Rienzi [248]
up with me, and we will rise or fall together! - no more!"
"You destroy us all!" said Adrian, with generous and impatient warmth. "A few minutes more, and we are lost. Rash man! it is not to fall by an infuriate mob that you have been preserved from so many dangers."
"I believe it," said the Senator, as his tall form seemed to dilate as with the greatness of his own soul. "I shall triumph yet! Never shall mine enemies - never shall posterity say that a second time Rienzi abandoned Rome! Hark! 'Viva 'l Popolo!' still the cry of 'THE PEOPLE.' That cry scares none but tyrants! I shall triumph and survive!"
"And I with thee!" said Nina, firmly. Rienzi paused a moment, gazed on his wife, passionately clasped her to his heart, kissed her again and again, and then said, "Nina, I command thee, - Go!"
"Never!"
He paused. Irene's face, drowned in tears, met his eyes.
"We will all perish with you," said his sister; "you only, Adrian, you leave us!"
"Be it so," said the Knight, sadly; "we will all remain," and he desisted at once from further effort.
There was a dead but short pause, broken but by a convulsive sob from Irene. The tramp of the raging thousands sounded fearfully distinct. Rienzi seemed lost in thought - then lifting his head, he said, calmly, "ye have triumphed - I join ye - I but collect these papers, and follow you. Quick, Adrian - save them!" and he pointed meaningly to Nina.
Waiting no other hint, the young Colonna seized Nina in his strong grasp - with his left hand he supported Irene, who with terror and excitement was almost insensible. Rienzi relieved him of the lighter load - he took his sister in his arms, and descended the winding stairs. Nina remained passive - she heard her husband's step behind, it was enough for her - she but turned once to thank him with her eyes. A tall Northman clad in armour stood at the open door. Rienzi placed Irene, now perfectly lifeless, in the soldier's arms, and kissed her pale cheek in silence.
"Quick, my Lord," said the Northman, "on all sides they come!" So saying, he bounded down the descent with his burthen. Adrian followed with Nina; the Senator paused one moment, turned back, and was in his room ere Adrian was aware that he had vanished.
Hastily he drew the coverlid from his bed, fastened it to the casement bars, and by its aid dropped (at a distance of several feet) into the balcony below. "I will not die like a rat," said he, "in the trap they have set for me! The whole crowd shall, at least, see and hear me."
This was the work of a moment.
Meanwhile, Nina had scarcely proceeded six paces, before she discovered that she was alone with Adrian.
"Ha! Cola!" she cried, "where is he? he has gone!"
"Take heart, Lady, he has returned but for some secret papers he has forgotten. He will follow us anon."
"Let us wait, then."
"Lady," said Adrian, grinding his teeth, "hear you not the crowd? - on, on!" and he flew with a swifter step. Nina struggled in his grasp - Love gave her the strength of despair. With a wild laugh she broke from him. She flew back - the door was closed - but unbarred - her trembling hands lingered a moment round the spring. She opened it, drew the heavy bolt across the panels, and frustrated all attempt from Adrian to regain her. She was on the stairs, - she was in the room. Rienzi was gone! She fled, shrieking his name, through the State Chambers - all was desolate. She found the doors opening on the various passages that admitted to the rooms below barred without. Breathless and gasping, she returned to the chamber. She hurried to the casement - she perceived the method by which he had descended below - her brave heart told her of his brave design; - she saw they were separated, - "But the same roof holds us," she cried, joyously, "and our fate shall be the same!" With that thought she sank in mute patience on the floor.
Forming the generous resolve not to abandon the faithful and devoted pair without another effort, Adrian had followed Nina, but too late - the door was
"You destroy us all!" said Adrian, with generous and impatient warmth. "A few minutes more, and we are lost. Rash man! it is not to fall by an infuriate mob that you have been preserved from so many dangers."
"I believe it," said the Senator, as his tall form seemed to dilate as with the greatness of his own soul. "I shall triumph yet! Never shall mine enemies - never shall posterity say that a second time Rienzi abandoned Rome! Hark! 'Viva 'l Popolo!' still the cry of 'THE PEOPLE.' That cry scares none but tyrants! I shall triumph and survive!"
"And I with thee!" said Nina, firmly. Rienzi paused a moment, gazed on his wife, passionately clasped her to his heart, kissed her again and again, and then said, "Nina, I command thee, - Go!"
"Never!"
He paused. Irene's face, drowned in tears, met his eyes.
"We will all perish with you," said his sister; "you only, Adrian, you leave us!"
"Be it so," said the Knight, sadly; "we will all remain," and he desisted at once from further effort.
There was a dead but short pause, broken but by a convulsive sob from Irene. The tramp of the raging thousands sounded fearfully distinct. Rienzi seemed lost in thought - then lifting his head, he said, calmly, "ye have triumphed - I join ye - I but collect these papers, and follow you. Quick, Adrian - save them!" and he pointed meaningly to Nina.
Waiting no other hint, the young Colonna seized Nina in his strong grasp - with his left hand he supported Irene, who with terror and excitement was almost insensible. Rienzi relieved him of the lighter load - he took his sister in his arms, and descended the winding stairs. Nina remained passive - she heard her husband's step behind, it was enough for her - she but turned once to thank him with her eyes. A tall Northman clad in armour stood at the open door. Rienzi placed Irene, now perfectly lifeless, in the soldier's arms, and kissed her pale cheek in silence.
"Quick, my Lord," said the Northman, "on all sides they come!" So saying, he bounded down the descent with his burthen. Adrian followed with Nina; the Senator paused one moment, turned back, and was in his room ere Adrian was aware that he had vanished.
Hastily he drew the coverlid from his bed, fastened it to the casement bars, and by its aid dropped (at a distance of several feet) into the balcony below. "I will not die like a rat," said he, "in the trap they have set for me! The whole crowd shall, at least, see and hear me."
This was the work of a moment.
Meanwhile, Nina had scarcely proceeded six paces, before she discovered that she was alone with Adrian.
"Ha! Cola!" she cried, "where is he? he has gone!"
"Take heart, Lady, he has returned but for some secret papers he has forgotten. He will follow us anon."
"Let us wait, then."
"Lady," said Adrian, grinding his teeth, "hear you not the crowd? - on, on!" and he flew with a swifter step. Nina struggled in his grasp - Love gave her the strength of despair. With a wild laugh she broke from him. She flew back - the door was closed - but unbarred - her trembling hands lingered a moment round the spring. She opened it, drew the heavy bolt across the panels, and frustrated all attempt from Adrian to regain her. She was on the stairs, - she was in the room. Rienzi was gone! She fled, shrieking his name, through the State Chambers - all was desolate. She found the doors opening on the various passages that admitted to the rooms below barred without. Breathless and gasping, she returned to the chamber. She hurried to the casement - she perceived the method by which he had descended below - her brave heart told her of his brave design; - she saw they were separated, - "But the same roof holds us," she cried, joyously, "and our fate shall be the same!" With that thought she sank in mute patience on the floor.
Forming the generous resolve not to abandon the faithful and devoted pair without another effort, Adrian had followed Nina, but too late - the door was