I send you, my clear friend, from beyond the Alps, the romance of international life that was begun in Italy almost under your eyes, which I have framed in that old and noble Rome of which you are so ardent a lover. Certainly, the drama of passion unfolded in this book has nothing else especially Roman, and nothing was farther from my thoughts than to trace a picture of a society so local, so traditional as that which stirs between the Quirinal and the Vatican, The drama is not even Italian, for il could not, with any degree of probability, develop itself in Venice or in Florence. Nice would have suited equally weU, and St. Moritz, not to mention Paris and London—in fact, the various cities which are, as il were, quarters scattered throughout Europe, of that floating Cosmopolis baptized by Beyle : Vcngo ad-csso da Cosraopoli. It is the contrast between the somewhat incoherent ways and doings of the wanderers of high life, and the character* of perennial existence stamped everywhere in Table of Contents I A dilettante and a believer,1; II the commencement op a Dhama,25; III boleslas gorka51; IV Danger Nian,75; V Tre Codntess Steno107; VI The Inconsistencies of an Old Ceotjan, , 138; VII ? First Cousin to Iaoo,190; VIII The Duel,219; IX Alba Sees,248; X Common Misery272; XI Lake op Porto 302; XII Epilogue, 332About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the difficult to read text.