Memoirs of the Baron de Rimini (Griscelli de Vezzani), secret agent of Napoleon III (1850-58), Cavour (1859-1861), Antonelli (1861-62), Francis II (1862-1864), the Emperor of Austria (1864-1867)

Front matter

MEMOIRS OF THE BAEON DE EIMINI.

AT EVERY LIBRARY.

THE PRIMA DONNA:

Part I. Chap

PAGE

Editor's Preface

I. Birth

... 5

II. Soldier

... 10

III. Prisoner

IV. Secret Agent

V. Due de Morny

VI. Fialin de Persigny ...

VII. Bacciochi

VIII. Doctor Conneau

IX. Fould

... 70

X. Saint- Arnaud (Arnaud Leroj)

XI. Baroche

XII. Troplong

... 86

XIII. Collet Maigret

... 88

XIV. Rothschild

... 90

XV. Mouvillon de Glimes

... 96

XVI. Deux Decembre (coup d'etat)

... 99

XVII Comte de Glaves

... 108

XVI 11. The Opera Comique

... 110

XIX. Prince Menschikoff

... 113

XX. Palmerston

... 117

XXI. Miss Howard

... 124

XXII. Duchess Castiglioni

... ]32

XXIII. Countess de Gardonne

... 137

XXIV. The Countess of St. Marsaud

... 146

XXV. Sinibaldi

... 150

XXVI. Morelli, or the Man from Calais .

,.. 153

XXVII. Pianori

... 156

XXVIII. Orsini

... 158

XXIX. Prince Cammerata

... 160

273581

Part II. Chap, Page

XXX. Cavour 167

XXXI. Victor Emmanuel 175

XXXII. The Ricasoli War and Conspiracy ... 181

XXXIII. Massimo d'Azeglio 187

XXXIV. Farini 192

XXXV. Garibaldi 201

XXXVI. Pius IX.— Antonelli 205

XXXVII. The Sicilian Campaign 221

XXXVIII. Royal Infamies ... 226

XXXIX. The Romagna and Naples Expedition ... 234

XL. Geneva, Brussels, and London 239

XLI. Monsignor Bovieri ... ... ... 243

XLII. Comte de Chambord at Lucerne ... ... 248

XLIII. Travels, Missions (anecdotes) 255

XLIV. Mission to Madrid 267

XLV. Mission to London and Warsaw 273

XLVL The Congress of Malines 279

XLVIL The Congress of Frankfort 283

XLVIIL In Rome 290

XLIX. Espionage in the Tyrol 293

L. Espionage at Florence ... ... ... 297

LI. The Battle of Custozza 805

Conclusion 310

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

In 1866 I made the acquaintance of a man who was short and thick-set, with an agreeable, intelligent face, over which, however, there passed at times, quick as a flash, a gleam of ferocity.

This man's language was animated and fanciful; his conversation most agreeable and diverting. He was intimately acquainted with all the small political secrets, spoke of the most distinguished men as if he had lived on intimate terms with them, and related the most detailed anecdotes about their private life. The groundwork of his character was a sovereign contempt for all mankind, whom he looked upon as vile, mean, and capable of the basest actions to gratify their ambition.

He said frequently that if there were no kings the nations would soon invent them, because the ambitious need a king to enable them to reach the desired goals.

" Kings," said he, " are mirrors which reflect the glory qw'on leur prete» Remove those mirrors, and any number

B

2 * * ' "J^DITV^'S PREFACE.

of people will at once complain at no longer being able to gaze at the tinsel in which they are arrayed. The basis of mankind is made up of vanity and stupidity."

The man who thus spoke was known as the Baron de Rimini. In a short time I became his indispensable companion, and the confidence with which I inspired him was such that he revealed to me all the details of his past life, and gave me a voluminous manuscript containing his memoirs. He even drew up a regular deed of sale. It is this manuscript which I now place before the public.

I warn the reader that I have not changed a single word of the author^ s. The style is his own, with all its imperfections and all its originality.

