Explore "Rienzi" by Edward Bulwer-lytton on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Montreal was sitting at the head of a table, surrounded by men, some / military, some civil, whom he called his councillors, and with whom / he apparently debated all his projects. These men, drawn from various / cities, were intimately acquainted with the internal affairs of the / several states to which they belonged. They could tell to a fraction / the force of a signor, the wealth of a merchant, the power of a mob. And / thus, in his lawless camp, Montreal presided, not more as a general than / a statesman. Such knowledge was invaluable to the chief of the Great / Company. It enabled him to calculate exactly the time to attack a foe, / and the sum to demand for a suppression of hostilities. He knew what / parties to deal with -- where to importune -- where to forbear. And it / usually happened that, by some secret intrigue, the appearance of / Montreal's banner before the walls of a city was the signal for some / sedition or some broil within. It may be that he thus also promoted an / ulterior, as well as his present, policy.
The divan were in full consultation when an officer entered, and / whispered a few words in Montreal's ear. His eyes brightened. "Admit / him," he said hastily. "Messires," he added to his councillors, rubbing / his hands, "I think our net has caught our bird. Let us see."