porters,--the hall of the
gendarmes, the antechamber of the Palatine Guard, that of the officers
on duty, the hall of the Arras, that of the chamberlains and Noble
Guards and at last the antechamber of the Maestro di Camera--there are
eight in all. Persons received in audience are accompanied by the
'camerieri segreti,' who do the honours in full dress, wearing their
chains and carrying their staves.

The private library is a spacious room lined with bookcases made of a
yellow wood from Brazil, some of which are curtained. Busts of several
former Popes stand upon marble columns.

To the Pope's bedroom, only his private valet and his secretaries have
access. It is of small dimensions, and contains only a bed, in an
alcove adorned with graceful marble columns, a writing-table, an
arm-chair and kneeling stool, and one wardrobe.

Besides these, there is his private study, in which the table and chair
stand upon a little carpeted platform, other tables being placed on each
side upon the floor, together with an extremely uncomfortable but
magnificent straight-backed arm-chair, which is one of the gifts offered
on the occasion of the episcopal jubilee. There is, moreover, a little
room containing only a lounge and an old-fashioned easy-chair with
'wings' and nothing else. It is here that the Holy Father retires to
take his afternoon nap, and the robust nature of his nerves is proved by
the fact that he lies down with his eyes facing the broad light of the
window.

The private apartment occupies the second floor, according to Italian
reckoning, though we Americans should call it the third; it is on a
level with Raphael's loggie. The floor above it is inhabited by Cardinal
Rampolla, the Secretary of State.

The 'pontifical court,' as it is called, consists (1898) of Cardinal
Rampolla, the Secretary of State; Cardinal Mario Mocenni, the
pro-prefect of the Holy Apostolic Palaces, a personage of the highest
importance, who has sole control of everything connected with the
Vatican palace and all the vast mass of adjoining buildings; the
Maggiordomo, who, besides many other functions, is the manager of the
museums, galleries and inhabited apartments; the Maestro di Camera, who
nearly corresponds to a master of ceremonies, and superintends all
audiences; the almoner and manager of the papal charities, assisted by a
distinguished priest, who is also a lawyer, formerly secretary to the
well-known Monsignor de Merode; a monk of the