way to the palace direct, but went instead round by a little lane leading off the piazza pilotta, and so to a small wicket, whereon mr. o'rourke knocked in a private manner, while we held our breath in expectation. the door was opened presently by an old man, to whom mr. o'rourke gave some pass-word, and we were admitted, not to the palace itself, but into the bare and mean hallway of a very ordinary house. before we had time to betray our disappointment, however, we passed through this hall, and by means of a hidden door—hidden, that is, by a seeming closet or wardrobe—we stepped out into the sunlight again, and, to our great delight, found ourselves in what we did not doubt were the gardens of the palace.

as we walked up a path, i pulled mr. o'rourke by the sleeve.

"what is it?" he said.

"oh, mr. o'rourke," i whispered, "i wish we had our leghorn cloaks." at which he stopped, and, to my horror, laughed aloud, until the high, empty court seemed filled with the roar of his burly voice.

"don't, mr. o'rourke—pray don't! some one will hear you!" i cried, much distressed.

"hear me? lord bless you, they wouldn't give a rotten fig to hear me; but you are worth a whole garden of figs, with the vines to boot! for a mixture of a bare-legged highlander and a half-feathered priestlet, you are the most prodigious bird-o'-paradise i have yet met with, mr. john mcdonell, of scottos!"

"i am neither a priest nor a peacock yet, mr. o'rourke," i said, indignantly, "and i was not thinking of myself at all, but only of what was fitting towards his majesty."

but he only laughed at me the more. "your consideration does honour to your heart, but his majesty has not as yet appointed me his master of ceremonies, though i have the privilege of the back stairs. no, no, giovannini, we'll see no majesties to-day, and the cloak must serve for when you are in better company than that of a poor irish student, whose only riches is the same loyalty that warrants yourself." and that last touch melted me, and so, hand in hand, we went on together.

then mr. o'rourke explained that the king and the princes were to attend an audience given by the pope that afternoon, and we were free to go over the palace under the guidance of mr. sheridan, tutor to the princes.

we entered the palace with awe and almost worship, and were made welcome by mr. sheridan, who most kindly entreated us to satisfy our curiosity about his royal charges, telling us much that seemed almost incredible, for i believe we had an idea that a prince must have some divine right of learning by which he was excused both table and syllabus. in the prince's waiting-room we found mr. murray, son of sir david murray of broughton, a young man of pleasing address, afterwards so widely known as mr. secretary murray, and then in some position about the prince. he made much of us, asking us about our people, but had not that knowledge of our families i would have looked for in one in his position. however, we did not attach overmuch to this, as his welcome was hearty, and he lifted us to the height of expectation by saying: "well, young gentlemen, you fall on a lucky day, for his royal highness has not left, and i doubt not will see you"; and, before we could make any reply, he withdrew, leaving us in a state beyond my poor powers to describe.

before we had recovered, the door opened, and his royal highness, the prince of wales, stood before us. he was dressed in full court costume, with all his orders, his handsome face bright with a smile of welcome; and as he came forward and then paused, mr. o'rourke gathered his composure first and knelt and kissed his hand.

we were about to follow, but the prince would have it otherwise, restraining us as he said, laughingly: "no, no; a hand-grasp is ceremony enough between us. in meeting with highlanders i feel i am among comrades with whom i may stand back-to-back some day, and that, perhaps, not so far distant. but tell me of clanranald," he said, quickly, to angus; "his son is a gallant gentleman, i hear, and you, i understand, are his cousin."

angus gave him such information as he had received of late, whereupon the prince questioned us on both our families, calling them all properly by name—scottos, glengarry, barisdale, and others—without a single mistake. "do not be surprised i should know you all," he said, smiling; "his majesty and i are never tired hearing of the names that are dear to us."

then he questioned us somewhat—but not too closely—of ourselves, and we were able to answer without confusion, so gracious was his manner and so friendly his dark-brown eyes.

"do you ever think," he said, changing suddenly, "what it means never to have known your own country? you are happier far than i, for some day you will return home to the land you love, and i, when i put my foot upon it, must do so as a stranger and an outcast, taking my life in my hand."

