And the dream of the citizen was at an end.
It was under a sky so leaden and on a road so strewn with bones that the little mountain democracy with its patriarchal prince went out, first and before all its friends, on the last and seemingly the most hopeless of the rebellions against the Ottoman Empire.

Only one of the omens seemed other than disastrous; and even that was doubtful.

For the successful Mediterranean attack on Tripoli while proving the gallantry of the Italians (if that ever needed proving) could be taken in two ways, and was seen by many, and probably most, sincere liberals as a mere extension of the Imperialist reaction of Bosnia and Paardeberg, and not as the promise of newer things.

Italy, it must be remembered, was still supposed to be the partner of Prussia and the Hapsburgs.

For days that seemed like months the microscopic state seemed to be attempting alone what the Crusades had failed to accomplish.