suave, oily little Mayor came in, twinkling his eyes and saying:

"Did I hear my name as I entered?"

"I was saying," said Roma, "that if the Municipality should throw up my
fountain...."

The little man made an amusing gesture, and the constrained silence was
broken by some awkward laughter.

"Roma," said the testy voice of the Countess, "I think I've done my duty
by you, and now the Baron will take me back. Natalina! Where's
Natalina?"

But half-a-dozen hands took hold of the invalid chair, and the Baron
followed it into the bedroom.

"Wonderful man!" "Wonderful!" whispered various voices as the Minister's
smile disappeared through the door.

The conversation had begun to languish when the Princess Bellini
arrived, and then suddenly it became lively and general.

"I'm late, but do you know, my dear," she said, kissing Roma on both
cheeks, "I've been nearly torn to pieces in coming. My carriage had to
plough its way through crowds of people."

"Crowds?"

"Yes, indeed, and the streets are nearly impassable. Another
demonstration, I suppose! The poor must always be demonstrating."

"Ah! yes," said Don Camillo. "Haven't you heard the news, Roma?"

"I've been working all night and all day, and I have heard nothing,"
said Roma.

"Well, to prevent a recurrence of the disgraceful scene of yesterday,
the King has promulgated the Public Security Act by royal decree, and
the wonderful crisis is at an end."

"And now?"

"Now the Prime Minister is master of the situation, and has begun by
proclaiming the mass meeting which was to have been held in the
Coliseum."

"Good thing too," said Count Mario. "We've heard enough of liberal
institutions lately."

"And of the scandalous speeches of professional agitators," said Madame
Sella.

"And of the liberty of the press," said Senator Palomba. And then the
effeminate old dandy, the fashionable dressmaker, and the oily little
Mayor exchanged significant nods.

"Wait! Only wait!" said Roma, in a low voice, to Rossi, who was standing
in silence by her side.

"Unhappy Italy!" said the American Ambassador. "With the largest array
of titled nobility and the largest army of beggars. The one class
sipping iced drinks in the piazzas during the playing of music, and the
other class marching through the streets and conspiring against
society."

"You judge us from a foreign standpoint, dear friend," said Don Camillo,
"and forget our love of a pageant. The Princess says o