the complete writings-2-第39章

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o　that　it　seems　to　me　it　is　a　pity　that　the　historian　should　say　that　she　was　devout；　but　a　little　heretic。




A　HIGH　DAY　IN　ROME



PALM　SUNDAY　IN　ST。　PETER'S

The　splendid　and　tiresome　ceremonies　of　Holy　Week　set　in；　also　the　rain；　which　held　up　for　two　days。　　Rome　without　the　sun；　and　with　rain　and　the　bone…penetrating　damp　cold　of　the　season；　is　a　wretched　place。　　Squalor　and　ruins　and　cheap　splendor　need　the　sun；　the　galleries　need　it；　the　black　old　masters　in　the　dark　corners　of　the　gaudy　churches　need　it；　I　think　scarcely　anything　of　a　cardinal's　big；　blazing　footman；　unless　the　sun　shines　on　him；　and　radiates　from　his　broad　back　and　his　splendid　calves；　the　models；　who　get　up　in　theatrical　costumes；　and　get　put　into　pictures；　and　pass　the　world　over　for　Roman　peasants　（and　beautiful　many　of　them　are）；　can't　sit　on　the　Spanish　Stairs　in　indolent　pose　when　it　rains；　the　streets　are　slimy　and　horrible；　the　carriages　try　to　run　over　you；　and　stand　a　very　good　chance　of　succeeding；　where　there　are　no　sidewalks；　and　you　are　limping　along　on　the　slippery　round　cobble…stones；　you　can't　get　into　the　country；　which　is　the　best　part　of　Rome：　but　when　the　sun　shines　all　this　is　changed；　the　dear　old　dirty　town　exercises；　its　fascinations　on　you　then；　and　you　speedily　forget　your　recent　misery。

Holy　Week　is　a　vexation　to　most　people。　　All　the　world　crowds　here　to　see　its　exhibitions　and　theatrical　shows；　and　works　hard　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　them；　and　is　tired　out；　if　not　disgusted；　at　the　end。　　The　things　to　see　and　hear　are　Palm　Sunday　in　St。　Peter's；　singing　of　the　Miserere　by　the　pope's　choir　on　Wednesday；　Thursday；　and　Friday　in　the　Sistine　Chapel；　washing　of　the　pilgrims'　feet　in　a　chapel　of　St。　Peter's；　and　serving　the　apostles　at　table　by　the　pope　on　Thursday；　with　a　papal　benediction　from　the　balcony　afterwards；　Easter　Sunday；　with　the　illumination　of　St。　Peter's　in　the　evening；　and　fireworks　（this　year　in　front　of　St。　Peter's　in　Montorio）　Monday　evening。　Raised　seats　are　built　up　about　the　high　altar　under　the　dome　in　St。　Peter's；　which　will　accommodate　a　thousand；　and　perhaps　more；　ladies；　and　for　these　tickets　are　issued　without　numbers；　and　for　twice　as　many　as　they　will　seat。　　Gentlemen　who　are　in　evening　dress　are　admitted　to　stand　in　the　reserved　places　inside　the　lines　of　soldiers。　　For　the　Miserere　in　the　Sistine　Chapel　tickets　are　also　issued。　　As　there　is　only　room　for　about　four　hundred　ladies；　and　a　thousand　and　more　tickets　are　given　out；　you　may　imagine　the　scramble。　　Ladies　go　for　hours　before　the　singing　begins；　and　make　a　grand　rush　when　the　doors　are　open。　　I　do　not　know　any　sight　so　unseemly　and　cruel　as　a　crowd　of　women　intent　on　getting　in　to　such　a　ceremony：　they　are　perfectly　rude　and　unmerciful　to　each　other。　　They　push　and　trample　one　another　under　foot；　veils　and　dresses　are　torn；　ladies　faint　away　in　the　scrimmage；　and　only　the　strongest　and　most　unscrupulous　get　in。　　I　have　heard　some　say；　who　have　been　in　the　pellmell；　that；　not　content　with　elbowing　and　pushing　and　pounding；　some　women　even　stick　pins　into　those　who　are　in　the　way。　　I　hope　this　latter　is　not　true；　but　it　is　certain　that　the　conduct　of　most　of　the　women　is　brutal。　　A　weak　or　modest　or　timid　woman　stands　no　more　chance　than　she　would　in　a　herd　of　infuriated　Campagna　cattle。　The　same　scenes　are　enacted　in　the　efforts　to　see　the　pope　wash　feet；　and　serve　at　the　table。　　For　the　possession　of　the　seats　under　the　dome　on　Palm　Sunday　and　Easter　there　is　a　like　crush。　　The　ceremonies　do　not　begin　until　half…past　nine；　but　ladies　go　between　five　and　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　when　the　passages　are　open　they　make　a　grand　rush。　　The　seats；　except　those　saved　for　the　nobility；　are　soon　all　taken；　and　the　ladies　who　come　after　seven　are　lucky　if　they　can　get　within　the　charmed　circle；　and　find　a　spot　to　sit　down　on　a　campstool。　　They　can　then　see　only　a　part　of　the　proceedings；　and　have　a　weary；　exhausting　time　of　it　for　hours。　　This　year　Rome　is　more　crowded　than　ever　before。　　There　are　American　ladies　enough　to　fill　all　the　reserved　places；　and　I　fear　they　are　energetic　enough　to　get　their　share　of　them。

