m (La Ferronays)
into his closet, when he burst into tears and said, 'You have
just seen me act the part of Emperor; you must now witness the
feelings of the man. I speak to you as to my best friend, from
whom I conceal nothing.' He went on to say that he was the most
miserable of men, forced upon a throne which he had no desire to
mount, having been no party to the abdication of his brother, and
placed in the beginning of his reign in a position the most
painful, irksome, and difficult; but that though he had never
sought this elevation, now that he had taken it on himself he
would maintain and defend it. When La Ferronays had done,
'L'entendez-vous?' said Dalberg. 'Comme il parle avec gout; cela
lui est personnel. L'Empereur ne lui a pas dit la moitie de tout
cela.'

La Ferronays introduced me to Cardinal Albani, telling him I had
brought him a letter from Madame Craufurd, which I did, and left
it when I was here before. He thought I was just come, and asked
for the letter, which I told his Eminence he had already
received. He had, however, forgotten all about me, my letter, and
old Craaf. We had a long conversation about the Catholic
question, the Duke's duel with Lord Winchelsea (which he had
evidently never heard of), the King's illness, &c. He is like a
very ancient red-legged macaw, but I suppose he is a dandy among
the cardinals, for he wears two stars and two watches. I asked
him to procure me an audience of the Pope, which he promised to
do. Escaped at last from the furnace his room was, and went to
air in the streets; came home early and went to bed. This morning
got up at half-past six, and went to look out for some _columbaria_
I had heard of out of the Porta Pia, and near Santa Agnese. The
drones at Santa Agnese knew nothing about them, but I met La
Ferronays riding as I was returning in despair, and he showed me
the way to them. They have been discovered about six years, and
are in a garden. The excavation may be fifteen feet by about
eight or nine, more or less, and is full of broken urns and
inscriptions, some of which are very good indeed. One is upon C.
Cargilius Pedagogus:--

Vixi quandiu potui, sine lite, sine rixa,
Sine contentione, sine aere alieno, amicis fidem
Bonam praestiti, peculio pauper, animo divitissimus,
Bene valeat is qui hoc titulum perlegit meum.

Another--

Lucius Virius Sancius aet. xxiii.
Quod tu mi debebas facere, ego tibi facio, mater