A CONSTITUTION AL SOVEREIGN

and dismissed. There was a great outcry made about the insult to the French flag, and the emperor’s government demanded the restitution of the ‘ passengers.’ A long diplomatie controversy ensued, and had to be settled finally by a personal correspondence between the sovereigns. The criminals were surrendered to the Italian Government, the king promising to deal mercifully with them.

In this year a bill for the suppression of more religions houses was brought in by Signor Pisanelli. When the minister carried it to the king for his approval he said with a sigh — ‘ This law will entangle the skein still more, and will bring upon me a fresh quarrel with ail the monks and nuns of the kingdom. Well, I will reply to their complaints that I am sorry to give them pain, but I am, above ail considérations, a constitutional sovereign.’

He was never tired of reminding himself that he was a constitutional sovereign, and must set an example of obedience to the laws, as if he felt it necessary thus to check his naturally imperious will. If for a moment he seemed to hâve forgotten the fact, and felt like one of his despotic ancestors — but this happened rarely — he quickly called himself up, and with a frank, dignified humility, acknowledged that he was wrong.

Once when the king was on a tour in the provinces, an eminent citizen asked grâce for a servant sentenced to hard labour for defaming her mistress. The king, without thinking, immediately promised that the sentence should be remitted ; but on referring the matter to the

Minister of Grâce and Justice he found that he refused to admit that the case was a proper one for the exercise of the royal clemency. The king was deeply mortified, but he replied without resentment, —

‘Very well, Signor Minisîro, you are doing your duty, and I cannot complain. But if you could hâve found a way to save “ goat and cabbage,” I should hâve been glad. As it is, I will not try to escape the pain that I hâve merited for having once only since I hâve practised this profession (he always spoke of his kingship as a profession) forgotten that I am, that I ought to be, and wish to be, a constitutional king.’

One day Pisanelli complained of the republican writers who accused the king of ambition.

‘ Very well,’ replied Victor with a merry twinkle in his eye, ‘ I will punish those gentlemen.’

‘ How ? ’ asked the minister.

‘ When we hâve got to Rome and I hâve ascended into the Campidoglio, I will take off my hat and say, “ Gentlemen, you hâve believed me to be an ambitions man ; I am not such. Viva la Repubblica ! ” ’

Years after, when Victor Emmanuel wcis in possession of Rome, this Signor Pisanelli appeared at a court dinner without his décorations, having forgotten them at Naples, It did not escape the king’s notice, who after dinner asked him if he had become republican } The minister wittily reminded him of what he had said in Turin — that when once in Rome he would proclaim a republic — and said that naturally he would follow the example of his king. ‘ But you ought to remember,’ said Victor laugh-