Tony Butler (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ...it, ' pay with his skin.' Fortunately for the world, there is more talk than action in all this; but if you were to oppose it, and say, 'None of this, ' you'd only be the first victim. We put the knife in politics just as the Spanish put garlic in cookery: we don't know any other seasoning, and it has always agreed with our digestion." " Can Giacomo come in to wind up the clock, Eccel-lenza?" said Caffarelli's servant, entering at the moment; and as the Count nodded an assent, a fat, large, bright-eyed man of about forty entered, with a mellow frank countenance, and an air of happy joyous contentment that might have sat admirably on a well-to-do farmer. "Come over and have a glass of wine, Giacomo," said the Count, filling a large glass to the brim with Burgundy; and the Italian bowed with an air of easy politeness first to the Count and next to Maitland, and then, after slightly tasting the liquor, retired a little distance from the table, glass in hand. "My friend here," said the Count, with a motion of his hand towards Maitland, " is one of ourselves, Giacomo, and you may speak freely before him." "I have seen the noble signor before," said Giacomo, bowing respectfully, "at Naples, with His Royal Highness the Count of Syracuse." "The fellow never forgets a face; nobody escapes him," muttered Caffarelli; while he added, aloud, " Well, there are few honester patriots in Italy than the Count of Syracuse." Giacomo smiled, and showed a range of white teeth, with a pleasant air of acquiescence. "And what is stirring?--what news have you for us, Giacomo?" asked Caffarelli. " Nothing, Eccellenza, --positively nothing. The French seem rather to be growing tired of us Italians, and begin to ask, 'What, in the name of wonder, do we really want?' and even...