THE VATICAN.
On the day when Rollo went with Charles and Allie to see the Tarpeian
Rock, the reader will perhaps recollect that Mr. George was engaged at
the reading room in reading the American papers which had that morning
arrived. When Rollo returned from his excursion, he found that Mr.
George had not got home, and he accordingly concluded to go to the
reading room and see if he could find him.
This reading room is attached to an English bookstore and library, and
is a great place of resort for visitors at Rome. It is situated at the
end of the Piazza di Spagna, which is one of the principal and most
frequented public squares in Rome. This square contains several of the
chief hotels, and a great many shops. The bookstore of Piale is the
general centre of news and intelligence for all English and American
visitors. Here people come to make inquiries for their friends, for
there is a register kept at the library with the names of all the
English and American visitors in Rome recorded in it, and the addresses
of the hotels or private houses where they are lodging. Here all sorts
of notices are posted up, such as advertisements of things lost or
found, of parties forming for excursions, of couriers wanting places or
families wanting couriers, of paintings for sale, carriages for sale or
for hire,--and all such things.
Piale's establishment contains a number of different rooms. The first
that Rollo entered on arriving at the place was the bookstore. This was
a small room. There was a desk at one end, where a clerk was sitting.
There were shelves filled with books all around the room, and a large
table in the centre, which was also covered with books arranged in tiers
one above the other in a sloping direction. There were several doors
leading off from this apartment, one of which led to a room where a
circulating library was kept, and another to the reading room.
When Rollo entered the bookstore, he saw several groups of visitors
there. There were two or three ladies looking over the books on the
shelves. There was a group of gentlemen standing near the desk, talking
together, with a paper in their hands which seemed to contain a list of
names. Just as Rollo entered, a carriage drove up to the door, and two
ladies dismounted from it and came in. Rollo's attention was first
attracted to these two ladies. One of them, on entering, accosted the
clerk, and asked to look at the register. The clerk immediately gave the
two ladies seats at a side table, where there was a large book full of
names and addresses. The ladies sat down, and began to look over the
book. They had just arrived from Naples, and they wished to know what
friends and acquaintances of theirs there were in town.
Rollo began to examine the books on the table, or counter, in the middle
of the room, and while doing so he happened to pass near the gentlemen
that were looking at the paper.
"We want twelve," said one of the gentlemen, "and we have got only
nine."
"Yes," said the other, "we want three more. It must be that there are a
great many in town who would like to go, if we could only find them
out."
Rollo's attention was immediately arrested by these words. It was
obvious that the gentlemen were forming a party to go somewhere, or to
see something, and he felt quite confident that his uncle George would
like to join them.
"At any rate," said he to himself, "_I_ should like to go, wherever it
is."
So Rollo summoned courage to accost the persons who were consulting
together, and to ask them if they wished to find some gentlemen to make
up a party.
"Gentlemen or ladies either," said one of them, "no matter which. We are
making up a party to go and see the statues in the Vatican by torch
light."
When Rollo heard the words "torch light," his interest in the proposed
party was greatly increased, and he said he had no doubt that his uncle
would like to go.
"I am very sure he would like to go," said Rollo, "and to take me."
"Very well," said one of the gentlemen, "that will make two. And we only
want three. Where is your uncle?"
"He is in the reading room," said Rollo. "Wait a moment, and I'll call
him."
"That's right," said the gentleman. "Tell him it will cost us a scudo
and a half apiece."
So Rollo, taking out half a paul from his pocket,--that being the price
of admission to the reading room for a single day,--and giving it to the
clerk at the desk, opened a door by the side of the desk, and passed
into the reading room. Instead of being only one reading room, however,
he found that there were two, with an open door leading from one to the
other. There were a great number of very comfortable sofas and arm
chairs all about these rooms, and great tables in the middle of them
covered with newspapers and magazines. The walls of both rooms were
completely covered with paintings of all sizes, most of which had been
left there for sale. There were a great many gentlemen sitting around
the tables and upon the sofas, reading. Among them Rollo soon found Mr.
