396 The Cup of Honours. [Ocr. 
increased, his habitual. irritability. A page announced their arrival. 
The courier was an officer of rank, in'the uniform/of the Hungarian 
guard. . He delivered) a personal letter from the imperial. court, an- 
nouncing him as in its entire confidence, and empowered, under the 
name of a bearer of despatches, to negociate in the fullest manner with 
the minister. £ aone-l sc] 
_,Manfredonia seized the despatches, and read them with evident and 
eager satisfaction. <All is as it should be,” said he: but why was 
this delay? The business was on the point of discovery ; and half an 
hour more might have been fatal.” fore] 
«« The delay was inevitable,” pronounced the officer firmly: ‘ pre- 
cautions were necessary—they take time—and the court was to be put 
off its guard: but now we must proceed to execution. | The archduke 
is actually within three hours’ march of Naples, with a strong column of 
cavalry ; the Genoese fleet are only waiting for a rocket from your roof 
to come round Miseno, and by this time to-morrow the fools that now 
fill the throne will be on their passage to Africa; and you prince and 
governor of the Calabrias, for yourself and your posterity. You may 
depend on the archduke’s honour.” b al 
«« Honour!” repeated Manfredonia, witha bitter smile: “ well, so be . 
it. The king has insulted and injured me beyond human forgiveness. 
Nay, L have certain intelligence, that I have grown too important in the 
public eye to be endured by the low jealousy of the race that infest the 
court, and that before this night was over I was to have been arrested ; 
and probably sacrificed in my dungeon”—He turned away.—‘* Accursed 
ambition! would that I never knew you—sin of the fallen angels! it is 
still their deadliest temptation to miserable man :” he bowed his head on 
the casement, and even wept. 
The officer made no observation: but a tumult outside now attracted 
the Hungarian to the casement. ‘Ihe glare of the torches first led Man- 
fredonia’s eye to the figure before him. He was a remarkably handsome 
man, tall, and noble-looking ; and the rich costume of the imperial 
guard, covered with orders, gave the Hungarian a most conspicuous and 
brilliant appearance. Yet in the handsome countenance, bright with 
manly beauty and intelligence, he recognized some traits with which he 
‘was familiar, There was a glance of deep fire, at times, in the eye, to 
which he had never seen the equal but in one man. ‘I think, Sir,” 
said he, “« we must have met somewhere before; at least, you have the 
most striking likeness to a person whom I have not seen these five 
years. Yet his excessive age—a Neapolitan —obscure, besides—im- 
possible.” 
« Iam the Count de Rantzau,” said the stranger, proudly drawing 
himself up, and laying his hand on the diamond-studded hilt of his 
sabre ; “none but Hungarian blood, and that of the noblest rank, can 
wear this uniform. But we waste time: is all ready?” He took upithe 
firework which had been agreed on as the signal to the Genoese; ‘and 
planted it on the edge of the casement. Manfredonia felt the sudden 
sickness of heart that has been so often experienced by the most power- 
ful minds, when the blow is to be struck that makes or mars them. « He 
swallowed some wine; and the thought. flashed across him, that its 
taste strongly resembled that strange draught of the Solfatara, which 
had never left his recollection. _The Hungarian was now about to apply 
the match to the signal, when he paused; and.turning, said >) “Im fie 
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ae 
