"Will you have some soup and a cutlet?"
"Yes; two," I replied.
"Will you have Orvieto or good Roman wine?"
"Do me the favour to bring anything you please, so long as you bring me something to eat and drink. I can't stop to choose."
And the good Travalloni, turning to the servant, said—
"Bring at once a flask of Orvieto, such as I drink—you understand?—some bread, some soup, a cutlet, cheese, and fruit."
That day Travalloni appeared to me to be a man of genius.
CHAPTER VIII.
LITERATI AT MY STUDIO, AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON MY WORK—CALAMATTA'S OPINION OF TENERANI, OF BARTOLINI, AND OF MYSELF—HIS DEFENCE OF MY ABEL IN PARIS—PIUS II.—ACADEMICIANS AND "NATURALISTI"—LUIGI VENTURI—PRINCE ANATOLIA DEMIDOFF AND THE PRINCESS MATILDE—THE STATUETTE IN CLAY OF THE PRINCESS MATILDE IS DESTROYED—OUR MINISTER NIGRA PRESENTS ME TO THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON III.—BEAUTY DOES NOT EXIST OUTSIDE OF NATURE—PRAISE PUTS ONE TO SLEEP—THE INCOHERENCE OF BARTOLINI.