and board. Bed and board,
cape and sword. Who wouldn't be satisfied? One must admit that there is
nobody equal to the Church, and next to her a monarchy, when it comes
to inventing pretty things. That is why it is said, and very well said,
that there is no salvation outside of the Church."

"You are a pagan."

"And I believe you are one, too."

"_Macche_!"

"What comes after all those Privy Cape-and-Sword Chamberlains, my dear
Abbe?"

"Next, there is the Pontifical Noble Guard, the Swiss Papal Guard,
the Palatine Guard of Honour, the Corps of Papal Gendarmes, the Privy
Chaplains, the Privy Clerics, the suite of His Holiness. Next come the
members of the Palatine Administration, the Congregations, and more
Secretaries."

"And do the Cardinals live well?"

"Yes."

"How much do they make?"

"They get twenty thousand lire fixed salary, besides extras."

"But that is very little!"

"Certainly! It used to be much more, at the time of the Papal States.
Out of their twenty thousand lire they have to keep a carriage."

"Those that aren't rich must have a hard time."

"Just imagine, some of them have to live in a third-floor apartment.
There have been some that bought their red robes second-hand."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Are those robes so expensive?"

"Yes, they are expensive. Quite. They are made of a special cloth
manufactured in Cologne."

"Are there many Cardinals who are not of rich families?"

"A great many."

"Well, you people have ruined that job."

They went to Trastevere and there they took the tram. Preciozi got
out at the Piazza Venezia and Caesar went on to the end of the Via
Nazionale.

_A TALK ABOUT MONEY_

"Where have you been?" asked Laura, on seeing him.

"I've been taking a walk with the abbe."

"It's evident that you find him more interesting than us women."

"Preciozi is very interesting. He is a Machiavellian. He has a candour
that is assumed and a dulness that is assumed. He plays a little comedy
to get out of paying, at the cafe or in the tram. He is splendid. I
think, if you will pardon me for saying so, that the Italians are damned
close."

"People that have no money are forced to be economical."

"No, that isn't so. I have known people in Madrid who made three pesetas
a day, and spent two treating a friend."

"Yes, out of ostentation, out of a desire to show off. I don't like
pretentious people."

"Well, I believe I prefer them to skinflints."

"Yes, tha