he Swiss guards and the cavalry: all were
fixed and attentive to the proceedings; and, terrified at the sight of
the inexorable gibbet, every one was silent.

"The architect gave an order that, at the sound of the trumpet, each
should begin working, and at that of the bell, placed in the castle of
wood, each should desist; there were more than 900 workmen, and 75
horses. The trumpet sounded, and in an instant, men, horses, windlasses,
cranes, and levers were all in motion. The ground trembled, the castle
cracked, all the planks bent from the enormous weight, and the pyramid,
which inclined a foot towards the choir of St. Peter, was raised
perpendicularly. The commencement having prospered so well, the bell
sounded a rest. In twelve more movements the pyramid was raised almost
two feet from the ground, in such a situation that it could be placed on
the rollers, and it remained firmly fixed by means of wedges of iron and
wood. At this happy event the castle of St. Angelo discharged all its
artillery, and a universal joy pervaded the whole city.

"Fontana was now convinced that the ropes were better than iron bands,
these being most broken or distorted, or expanded by the weight. On the
7th of May the pyramid was placed on the sledge--a more difficult and
tedious operation than that of raising it, it being necessary to convey
it over the piazza to the situation intended for it, which was 115 rods
from where it then stood. The level of the piazza being about 30 feet
lower, it was necessary to throw up an earthen embankment from one place
to the other, well secured by piles, &c. This being done, on the 13th
of June, by means of four windlasses, the pyramid was removed with the
greatest facility on the rollers, to the place of its destination. The
pope deferred its erection to the next autumn, lest the summer heats
should injure the workmen and spectators.

"In the meantime the pedestal, which was interred 30 feet, was removed:
it was composed of two parts, the ogee and basement being of the same
mass, and the plinth of white marble. All the preparations were made for
this last operation on the 10th of September, with the same solemnities;
140 horses and 800 men were employed. The pope selected this day for the
solemn entrance of the duke of Luxembourg, ambassador of ceremony from
Henry III. of France, and caused the procession to enter by the Porta
Angelica, instead of the Porta del Popolo. When this nobleman crossed
the P