the world come in tides; you can neither retard them nor help them by
sticking pins in the sand."

"I am not so sure," said the other, doubtfully. "A little wholesome
terrorism has sometimes played its part. The 1868 amnesty to the Poles
in Siberia was not so long after--not more than a year after, I
think--that little business of Berezowski. Faith, what a chance that man
had!"

"Who?"

"Berezowski," said he, with an air of contemplation. "The two biggest
scoundrels in the world in one carriage; and he had two shots at them.
Well, well, Orsini succeeded better."

"Succeeded?" said George Brand. "Do you call that success? He had the
reward that he richly merited, at all events."

"You do not think he was successful?" he said, calmly. "Then you do not
know how the kingdom of Italy came by its liberty. Who do you think was
the founder of that kingdom of Italy?--which God preserve till it become
something better than a kingdom! Not Cavour, with all his wiliness; not
your Galantuomo, the warrior who wrote up Aspromonte in the face of all
the world as the synonyme for the gratitude of kings; not Garibaldi,
who, in spite of Aspromonte, has become now merely the _concierge_ to
the House of Savoy. The founder of the kingdom of Italy was Felix
Orsini--and whether heaven or hell contains him, I drink his health!"

He suited the action to the word. Brand looked on, not much impressed.