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he will pay a little more： I cannot forget that he gave me a
dressing…case。 Sphinxes pay a hundred per cent more than any one
elsethey always did in Ancient Egypt。
But seriously； Robbie； if people stayed with me； of course they
would pay their PENSION at the hotel。 They would have to： except
architects。 A modern architect； like modern architecture； doesn't
pay。 But then I know only one architect and you are hiding him
somewhere from me。 I believe that he is as extinct as the dado； of
which now only fossil remains are found； chiefly in the vicinity of
Brompton； where they are sometimes discovered by workmen excavating。
They are usually embedded in the old Lincrusta Walton strata； and
are rare consequently。
I visited M。 le Cure ｛4｝ to…day。 He has a charming house and a
jardin potager。 He showed me over the church。 To…morrow I sit in
the choir by his special invitation。 He showed me all his
vestments。 To…morrow he really will be charming in red。 He knows I
am a heretic； and believes Pusey is still alive。 He says that God
will convert England on account of England's kindness to les pretres
exiles at the time of the Revolution。 It is to be the reward of
that sea…lashed island。
Stained glass windows are wanted in the church； he has only six；
fourteen more are needed。 He gets them at 300 francs12 poundsa
window in Paris。 I was nearly offering half a dozen； but remembered
you； and so only gave him something pour les pauvres。 You had a
narrow escape； Robbie。 You should be thankful。
I hope the 40 pounds is on its way； and that the 60 pounds will
follow。 I am going to hire a boat。 It will save walking and so be
an economy in the end。 Dear Robbie； I must start well。 If the life
of St。 Francis of Assissi awaits me I shall not be angry。 Worse
things might happen。
Yours；
OSCAR。
… Letter to Robert Ross。
A VISIT TO THE POPE
c/o COOK & SON； PIAZZA DI SPAGNA； ROME；
April 16th； 1900。
My dear Robbie；I simply cannot write。 It is too horrid； not of
me； but to me。 It is a mode of paralysisa cacoethes tacendithe
one form that malady takes in me。
Well； all passed over very successfully。 Palermo； where we stayed
eight days； was lovely。 The most beautifully situated town in the
worldit dreams away its life in the concha d'oro； the exquisite
valley that lies between two seas。 The lemon groves and the orange
gardens were so entirely perfect that I became quite a Pre…
Raphaelite； and loathed the ordinary impressionists whose muddly
souls and blurred intelligences would have rendered； but by mud and
blur； those 〃golden lamps hung in a green night〃 that filled me with
such joy。 The elaborate and exquisite detail of the true Pre…
Raphaelite is the compensation they offer us for the absence of
motion； literature and motion being the only arts that are not
immobile。
Then nowhere； not even at Ravenna； have I seen such mosaics as in
the Capella Palatine； which from pavement to domed ceiling is all
gold： one really feels as if one was sitting in the heart of a
great honey…comb looking at angels singing： and LOOKING at angels；
or indeed at people； singing； is much nicer than listening to them；
for this reason： the great artists always give to their angels
lutes without strings； pipes without vent…holes； and reeds through
which no wind can wander or make whistlings。
Monreale you have heard ofwith its cloisters and cathedral： we
often drove there。
I also made great friends with a young seminarist； who lived in the
cathedral of Palermohe and eleven others； in little rooms beneath
the roof； like birds。
Every day he showed me all over the cathedral； I knelt before the
huge porphyry sarcophagus in which Frederick the Second lies： it is
a sublime bare monstrous thingblood…coloured； and held up by lions
who have caught some of the rage of the great Emperor's restless
soul。 At first my young friend； Giuseppe Loverdi； gave me
information； but on the third day I gave information to him； and re…
wrote history as usual； and told him all about the supreme King and
his Court of Poets； and the terrible book that he never wrote。 His
reason for entering the church was singularly mediaeval。 I asked
him why he thought of becoming a clerico； and how。 He answered：
〃My father is a cook and most poor； and we are many at home； so it
seemed to me a good thing that there should be in so small a house
as ours； one mouth less to feed； for though I am slim； I eat much；
too much； alas！ I fear。〃
I told him to be comforted； because God used poverty often as a
means of bringing people to Him； and used riches never； or rarely；
so Giuseppe was comforted； and I gave him a little book of devotion；
very pretty； and with far more pictures than prayers in itso of
great service to Giuseppe whose eyes are beautiful。 I also gave him
many lire； and prophesied for him a Cardinal's hat； if he remained
very good and never forgot me。
At Naples we stopped three days： most of my friends are； as you
know； in prison； but I met some of nice memory。
We came to Rome on Holy Thursday。 H… left on Saturday for Gland
and yesterday； to the terror of Grissell ｛5｝ and all the Papal
Court； I appeared in the front rank of the pilgrims in the Vatican；
and got the blessing of the Holy Fathera blessing they would have
denied me。
He was wonderful as he was carried past me on his thronenot of
flesh and blood； but a white soul robed in white and an artist as
well as a saintthe only instance in history； if the newspapers are
to be believed。 I have seen nothing like the extraordinary grace of
his gestures as he rose； from moment to moment； to blesspossibly
the pilgrims； but certainly me。
Tree should see him。 It is his only chance。
I was deeply impressed； and my walking…stick showed signs of
budding； would have budded； indeed； only at the door of the Chapel
it was taken from me by the Knave of Spades。 This strange
prohibition is； of course； in honour of Tannhauser。
How did I get the ticket？ By a miracle； of course。 I thought it
was hopeless and made no effort of any kind。 On Saturday afternoon
at five o'clock H… and I went to have tea at the Hotel de l'Europe。
Suddenly； as I was eating buttered toast； a manor what seemed to
be onedressed like a hotel porter entered and asked me would I
like to see the Pope on Easter Day。 I bowed my head humbly and said
〃Non sum dignus；〃 or words to that effect。 He at once produced a
ticket！
When I tell you that his countenance was of supernatural ugliness；
and that the price of the ticket was thirty pieces of silver； I need
say no more。
An equally curious thing is that whenever I pass the hotel； which I
do constantly； I see the same man。 Scientists call that phenomenon
an obsession of the visual nerve。 You and I know better。
On the afternoon of Easter Day I heard Vespers at the Lateran：
music qu