The Argosy — page 122: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

108 Christmas Eve in Rone. jan. 4 aoe madcap girl if she proposes to leave you.” ‘ Papa ‘” I remonstrated ; but with a warning shake of the finger my father dropped the curtain, and disappeared. At half-past oné aunt Lucy roused me from a dream that I was on board the steamer again, watching the sun rise ; and, as I watched, the sun seemed to move and come straight across the sea to me ; and as it came, it quivered and changed, and changed and quivered, till it grew like the face of the stranger Englishman. And it came nearer and nearer, till it almost touched me, and then suddenly it was like the Pope's head, with a triple crown on it. Another minute, and I woke to find aunt Lucy’s face looking into mine, and saying, ‘“ Get up, Mildred ! What were you dreaming of?” she added, as I drowsily slipped out of bed. ‘“ You looked so happy, and ejaculated ‘Good night !’ in quite a sentimental voice.” I eluded an answer, and felt rather conscience- stricken ! By half-past two we had dressed, drank some coffee, and, rather shivering with the cold air and excitement together, stepped into the carriage and drove off, leaving the padrona standing at the door, with a flickering candle lighting her face, and bringing her scarlet ’kerchiefd head into magnificent relief against the black archway. A flood of moonlight filled St. Peter’s Piazza as we drove through it. A clear and yet mysterious radiance revealed the long colonnades, the fountains splashing and shimmering, the grand flight of steps, and the presence of the dome, while the grand bell sounded over all like the solemn voice of the almost unearthly beauty of the scene. One can see St. Peter’s but once as we saw it that night. We ascended the steps, hfted by great effort the heavy curtain-door, and passed up into the church—darkness and space, a dimly-shining pavement, gliding figures, and distant chaunting. We walked on slowly. ‘The chaunting grew more distinct, and across the darkness lay a band of bnght light that streamed from a chapel on the left. We tracked the light and the sound, and found ourselves among the crowd in the choir chapel, where the service was then going on. I could not have then descnbed what we heard or saw, nor can I do so now. I moved as in a dream, and saw everything as a vision. Rows of venerable ecclesiastics, installed in carved niches, robed in purple, with suggestions of white and scarlet ; here and there an olive-complexioned. face, clear-cut features, and black eyes that flashed upon the crowd as it swayed to and fro at the entrance to the chapel; a blaze of light at the altar, fronting the gate ; priests in gorgeous robes ; incense ; a picture of the Nativity, for the shepherds of the Campagna to look at, and remember how the shepherds bowed before the Child-Saviour in the poor manger, and found therein a presence more awful than even the angelic vision that yet burned upon their eyes: all this I dimly saw. comicaooks GO)