128

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

ministry ! But on this point I shall have to say a few morewords at a future period.

Some degree of restraint was imposed on the royal mur-derers in carrying their intentions into full effect, by thepresence of the French forces at Rome, in Tuscany , Piedmont,and Genoa. General Macdonald was expected every day tojoin his forces to those of Moreau ; in fine, the Nea-politan Bourbons did not feel quite secure from beingbrought again to account for their atrocities. Nevertheless,the distinguished and virtuous General Massa, who hadsigned the capitulation of Naples, and Donna EleonoraPimentel, a woman of splendid qualities as a philanthropist,a poetess, and as having been the editrix of the newspapercalled the “ Neapolitan Monitor,” were far too excellentand, consequently, hated persons, to be delayed destroyingfor a single day. In quick succession executions followed,arrests and fresh denouncements ; again, streams of blood,and next day blood! The most worthless of the rabble hadbeen gained by the despots, by impunity of pillage, even ofthe palace, and assassination. British, Turkish , and Rus-sian troops maintained the most courageous citizens in theimpossibility of moving. Cardinal Ruffo run riot with hisbands!

The executioners were tired with their occupation. Alist of the cases of atrocious judicial murders, containingonly the briefest possible notice of the names, qualities,virtues of the victims, would fill a volume. As an answerand an exposition of the right which the returned Bourbonsassumed of prosecuting these victims, (setting aside thecapitulation) I will only give the reply of the celebratedmathematician, Niccolo Fiorentino, to the ferocious judgeGuidobaldi, who had been his intimate friend, at themoment of his being condemned to death. The " legitimate”