. The spell of Italy. ico!It is time to go. I shall be presently jealous; andbesides, the children should be having theirsupper. We broke up soon after this. The Conte and Con-tessa, having despatched the Uttle family band withnurse and maestra in the motor-car, walked them-selves to the door of our pensione with Fiha and me. While we dressed for dinner I inquired of Fihaconcerning the conversation with Senator Carlettiwhich had been apparently engrossing and had lasted,despite various interruptions, all the way from theVilla Borghese. * A Roman Senator! cried Fiha with rapturousgestures and u


. The spell of Italy. ico!It is time to go. I shall be presently jealous; andbesides, the children should be having theirsupper. We broke up soon after this. The Conte and Con-tessa, having despatched the Uttle family band withnurse and maestra in the motor-car, walked them-selves to the door of our pensione with Fiha and me. While we dressed for dinner I inquired of Fihaconcerning the conversation with Senator Carlettiwhich had been apparently engrossing and had lasted,despite various interruptions, all the way from theVilla Borghese. * A Roman Senator! cried Fiha with rapturousgestures and upturned eyes. Fancy having aRoman Senator talking Roman poUtics to you foran hour! Never did I hope to see this day. Whatdid he say, you ask? He said everything interestingconcerning the poUtical situation here, everything,that is, for a White. I suppose the Blacks have an-other tale to tell, but we are of course inevitably andwholly White; at least I am. Are not you? White being Quirinal, Black being Vatican — White and Black 137 I am at least whiter than I am black! But I shouldhke to know what an intelligent sympathizer withthe Vatican would say. Oh, I can tell you that. II Conte told me thatthe Vatican considers the annexation of the PapalStates to the Kingdom of Italy, and above all thetaking of Rome for the national capital, as a mightytheft, just bare, ruffianly robbery. The House ofSavoy is a sheer usurper here, and a worse thanany foreign usurper; indeed the correct thing inBlack circles is to say that the present reigninghouse has not a drop of ItaUan blood in its is now, as Signor Aztalos told us, French,whatever it may have been. The fact that thekings of Italy have been good Catholics only addsto the heinousness of their offence; although per-sonally even Pio Nono used to call VittorioEmanuele II an honest man, and sent him per-mission to have the sacrament and also his blessingon his death-bed. Did you know that the old Popedied the very next m


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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectitalydescriptionandt