--we watched with her the great
movements of the day. Ossoli was now actively interested on
the liberal side; he was holding the office of captain in the
_Guardia Civica_, and enthusiastically looking forward to the
success of the new measures.
"During the spring of 1849, Mazzini came to Rome. He went at
once to see Margaret, and at her rooms met Ossoli. After this
interview with Mazzini, it was quite evident that they had
lost something of the faith and hopeful certainty with which
they had regarded the issue, for Mazzini had discovered
the want of singleness of purpose in the leaders of the
Provisional Government. Still zealously Margaret and Ossoli
aided in everything the progress of events; and when it was
certain that the French had landed forces at Civita Vecchia,
and would attack Rome, Ossoli took station with his men on the
walls of the Vatican gardens, where he remained faithfully
to the end of the attack. Margaret had, at the same time, the
entire charge of one of the hospitals, and was the assistant
of the Princess Belgioioso, in charge of '_dei Pellegrini_,'
where, during the first day, they received seventy wounded
men, French and Romans.
Pages:
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384