and benefactors. The Italian government consented, not,
indeed, to renounce, but only to stay this new spoliation. It claimed all
the more credit for its pretended moderation, as it secretly caused the
newspapers in its interest to instigate it to listen to no terms. By means
of its gensd'armes and its police force, it was master of the secret
societies, and allowed them to raise a cry without allowing them to act,
whilst it chose its own time for the execution of its wicked purposes.

Pius IX. was deeply grieved when beholding so many evil deeds which he
could not prevent. His sorrow found expression in one of his allocutions,
that of 1st January, 1873:

"You are come," said he, to parties who had come to compliment him on New
Years day, "from divers distant lands in order to offer me your
congratulations and wish me a happy new year. The past year, alas! is far
from having been a happy one. Society is astray in evil courses. There are
people who think that peace prevails at Rome, and that matters are not so
bad there as is said. Some strangers, on arriving in the city, even ask
for cards of admission to religious ceremonies. I am persuaded that this
year also the same request will be made as regards the celebrations of
holy week. So long as the present state of things continues, alas! there
can be no such celebrations. The Church is in mourning. Rome has lost its
character of capital of the Christian world--so many horrible deeds are
done, so many blasphemies uttered. Let us beseech the Lord to put an end
to such a painful state of things."

Victor Emmanuel, notwithstanding his extraordinary proceedings, appears to
have thought that there might be a reconciliation with the Pope. The
Emperor of Brazil, a man of science and a celebrated traveller, then at
Rome, accepted the office of mediator. One morning, in the year 1872, the
Brazilian monarch repaired to the Vatican. The hour of his visit was
inopportune, as its object also proved to be. It was seven o'clock in the
morning. The Holy Father had not yet finished his Mass when the Emperor
was announced. As soon as was possible his Holiness proceeded to receive
him. Whether fearing some design, or from dislike only to meet a prince
who came from the hostile usurper's court, Pius IX., with an unusual
coldness of manner, addressed the Emperor: "What does your Majesty
desire?" "I beg your Holiness will not call me Majesty. Here, I am only
the Count of Alcantara." The Holy