"your royal highness," i said, "every loyal heart in the highlands beats for you. and every true arm will draw for you whenever you come!" and the tears stood in my eyes so that i could hardly see him before me.

"god grant it," he answered, fervidly. then, laying a hand on my shoulder, he said: "and now let me hear the gaelic. i love the very sound of it!"

my uncle scottos' constant toast sprang at once to my lips: "'soraidh do'n bhata 'tha âir saille 'y d'on t-soirbheas a tha' scideadh agus do na cridheachan a tha' feitheamh teachd a' phrionnsa!'"

"what is it?" he asked, eagerly.

"'good luck to the boat that is at sea and to the breeze that is blowing, and to the hearts that are waiting for the coming of the prince!'" i answered, turning it into such english as i might.

"'the coming of the prince—the coming of the prince,'" he repeated over to himself. but here mr. murray ventured to cough, meaningly, and the prince said, as if in answer, "yes, yes; i must go," and, with the words that we would meet again, he shook hands with us all and withdrew.

i am an old man now, and have seen every hope of the cause i once held dearer than life blasted beyond recovery; but no personal knowledge of the pitiable failure, no evil report of the heart-breaking degradation, the selfishness, and self-destruction of all that was noble and kinglike in that beautiful young life—god pity me i should write such words of one so dear!—have availed even to dim the godlike presence that revealed itself before us so graciously on that november afternoon in the palace of the santi apostoli.

probably no one to-day can know what such a meeting meant to a lad brought up as i had been. all my life long had i heard stories of devotion for the sake of the exiled family. i knew of no time when life and fortune was not regarded as their rightful due from their adherents. i had been brought up to believe in them and to hope for them until hope had grown into faith and faith into worship.

my heart was full and my head ringing with excitement, so i can recall little or nothing of the remainder of that memorable afternoon save my wonder, when we stepped out into the street again, to find men and women going about their business just as if nothing had happened. it did not seem possible, when my whole life was changed. i was so bewildered i could scarce believe it was the same world again. i could not talk or even listen to mr. o'rourke; as for angus, i paid no heed to his chatter at all, and it was only when we paused in the piazza di spagna to bid good-bye to our friend that i found some words to thank him, and promised to see him again on the following thursday.

was there ever so long a week? my lessons were poorly committed; not that i was dull, but my head was so full of other thoughts i had no room for anything else, while ever between me and my books there came that glorious figure, brave in silks and velvet, with jewelled sword by its side and flashing orders on its breast, till i could no longer see my task, and in my ears rang that clear, pleasant voice forever calling, calling. surely, if any one was bewitched in rome that week, it was giovannini mcdonell, of the scots college.

my former record alone kept me from losing my holiday, and as soon as i was free i was off to the college of the propaganda, though angus was not altogether set on passing another holiday within doors. i was dreaming of another visit, though i hardly dared hope for it; but mr. o'rourke put an end to such thoughts by his first words.

"welcome, my highland gentlemen! can you put up with the poor hospitality of this withered sprig of royalty instead of talking real treason face to face with exiled princes? were i king george i'd make it a crime to send little highland bantams to rome to turn them into rebel game-cocks."

but i saw he was for drawing me on—an exercise at which he was expert, and which gave him great pleasure—and so, refusing to be angered, i answered with much good-nature: "indeed, mr. o'rourke, i believe you to be as great a rebel yourself as any in the three kingdoms."

"why should i not be, boy?" he asked, sternly. "if i and mine had remained at home, no matter what souls god gave us, we would be forced to herd with the swine and die with the foxes. abroad we can at least wear with some honour the names our fathers bequeathed to us, and when death comes we can die like gentlemen in the faith into which our mothers bore us. but as to your politics," he said, changing to his usual manner, "i would not give a fig for the whole box and dice. i neither whistle for 'blackbirds' nor run after 'white horses.' if i had my rights, 'tis an independent kingdom i'd have in my own family. 'tis duke or crown prince of brefni i'd be myself, or perhaps a kind of a pope of my own, and when i'd speak to the likes of you, 'tis weeping so hard for joy you'd be that you'd take the shine out of all my jewels!" and so on, with a brogue as broad as if tipperary was in the next room, and macaroni and italian had never replaced the potatoes and the speech he had left behind.

