But this ground of hope, though it may have been felt, was never so much as alluded to in words, in Ravenna.

In short, Ravenna had determined to make the bold attempt.

And Don Signor Ercole Stadione had returned from the arduous enterprise to announce that it had been crowned with complete success.
None but those who have had some opportunity of becoming acquainted with the social habits and manners of the smaller cities of Italy--and that as they were some twenty years ago, and not as they are now--can imagine the degree in which a matter of the kind in question could be felt there to be a subject of general public interest.

From the Cardinal Legate, who governed the province, down to the little boys who hung about the cafe doors, in the hope of picking up a half-eaten roll, there was not a human being in the city who did not feel that he had some part of the glory resulting from the fact that "La Lalli" was to sing at Ravenna during the Carnival.

The contadini--the peasants outside the gates--even though they were only just outside it, cared nothing at all about the matter: another specialty of the social peculiarities of the peninsula.
The Cardinal Legate, restrained by the professional decorum of his cloth, said nothing save among his quite safe intimates; but, perhaps, like the sailor's parrot, he only thought the more.
As for the jeunesse doree of the Circolo, to whom Signor Leandro recounted his great tidings with all the self-importance to which the exclusive possession of news of such interest so well entitled him, it is impossible to do justice to the enthusiasm which the news excited among them.
All sorts of pleasing anticipations were indulged in.