George. He had established himself in a comfortable arm chair, near a
great window that looked out upon the square. But he was obliged to keep
the curtain down, on account of the beggars outside, that gave him no
peace as long as they could see him.
"Uncle George," said Rollo, "here are some gentlemen who want to make up
a party to go and see something by torch light, and I thought that
perhaps you and I would like to join it."
"Where is it that they are going?" asked Mr. George--"to the Vatican?"
"Yes," said Rollo, "it is the Vatican. A scudo and a half apiece."
"Very well," said Mr. George. "I should like to go. Where are the
gentlemen?"
"They are out here in the bookstore. Come out and I will show them to
you."
So Mr. George laid down his paper, and followed Rollo out into the
bookstore. Rollo led the way to the place where the gentlemen were
standing, and then introduced his uncle, in a distinct and audible
voice, thus,--
"This is my uncle, gentlemen, Mr. George Holiday."
The gentlemen greeted Mr. Holiday in a very polite manner, and informed
him of their plan, and that they wanted three more names to make up the
necessary number for a party.
And here I ought to say in explanation, that what is called the
"Vatican" is a vast collection of very magnificent and imposing
buildings,--consisting of palaces, chapels, halls, galleries, and the
like, almost without number,--and it is filled with paintings,
sculptures, manuscripts, books, jewels, gems, and other curiosities and
treasures of incalculable value. It is situated in close proximity to
the great Church of St. Peter's--the largest and most gorgeous church in
the world. Indeed, the church and the palaces form, as it were, one vast
architectural pile, which is of almost inconceivable magnificence and
grandeur.
The various edifices which compose the Vatican were several centuries in
building, and the immense magnitude and extent of the edifice, and the
exhaustless wealth of the treasures of art deposited there, astonish
every beholder. The buildings are so extensive that they require eight
grand staircases and two hundred smaller ones to gain access to the
different stories. There are twenty open courts and over four thousand
different rooms. Some of these rooms are galleries nearly a quarter of a
mile long, and are filled on each side with sculptures and statuary, or
other works of art, from end to end. The length of these galleries is
not, however, out of proportion to other parts of the structure. The
church of St. Peter's, including the portico, is considerably _more_
than a quarter of a mile long.
Now, among the treasures of the Vatican are an immense number of ancient
statues which were dug up, in the middle ages, in and around Rome; and
some of these sculptures are the most celebrated works of art in the
world. They are arranged with great care in a great number of beautiful
chambers and halls, and are visited during the daytime by thousands of
people that have come to Rome from every part of the world. The picture
galleries, the collection of ancient curiosities, and the library rooms
containing the books and manuscripts, are also in the same manner thrown
open, and they are thronged with visitors almost all the time. These
apartments are so numerous and so extensive that in one day a person can
do little else than to walk through them, and give one general gaze of
bewildering wonder at the whole scene. And a very long walk it is, I can
assure you. At one time, when I set out from the painting rooms, (which
are far in the interior of the buildings,) with a party of friends,
intending to go out, in order to go home, we walked steadily on at our
ordinary pace, without stopping, or deviating from our way, and we found
that it took us twenty minutes to get out to our carriage!
In addition to these visits made during the day, small parties are
sometimes formed to visit the galleries of statuary by night. It is
found that the illumination of a torch, by the strong contrasts of light
and shade which it produces, brings out the expression of the statues in
a very striking manner, so as to produce sometimes a most wonderful
effect.
It is, however, somewhat expensive to exhibit these statues by torch
light, partly on account of the cost of the torches, and partly on
account of the attendants that are required. The cost is nearly twenty
dollars. It is accordingly customary to make up a party, whenever an
evening visit to the Vatican is proposed, in order to divide the
expense. The number that can see the statues to advantage in these
evening visits is from twelve to fifteen. A party of twelve is
sufficient to pay the expense at the rate of a scudo and a half for
each person.[7]
[Footnote 7: The scudo is the Roman dollar. It is worth considerably
more than the American dollar.]
