He urged that nothing could be easier, that no objection could possibly be taken to it; that the Tuscan government was by no means desirous of giving up these men, and would only be too glad to get out of it; that England both at Malta and in the Ionian Islands had plenty of Italian subjects--and in short, I undertook the mission, I confess with very small hopes of success.

Lord Holland laughed aloud when I told my tale, and said he thought it was about the most audacious request that had ever been made to a British minister.

But he ended by granting it.

Doubtless he knew very well the truth of what d'Azeglio had stated--that the Tuscan government would be much too well pleased to ask any questions; and the passports were given.
It was not long after our establishment in the Via dei Malcontenti that a great disaster came upon Florence and its inhabitants and guests.

Arno was not in the habit of following the evil example of the Tiber by treating Florence as the latter so frequently did Rome.