CHAPTER LXV. THE MONTIGIANIS
While the conflict in Trastevere was going on, the Montigianis, headedby Cucchi, Guerzoni, Bossi, Adamoli, and other brave men did not remainwith their hands folded. The explosion of the mine under the Zouaves'barracks was arranged as the signal for their movement. The mineexploded, and those noble fellows moved with heroic resolution at thehead of all the youths that could be assembled. As many of the agentsand mercenaries frightened by the explosion as were met running awaywere disarmed by the people, and killed if they offered resistance. Themine, however, had done little damage, though it made a great uproar.Either the quantity of powder was insufficient, or it was badly placed.
The clerical journals, or those of the Italian Government, which aremuch the same, have stated that only the band of the Zouaves, composedof Italian musicians, had been blown up, and that the foreigners,specially recommended to the efficacious prayers of his Holiness, hadbeen miraculously saved.
The Italians, it is true, have not the good fortune to be the objectsof modern necromancy's prayers; but the facts are these: A very fewmercenaries were killed, and the others, having left the barracksand arranged themselves in order, had opened a sharp fire against thepeople. Cucchi, with his lieutenants Bossi and Adamoli, had marched tothe barracks, and at their command, and animated by their example, theRoman youths had precipitated themselves furiously upon the foreignmercenaries. It was a hand-to-hand struggle of persons who for thegreater part were unarmed, and who struggled against trained soldiers,from whom they endeavored to tear away their weapons. But themercenaries were many. Gold and the help of Bonaparte had been potent.A great number of French soldiers, under the name of Papal Zouaves, hadcrowded into Civita Vecchia for a long time previous, in readiness tostart for Rome.
The resources that the Jesuits and _reazionari_ had sent to the Popefrom all parts of the world had also been immense. Added to this, agreat number of fanatics, priests, and monks,* disguised in the uniformof the mercenaries, mingled with the Papal troops, exciting them toheroism and to slaughter, promising them as a reward the glory ofheaven, as well as plenty of gold on earth, and all they coulddesire. Alas! poor Roman people! But whom should we reckon under thisdenomination? When one has excepted all the priestly portion, Pope,cardinals, bishops, priests, and friars congregated there from allparts of the globe, with their women, their servants, their cooks, theircoachmen, etc., with the relations of their domestics, the servants oftheir women, and, finally, a mass of the working-classes dependent onthis enormously rich rabble, what is left? Those who remain, and areworthy of the name of "people," as not belonging to the necromancers,are some honest middle-class families, a few boatmen, and a fewlazzaroni.
In the country, where ignorance is fostered by the priesthood, and hasstruck still deeper root, the people side with the clergy throughoutItaly; but particularly in the Roman campagna, where all the landownersare either priests, or powerful friends of the priesthood.
To return, however. While Cucchi, at the head of his men, and aided byhis brave companions, sustained a heroic but unequal combat outsidethe Zouaves' barracks, Guerzoni and Castellazzi, leading a company ofyouths, had assaulted the gate of San Paola, disarmed a few guards, andsucceeded in passing the court, inside of which was to be found a depotof arms. The arms were there, truly, but guarded by a strong body ofPapal troops and police, with whom our valorous friends had to sustainanother extremely unequal combat; and, being finally dispersed, werehotly pursued by the furious Papalini.
* Some were discovered among Garibaldi's Zouave prisoners at Monte Rotonda.