It was such a plan as this that the gentlemen were forming, whose party
Mr. George and Rollo were now proposing to join.
The gentlemen had been much pleased with Rollo's appearance and demeanor
when he accosted them, and they were now still more pleased, when they
saw Mr. George, to find that he was a young gentleman, of about their
own age, and that he was so prepossessing in his countenance and in his
air and manner. Mr. George readily agreed to join the party. They asked
him if he knew of any body else that he thought would like to go. He
inquired whether there were to be any ladies in the party. They said
that there were to be several. "Then," said Mr. George, "I will be
responsible for the twelfth place. I am quite sure that I can find some
person that would like to go.
"And suppose I find more than one?" said Mr. George.
"That will do no harm," replied the gentlemen. "We can have from twelve
to fifteen in the party."
"Then I will take the three places," said Mr. George, "and I will pay
my proportion now. Which of you gentlemen acts as treasurer?"
One of the three gentlemen said that he had undertaken to collect and
pay over the money, but he added that it was not necessary for Mr.
George to pay at that time. Mr. George, however, preferred to do so, and
he accordingly took out his purse and paid his four scudi and a half,
which was the amount due for three persons. The gentlemen seemed to be
quite pleased to find that their party was thus made up, and they told
Mr. George that since he had taken and paid for the three remaining
places, he might bring with him any number of persons that he pleased,
so long as he did not make the party more than fifteen in all. It was
agreed, too, that the party was to rendezvous that evening, at eight
o'clock, at the foot of the grand staircase, leading from the portico of
St. Peter's up to the principal court of the Vatican.
Mr. George, as soon as he went home, sent Rollo to Mrs. Beekman's room
to inform her of the proposed party, and to ask her if she would like to
join it.
"And may I invite Allie too?" asked Rollo.
"Yes," said Mr. George, "and Charles. Though I don't think they will
wish to go, for such children generally feel very little interest in
statues."
It is true that young persons, like Charles and Allie, generally feel
little interest in sculptures and statuary; but, on the other hand, they
feel a very great interest in torch light, and both Charles and Allie
were exceedingly eager to join the party. It was finally agreed that all
three should go. It was arranged that Mr. George and Rollo were to call
for them at seven o'clock. Mr. Beekman was engaged to dine that evening
with a party of gentlemen, and so he was left out of the account
altogether.
At seven o'clock, accordingly, Mr. George and Rollo called at Mrs.
Beekman's rooms, and a few minutes afterwards they all went together
down to the door of the hotel, where Mr. George beckoned to the coachman
of one of the carriages that stood in the square.
The whole party entered the carriage, after Mr. George had made his
bargain with the coachman, and immediately set off. They rode for some
distance along a pretty straight road, and then came to a bridge, which
was opposite to a great round castle. They went over this bridge, and
then turning to the left, under the walls of the castle, they went on
towards the Vatican.
"We shall arrive there some time before the hour," said Mr. George; "but
I thought it was better to be too early than too late."
"Yes," replied Mrs. Beekman, "we can amuse ourselves half an hour in
rambling about the colonnades and porticos of St. Peter's."
In front of St. Peter's there is an immense area, enclosed on each side
by a magnificent semicircular colonnade. There are four rows of lofty
columns in this colonnade, with a carriage way in the centre between
them. The space enclosed between these colonnades is called the
_piazza_,[A] and it is adorned with fountains and colossal statues, and
on days of public festivities and celebrations, it is filled with an
immense concourse of people. It is large enough to contain a great many
thousands.
[8][Footnote 8: A Pronounced _piatza_.]
