It was long thought that he was in favour of conciliation between the Holy See and Italy; but things drifted into a bad way, and he violently took part against the usurpers.

In the same style he has frequently fallen out with Leo XIII and then made his peace.

To-day at the Vatican, he keeps on a footing of diplomatic reserve.

Briefly he only has one object, the tiara, and even shows it too plainly, which is a mistake, for it uses up a candidate.

Still, just at present the struggle seems to be between him and Cardinal Boccanera.