ely to the railings for fear of being thrown over, and uttered
cries of terror. It was said that some accidents occurred. By degrees
all passed over. All the streets leading to the square filled up. When
the crowd reached the entrance of one of the streets which lead directly
to the Basilica, suddenly a low, hollow sound was heard, like a sea in a
storm, now far off, now near, and coming toward us in waves. It was the
multitude assembled in the Piazza di San Pietro. The crowd pressed
forward more eagerly, one on top of another, carried forward,
overturned--on, on, until it reached the piazza. Almighty God! if you
had seen it! What an astounding spectacle!--all this immense square
tightly packed, black, and all in motion: it was no longer a square--it
was a sea. On all sides--between the four rows of columns, on the
church-steps, under the portico, on the great terrace in front, in the
galleries of the cupola, on the capitals of the pillars, on the pillars
themselves; and behind--at the windows of the houses, on the balconies,
on the roofs, above, below, right and left, wherever a human creature
could plant his foot or clutch hold or hang on; everywhere heads, arms
and legs dangling, banners, gestures, voices! All Rome was there!"

"Heavens! But the Vatican?" they all cried in great agitation.

"Closed. You know that one wing of the Vatican opens on the square, and
in that is the pope's apartment. All the windows belonging to it were
closed: it seemed like a deserted palace. At that moment it had the
appearance of a cold, stern, impassive person looking down with fixed,
wide-open eyes. The multitude looked up with a murmuring noise. On one
side, toward the terrace, could be seen a great body of officers and
noblemen, who appeared to give orders which were repeated from mouth to
mouth. The agitation continued to increase. All heads were
uncovered--white heads of old men, dark heads of soldiers, blond heads
of children. A bright sun was shining; a thousand movements, a thousand
noises, a thousand colors, were waving and mingling on this immense
surface. Banners and rags fluttered, tossed back here and there as if
they were floating on the water. The seething was such it seemed as if
fire were burning under the earth. Suddenly, from all sides was heard
and spread a cry, 'The boys! the children! Bring forward the children!'
It was evidently a concerted plan. In a moment on all parts of the
square people were seen holding up