He listened to his concluding words--full of the dark truth of the times; and as the high and pure ambition of Rienzi flashed upon him in contrast, he felt that he could not blame its fervour, or wonder at its excess.
"And then, too," resumed the Baron, speaking more deliberately as he recovered his self-possession, "this man, by way of a warning, shows me, at a glance, his whole ignorance of the state.

What think you?
he has mingled with the mob, and taken their rank breath for power; yes, he thinks words are soldiers, and bade me--me, Stephen Colonna--beware--of whom, think you?
No, you will never guess!--of that speech-maker, Rienzi! my own old jesting guest! Ha! ha! ha!--the ignorance of these barbarians! Ha! ha! ha! and the old man laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks.
"Yet many of the nobles fear that same Rienzi," said Adrian, gravely.
"Ah! let them, let them!--they have not our experience--our knowledge of the world, Adrian.

Tut, man,--when did declamation ever overthrow castles, and conquer soldiery?
I like Rienzi to harangue the mob about old Rome, and such stuff; it gives them something to think of and prate about, and so all their fierceness evaporates in words; they might burn a house if they did not hear a speech.

But, now I am on that score, I must own the pedant has grown impudent in his new office; here, here,--I received this paper ere I rose today.

I hear a similar insolence has been shown to all the nobles.