finding i would take no offence, he was somewhat dashed and gave over his attempt; so we went off for a stroll and were all merry together.

when we parted he told us with much emphasis that mr. murray had sent particular word that we would be admitted by the same door on the following thursday, shewing me the knock and bidding me give the word "gaeta" to the porter.

it proved a quieter week for me, and thursday found us in the little lane, whence we made our way into the palace gardens, as before, where we found mr. sheridan awaiting us, who led us to mr. murray's chamber. he was wonderfully busy with his writing, but turned from it to entertain us, and shewed us such attention it was no wonder our heads were nearly turned. he questioned us much about our plans, and, when he found i had no leaning towards the church, made no scruple to belittle the calling of a priest, and seemed much pleased when i told him of my mind to take up arms as my profession.

that same day he made us known to a lieutenant butler, a younger man than himself, who was in what was once known as "burke's foot," now serving king carlo borbone in naples and styled there the "regiment irlandia," after the old brigade in spain. the very name of my uncle's old regiment was an intoxication to me, and any man who had to do with it had a claim to my worship; so when lieutenant butler very obligingly told me i might wait upon him at his lodging in the via bocca di leone, my heart beat with gratitude and delight; and so off we went to wait through another week.

at lieutenant butler's another and a greater surprise awaited us, for there we were introduced to colonel donald macdonnell, in command of the company st. james, of the regiment irlandia—a very tall and handsome man, but so swarthy that he looked more like to a spaniard than an irishman. but irishman he was in spite of his foreign looks, for his father, the lieutenant-general commanding the regiment, was direct in his descent from the mayo macdonnells, and as pure a jacobite as ever drew sword for the rightful succession. here, too, we also met a mr. o'reilly, ensign in the same service, whom i looked upon with much envy, as he was not greatly my superior in years.

colonel macdonnell at once began to question me touching my uncle scottos, and very willingly did i tell the story of his campaigns, especially those of italy, where, at the defence of cremona, he was thanked before the regiment and received his first promotion. i told also of alicaut, in spain, where he was joined to the dragoons under the count o'mahony, and where, battered and starved beyond belief after twenty-seven days' active siege and storming, thirty-six dragoons, with as many french and sixty-eight neapolitans, surrendered, and marched out with all the honours of war—drums and fifes playing, colours flying, and matches lighted—dragging their four cannon and two mortars after them.

they let me talk on, like the boastful boy i was, until i ended with the attempt of 1715, when my uncle scottos left the service until such time came as he might take up the quarrel once more.

"'tis a good song, well sung," said the colonel, smiling at my heat; "but how comes it a lad with such a backing behind him is content with a long robe and a book, instead of dancing in blue coat and gaiters to the rat-tat-tat of the drum?"

"oh, sir, 'tis what i long for more than all else in the world! let me follow you, and see if i am not a soldier born! i know something of fence now, and as for the rest, i will study at it night and day."

"you would prove an apt pupil, no doubt," said the colonel; "and what says angus?"

but to my shame angus said nothing save "that he would see," and i knew well what that meant—it just meant no, in the most unsatisfactory and weary a manner a man can put it; but he proffered nothing further, and i was withheld by the presence of the company from expressing my thoughts.

but the colonel only laughed with great good-nature, and said: "well, well, when you make up your mind, let me know if it is favourable to me. as for you, you young fire-eater," he added, turning to me, "i won't have any runaways about me!" at which i was much abashed, as i could not protest that such a thought was foreign to me, for i was plotting at it even as he spoke. "if you join," he went on, "you must do so in such manner as will not shame your uncle scottos. i will see father urbani myself and find what he says about you; and if he gives you a good rating, and his permission, then you shall join like a gentleman." so with this i was forced to be content.

"well, angus," i began, the moment we were in the street, "a pretty shewing you have made for yourself with your 'we will sees' before gentlemen! i hope you are well satisfied?"

"i'm not exactly put out," says he, very dry.

"indeed? and you call yourself clanranald!" i snorted, full of scorn.

"my father always told me i had every right to!" says he, provoking me to the utmost with his pretended quiet. "and what is more, i never yet heard that any of my name must needs take up with the first recruiting-officer he comes across."

