o politics than the life of that dog there?"

It was Astrardente's habit to scoff mercilessly at all the petty
manifestations of political feeling he saw about him in the world. He
represented a class distinct both from the Valdarno set and from the men
represented by the Saracinesca--a class who despised everything political
as unworthy of the attention of gentlemen, who took everything for
granted, and believed that all was for the best, provided that society
moved upon rollers and so long as no one meddled with old institutions.
To question the wisdom of the municipal regulations was to attack the
Government itself; to attack the Government was to cast a slight upon his
Holiness the Pope, which was rank heresy, and very vulgar into the
bargain. Astrardente had seen a great deal of the world, but his ideas of
politics were almost childishly simple--whereas many people said that his
principles in relation to his fellows were fiendishly cynical. He was
certainly not a very good man; and if he pretended to no reputation for
devoutness, it was probable that he recognised the absurdity of his
attempting such a pose. But politically he believed in Cardinal
Antonelli's ability to defy Europe with or without the aid of France, and
laughed as loudly at Louis Napoleon's old idea of putting the sovereign
Pontiff at the head of an Italian federation, as he jeered at Cavour's
favourite phrase concerning a free Church in a free State. He had good
blood in him, and the hereditary courage often found with it. He had a
certain skill in matters worldly; but his wit in things political seemed
to belong to an earlier generation, and to be incapable of receiving new
impressions.

But Valdarno, who was vain and set great value on his opinions, was
deeply offended at the way Astrardente spoke of him and his friends. In
his eyes he was risking much for what he considered a good object, and he
resented any contemptuous mention of Liberal principles, whenever he
dared. No one cared much for Astrardente, and certainly no one feared
him; nevertheless in those times men hesitated to defend anything which
came under the general head of Liberalism, when they were likely to be
overheard, or when they could not trust the man to whom they were
speaking. If no one feared Astrardente, no one trusted him either.
Valdarno consequently judged it best to smother his annoyance at the old
man's words, and to retaliate by striking him in a weak spot.

"If yo