“Now do you suppose,” said poppa confidentially, “that the idea of trichinosis had anything to do with slackening the demand?”

Mr. Bellini threw his head back, and passionately replaced a section of biscuit and cheese in the middle of his plate.

“I know nossing, any more than you!  Why you speak me always that Bologna sausage! Pazienza! What is it that sausage to make the agreeable conversation!”

“Sir,” exclaimed the Senator with astonishment and equal heat, “you don’t seem to be aware of it, but at one time the Bologna sausage ruled the world!”

Mr. Bellini, however, could evidently not trust himself to discuss the matter further.  He rose precipitately with an outraged, impersonal bow, and left the table, abandoning his biscuit and cheese, his half finished bottle of Rudesheimer and the figs that were to follow, with the indifference of a lofty nature.

“I’m sorry I spoiled his dinner,” said poppa with concern, “but if a Bologna man can’t talk about Bologna sausages, what can he talk about?”

It made the Senator reticent, though, as to sausages of any kind, with the other commercial traveller—­the hotel was full of them, and we found it very entertaining after the barren dining rooms of southern Italy—­with whom we breakfasted.  He spoke to this one exclusively about the architectural and historic features of the city, in a manner which forbade any approach to gastronomic themes, and while the second commercial traveller regarded him with great respect, it must be confessed that the conversation languished.  Dicky might have helped us out, but Dicky was following his usual custom of having rooms in one hotel and covering as many others as possible with his meals, in the hope of an accidental meeting.  This was excellent as a distraction for his mind, but since it occasionally led him into three dejeuners and two dinners, rather bad, we feared, for other parts of him.  He had confided his design to me; he intended, on meeting Isabel’s eye, to turn very pale, abruptly terminate his repast, ask for his hat and stick, and walk out with conspicuous agitation.  As to the course he meant to pursue afterwards he was vague; the great thing was to make an impression upon Isabel.  We differed about the nature of the impression.  Dicky took it for granted that she would be profoundly affected, but he made no allowance for the way in which maternal vigilance like that of Mrs. Portheris can discourage the imagination.

Poppa made two further attempts to inform himself upon the leading manufacturing interest of Bologna.  He inquired of the padrone, who was pleased to hear that Bologna had a leading manufacturing interest, and when my parent asked where he could see the process, pointed out several shops in the Piazza Maggiore.  One of these the Senator visited, note-book in hand, and was shown with great alacrity every variety of mortadella, from delicacies the size of a finger