When Mr. George and his party arrived, they dismissed the carriage and
began to walk to and fro under the colonnade and about the piazza. The
time passed away very rapidly; and at length, a few minutes before
eight, the other carriages began to come. All the persons who belonged
to the party were anxious to arrive in time, for they were afraid that,
if they were too late, the others would have gone into the Vatican,
where, the building being so immense, it might be very difficult to find
them.
Accordingly, before the clock struck eight, all the party were assembled
at the entrance door.
The entrance opened from a vast covered gallery, which formed one of the
approaches to St. Peter's, between the end of the colonnade and the main
front of the building. There were several Swiss sentinels on guard here.
They were dressed in what seemed to Rollo a very fantastic garb. In a
few minutes the men who were to accompany the party through the
galleries appeared. One of them carried a great number of very long
candles under his arm. Another had a long pole with a socket at the top
of it, and a semicircular screen of tin on one side, to screen the light
of the candles from the eyes of the visitors, and to throw it upon the
statues. When all was ready, these torch bearers moved on, and were
followed by the whole party up the great staircase which led to the
galleries of the Vatican.
After going upward and onward for some time, they came at length to the
entrance of one of the long galleries of sculpture. Here the torch
bearers stopped and began to prepare their torches. They cut the long
candles in two, so as to make pieces about eighteen inches long. Taking
six or eight of these pieces, they placed them together like a bundle of
sticks, and tied them, and then crowded the ends together into the
socket upon the end of the pole. This socket was made large enough to
receive them. They then lighted the wicks, and thus they had a large
number of candles all burning together as one.
The screen, which I have already spoken of, covered this blaze of light
upon one side, so as to keep it from shining upon the faces of the
company.
Thus provided the torch bearers went on, and the company followed them.
Of course, there is only time in the two hours usually appropriated to
this exhibition to show a comparatively small number of the statues. The
torch bearers accordingly selected such as they thought were most
important to be seen, and they passed rapidly on from one to another of
these, omitting all the others. When they approached a statue which they
were going to exhibit, they would hold the torch up near the face of it
in such a manner as to throw a strong light upon the features, and so
bring out the expression in a striking manner. The screen shielded the
eyes of the company from the direct rays of the flame, and yet there was
sufficient light reflected from the marble walls of the gallery, and
from the beautiful white surfaces of the statues arranged along them, to
enable the company to discern each other very distinctly, and to see all
the objects around them.
The company passed in this manner through one of the long galleries,
stopping here and there to look at the great masterpieces of ancient
art, and then they entered into a series of comparatively smaller
chambers and halls. Rollo was exceedingly interested in the exhibition,
and in all the attendant circumstances of it; but he could not tell
whether Allie was pleased or not. She seemed bewildered and struck dumb
with amazement at the strange aspect of the scenes and spectacles which
were continually presented to view. The immense extent and the gorgeous
magnificence of the galleries and halls, the countless multitude of
statues, and the almost spectral appearance which they assumed when the
torch bearers threw the bright light of the torch upon their cold marble
faces, all impressed her with a solemn awe, which seemed so entirely to
subdue and silence her, that Rollo could not tell how she felt, or what
she thought of the strange spectacle which he had brought her to see.
After about an hour, the first set of candles that had been put into the
socket of the torch pole were burned down, and then the torch bearers
supplied their places with another set formed by the remaining halves of
the candles which they had cut in two. These lasted another hour. By
that time the company had seen all the most striking and celebrated
statues in the principal halls and galleries. They had been making a
sort of circuit through the palace in passing through these rooms, and
now came out very near the entrance door, where they had come in. Here
the torch bearers left them, and went away with their apparatus to the
part of the building where they belonged, while the company, descending
the grand staircase, came out into one of the porticos of the church,
and issuing from the portico they found carriages in waiting upon the
piazza, and ready to convey them home. Mr. George and his party reached
their hotel about nine o'clock, all very much pleased with the spectacle
which they had witnessed.