They, the Italians, had sinned by excess of legitimate pride, they had proceeded too hastily with their attempt to improvise a great nation, to change ancient Rome into a great modern capital as by the mere touch of a wand.
And thence had come that mania for erecting new districts, that mad speculation in land and shares, which had brought the country within a hair's breadth of bankruptcy.
At this Pierre gently interrupted him to tell him of the view which he himself had arrived at after his peregrinations and studies through Rome.
"That fever of the first hour, that financial _debacle_," said he, "is after all nothing.

All pecuniary sores can be healed.

But the grave point is that your Italy still remains to be created.

There is no aristocracy left, and as yet there is no people, nothing but a devouring middle class, dating from yesterday, which preys on the rich harvest of the future before it is ripe." Silence fell.

Orlando sadly wagged his old leonine head.