I stood there like a bit of stucco, looking at the young man, and then at the person who had spoken to me thus. Then I answered—
"Tell me, does this gentleman speak, or at least understand, Italian? Has he understood what you have just said of him?"
"Oh no! he only speaks English; he is an American."
"The Lord be thanked," muttered I to myself, "that the poor young man understood nothing!" But this polite person, misunderstanding my question, began—
"Now I will tell him what I have said to you."
And he began in English to repeat the little tirade that he had given me, and this genius of a young man nodded his head at every phrase, looking at me, at the stool, and at the cat!
CHAPTER XII.
POMPEII—A CAMEO—SKETCH FOR THE BACCO DELLA CRITTOGAMA—PROFESSOR ANGELINI THE SCULPTOR—ONE MUST NOT OFFER ONE'S HAND WITH TOO MUCH FREEDOM TO LADIES—A HARD-HEARTED WOMAN WITH SMALL INTELLIGENCE—THE SAN CARLO, THE SAN CARLINO, THE FENICE, AND THE SEBETO—MONUMENT BY DONATELLO AT NAPLES—THE BAROCCO AND MISTAKEN OPINIONS—DILETTANTI IN THE FINE ARTS—PRINCE DON SEBASTIAN OF BOURBON—IS THE BEARD A SIGN OF BEING LEGITIMIST OR LIBERAL?—I AM TAKEN FOR A PRINCE OR SOMETHING LIKE ONE—"THE BOTTLE" FOR DOORKEEPERS AND CUSTODI OF THE PUBLIC MUSEUMS OF NAPLES—PHIDIAS, DEMOSTHENES, AND CICERO ALL AGAINST RUGGERO BONGHI.
