ter's, a favour which women rarely obtain, and which I only owed
to my having been a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. These catacombs
consist of handsome passages and pillars of masonry, which do not,
however, exceed eight or nine feet in height. A number of
sarcophagi, containing the remains of emperors and popes, are here
deposited.

The roof of St. Peter's covers an immense area, and is divided into
a number of cupolas, chambers, and buildings. A fountain of running
water is even found here. From this roof we have a splendid view as
far as the sea and the Apennines; we can descry the entire Vatican,
which adjoins the church, as well as the Pope's gardens.

I ascended to the ball in the great cupola, where there is nothing
to be seen, as there is not the slightest opening, much less a
window, left in it. Nothing is to be gained by mounting into this
dark narrow receptacle but the glory of being able to say, "I have
been there!" It is far more interesting to look down from the
windows and galleries of the great cupola into the body of the
church itself; for then we can estimate the grandeur of the colossal
building, and the people who walk about beneath appear like dwarfs.

Two noble fountains deck the square in front of St. Peter's, and in
the midst towers a magnificent obelisk from Heliopolis, said to
weigh 992,789 pounds. Near this obelisk are two slabs, by standing
on either of which we can see all the rows of columns melted as it
were into one.

My journey to Jerusalem also obtained for me an audience of the
Pope. His Holiness received me in a great hall adjoining the
Sixtine Chapel. Considering his great age of seventy-eight years,
the Pope has still a noble presence and most amiable manners. He
asked me some questions, gave me his blessing, and permitted me at
parting to kiss the embroidered slipper.

My second walk was to the Vatican. Here I saw the immense halls of
Raphael, the staircases of Bramante and Bernini, and the Sixtine
Chapel, containing Michael Angelo's masterpieces, the world-renowned
frescoes. The immense wall behind the high altar represents the
last judgment, while the ceilings are covered with prophets and
sybils.

The picture-gallery contains many works of the great masters, as
does also the gallery of vases and candelabra.

The Biga chamber. The biga is an antique carriage of white marble,
drawn by two horses.

In the gallery of statues the figure representing Nero as Apollo