The French and the Italian tricolour flags, displayed by Pen, adorned the terrace.

In June the sun beat upon Florence with unusual fierceness, but it was a month of battles, and with bulletins of the war arriving twice a day they could not bear to remove to any quiet retreat at a distance from the centre.

It was not curiosity that detained them but the passion for Italy, the joy in generous effort and great deeds.

In the rebound, as Mrs Browning expresses it, from high-strung hopes and fears for Italy they found themselves drawn to the theatre, where Salvini gave his wonderful impersonation of Othello and his Hamlet, "very great in both, Robert thought," so commented Mrs Browning, "as well as I."[72] The strain of excitement was indeed excessive for Mrs Browning's failing physical strength; there was in it something almost febrile.

Yet the fact is noteworthy that the romantic figures secured much less of her interest than the men of prudent statesmanship.