In the beginning of the year 1867 Baron de Rimini suddenly disappeared from the little room which he occupied in the Rue de la rian9ee, Number 51. What had become of him? I never knew. But some time afterwards I was summoned before the examining magistrate, who, after asking me several questions about the Baron, ended by demanding the manuscript which he knew to be in my possession.

I did not deny the fact, but did not see why I should obey the order to place it in the hands of justice; I even resisted a threat of seizure.

Later, I was again summoned to the inferior court for civil causes, and assisted at the nonsuiting of Arthur de Yezzani, who had illegally used the name of Baron de Rimini.

I have never been able to understand the motive of the condemnation, the great care taken to nonsuit, and the

EDITOR'S PREFACE. 8

small concern of police and magistrates at this mysterious disappearance.

I am convinced that it is only a fresh adventure in our hero's life, and that at some time I shall receive an explanation of the conduct of the Court.

Meanwhile I publish Baron de Rimini's memoirs up to 1866, and feel certain that the readers will find therein ample means of satisfying their curiosity.

CHAPTER L

BIRTH.

I WAS born at Vezzani (Corsica), a little village lying between the mountains of Tanno and Cali, nearly in the centre of the island which was the birth-place of the greatest soldier of modern times. My family are regarded with well-deserved esteem throughout the canton. The mayor and the rector are two Griscellis, kinsmen of mine. Although not a lawyer, my father was frequently chosen by the magistrate and the chief justice as an arbitrator in certain questions of boundaries or family law-suits. He always managed so well to satisfy both parties that no appeal was ever made on his decisions.

My mother, an angel of goodness and charity, much loved throughout the country for her great kindness to the poor and infirm, and the services she rendered to all who addressed themselves to her, was mourned by the entire canton the day she died, leaving her husband and children in the deepest grief.

My brother was two years old, I was four, and

6 MEMOIRS OF TEE BARON DE RIMINI.

my father twenty-six. "With great self-sacrifice he remained a widower rather than place his sons in a stepmother's power. Our grandmother undertook to bring us up ; she was too fond of us not to gratify all our childish fancies, a great contrast to my father, who, while he loved us passionately, overlooked no action of ours, and corrected our most trifling faults. My brother, who was gentle and good, and physically frail and delicate, obeyed all our father's orders. As for me, I listened to no one ; my character and nature were indomitable. At home as well as at the village school, instead of obeying others I wanted everyone to bend to my will.

Being unable to make me respect her, my grandmother sent me to the village school, conducted by an ex- Quartermaster of the Empire, who, although he felt a certain affection for his pupils, ruled them in a military way. Well, I confess with shame that the former Quartermaster in the grande armee, with all his punishments and privations, unable to get the better of me, was forced to go to my father and own himself beaten, " Because," as he said, " not only does your son worry me incessantly by his bad conduct, but he turns the others from their duty, and woe to the schoolmate who does not obey him to the letter ! Blows, kicks, and very often bites, fall like hail upon the child who dares to resist his caprices."

My good father loved me dearly, but at the reports

BIRTH, 7

of the schoolmaster and ray grandmother he decided to send me to my uncle, Jean Pierre Baldovini, my mother's brother, and a shepherd at Pi^tre-Bionchi. I did not enter my uncle's house as a hired servant, but to help him look after bis goats and ours, which formed part of my mother's dowry.

I cannot express the joy I felt in being at full liberty to act, speak, and play, without hearing someone take me to task.

My uncle was very affectionate to me. Never a reproach ! never a counsel ! All his moralizing consisted in saying — " See how T do. Try to* imitate me, and before long you will be the first shepherd in the canton." What a future !

At that time I had no thought of ever seeing Paris, London, St. Petersburg, Vienna, or Constantinople.

My uncle and I lived six months in the mountains and six months in the plain — in the summer on the Sal^ mountain, above the village, in winter in Alesia, near the Mediterranean.

