422

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

fell entirely through the imbecility of the public councils of“ Constitutional ” Spain . Despotism is more acute; it willnot trust men of adverse principles in the execution of itsbehests: it does not, like the Reformers, expect peaches togrow upon a crab tree ; or that its cause is so innately goodand strong as to stand without being supported, even whenassailed on all sides by those who wish to overthrow it.But I am anticipating my matter of observation : mean-while, here is an anecdote.

In the service of Naples, in 1810, was a General Cataneo,a Corsican, who had married his niece, a very beautiful girl,and much accomplished in the ornamental branches offemale education ; but she was a very bad sample of femalevirtue and discretion. She soon became notorious for thefrequency with which she changed the objects of what ishere called “ flirtation and at last took a very strongfancy to my friend Rambaud. Cataneo, being aid-de-campto the King, was necessarily absent from home whenever itbecame his periodical turn to be in attendance at the Royalpalace .

By some means or other General Cataneo, being on dutyat the palace, received information that induced him, underthe plea of sudden illness, to request of the king permissionto retire to his home. It was of course immediatelygranted, but before going thither he procured the assistanceof a couple of Corsicans, soldiers of the guard. Ari’ived athome—it was about midnight—he proceeded sword in hand,accompanied by the two soldiers and some servants,carrying lights to the apartment of his wife. Luckily thedoor was locked, which gave time to Rambaud to jump upand put on some few articles of his attire. The assailantssoon burst open the door and rushed towards the object oftheir attack. The latter, grasping his clothes under his leftarm, in his right hand wielded a chair, and being one of