The Princess del Drago’s gift was a large diamond cross with an enormous emerald in the center, an heirloom from her mother, the Queen of Spain.  There were many other private gifts which were equally valuable.  Almost a ship-load of canned fruits and vegetables sent from America; these were arranged in a gigantic pyramid.  Just to look at them made my mouth water and me homesick.

Ridiculous objects from naif donors, such as babies’ socks and jackets, and silver things for a lady’s toilet-table, and other equally inappropriate things, must have surprised the Pope when he saw them.  I have not mentioned the millions of francs the Pope received in money; he can easily dispose of that; and he intends, I believe, to make presents to every church in Italy of the different objects which can be useful.  But what can he do with the babies’ socks?

On last Thursday the Pope said mass in St. Peter’s.  It was the great event of the year.

As we are accredited to the Quirinal, of course I never can have the opportunity to be received by his Holiness; therefore I was very glad when the monsignore who is still Dantefying us offered to give me a carte d’entree.

I was obliged to be at St. Peter’s at a very early hour, and succeeded, owing to having a “friend at court” (the Swedish chamberlain to the Pope, Marquis de Lagergren), in getting an excellent place where I had a good view of the Pope and the whole ceremony.  Ladies are dressed entirely in black, with black veils instead of hats, on these occasions.

There was a great deal of noise in the church—­much scraping of chairs, rather loud talking, people being shown to their seats, and, above all other noises, the organ.

I cannot honestly say that the music was beautiful.  With the exception of the days when the best singers of the Pope’s choir sing, the music in St. Peter’s is not good.  The organ is as antiquated as the organist, who plays with all the stops pulled out.

The center of the church was filled with wooden benches and chairs.  The altar was brilliantly lighted with hundreds of wax candles; the columns around it were hung with tawdry red damask curtains, which, in my opinion, rather took from the dignity of this magnificent church.

The Swiss Guards ushered people to their seats.  They looked very picturesque in their costumes of bright red and yellow, slashed sleeves, and brass helmets.

In due time the serious and somber chamberlains, in their black satin and velvet costumes, appeared; next came the bishops, in their purple robes; and directly preceding his Holiness the Pope were the cardinals, in red.  Then came the twelve men carrying the gold pontifical chair in which the Pope was seated; they walked very solemnly and slowly.

Every one dropped on his knees, and the Pope raised his thin white hand to bless the kneeling crowd.

He mounted the steps of the high altar and began reading mass.  His voice was very feeble and scarcely audible.