In these two spots I stayed alternately for six years, from the time I was nine years old ; and if I had had the good fortune to be Arago or Bernardin de Saint- Pierre, I might have willed to posterity works on astronomy and nature which would have vied with those of the illustrious secretary of the Academy, and the no less illustrious author of " Paul and Virginia." In the mountain as on the plain (except on stormy nights), the sky was our cover, the earth our mattress. Ah ! how -many times, seated on a rock or some tree which the gale had overthrown, did I not see the stars come out and fade away again.

When T was fifteen my father replaced me by my brother Ange-Paul, who hoped to gain some strength in the country air. Besides, my father wanted me to help him farm.

For the first few days I was well satisfied with the change. Being with my father was a source of great happiness to me ; besides, I could meet my former friends ^and my relations, whom, as a shepherd, I had seen only at rare intervals. I saw once more the familiar country side, the church, and listened to the village bells, which I had not heard since my departure.

But in spite of all these pleasures there was one thing which made me forget them and bitterly regret the days which I had spent with my uncle. It was the pains which ran through my back, arms, and legs, during the first days, for our occupation allowed us but little rest.

We worked all the week, going to the village on Saturday evening. On Sunday we assisted at divine service, and in the evening we returned to the farm with our provisions for the ensuing week.

My brother had grown much stronger during his stay with our uncle.

BIRTH. 9

My grandmother, who had brought us up, died and left us the house in which our forefathers had lived for generations past.

As we could not get on without a woman in the house, my father, who liad not been willing to give us a stepmother when we were little lads, persisted in a resolution he had formed, and forced me, in a way, to marry one of my cousins, a beautiful young girl of seventeen, who might have made us happy, and prevented many extraordinary things which would never have occurred had she not listened to her mother's counsels.

She was our relative, she knew that my father and brother were working for us, and that they would have helped us to bring up our family. Perhaps my brother would have remained a bachelor, had not my wife, an angel of gentleness before her marriage, become an infernal demon the moment she was settled in the house. Her sole occupation was (in accordance with her mother's advice) to strip us of all she could to give to her family, not to mention the continual quarrels which she raised between my father and his two sons.

Fortunately the recruiting time came, and in spite of the tears and prayers of my relatives, and the substitute whom they had bought for me, I left to Join the army. Had it not been for my wife's malice I should never have gone outside of my native village.

Chapter II. Soldier

Two days after I had drawn the number which made me a soldier, my father, who had lamented unceasingly, took me aside and said —

" "When are you going ? "

" Why ? " said I, astonished at the way in which he had divined my thoughts. " I have plenty of time after the claims of exemption ! "

" You are deceiving your father, my son," said he, grasping my hand with tears in his eyes.

" That is true, father. I intend to leave this evening at six o'clock."

" I knew it. A father's eyes see a great deal. I have already prepared everything for your departure. Only, to escape the tears and lamentations of your relations, we will leave at ten instead. The horses will be waiting for us outside the village."

At ten o'clock precisely my father, my brother, and I left the house as if we were going to the cafe ;

I then we went separately to the place where my cousin, Ange-Pierre, was waiting with the horses.

My brother and my cousin, after saying good-bye, returned home, whilst my father and I started for Ajaccio, where, on my arrival, I was entered as Number 7,703 on the register of the 60th regiment of the line.

The recruiting captain, after examining me, sent me to Bastia, to the 1st Battalion, 4th Company. The same day, my father, without shedding a tear, gave me his blessing and returned home, whilst I started for Bastia to join my Company.

On my arrival at the barracks a sergeant took me to the stores to equip me, gave me a knapsack, a cartridge box, a rifle, etc., took me back to the barracks a transformed man, and left me at the foot of the bed in which I was to sleep. A soldier's life has been so often described by abler pens than mine that I shall only briefly relate the principal events, most of them curious, and sometimes tragic, which concern me personally. They are all strictly true. The next morning, after fatigue-duty (which all conscripts have to undergo as soon as they join), I was taken, without my gun, to a plain where the drilliug went on. Two Corsicans, Major Riston and Lieutenant Risbrussi, came up to me and gave me such good advice about my military future that I already looked upon myself as a future General,

12 MEMOIRS OF THE BAROJST DE RIMINI.

but tliej also told me that before anything else I should have to learn to drill in order to be admitted into the battalion, and to read and write, that I might master the theory of fighting, and teach others.