"angus mcdonald!" i cried, "if we weren't in the open street i'd thrash you within an inch of your life!"

"oh no, you wouldn't, nor yet within a mile of it! i'm no more afraid of you than i am of the irish officers you're so hot after."

fortunate it was for the good name of the college that we caught sight of the superior at that moment, for i do not believe human patience could have held out longer than mine had done. indeed, so much was i exercised that the superior saw at once something was wrong, and it was with the greatest difficulty we contrived to keep our cause of difference from him.

i was burning for father urbani to send for me, but one day after another passed without word, and when next i saw lieutenant butler he could give me no hint of when colonel macdonnell was likely to speak, for he had already left rome and his return was uncertain. had i not been so busy the waiting would have been weary work indeed, but every day i was making new acquaintance—for in a measure i was made free of the palace, being readily admitted by the little door and made welcome by mr. murray, mr. sheridan, and other gentlemen. every day i saw new faces, and soon lost my backwardness, learning to bear myself without blushing or stammering, or any such school-boy tricks. angus was seldom with me now, and, indeed, i was not sorry, for he seemed to have but small stomach for the business and preferred to stick to his books.

at length, one cold day in winter, as i was hurrying across the corso, hugging my soprano close about me, on my way to the santi apostoli, i caught sight of colonel macdonnell and eagerly accosted him.

"well met, my little church mouse!" he said, passing his arm around my shoulder in such a manner as took the sting out of his jest. "where are you scurrying to on such a cold day as this?"

"to the santi apostoli, sir," i answered.

"to the church, or the palace?"

"to the palace, sir," i said, with some pride.

he stopped short, and putting his two hands on my shoulders, said, very gravely: "i am sorry to hear that, my lad. how did this come about?"

i told him all without hesitation. when i had made an end, he heaved a great sigh and then moved on again. when he spoke it was in a slow, thoughtful manner, as if to himself. "at it already! well, well, i suppose it could not be helped. but, upon my soul, lad," he said, suddenly, as if waking up, "i would nearly as soon see you a priest as in with these gentry!"

"how so, sir?" i said, in surprise.

"you would not understand," he said, more gently. "when the day comes, out with your sword, if you must, and strike—i would be the last to say you nay—but this chamber-plotting and convert-making, i despise it all! whom have you met there?"

i told him, and of how kind many of the gentlemen had been to me, in particular mr. murray and mr. sheridan.

"i know nothing bad of either of them," he said, in a disdainful way. "but you have no call to be in such company at your age. i shall speak to father urbani before i leave rome this time, and, if he permits, you shall have a training that will fit you for something better than any one of this secret-whispering pack will ever come to. i will make a soldier of you, mcdonell, which is the best use god ever made of man, and the best use you can make of yourself for your king. but come, i am going to the palace myself, only you must go through the piazza and not by any back door, like a lackey or a priest."

so we went on together across the place and through the main entrance, where the guards saluted the colonel as we passed hand-in-hand, and i could not but feel i had shared in the honour. i was left in a waiting-room while the colonel was closeted with the king, and when he joined us again we went through to a large room where quite a company of gentlemen were gathered.

after greeting some of them, and bowing somewhat haughtily to the room at large, the colonel seated himself at a table, while i remained standing near him looking round the company with some curiosity, for there were many new faces, and the colonel's words had set me to wondering why he should hold so lightly these men whom i had believed most devoted of all to the king.

i was thus engaged in my survey and speculation, when i caught sight of a face hat struck me like a blow and sent the blood tingling through every vein in my body. there, only separated from me by the width of the room, modishly dressed and smiling, stood captain creach conversing with two gentlemen. he saw me at the same moment, but his white face gave no more sign than a face of stone, and he went on with his talk as quietly as if i had been at aquapendente and he alone in rome.

i did not hesitate a moment—indeed, hesitation has seldom been one of my faults—but making my way across the room, i stepped close to him and said, in as calm a tone as i could command: "captain creach, i am surprised to see you in rome!"

the three gentlemen all faced me at my speech, and creach, without a change in his wicked face, said: "young sir, is your address intended for me?"

