The Senator thought that, without exception, Bologna was the best
Italian city that he had seen. It had a solid look. The people
were not such everlasting fools as the Neapolitans, the Romans,
and the Florentines, who thought that the highest end of life was
to make pictures and listen to music. They devoted their energies
to an article of nourishment which was calculated to benefit the
world. He alluded to the famous _Bologna Sausage_, and he put it
to Dick seriously, whether the manufacture of a sausage which was
so eminently adapted to sustain life was not a far nobler thing
than the production of useless pictures for the pampered tastes
of a bloated aristocracy.
Meanwhile Buttons fared differently. If he had been more afflicted
he was now more blessed. The Don seemed to think that the sufferings
of Buttons were caused by himself, or, at any rate, by the eagerness
of the young man to come to the assistance of his sisters. He felt
grateful accordingly, and spared no pain to give him assistance and
relief. He procured the best medical advice in the city. For
several days the poor fellow lay in a very dangerous condition,
hovering between life and death. His wounds were numerous and severe,
and the excitement afterward, with the fatigue of the ride, had made
his situation worse. But a strong constitution was on his side, and
he at length was able to leave his bed and his room.
He was as pale as death, and woefully emaciated. But the society of
the ladies acted like a charm upon him; and from the moment when he
left his room his strength came back rapidly.
He would have liked it still better if he had been able to see the
younger sister alone; but that was impossible, for the sisters were
inseparable. One evening, however, the Don offered to take them to
the cathedral to see some ceremony. Ida declined, but the other
eagerly accepted.
So Buttons for the first time in his life found himself alone with
the maid of his heart. It was a solemn season.
Both were much embarrassed. Buttons looked as though he had
something dreadful to tell; the Señorita as though she had
something dreadful to hear. At length Buttons began to tell the
story of his many searches, pursuits, wanderings, etc., in search of
her, and particularly his last search at Florence, in which he had
grown disheartened, and had made up his mind to follow her to Spain.
At last he came to the time when he caught up to them on the road.
He had seen them first. His heart told him that one of the ladies
was Ida. Then he had lost all control of himself, and had leaped
down to rescue her.