summer's midnight
The young girl found it hard to rend herself from the dreamy pleasure of the scene , or even to turn from the fine impersonal pain which the presence of the Austrians in the spectacle inflicted . All gave an impression something like that of the theatre , with the advantage that here one 's self was part of the pantomime ; and in those days , when nearly everything but the puppet-shows was forbidden to patriots , it was altogether the greatest enjoyment possible to the Paronsina . The pensive charm of the place imbued all the little company so deeply that they scarcely broke it , as they loitered slowly homeward through the deserted Merceria . When they reached the Campo San Salvatore , on many a lovely summer 's midnight , their footsteps seemed to waken a nightingale whose cage hung from a lofty balcony there ; for suddenly , at their coming , the bird broke into a wild and thrilling song , that touched them all , and suffused the tender heart of the Paronsina with an inexpressible pathos . Alas ! she had so often returned thus from the Piazza , and no stealthy footstep had followed hers homeward with love 's persistence and diffidence ! She was young , she knew , and she thought not quite dull or hideous ; but her spirit was as sole in that melancholy city as if there were no youth but hers in the world .