the passports. Mr. George gave him his and Rollo's, and the
conductor carried them, together with those which he had obtained from
the other passengers, into the office. He then ordered the postilions to
drive on.

"How shall we get our passports again?" asked Rollo.

"We must send for them to the police office, I suppose," said Mr.
George.

It is very customary, in the great capitals of Europe, for the police to
take the passports of travellers, on their arrival at the gates of the
city, and direct them to send for them at the central police office on
the following day.

After passing the gate, the diligence went on a long way, through a
great many narrow streets, leading into the heart of the city. There was
nothing in these streets to denote the ancient grandeur of Rome,
excepting now and then an old and venerable ruin, standing neglected
among the other buildings.

Rollo, however, in looking out at the windows of the coupe, saw a great
many curious sights, as the diligence drove along. Among these one of
the most remarkable was a procession of people dressed in a most
fantastic manner, and wearing masks which entirely concealed their
faces. There were two round holes in the masks for the eyes. Mr. George
told Rollo that these were men doing penance. They had been condemned to
walk through the streets in this way, as a punishment for some of their
sins.

"Why, they treat them just as if they were children," said Rollo.

"They _are_ children," said Mr. George, "in every thing but years."

[Illustration: DOING PENANCE.]

Not long after this, Rollo saw a very magnificent carriage coming
along. It was perfectly resplendent with crimson and gold. The horses,
too, and the coachman, and the footmen, were gorgeously caparisoned and
apparelled in the same manner.

Rollo pointed it out to Mr. George. Mr. George said it was a cardinal's
carriage.

"I wish the cardinal was in it," said Rollo. "I would like to have seen
him."

"I presume he would have looked very much like any other man," replied
Mr. George.

"Yes, but he would have been dressed differently, wouldn't he?"

"Perhaps so," said Mr. George.

"Perhaps he would have had his red hat on," said Rollo. "I should like
to see a cardinal wearing his red hat."

The badge of the cardinal's office is a hat and dress of a red color.

At length the diligence passed under an archway which led into a large
open court, similar to the one in Naples where the jo