I

It was the last day of the century.

In a Bull proclaiming a Jubilee the Pope had called his faithful

children to Rome, and they had come from all quarters of the globe.

To salute the coming century, and to dedicate it, in pomp and solemn

ceremony, to the return of the world to the Holy Church, one and

universal, the people had gathered in the great Piazza of St. Peter.

Boys and women were climbing up every possible elevation, and a

bright-faced girl who had conquered a high place on the base of the

obelisk was chattering down at a group of her friends who were listening

to their cicerone.

"Yes, that is the Vatican," said the guide, pointing to a square

building at the back of the colonnade, "and the apartments of the Pope

are those on the third floor, just on the level of the Loggia of

Raphael. The Cardinal Secretary of State used to live in the rooms

below, opening on the grand staircase that leads from the Court of

Damasus. There's a private way up to the Pope's apartment, and a secret

passage to the Castle of St. Angelo."

"Say, has the Pope got that secret passage still?"

"No, sir. When the Castle went over to the King the connection with the

Vatican was cut off. Ah, everything is changed since those days! The

Pope used to go to St. Peter's surrounded by his Cardinals and Bishops,

to the roll of drums and the roar of cannon. All that is over now. The

present Pope is trying to revive the old condition seemingly, but what

can he do? Even the Bull proclaiming the Jubilee laments the loss of the

temporal power which would have permitted him to renew the enchantments

of the Holy City."

"Tell him it's just lovely as it is," said the girl on the obelisk, "and

when the illuminations begin...."

"Say, friend," said her parent again, "Rome belonged to the Pope--yes?

Then the Italians came in and took it and made it the capital of

Italy--so?"

"Just so, and ever since then the Holy Father has been a prisoner in the

Vatican, going into it as a cardinal and coming out of it as a corpse,

and to-day will be the first time a Pope has set foot in the streets of

Rome!"

"My! And shall we see him in his prison clothes?"

"Lilian Martha! Don't you know enough for that? Perhaps you expect to

see his chains and a straw of his bed in the cell? The Pope is a king

and has a court--that's the way I am figuring it."




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024