Their counsels made so great an impression upon me that from that day forth I gave myself up entirely to learning how to handle my gun and studying military art in all its branches.

Two months later, the drill-instructor, after having made me drill alone and with my company, allowed me to join the battalion.

That evening, when I entered the barracks, I hastened to enrol my name in the regimental school, where I was to learn French, and in the fencing-school, where I intended to acquire the art of killing my fellow-man properly, in accordance with all the rules of the game, as will unfortunately be seen later on.

With my insular vivacity and mountaineer's agility I became in the course of a few months the best pupil at the fencing-school. The head-master, Duillestre, an old soldier, who retired shortly after that, grew so fond of me that he had me made a corporal, exempted from service, and attached me to the regimental fencing-school to help him and take his place when necessary. The regiment received orders to return to France ; we landed at Toulon, and went into garrison at Rodez (Aveyron).

Although exempted from service by order of the Captain, I performed the duties of Quartermaster during the entire march, with Adjutant Duchemin and Quartermasters Santelli, Casanova, etc. Reaching Rodez at mid-day, we obtained the billets at the Mayor's office, then went to the barracks which the 5th regiment of the line had just vacated. While waiting for the troops, who were not to arrive before three o'clock. Quartermaster Santelli invited me to go to the cafe with him. When we entered we were obliged, in order to get to a table, to pass two civilians who were already seated, and who, seeing Santelli so young, and particularly so slender, offered him an outrageous insult. They had hardly uttered the last word before one of them received a blow on the face. At that moment I had hold of the chair in which I was about to seat myself. But seeing that I might use it in another way, I raised it and struck both of the men, without asking what it was all about. The guard was called for. Our soldiers arrived. One of the civilians, who had received the slap and a blow from the chair, went up to the corporal and asked him not to arrest us, although we had begun the affair.

As soon as the soldiers were gone they approached us, and a duel for the next day was proposed by one side and accepted by the other.

The reader will pardon me if I enter into all these

U MEMOIRS OF THE BAROJST DE RIMINI.

details ; but as it was mj first duel, and we were more or less deceived in our antagonists, I think it worth while to say that Santelli and I accepted this duel with pleasure, persuaded beforehand that we were going to fight inexperienced civilians, and that we could thus get up a reputation as good swordsmen. Our two adversaries thought the same, as will be seen.

The next day, at six o'clock in the morning, Santelli and I were awakened and summoned by the two men of the day before to the gate of the quarter. Instead of being two they were now three ; I accordingly called Corporal Yersini, a second-rate fencer.

We six left the town together, and went as far as the river which gives its name to the department (Aveyron). The preliminaries were soon over. Quartermaster Santelli and the civilian who had been struck in the face took off their shirts and grasped their weapons.

At the first pass, looking at Versini, I remarked that the Quartermaster, whose adversary was a skilled duelHst, was as good as dead. Then I recommended my friend to play close and prudently.

He took no notice of me, however, for I had hardly finished speaking before he made two full passes, as in a fencing-lesson, then lunged forward. His adversary adroitly caught the Quartermaster's foil by a semicircular stroke from below and sent it flying a dozen paces behind him. Then, without leaving his place — he could have killed Santelli had he so wished — he lowered his arm, and turning to his friends, said regretfully —

" It is as I feared ; these are conscripts."

*' Conscripts ! '* cried I, then throwing ray coat, cap, and shirt on the ground, I added, " Another conscript, master civilian ! "

As soon as he felt my stroke he saw that he had quite another arm to deal with. I made the same pass as Santelli with the difference that my adversary, while trying to send my weapon a dozen paces behind him, found it in the centre, clear through him, a couple of inches above the right breast. When he fell my foil remained in his body.

His friend drew it out, sucked the two wounds, and, helped by the other civilian, took him to the hospital.

My colleagues and I, to whom I recommended the strictest silence, returned to the barracks.

I own, to my shame, that I was rather proud of it all. Santelli and Versini, my pupils, countrymen, and friends, could not praise me enough.

