s under overhanging brows, black moustaches turned up at the ends,
and iron-grey hair cropped very short over a high forehead. It was the
Baron Bonelli.

One of the two men with him had a face which looked as if it had been
carved by a sword or an adze, good and honest but blunt and rugged; and
the other had a long, narrow head, like the head of a hen--a lanky
person with a certain mixture of arrogance and servility in his
expression.

The company rose from their places in the Loggia, and there were
greetings and introductions.

"Sir Evelyn Wise, gentlemen, the new British Ambassador--General Morra,
our Minister of War; Commendatore Angelelli, our Chief of Police. A
thousand apologies, ladies! A Minister of the Interior is one of the
human atoms that live from minute to minute and are always at the mercy
of events. You must excuse the Commendatore, gentlemen; he has urgent
duties outside."

The Prime Minister spoke with the lucidity and emphasis of a man
accustomed to command, and when Angelelli had bowed all round he crossed
with him to the door.

"If there is any suspicion of commotion, arrest the ringleaders at once.
Let there be no trifling with disorder, by whomsoever begun. The first
to offend must be the first to be arrested, whether he wears cap or
cassock."

"Good, your Excellency," and the Chief of Police went out.

"Commotion! Disorder! Madonna mia!" cried the little Princess.

"Calm yourselves, ladies. It's nothing! Only it came to the knowledge of
the Government that the Pope's procession this morning might be made the
excuse for a disorderly demonstration, and of course order must not be
disturbed even under the pretext of liberty and religion."

"So that was the public business which deprived us of your society?"
said the Princess.

"And left my womanless house the duty of receiving you in my absence,"
said the Baron.

The Baron bowed his guests to their seats, stood with his back to a wide
ingle, and began to sketch the Pope's career.

"His father was a Roman banker--lived in this house, indeed--and the
young Leone was brought up in the Jesuit schools and became a member of
the Noble Guard: handsome, accomplished, fond of society and social
admiration, a man of the world. This was a cause of disappointment to
his father, who has intended him for a great career in the Church. They
had their differences, and finally a mission was found for him and he
lived a year abroad. The death of the ol