The hero of the Risorgimento, the leader of the Thousand, General Giuseppi Garibaldi himself was huddled under blankets directly before me. He sat looking miserable, in a chair only three arms length in front of me. I heard him fussing over his caffè, and muttering to his lieutenants.
He looked pitiful, ill tempered and very old. His well-known flamboyance was concealed under blankets. his face was pained when he tried to move. He seemed so much smaller than my imagination had drawn him, thin and narrow of face. Then he spoke.
“I have said it often; it is Rome or death for us. Your true destiny is to liberate Rome. You men are the heroes. We must break the stranglehold that the Church has on Italy, and on most of the politicians. Politicians — those cowards.” He nearly spat out the words, disgust dripping from his voice. “They are traitors to the cause of Italy. The people are awakened, and they want a unified Italy, but the politicians advising the king cower from the threats of priests who think that they have become God himself. They are frightened of outsiders’ reaction to a unified Italy, of Catholics who would save Rome from the Pope.”
General Garibaldi had been denied the right to proceed on Rome himself, and reluctantly obeyed the order to desist. But, impotence was not sitting gently on this peasant leader, as he griped and complained.
The passion in his voice, sick as he obviously was, was unmistakable.
“We are tricked and betrayed by the moral decay that is politicians. They are the pygmies of government.” He spat into the dirt. “If Italia is to be successful, we must have guns. My noble, valiant men, I promise you — other fights are coming. Von Bismarck is ruthless and will want to fight France. If that happens, we will have a strategic chance, and we must seize it. There is more power in people than in any other force, but we will need guns. We cannot take Rome while Louis Napoleon, the emperor,” he sneered slightly, “protects that kidnapper, the Pope.”