Four days afterwards the Adjutant called all three of us and conducted us to the reporting room to the Colonel. I felt frightened, and my friends were afraid for me. My fear and theirs increased when we entered the Praetorium and saw, contrary to custom, the General and a gentleman in plain clothes to whom all the officers showed great respect, and who, when he came forward, took our names, surnames, rank, birthplace, etc. When he heard that we were all Corsicans he turned to General Durieu, saying —

" Corsicans ! I am not surprised." Then the General asked us in so many words — " Which of you murdered a civilian ? " The word murdered fell like a flash of lightning into the room, making much more commotion than the latter would have done amongst the officers, non-commissioned officers, and the corporals on duty belonging to the 60th line.

The spectators looked at us silently, stiff with horror. No one answered.

General Durieu, almost angry, called — "Griscelli!"

" Here, General," I replied.

«« Why did you not answer before ? " " Because I have not murdered anyone." " What, you have not murdered anyone ? And how about the man whom you killed four days ago just outside the town ? "

Up to that moment I had been frozen, but a& soon as I knew what I was accused of doing I raised my voice, and, looking steadily at the General, said —

"Mortally wounded, yes, Greneral ; but not murdered ! " And without waiting to be asked I related the affair from the time we entered the cafe to the end of the combat.

When I had finished the General turned to the gentleman in the white cravat and asked him if I had told the truth.

" Yes, General," replied the Public Prosecutor.

The General, whom we had all thought very angry, approached me laughing and said —

" That is right, my man. Here are twenty francs for you. You know how to make your regiment respected. The man whom you killed was a quarrelsome scoundrel, who, while he sponged on the 5th, killed five of the men belonging to that regiment. Colonel, put this young Corporal into a crack company."

Then a change took place which may easily be imagined. All the officers who had looked upon me as lost approached to congratulate me.

The Colonel asked me to go to his lodgings. When we got there he gave me a pair of epaulettes and twenty francs, counselled me, and particularly praised me for my discretion. ** Any other man," said he, " would have told the whole town.**

18 MEMOinS OF THE BARON DE RIMINI.

Santelli and Versini, who, although fond of me, were jealous of me that day, are now : Santelli, chief of a squadron of gendarmery in Corsica, and Versini a Captain in the 20th Rifles of Yincennes ; and I, who was the hero of so many scenes, must languish in exile.

Some time after that our regiment went into garrison at Lyons, whither my reputation as a duellist had preceded me. But that which completed my fame as a fencer and a fighter, was a duel which my regiment had with the 30th (a duel between two corps) and which deserves being published.

One night, during the roll-call, the voltigeur Gruis entered the barracks without his sword, and covered with blood. This man was the confidential servant of Monsieur Berthelin, the officer on duty.

After the roll-call, before reporting, the latter summoned his servant and made him tell what had happened. Guis said that while he was in a cafe (Simon) at the Croix-Rousse seven corporals of the 30th of the line had insulted, disarmed, and beaten him.

At this tale the Lieutenant, looking at me, told the company that it was a stain on the regiment, and particularly on the company of voltigeurs belonging to the first battalion, and that he would gladly exchange his gold epaulettes (for two days) for woollen ones that he might wipe out the stain with blood. All the voltigeurs were gathered around the officer, and waiting for my answer.

" Lieutenant," said I, " you will keep your epaulettes. Guis will be revenged by to-morrow night. After that we shall see."

His eyes sparkled with joy. He took me by the hand, made me go out into the court-yard, gave me twenty francs, and assured me that he would see to everything.

" I give you carte hlanche^^^ said he. " Only revenge my voltigeurs ! *'

The next day he came to me at the fencing-school, to tell me that Colonel Lamane counted on me.

" The Colonel ? " said I. " Who told him ? "

" I did, last night at his house. The whole regiment knows about it, and all the officers who were with me expect something from you as you are a corporal of voltigeurs."

