Thus, when the Government thought of temporizing, they issued orders to Generals whose one idea was to strike the blow of a mallet.
At this period there was no suspicion of any grand revolt being in process of development.

The abounding dissatisfaction was treated as nothing more than the Italian disease showing symptoms here and there, and Vienna counselled measures mildly repressive,--'conciliating,' it was her pleasure to call them.

Her recent commands with respect to turbulent Venice were the subject of criticism among the circle outside the Piazza Gaffe.

An enforced inactivity of the military legs will quicken the military wits, it would appear, for some of the younger officers spoke hotly as to their notion of the method of ruling Venezia.
One had bidden his Herr General to 'look here,' while he stretched forth his hand and declared that Italians were like women, and wanted--yes, wanted--( their instinct called for it) a beating, a real beating; as the emphatic would say in our vernacular, a thundering thrashing, once a month:-'Or so,' the General added acquiescingly.

A thundering thrashing, once a month or so, to these unruly Italians, because they are like women! It was a youth who spoke, but none doubted his acquaintance with women, or cared to suggest that his education in that department of knowledge was an insufficient guarantee for his fitness to govern Venezia.