"i spoke to you by name, sir," i said, with distinctness.

"then am i famous, indeed," said he, laughing lightly.

"you may laugh, captain creach," said i, and was going on, but he interrupted me, speaking very civilly, but angering me all the more for it:

"i see by your dress you are of the scots college, young gentleman"—for, as usual, i had on my purple soutane with its crimson sash, and over it my black, sleeveless soprano, with my three-cornered hat under my arm—"but there is one lesson you have not as yet learned, and that is, how to address a gentleman. i am not captain creach, as you imagine, but captain graeme, late of the hungarian service, and, to the best of my belief, this is the first time i have ever had the honour of addressing you."

he was so quiet and cool that i was dumfounded; but i knew he was lying, though i had never heard a gentleman lie before.

"not captain creach? not captain creach?" i stammered.

"no, sir, 'not captain creach,'" he repeated, mocking me, whereat some of the gentlemen laughed, but one of them broke in with:

"damn it! this comes of bringing brats where they have no business. creach! you little fool! this is no more creach than you are. this is captain graeme, late of the imperial service. there, beg his pardon now, and don't put your foot in it again, like a wise lad," and his tone was kind, though his words were rough.

"your pardon, sir," i said, "but this is captain creach, of the regiment irlandia; i have reason to know him only too well."

"here, macdonnell," called out my new acquaintance, "this bantling of yours is doing you no credit; come here and smooth him down."

the colonel rose, frowning, and came over to where we formed a centre, creach standing on one foot and tapping the other with his long, fashionable cane.

"what's the matter?" he said, severely.

"colonel macdonnell," i cried, "may i say a word to you in private?" and seeing i was in deadly earnest, he took me into an anteroom and bade me speak.

then i told him the whole story of our adventure at aquapendente, and that i was as sure this man was creach as i was i had a soul. "i don't care what he says, sir, that is captain creach, of the regiment irlandia."

"my dear lad," he said, firmly, "get that notion out of your head at once. we have not, and never had in my day, any captain creach, or any man of the name, even in our ranks. there is a captain creach in lord clare's regiment, whom i know for a gallant gentleman, but he has not seen italy for many a long year. now, wait a moment—will you apologize to this gentleman?"

"no, sir, saving your presence, i will not."

"very well; that is settled. will you give me a promise?"

"yes, sir, i will promise you anything i may with honour."

"that is right. you cannot be too careful of that last," he said, smiling, and then went on gravely: "my boy, i hope some day to have you under my own eye in my own company, and till then i want you to do what is best to bear yourself with credit, now promise me again you will do as i ask, on your honour."

"i will, sir, on my honour."

"then you will never come within these doors again unless the king sends for you, and as soon as you go home you will tell father urbani where you have been this winter. do you understand?"

"i do, sir."

"very well. now, honour for honour. i will take up your affair with this man creach, or graeme, or whatever else he may call himself, and you may rest satisfied that your quarrel will not suffer. and now, god bless you, my lad, and when you are older you will thank me for this day's work. good-bye!" and he shook my hand warmly, and stood watching me until i passed out into the hall.

i may as well admit here, that at times i am slow at displacing any idea which has once taken root in my mind, and it was not until some years after i conceived the explanation that creach was never this fellow's name at all, but for some reason best known to himself he had chosen to fare under it when we met with him at aquapendente, otherwise honourable men would never have answered for him as they did. but this is by the way.

i went forth from the palace with my head in a whirl; for, though i was satisfied with the part i had played towards creach, there was my promise to the colonel, and, despite every effort i might make, my visits did not appear to me so defensible as before. i tried to argue to myself that i had not been forbidden; but, somehow, that did not seem sufficient, and i was the more uncomfortable when i called to mind the colonel's dislike of the company i had been in the habit of keeping.

however, it must be faced, and so, after the evening meal, i asked to be allowed to see the rector and was admitted to his room. when i entered he was sitting at his table alone, and somehow, when i saw his kind old face, i knew suddenly why none of my excuses would answer; i had been deceiving this old man who had been like a father to me, who had never treated me save with kindness, and had trusted me without questioning. i was so overcome that i could not speak—overwhelmed with an utter sense of wretchedness—until he stretched out his hand and said, gently, "come."

