Guelphs are triumphant."

"Do not pity us too much," said the Duchess, in a voice that made the
two friends start. "We are still supreme. Even in the depths of her
misfortune Italy governs through the choicer spirits that abound in her
cities.

"Unfortunately the greater number of her geniuses learn to understand
life so quickly that they lie sunk in poverty-stricken pleasure. As for
those who are willing to play the melancholy game for immortality, they
know how to get at your gold and to secure your praises. Ay, in
this land--pitied for its fallen state by traveled simpletons and
hypocritical poets, while its character is traduced by politicians--in
this land, which appears so languid, powerless, and ruinous, worn out
rather than old, there are puissant brains in every branch of life,
genius throwing out vigorous shoots as an old vine-stock throws out
canes productive of delicious fruit. This race of ancient rulers
still gives birth to kings--Lagrange, Volta, Rasori, Canova, Rossini,
Bartolini, Galvani, Vigano, Beccaria, Cicognara, Corvetto. These
Italians are masters of the scientific peaks on which they stand, or of
the arts to which they devote themselves. To say nothing of the singers
and executants who captivate Europe by their amazing perfections:
Taglioni, Paganini, and the rest. Italy still rules the world which will
always come to worship her.

"Go to Florian's to-night; you will find in Capraja one of our cleverest
men, but in love with obscurity. No one but the Duke, my master,
understands music so thoroughly as he does; indeed he is known here as
_il Fanatico_."

After sitting a few minutes listening to the eager war of words between
the physician and the Duchess, who showed much ingenious eloquence, the
Italians, one by one, took leave, and went off to tell the news in
every box, that la Cataneo, who was regarded as a woman of great wit and
spirit, had, on the question of Italy, defeated a famous French doctor.
This was the talk of the evening.

As soon as the Frenchman found himself alone with the Duchess and the
Prince, he understood that they were to be left together, and took
leave. Massimilla bowed with a bend of the neck that placed him at such
a distance that this salute might have secured her the man's hatred, if
he could have ignored the charm of her eloquence and beauty.

Thus at the end of the opera, Emilio and Massimilla were alone, and
holding hands they listened together to the duet