Note: this chapter was mislabeled as chapter 13 in the original text of The Italian.

The celebration, which is held sometime after the wedding, takes place at Vivaldi’s villa, a few miles distant from Naples. It is a scene of fairyland, where the pleasure grounds extend over a valley, opening to the bay. The marbled villa is surrounded by flowering trees and bushes, while the garden is English in style. The entertainment is not confined to those in the upper ranks, but offered to all the tenants of the domain.

In the meantime, Paulo serves as a master of revels, dancing and singing, “O giorno felice, o giorno felice.”