of having the administration of all the Church's property kept entirely
at home, as in the time of Pius IX. Leo XIII had preferred to replace
this paternal method by a trained bureaucracy, but the Church had not
gained anything by it, and they had lost credit through unfortunate
negotiations, buying land and taking mortgages.

Caesar realized that it was useless to attempt to convince a man of
the intelligence and austerity of the Cardinal, and he listened to him
respectfully.

Monsignor Spada conversed amiably, he escorted them as far as the door,
and shook hands when they said good-bye.

THE ABBE TARDIEU

Then they went to see the Abbe Tardieu. The abbe lived in the Piazza.
Navona. His office, furnished in modern style, produced the effect of a
violent contrast with Cardinal Spada's sumptuous study, and yet brought
it to mind. The Abbe Tardieu's work-room was small, worldly, full of
books and photographs.

The abbe, a tall young man, thin, with a rosy face, a long nose, and a
mouth almost from ear to ear, had the air of an astute but jolly person,
and laughed at everything said to him. He was liveliness personified.
When they entered his office he was writing and smoking.

Caesar explained about his financial knowledge, and how he had gone on
acquiring it, until he got to the point where he could discern a law, a
system, in things where others saw nothing more than chance. The Abbe
Tardieu promised that if he knew a way to utilize Caesar's knowledge, he
would send him word. In respect to giving him letters of introduction to
influential persons in Spain, he had no objection.

They took leave of the abbe.

"All this has to go slowly," said Kennedy.

"Of course. One cannot insist that it should happen all at once."

_BERNINI_

"If you have nothing to do, let's take a walk," said the Englishman.

"If you like."

"Have you noticed the fountains in this square?"

"No."

"They are worth looking at."

Caesar contemplated the central obelisk. It is set on top of a rock
hollowed out like a cavern, in the mouth of which a lion is seen.
Afterwards they looked at the fountains at the ends of the square.

"The sculptures are by Bernini," explained Kennedy. "Bernini belonged to
an epoch that has been very much abused by the critics, but nowadays he
is much praised. He enchants me."

"It is rather a mixed style, don't you think?"

"Yes."

"The artist is not living?"

"For heaven's sake, man! No.