 the
    stick—Republican excesses—Proneness to
    assassination—_Infernal Association_ in 1849                110

  CHAPTER XIV.

  Execution of a criminal—Sympathy for his fate—The
    Ghetto—Hardships of the Jews—The case of the Mortara
    child not without precedent—Story of the Merchant and
    his niece                                                   121

  CHAPTER XV.

  A wedding in the Ghetto—Contrast between the state of the
    Christian and Hebrew population—Arrival of the
    post—Highway robberies—Exploits of Passatore                128

  CHAPTER XVI.

  A visit to Macerata—The journey—The Marziani
    family—Volunnia the old maid—The Marchesa Gentilina's
    midnight communications                                     137

  CHAPTER XVII.

  Comfortless bed-room—National fear of water—Waste of
    time—Occupations of the different members of the
    family—Volunnia's sitting-room—Her acquirements             145

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  Volunnia's inquisitiveness—Her strictures on English
    propriety—The Marchesa Silvia's dread of heretics—The
    dinner—The Marchesa Gentilina knits stockings and
    talks politics                                              151

  CHAPTER XIX.

  A conversazione verbatim—Admiration for Piedmont—An
    attack of banditti—The Marchesa describes the actual
    wretchedness of the country—Cardinal Antonelli's addition
    to the calendar year—Monopoly of the corn trade—Entrance
    of the Knight of Malta                                      160

  CHAPTER XX.

  Conversazione continued—Match-making—The Codini opposed
    to travelling—Hopes of the liberals centred in
    Piedmont—Volunnia's pleasantries—Story of the young
    noble and his pasteboard soldiers                           169

  CHAPTER XXI.

  Unwillingness of the Italians to speak on serious
    topics—Indifference of the majority to literature—Reasons
    for discouraging the cultivation of female
    intellect—The March