CHAPTER XXVIII

MARRIAGE OF THE CROWN PRINCE.— ANECDOTES OF VICTOR EMMANUEL’S CHARITY. — SPANISH REVOLU- TION. A.D. 1868.

Humbert, Prince of Piedmont, was now in his twentyfourth year, an unusually long time for a crown prince to be permitted to live in single blessedness. ’ His younger brother was already provided with a wife, and that he had escaped matrimony so long was owing to a fatal accident which had carried off the young archduchess who had been fixed upon as a suitable match to strengthen the growing friendship between the Houses of Savoy and Hapsburg. When a decent time had elapsed after this misfortune, the king ordered his prime minister to find him a bride for the prince.

‘ Voglio assolutaimnte ch' Ella mi trovi una sposa per Umberto.'

General Menabrea promptly replied that she was already found ; there was only wanting the will of his majesty and the consent of the prince. It was the daughterof the Dukeof Genoa, the Princess Marghcrita, whom he had fixed upon as the future Queen of Italy. The king had not thought of his niece in this light ; so

he asked the general to tell him about the qualitîes of the princess, and what had suggested the idea to him. Menabrea related anecdotes illustrative of her noble disposition, strength of character, delicacy of feeling, and dilated on the advantage of securing this flower of womanhood to the House of Savoy and the Italian nation, before she was snatched up by the Prince of Roumania, who was about to offer her his hand.

The king listened with increasing satisfaction, and then, striking the table with his fist, as he often did when he was excited, exclaimed — ‘ Bravo ! from ail that you hâve related I recognise in her the Savoy blood. Now that you hâve told me so many nice things about my niece, I will go and assure myself of it personally.’

He set out for Turin immediately, and arrived unexpectedly at the palace of the Duchess of Genoa. In private conversation with the princess he fully satisfied himself that ail he had heard of her goodness was true, and henceforth he took her to his heart as a daughter.

The Duke of Genoa died young, leaving his two children, Margherita and Tommaso to the guardianship of their mother, and their uncle the king, with injonctions that they should be educated in patria ; he had great faith in early impressions, and he wished his children to love their country as he and his brother did. Margherita was now a lovely girl of eighteen, delicately fair, with eyes of a deeper hue than usually accompany a blonde complexion, and a smile of bewitching sweetness. That smile is always ready in answer to the loyal and affectionate greetings of the