chapel of the Sacrament. [Pg 100] On returning to His apartment, Hadrian went straight to bed, invoking the souls in purgatory to awaken Him at six o'clock. He slept instantly and well. At seven o'clock He had paid His debt with the De Profundis; and was dressed and waiting in the throne-room. Entered to Him a dozen cardinals, two by two. Opening their ranks, they disclosed the Cardinal-Prior-Priest solemnly ostending the image of a cock in silver-gilt. Hadrian stood on the steps of the throne, still, erect, vivid. He seemed so brimming over with restrained energy that He resembled a white flame. Not a sound was uttered. In silence they came; and they went away in silence. When the Pontiff was alone again, He strode and stopped in the middle of the floor. "No, Lord, I never will deny Thee—never!" He exclaimed with tremendous emphasis. "But keep me and teach me and govern me, that I may govern and teach and keep Thy Flock, O Thou Shepherd of the people." When the Bishop of Caerleon conveyed the extraordinary news to the Syndic of Rome, Prince Pilastro at once inquired what arrangements were made. "No arrangements are made." "But look here," said Marcantonio, who affected English brusqueness, "of course we are very happy that the Holy Father should come among us: but, you know, we are bound by our own guarantees to give Him all the honours of a sovereign-regnant. We shall be shamed in the eyes of Europe if we omit those. What I mean by that is this is a state-progress; and we shall have to turn out the troops, and stop the traffic and line the streets——" "I don't think His Holiness expects you to do all that, Prince. I'm not speaking officially; and I'm not[Pg 101] bringing you an official request for anything of the kind which you name. The Holy Father says He is going quite simply—on foot, in fact." [Pg 101] "Now I should just like to know what the devil (if Your Splendour will excuse the French) that means." "Perhaps His Holiness thinks that the movement of the sedia gestatoria, or of a litter, will make Him sick. It did with Leo, you know." "What's the matter with a white mule?"
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