"oh, father," i cried, "let me leave the college! let me go away!" too miserable to think of anything else.

"no, no, giovannini. that would be a coward's way of meeting trouble. come, tell me what the matter is, and we'll see if there is not some better way out than turning your back on it," and he patted me on the cheek as if i were still a child. indeed, i felt like one then, and for the matter of that always did when talking with him.

so i blundered out the story of my doings, to all of which he listened in his quiet, gentle way, helping me out when i found it hard to go on, until the whole story was told, whereupon i felt a mighty relief, for the worst was now over and i had quite made up my mind as to what part i would take from now on.

after all, he did not say very much in the way of blame, except that should i ever meet with colonel macdonnell again the first duty i had before me was to request his pardon for mixing him up in my affairs, as if the colonel of a regiment had nothing else to do than look after a school-boy's quarrels. "among plotters and schemers," he said, with some touch of scorn, "you must meet with strange company, and, if you will take up with such, you may have to welcome 'captain creachs' and worse. now i am not going to talk with you to-night, and i want you to think the matter well over until i have seen colonel macdonnell and have determined what is best to be done. i am only sorry, giovannini, that you have not trusted in your best friend." and with a heavy heart i said good-night, and took my way to my room alone.

in the morning word was brought to me that i was to remain in my room, which i did all the more gladly as it promised well for the gravity of my case, for above all things what i most feared was its being taken as merely a boy's whim. however, i was speedily assured of its importance by the visit of one of our jesuit fathers, who very soon introduced his mission and began to urge his arguments why i should continue my studies and some day prepare for the priesthood. but this i resented at once, saying, "sir, i was left here for reflection by the order of the rector, and i have no wish to be disturbed."

a hint he was wise enough to take; and, grumbling something about "like father, like son," he left me once more alone.

my next interruption was an order to wait on father urbani, which i did with great readiness, and to my joy saw that his reflections had not rendered him any less kindly to me or my hopes.

"well, my dear giovannini," he said, "so you did not wish to discuss your future with father paolo. he tells me that you have caught somewhat of the brusqueness of the camp already." but his smiling reassured me.

"no, father," i said, "i held, in the absence of my own father, you are the only one to whom i am bound in such matters; but i had no intent to be rude."

so, with this introduction, we began our argument, and to all he said i assented, but assured him i should make but a sorry priest if my heart were always in another calling. "my father promised that neither he nor you would force me to become a priest against my will, and i can never be happy unless i have a right to wear a sword by my side," i ended.

thereupon, seeing my mind so firmly resolved, he bade me prepare for a visit to the cardinal protector, and in all haste i made myself ready. the truth is, now that i saw father urbani had yielded, i would have faced his holiness the pope with the whole college behind him, without a second thought.

so we took our way in a coach to the palace, and were ushered into the presence of the cardinal with the usual ceremonies. he was a thin old man, with a long, dark face and a grumbling voice. we partook of chocolate and sugar biscuits, and made polite conversation until the object of our visit was broached; thereupon, a mighty storm began—that is, a storm from his eminence, for we stood side by side in the middle of the great room, silent before the torrent of his wrath. after thundering hotly at father urbani, as if he, dear man, were to blame, he turned on me.

"what were you ever sent here to the college for? and since when has it been turned from a house of god into a training-school for every worthless cockatrice that would follow the drum? tell me, sir, what did you come here for?" he stormed.

"'tell me, sir, what did you come here for?' he stormed"

"indeed, your eminence, i cannot tell," i answered, coolly.

"cannot tell! no, and no one else, i dare say, will answer for it. what in the world do the bishops mean by sending such good-for-naughts here without finding out something about them?"

i was much tempted to say that my family was well known, but father urbani's hand was on my arm, and i knew i was to hold my tongue, which i did, although many things were said that, had any other man uttered, i would have held to be insulting.

at length, to our great relief, he made an end, and bidding father urbani get rid of me as soon as possible, he dismissed us. we bowed ourselves out, and i was free to enter the service for which i longed.

when we were at home again, father urbani said, "my dear giovannini, now this is ended, i will say no more than i will see myself you are fittingly supplied with clothes and money, and if you desire first to return to scotland, i will see you are sent thither."

but i told him i would rather join at once, for there was no one to dispute my resolution at home, as my only sister, margaret, was with lady jane drummond in france, and my father had promised my choice should be free when the time came.

