426

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

the greater portion of the day with the venerable MadameRambaud and her elder son, in expectation of some move-ment on the part of General Cataneo. So I happened tohe present at the arrival of the Corsican emissaries of theafflicted Cornuto. Rambaud’s brother and I assured thedeputies that the offender was ready to give any “satisfac-tion” to the General,—and that if he should insist uponextending the affair, both he and I were ready to accom-modate either of themselves or both. They would not closeupon this proposal, but endeavoured to work upon thefears of the tender mother, and on that same day—(I forgetthrough what stratagem) contrived to see the lady byherself, and overwhelmed her with fear for the safety ofher son Peter.

After consulting with the two brothers, we came to theresolution of its being imperative to resist so gross andbarbarian an attempt at intimidation, and at last obtained theconsent of the mother for her son to return to his home frommy house, escorted by his brother and myself, all threebeing well armed for the occasion. My friend PeterRambaud was paymaster of the division of guards, and hisattendance at the treasury offices was daily requisite. Soin the course of the evening, we managed to persuadeMadame Rambaud to allow her son to attend at his officeas usual, provided that I should always escort him thitherand -.fetch him home again. His brother held an officialsituation which required his presence elsewhere. Peter andI, both well armed with a good double-barrelled pistol andefficient sword sticks, went backwards and forwards to thetreasury; and in two or three days obtained permissionfrom his anxious mother to frequent the public promenadesand the theatres. One evening as we were seated in the pitof the French theatre “ Del Fondo,” we found ourselveswithin talf a dozen seats of Captain Carabelli, and his three