at this curtailment of their
show, the streets were decorated, and filled with people in the best
humor. Margaret was able to see nothing but this crowd, but found even
that a great pleasure. A ball at the Argentina Theatre terminated the
festivities of the day. Here were seen "Lord Minto; Prince Corsini, now
senator; the Torlonias, in uniform of the Civic Guard, Princess Torlonia
(the beautiful Colonna) in a sash of their colors, which she waved often
in answer to their greetings." The finest show of the evening, Margaret
says, was the native Saltarello, danced by the Trasteverini in their
gayest costumes. In this dance, which is at once very _naive_ and very
natural, Margaret saw the embodiment of "the Italian wine, the Italian
sun."

In the course of this winter it became evident that the liberalism of
Pio Nono would not stand the test of any extensive practical
application. His position was, indeed, a very difficult one, the natural
allies and supporters of the Papacy being, without exception, the
natural enemies of the new ideas to which he had so incautiously opened
the door.

Margaret relates various attempts made by Austrians in Lombardy and by
Oscurantists in Rome to excite the people to overt acts of violence, and
thus gain a pretext for the employment of armed force. In Rome, on New
Year's day, an attempt of this sort was near succeeding, the governor of
the city having ungraciously forbidden the people to wait upon the Pope
at the Quirinal, and to ask for his blessing. Fortunately, instead of
rising in rebellion, they betook themselves to Senator Corsini, by whose
friendly interposition the Pope was induced to make a progress through
the city, interrupted only by the prayers of his subjects, who, falling
on their knees as he passed, cried out: "Holy Father, don't desert us!
don't forget us! don't listen to our enemies!" the Pope, in tears,
replying: "Fear nothing, my people; my heart is yours." And this
tender-hearted populace, seeing that the Pope looked ill, and that the
weather was inclement, begged him to return to the Quirinal, which he
did, the popular leader, Ciceruacchio, following his carriage.

A letter from Mazzini to Pope Pius, printed in Paris, had reached Italy
by this time, and was translated by Margaret for publication in the "New
York Tribune." Some passages of it will not be out of place here, as
showing the position and outlook of a man by far the most illustrious of
the Italian exiles,