"well, then," he continued, "i say nothing of the rights of the quarrel the king of naples has on his hands now, but if you will enter the queen of hungary's service, i will see you are strongly recommended to persons of the greatest interest, and a recommendation will mean advancement."

"oh, father," i said, "i could not do that! the regiment irlandia was my uncle scottos' regiment, and i could not join any other."

"you scots are a famous people for hanging together!" he said, smiling; "and i suppose you wouldn't care if the regiment were fighting for the grand turk himself?" and he smiled again.

"no, father," i said, seeing nothing to laugh at, "it could make no difference to me; i would be only a cadet."

"well, well," he said, quietly, "such questions are perhaps as well left to older heads. now to bed, and sleep if you can, for your days will be full until you leave."

true to his word, the rector sent to me a tailor, by whom i was measured for two full suits of regimentals; a broker, with side-arms and equipment; and, to my great satisfaction, a periwig-maker, who took my size for my first wig, until my hair should grow long enough to be dressed in a queue.

at last all was ready, and i swaggered about in my finery, and bade farewell to my comrades, all of whom greatly envied me—even angus, though he would not confess to it. however, he had the satisfaction of walking through the streets with me to pay our respects to mr. o'rourke, who had just completed his course, and was to take orders immediately.

he at once pretended great astonishment, and begged angus to introduce him to "the general," and then broke into an old ranting irish air:

"wid your gold an' lace

an' your warlike face

in a terrible fright ye threw me—

giovanni, me dear,

you looked so queer!

oh, johnny, i hardly knew ye!"

and away he marched up and down the room to his doddering old song, and then drew up before me, making passes as if he were saluting, and bowed almost to his knees, bringing his hands up to his forehead and performed a low salute, which he informed angus was only given to the grand turk on great occasions.

"well, well," he said, at last, with a great sigh of relief, "my heart is easy now i see they wouldn't trust you with a sword; though i might set you up with the cook's skewer, if they won't do anything better for you!" and here, at last, he succeeded in angering me, for it was a point i was somewhat uncertain about, and only my delicacy had prevented my speaking of it to father urbani.

"'tis lucky for you, mr. o'rourke, that i haven't it," i said, "or i would truss you so that the heathen you are going to feed would have nothing more to do than baste you!" for i supposed he would be off as a missionary like most of those from the propaganda.

"i could not help strutting as we passed the fashionables"

"i don't know about the eating, giovannini, my son, but you are quite right about the heathen, for i am going to follow the drum like yourself, and if you ever come properly accredited to the chaplain of the company of st. james, in the regiment irlandia, you may have a surprise."

"oh, mr. o'rourke!" i shouted, embracing him at the same time, "surely this isn't only another bit of your funning."

"funning? 'tis genuine brimstone and piety combined, that's what it is, and within a week after i take orders i'll be off. so 'tis only 'good-bye' till 'tis 'good-day' again."

the next morning, when i went to take leave of father urbani, i saw before him on the table a silver-mounted sword, at the sight of which my heart gave a great leap, for i could not doubt it was for me. he did not keep me in suspense, but handed it to me at once. "see what you think of that, giovannini?"

i drew out the beautiful blade, found it balanced to a nicety, and could not forbear making a pass or two, even in his presence, at which he smiled and said, "carry it bravely, little one, carry it bravely, and sometimes remember the old man who gave it to you will nightly pray that you may be kept in safety in the path of honour. come, i will see you somewhat on your way," he added, and we passed out into the street together.

conscious of my brave appearance, i could not help strutting as we passed the fashionables then abroad in the piazza di spagna, until i was recalled to a more fitting frame of mind by his gentle voice: "here i must leave you, mio caro giovannini. surely, sometimes, in a quiet hour, you will turn your heart to me, lonely here within these walls, for i love you like a son, giovannini, my little one. may god and all his saints have you in their holy keeping this day and forever," and he embraced me tenderly.

and so ended my life in the old scots college in rome.