But, now that the country is ours, just try to stir up enthusiasm for the reorganisation of its finances! There's no ideality in that! And this explains why, whilst the old ones are dying off, not a new man comes to the front among the young ones--" All at once he stopped, looking somewhat embarrassed, yet smiling at his feverishness.

"Excuse me," he said, "I'm off again, I'm incorrigible.

But it's understood, we'll leave that subject alone, and you'll come back here, and we'll chat together when you've seen everything." From that moment he showed himself extremely pleasant, and it was apparent to Pierre that he regretted having said so much, by the seductive affability and growing affection which he now displayed.

He begged the young priest to prolong his sojourn, to abstain from all hasty judgments on Rome, and to rest convinced that, at bottom, Italy still loved France.

And he was also very desirous that France should love Italy, and displayed genuine anxiety at the thought that perhaps she loved her no more.