Altogether it was to be a very brilliant affair.

And all the gay world of Ravenna was on the tiptoe of expectation and delight.
The Marchese Lamberto, indeed, looked upon his share in the pageant as a great bore.

He had had put off one or two more congenial occupations for the purpose of doing on the occasion his part of that which he deemed his duty to the city.

Professor Tomosarchi the great anatomist, who was at the head of the hospital, and curator of the museum, was to have come to the Palazzo Castelmare that morning to show the Marchese an interesting experiment connected with the action of a new anodyne; and Signor Folchi, the pianist, was to have been with him at one, to try over a little piece of the Marchese's own composition.

And both these appointments, either of which was far more interesting to the Marchese Lamberto than driving out in the cold to meet the stage goddess, had to be set aside.
Nevertheless, he had deemed it due to his own position, and to the occasion, to grace this little triumphal entry with his presence.