Part 53 (1/2)

”The Pope has a reception to-morrow morning,” said she. ”Would you care to go? If so, I should be delighted to take you.”

”Oh,” I said, ”that is the thing of all others I should like to do!”

”Then,” said she, ”I will call for you and take you in my carriage.”

This function requires a black dress, black veil, and a general funereal appearance and gloveless hands. Happily she did not forget, but came in her coupe at the appointed time to fetch me, and we drove to the Vatican.

The amba.s.sadress was received at the entrance with bows and smiles of recognition by the numerous _camerieri_ and other splendidly dressed persons, and we were led through endless beautiful rooms before arriving at the gallery where we were to wait. It was not long before his Holiness (Pius IX.) appeared, followed by his suite of monsignors and prelates. I never was so impressed in my life as when I saw him. He wore a white-cloth _soutane_ and white-embroidered _calotte_ and red slippers, and looked so kind and full of benevolence that he seemed goodness personified. I knelt down almost with pleasure on the cold floor when he addressed me, and I kissed the emerald ring which he wore on his third finger as if I had been a born Catholic and had done such things all my life.

He asked me in English from which country I came, and when I answered, ”America, your Holiness,” he said, ”What part of America?” I replied, ”From Boston, Holy Father.”

”It is a gallant town,” the Pope remarked; ”I have been there myself.”

Having finished speaking with the men (all the ladies stood together on one side of the room and the men on the other), the Pope went to the end of the gallery. We all noticed that he seemed much agitated, and wondered why, and what could have happened to ruffle his benign face. It soon became known that there was an Englishman present who refused to kneel, although ordered to do so by the irate chamberlain, and who stood stolidly with arms folded, looking down with a sneer upon his better-behaved companions.

His Holiness made a rather lengthy discourse, and did not conceal his displeasure, alluding very pointedly to the unpardonable att.i.tude of the stranger.

On leaving the gallery he turned around a last time, made the sign of the cross, giving us his blessing, and left us very much impressed. I looked about for my companion, but could not see her anywhere. Had she forgotten me and left me there to my fate? It would not be unlike her to do so.

I saw myself, in my mind's eye, being led out of the Vatican by the striped yellow and black legs and halberded guards, and obliged to find my way home alone; but on peering about in all the corners I caught sight of her seated on a bench fervently saying her prayers, evidently under the impression that she was in church during ma.s.s. As we were about to enter the coupe she hesitated before giving any orders to the servant, possibly not remembering where I had lived. But the footman, being accustomed to her vagaries, did not wait, and as he knew where to deposit me, I was landed safely at the Palazzo Altieri.

_February 15th._

The Storys gave ”The Merchant of Venice” the other evening. They had put up in one of the salons a very pretty little stage; the fas.h.i.+onable world was _au complet_, and, after having made our bows to Mrs. Story, we took our places in the theater. Mr. Story was Shylock, and acted extremely well. Edith was very good as Portia. Waldo and Julian both took part. Mr.

and Mrs. Prank Lascelles, of the English Emba.s.sy, both dressed in black velvet, played the married couple to the life, but did not look at all Italian. The whole performance was really wonderfully well done and most successful; the enthusiasm was sincere and warmed the cold hands by the frequent clapping. We were so glad to be enthusiastic!

Mr. Story gave me his book called _Roba di Roma_, which I will tell you does _not_ mean Italian robes--you might think so; it means things about Rome. I will also tell you, in case that your Italian does not go so far, that when I say that the Storys live in the third _piano_. I do not mean an upright or a grand--_piano_ is the Italian for story.

Madame Minghetti--the wife of the famous statesman--receives every Sunday twilight. Rome flocks there to hear music and to admire the artistic manner in which the rooms are arranged; flirtations are rife in the twilit corners, in which the salon abounds. As Madame Minghetti is very musical and appreciative, all the people one meets there pretend to be musical and appreciative, and do not talk or flirt during the music; so when I sing ”Medje” in the growing crepuscule I feel in perfect sympathy with my audience. Tosti and I alternate at the piano when there is nothing better.

If no one else enjoys us, we enjoy each other.

I have always wanted very much to see the famous Garibaldi, and knowing he was in Rome I was determined to get a glimpse of him. But how could it be done? I had been told that he was almost unapproachable, and that he disliked strangers above all.

However, where there is a will there seems to come a way; at any rate, there did come one, and this is how it came:

At dinner at the French Emba.s.sy J sat next to Prince Odescalchi, and told him of my desire to see Garibaldi. He said: ”Perhaps I can manage it for you. I have a friend who knows a friend of Garibaldi, and it might be arranged through him.”

”Then,” I said, ”your friend who is a friend of Garibaldi's will let you know, and as you are a friend of my friend you will let _her_ know, and she will let _me_ know.”

”It sounds very complicated,” he answered, laughing, ”and is perhaps impossible; but we will do our best.”

No more than two days after this dinner there came a message from the Prince to say that, if Mrs. Haseltine and I would drive out to Garibaldi's villa, the friend and the friend of the friend would be there to meet us and present us. This we did, and found the two gentlemen awaiting us at the gate. I felt my heart beat a little faster at the thought of seeing the great hero.

Garibaldi was sitting in his garden, in a big, easy, wicker chair, and looked rather grumpy, I thought (probably he was annoyed at being disturbed). But he apparently made up his mind to accept the inevitable, and, rising, came toward us, and on our being presented stretched out a welcoming hand.

He had on a rather soiled cape, and a _foulard,_ the worse for wear, around his neck, where the historical red s.h.i.+rt was visible. His head, with its long hair, was covered with a velvet _calotte._ He looked more like an invalid basking in the sun with a shawl over his legs than he did like the hero of my imagination, and the only time he did look at all military was when he turned sharply to his parrot, who kept up an incessant chattering, and said, in a voice full of command, ”Taci!” which the parrot did not in the least seem to mind (I hope Garibaldi's soldiers obeyed him better).

Garibaldi apologized for the parrot's bad manners by saying, ”He is very unruly, but he talks well”; and added, with a rusty smile, ”Better than his master.”