"To Rome. We stayed there a few weeks and then went to Florence; from Florence to Bologna, and thence through Ferrara and Padua to Venice." "You went to Florence! How long ago did you leave?" "About a month ago." "A month! Ah, hm!" And the General exchanged glances with the legal gentleman at his side. "What were you doing in Florence?" "Seeing the city." "Did you place yourselves in connection with the Revolutionists?" "No." "Did you have any thing to do with the emissaries of Garibaldi?" "Nothing." "Take care how you deny." "We say we know nothing at all either of the Revolutionists or Imperialists or Garibaldians or any other party. We are merely travellers." "Hm--a strong disavowment," said the General to himself. "You have never in any way countenanced the rebels."' "No." "Think before you speak." "We are free Americans. Perhaps you know that the citizens of that country say what they think and do what they like. We have gone on that rule in Italy. What I say is, that we do not know any thing about rebels or any political parties in the country." "Do you know _La Cica_?" asked the General, with the air of a man who was putting a home-thrust, and speaking with uncommon fierceness. "I do," said the Senator, mildly. "You know her well? You are one of her intimate friends?" "Am I?" "Are you not?" "I am friendly with her. She is an estimable woman, with much feeling and penetration"--and a fond regret exhibited itself in the face of the speaker. "Well, Sir, you may as well confess. We know you, Sir. We know you. You are one of the chosen associates of that infamous Garibaldian plotter and assassin, whose hotel is the hot-bed of conspiracy and revolution. We know you. Do you dare to come here and deny it?" "I did not come here; I was brought. I do not deny that you know me, though I haven't the pleasure of knowing you. But I do deny that I am the associate of conspirators." "Are you not the American whom _La Cica_ so particularly distinguished with her favor?" "I have reason to believe that she was partial to me--somewhat." "He confesses!" said the General. "You came from her to this place, communicating on the way with her emissaries." "I communicated on the way with none but brigands among the mountains. If they were her emissaries I wish her joy of them. My means of communication," said the Senator, while a grim smile passed over his face, "was an iron crow-bar, and my remarks left some deep impression on them, I do believe." "Tell me now--and tell me truly," said the General after a pause, in which he seemed trying to make out whether the Senator was joking or not. "To whom are you sent in this city?" "To no one." "Sir! I warn you that I will not be trifled with." "I tell you," said the Senator, with no apparent excitement, "I tell you that I have come here to no one. What more can I say?" "You must confess." "I have nothing to confess."