High above our heads
on the turf-covered top of the lofty wall, there were a good number,
perhaps thirty or forty soldiers, not drawn up in line, but apparently
merely lounging and enjoying the air and sunshine. They had, I think
all of them, their muskets in their hands, but held them idly and with
apparently no thought whatever of using them. I felt confirmed in my
opinion that they had no intention of doing so.
Arrived at the foot of the fortress wall, the foremost of the people
began calling out to the soldiers, "_Abbasso l'Austria! Siete per
Italia o per l'Austria?_" I did not--and it is significant--hear any
cries of "_Abbasso il Gran Duca!_" The soldiers, as far as I could see
at that distance, appeared to be lazily laughing at the people.
One man called out "_Ecco un bel muro per fracassare il capo
contro!_"--"That is an excellent wall to break your heads against!"
It was very plain that they had no intention of making any hostile
demonstration against the crowd. At the same time there was no sort
of manifestation of any inclination to fraternise with the
revolutionists. They were simply waiting to see how matters would go;
and under the circumstances they can hardly be severely blamed for
doing so. But there can be no doubt that, whichever way things might
go, their view of the matter would be strongly influenced by the very
decided opinion that that course would be best which should not imply
the necessity for _doing_ anything.
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