It　rained　Sunday；　but　there　was　a　steady　stream　of　people　and　carriages　all　the　morning　pouring　over　the　Bridge　of　St。　Angelo；　and　discharging　into　the　piazza　of　St。　Peter's。　　It　was　after　nine　when　I　arrived　on　the　ground。　　There　was　a　crowd　of　carriages　under　the　colonnades；　and　a　heavy　fringe　in　front　of　them；　but　the　hundreds　of　people　moving　over　the　piazza；　and　up　the　steps　to　the　entrances；　made　only　the　impression　of　dozens　in　the　vast　space。　　I　do　not　know　if　there　are　people　enough　in　Rome　to　fill　St。　Peter's；　certainly　there　was　no　appearance　of　a　crowd　as　we　entered；　although　they　had　been　pouring　in　all　the　morning；　and　still　thronged　the　doors。　　I　heard　a　traveler　say　that　he　followed　ten　thousand　soldiers　into　the　church；　and　then　lost　them　from　sight：　they　disappeared　in　the　side　chapels。　　He　did　not　make　his　affidavit　as　to　the　number　of　soldiers。　The　interior　area　of　the　building　is　not　much　greater　than　the　square　of　St。　Mark　in　Venice。　　To　go　into　the　great　edifice　is　almost　like　going　outdoors。　　Lines　of　soldiers　kept　a　wide　passage　clear　from　the　front　door　away　down　to　the　high　altar；　and　there　was　a　good　mass　of　spectators　on　the　outside。　　The　tribunes　for　the　ladies；　built　up　under　the　dome；　were　of　course；　filled　with　masses　of　ladies　in　solemn　black；　and　there　was　more　or　less　of　a　press　of　people　surging　about　in　that　vicinity。　　Thousands　of　people　were　also　roaming　about　in　the　great　spaces　of　the　edifice；　but　there　was　nowhere　else　anything　like　a　crowd。　　It　had　very　much　the　appearance　of　a　large　fair…ground；　with　little　crowds　about　favorite　booths。　　Gentlemen　in　dress…coats　were　admitted　to　the　circle　under　the　dome。　　The　pope's　choir　was　stationed　in　a　gallery　there　opposite　the　high　altar。　　Back　of　the　altar　was　a　wide　space　for　the　dignitaries；　seats　were　there；　also；　for　ambassadors　and　those　born　to　the　purple；　and　the　pope's　seat　was　on　a　raised　dais　at　the　end。　　Outsiders　could　see　nothing　of　what　went　on　within　there；　and　the　ladies　under　the　dome　could　only　partially　see；　in　the　seats　they　had　fought　so　gallantly　to　obtain。

St。　Peter's　is　a　good　place　for　grand　processions　and　ceremonies；　but　it　is　a　poor　one　for　viewing　them。　　A　procession　which　moves　down　the　nave　is　hidden　by　the　soldiers　who　stand　on　either　side；　or　is　visible　only　by　sections　as　it　passes：　there　is　no　good　place　to　get　the　grand　effect　of　the　masses　of　color；　and　the　total　of　the　gorgeous　pageantry。　　I　should　like　to　see　the　display　upon　a　grand　stage；　and　enjoy　it　in　a　coup　d；oeil。　　It　is　a　fine　study　of　color　and　effect；　and　the　groupings　are　admirable；　but　the　whole　affair　is　nearly　lost　to　the　mass　of　spectators。　　It　must　be　a　sublime　feeling　to　one　in　the　procession　to　walk　about　in　such　monstrous　fine　clothes；　but　what　would　his　emotions　be　if　more　people　could　see　him！　The　grand　altar　stuck　up　under　the　dome　not　only　breaks　the　effect　of　what　would　be　the　fine　sweep　of　the　nave　back　to　the　apse；　but　it　cuts　off　all　view　of　the　celebration　of　the　mass　behind　it；　and；　in　effect；　reduces　what　should　be　the　great　point　of　display　in　the　church　to　a　mere　chapel。　　And　when　you　add　to　that　the　temporary　tribunes　erected　under　the　dome　for　seating　the　ladies；　the　entire　nave　is　shut　off　from　a　view　of　the　gorgeous　ceremony　of　high　mass。　The　effect　would　be　incomparable　if　one　could　stand　in　the　door；　or　anywhere　in　the　nave；　and；　as　in　other　churches；　look　down　to　the　end　upon　a　great　platform）　with　the　high　altar　and　all　the　sublime　spectacle　in　full　view；　with　the　blaze　of　candles　and　the　clouds　of　incense　rising　in　the　distance。

At　half…past　nine　the　great　doors　opened；　and　the　procession　began；　in　slow　and　stately　moving　fashion；　to　enter。　　One　saw　a　throng　of　ecclesiastics　in　robes　and　ermine；　the　white　plumes　of　the　Guard　Noble；　the　pages　and　chamberlains　in　scarlet；　other　pages；　or　what　not；　in　black　short…clothes；　short　swords；　gold　chains；　cloak　hanging　from　the　shoulder；　and　stiff　white　ruffs；　thirty…six　cardinals　in　violet　robes；　with　high　miter…shaped　white　silk　hats；　that　looked　not　unlike　the