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Now, I am
second to no one in admiration of the Pope's
behaviour; the amnesty was a splendid action."
"I am sure His Holiness ought to feel flattered----"
Grassini began contemptuously.
"There, Grassini, do let the man speak!"
Riccardo interrupted in his turn. "It's a most
extraordinary thing that you two never can
keep from sparring like a cat and dog. Get on,
Galli!"
"What I wanted to say is this," continued the
Neapolitan. "The Holy Father, undoubtedly, is
acting with the best intentions; but how far he
will succeed in carrying his reforms is another
question. Just now it's smooth enough and, of
course, the reactionists all over Italy will lie quiet
for a month or two till the excitement about the
amnesty blows over; but they are not likely to
let the power be taken out of their hands without
a fight, and my own belief is that before the winter
is half over we shall have Jesuits and Gregorians
and Sanfedists and all the rest of the crew about
our ears, plotting and intriguing, and poisoning
off everybody they can't bribe.


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