“General,” said Felix Drolin, the president, who was looked upon by the brotherhood4 as a statesman, for he had been in his time, a member of a provisional government, “this seat is for you,” and he pointed5 to one on his right hand. “You are ever welcome; and I hope you bring good tidings, and good fortune.”
“I am glad to be among my friends, and I may say,” looking around, “my comrades. I hope I may bring you better fortune than my tidings.”
“But now they have left Rome,” said the president, “every day we expect good news.”
“Ay, ay! he has left Rome, but he has not left Rome with the door open. I hope it is not on such gossip you have sent for me. You have something on hand. What is it?”
“You shall hear it from the fountain-head,” said the president, “fresh from New York,” and he pointed to an individual seated in the centre of the table.
“Ah! Colonel Finucane,” said the general, “I have not forgotten James River. You did that well. What is the trick now?”
Whereupon a tall, lean man, with a decided6 brogue, but speaking through his nose, rose from his seat and informed the general that the Irish people were organized and ready to rise; that they had sent their deputies to New York; all they wanted were arms and officers; that the American brethren had agreed to supply them with both, and amply; and that considerable subscriptions7 were raising for other purposes. What they now required was a commander-inchief equal to the occasion, and in whom all would have confidence; and therefore they had telegraphed for the general.
“I doubt not our friends over the water would send us plenty of rifles,” said the general, “if we could only manage to land them; and, I think, I know men now in the States from whom I could form a good staff; but how about the people of Ireland? What evidence have we that they will rise, if we land?”
“The best,” said the president. “We have a head-centre here, Citizen Desmond, who will give you the most recent and the most authentic8 intelligence on that head.”
“The whole country is organized,” said the head-centre; “we could put three hundred thousand men in the field at any time in a fortnight. The movement is not sectarian; it pervades9 all classes and all creeds10. All that we want are officers and arms.”
“Hem!” said the general; “and as to your other supplies? Any scheme of commissariat?”
“There will be no lack of means,” replied the head-centre. “There is no country where so much money is hoarded11 as in Ireland. But, depend upon it, so far as the commissariat is concerned, the movement will be self-supporting.”
“Well, we shall see,” said, the general; “I am sorry it is an Irish affair, though, to be sure, what else could it be? I am not fond of Irish affairs: whatever may be said, and however plausible12 things may look, in an Irish business there is always a priest at the bottom of it. I hate priests. By-the-by, I was stopped on my way here by a cardinal13 getting into his carriage. I thought I had burnt all those vehicles when I was at Rome with Garibaldi in ‘48. A cardinal in his carriage! I had no idea you permitted that sort of cattle in London.”
“London is a roost for every bird,” said Felix Drolin.
“Very few of the priests favor this movement,” said Desmond.
“Then you have a great power against you,” said the general, in “addition to England.”
“They are not exactly against; the bulk of them are too national for that; but Rome does not sanction—you understand?”
“I understand enough,” said the general, “to see that we must not act with precipitation. An Irish business is a thing to be turned over several times.”
“But yet,” said a Pole, “what hope for humanity except from the rising of an oppressed nationality? We have offered ourselves on the altar, and in vain! Greece is too small, and Roumania—though both of them are ready to do any thing; but they would be the mere14 tools of Russia. Ireland alone remains15, and she is at our feet.”
“The peoples will never succeed until they have a fleet,” said a German. “Then you could land as many rifles as you like, or any thing else. To have a fleet we rose against Denmark in my country, but we have been betrayed. Nevertheless, Germany will yet be united, and she can only be united as a republic. Then she will be the mistress of the seas.”
“That is the mission of Italy,” said Perroni. “Italy—with the traditions of Genoa, Venice, Pisa—Italy is plainly indicated as the future mistress of the seas.”
“I beg your pardon,” said the German; “the future mistress of the sees is the land of the Viking. It is the forests of the Baltic that will build the Best of the future. You have no timber in Italy.”
“Timber is no longer wanted,” said Perroni. “Nor do I know of what will be formed the fleets of the future. But the sovereignty of the seas depends upon seamen16, and the nautical17 genius of the Italians—”
“Comrades,” said the general, “we have discussed to-night a great subject. For my part I have travelled rather briskly, as you wished it. I should like to sleep on this affair.”
“’Tis most reasonable,” said the president. “Our refreshment18 at council is very spare,” he continued, and he pointed to a vase of water and some glasses ranged round it in the middle of the table; “but we always drink one toast, general, before we separate. It is to one whom you love, and whom you have served well. Fill glasses, brethren and now ‘TO MARY-ANNE.’”
If they had been inspired by the grape, nothing could be more animated19 and even excited than all their countenances20 suddenly became. The cheer might have been heard in the coffee-room, as they expressed, in the phrases of many languages, the never-failing and never-flagging enthusiasm invoked21 by the toast of their mistress.
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1
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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3
garnered
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| v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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subscriptions
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| n.（报刊等的）订阅费( subscription的名词复数 )；捐款；（俱乐部的）会员费；捐助 | |
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8
authentic
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| a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的 | |
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pervades
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的第三人称单数 ) | |
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creeds
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| （尤指宗教）信条，教条( creed的名词复数 ) | |
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hoarded
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| v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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18
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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19
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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invoked
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| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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