enough. _I_ was in fault chiefly, because he both sate up at night with
me and kept by me when I was generally ill in the mornings. So I
oughtn't to grumble--but I do.... Love to dear M. Milsand. We are in
increasing spirits on Italian affairs.

Your very affectionate
BA.

* * * * *

In October they returned to Florence, though only for about six weeks,
before moving on to Rome for the winter.

* * * * *

_To Mrs. Jameson_

[Florence]: Casa Guidi: Friday [October 1859].

Ever dearest Mona Nina,--Here we are at our Florence, very thankful for
the advantages of our Siena residence. God has been kind. When I think
how I went away and how I came back, it seems to me wonderful. For the
latter fortnight the tide of life seemed fairly to set in again, and now
I am quite well, if not as strong--which, of course, could not be in the
time. My doctor opened his eyes to see me yesterday so right in looks
and ways. But we spend the winter in Rome, because the great guns of the
revolution (and even the small daggers) will be safer to encounter than
any sort of tramontana. To tell you the truth, dearest friend, there
have been moments when I have 'despaired of the republic'--that is,
doubted much whether I should ever be quite well again; I mean as
tolerably well as it is my normal state to be. So severe the attack was
altogether.

As to political affairs, I will use the word of Penini's music-master
when asked the other day how they went on--'_Divinamente_,' said he.
Things are certainly going _divinamente_. I observe that, while
politicians by profession, by the way, have various opinions, and hope
and fear according to their temperaments, _the people_ here are steadily
sanguine, distrusting nobody if it isn't a Mazzinian or a codino, and
looking to the end with a profound interest, of course, but not any
inquietude. '_Divinamente_' things are going on.

There is an expectation, indeed, of fighting, but only with the Pope's
troops (and we all know what a '_soldato del papa_' means), or with such
mongrel defenders as can be got up by the convicts of Modena or Tuscany
to give us an occasion of triumph presently. The expected outburst in
Sicily and the Neapolitan States will simply extend the movement. That's
_our_ way of thinking and hoping. May God defend the right!

Mr. Probyn, a Liberal M.P., has come out here to appreciate the
situation, and said last n