The Daughter of an Empress

The golden chalice at the high altar contains the blood of the Lamb; the

Cardinal Francesco Albani performs the holy office. He has the blessed

host, and under his consecrated hand will now be effected the miracle of

turning the wine into the blood of Christ!

And Cardinal Albani lays the golden tube in the cup, and another

cardinal passes the other end of the tube to the pope.

Through this sacred tube will he sip the consecrated wine, the blood of

the Redeemer!

Rushing and thundering recommences the high office, the trumpets renew

their blasts, the drums roll, the bells ring, the organ rattles its

song of jubilee, the trombones crash in unison. It is the greatest, most

sublime moment of the whole ceremony. The pope, having put the golden

tube to his lips, sips the wine changed into blood.

While the pope drinks the two cardinals who to-day are on service

approach the sacred throne. They hold a torch in the right hand and a

small bundle of tow in the left, and according to the custom, set the

tow on fire.

It flashes up in a bright flame, is soon extinguished, and a small,

almost imperceptible quantity of ashes floats from it to the feet of the

pope.

"Sic transit gloria mundi!" (So passes the glory of the world!)

exclaimed Francesco Albani, with proud presumptuousness and with

maliciously scornful glances, while with an expression of savage triumph

he stares in the paling face of the pope. "Sic transit gloria mundi!"

repeated Albani, in a yet louder and more thundering voice.

The bells ring, the hymn resounds, the trombone and organ clang; the

audience are on their knees in prayer. A bustle arises, a suppressed

murmur--the holy father of Christendom has fainted upon his throne like

any common mortal man.