Ludovico was proud, in his more easy-going way, of the position he occupied as his uncle's nephew in the society of the city; but it was not to him the breath of his nostrils as it was to his uncle.
He felt, as a weak man is apt to feel in similar positions of difficulty, that the best and quickest, and, above all, the easiest, way out of all embarrassment would be to run away from it--to quit Ravenna, and give it up--it, and all its inhabitants for ever.

He could do this.
He felt that Paolina would be worth such a sacrifice.

But how to accomplish such a step while his uncle lived?
As it was all he could do was to procrastinate, he thought of the old Italian proverb, "Gain time, and you will pull through," and he determined to profit by the wisdom of it.

Even procrastination would not be without difficulty.

But something might be done in that way,--some time might be gained.