In the evening, after soup, I took Versini, Casanova, Santelli, and Guis with me, and we went to the cafe where the latter had been beaten. We had hardly seated ourselves before the corporals of the 30th came in, and seizing the billiard cues, said —

" Oh I oh ! they have come in numbers."

" What do you mean by numbers ? " asked a certain Jocquet ; " they are only four. Well, four blows of my fist and I stretch them all four on the floor ! "

At these words the uproar began. Tables, stools, and billiard cues flew around. At each blow of his stool Casanova knocked one down. We were left masters of the cafe. Our adversaries made off without their swords. We took them and spoilt the sheaths. Meanwhile the guard arrived with policemen. The mistress of the establishment, who was an intimate friend of Guis', took our part, saying that we had been attacked, and that they had ran away to avoid paying her. The guard contented themselves with taking the swords of the 30th, and we were sent back to the barracks, where each soldier already had his own version of the battle. They said that some had been killed, some wounded, etc.

The officer appeared at roll-call, and when we announced the victory to him his joy knew no bounds. Without even asking for the details he hastened to the Colonel, to tell him that the 60th had been nobly revenged.

There was a great commotion the next day at the Colonel's reporting-room, whither I was summoned with the officer in charge of the fencing- school.

As soon as the officers and non-commissioned officers on duty were at their post, seeing me talking to the Adjutant, the Colonel called me by name, and pretending to be very angry, addressed me in these terms : —

** What did you do last night ? Ah ! so you think that you alone have the right to make the regiment respected ? I hope they will settle you this time, at any rate. By order of the General of Division, Baron Aymard, a duel will take place to-morrow between two corps. Seven fencing-masters of the 30th will be at Fort Calvaire to-morrow to meet seven fencing-masters of the 60th (commanded by their officer) to settle their quarrel by means of the sword."

I confess that while the Colonel was speaking my eyes flashed with joy, and when he had finished I cried wildly — " Long live General Aymard ! " Although the staff were present everyone burst out laughing.

The Lieutenant-Colonel, Monsieur Courr^ge, who was very fond of me, gave me twenty francs with which to drink his health.

''Drink it to-day," said Colonel Lamarre,'* for you are not sure of being able to do so to-morrow ! "

" I shall drink it now, with the fencing-masters who are going with me. Colonel, and I am certain that you will give me some more to-morrow after the duel."

" Who is going with you ? " asked the Colonel.

" If Lieutenant Bondeville and Sergeant Duillestre, the senior master, will allow me, I shall choose Versini (now Captain in the 20th Eifles), Casanova (discharged, now a justice of the peace), Santelli

(now chief of a squadron of gendarmery), Simoni (who died a captain in Africa), Antomarchi (discharged, now mayor of Noesi), Deconsimi (who was murdered in Corsica), and Gruis, the promoter of the quarrel."

My -choice was approved.

All that day the two regiments, and, indeed, the whole garrison, could talk of nothing but the handto-hand fight. Throughout the division everyone was impatiently waiting for next day to come, when it would be known which of the two regiments was the victor.

A great many of my readers will perhaps not believe these things, and will ask if, in the nineteenth century, the public can possibly find any pleasure in such wholesale murder and bloodshed ? I will answer that the soldier is moved by the honour of arms alone. Horse-races, where the bets are publicly made, the rise and fall of stocks, bull-fights, diplomatic fencing, and the discussions of the two Chambers are nothing to the trooper. A duel, a battle alone can rouse him !

The next morning, at precisely six o'clock, fourteen soldiers, headed by two officers, met on the road to Fort Calvaire (14th December, 1836), at the Croix- E/Ousse, for the purpose of killing each other, by order of General Aymard, and Colonels de Lamane and Husson, to save the honour of the regiment.

Arrived on the ground, the two oflScers saluted each other.

Jocquet of the 30lh and I took our weapons.

He was the first corporal who had struck Guis ; accordino^lj he was the first champion chosen by his colleagues.

After a few very guarded passes he parried tierce and tried to make a lunge, thinking that he had hurt me mortally ; I made a counter-pass, and putting ray weapon back to prime with a turn of my wrist, he killed himself by falling with all his weight on my blade.