Nevertheless his mind remained clear, and in spite of the semi-obscurity he had been able to form some idea of the famous and magnificent apartments of the Pope, a suite of splendid _salons_ with tapestried or silken walls, gilded or painted friezes, and frescoed ceilings.

By way of furniture, however, there were only pier table, stools,* and thrones.

And the lamps and the clocks, and the crucifixes, even the thrones, were all presents brought from the four quarters of the world in the great fervent days of jubilee.
There was no sign of comfort, everything was pompous, stiff, cold, and inconvenient.

All olden Italy was there, with its perpetual display and lack of intimate, cosy life.

It had been necessary to lay a few carpets over the superb marble slabs which froze one's feet; and some _caloriferes_ had even lately been installed, but it was not thought prudent to light them lest the variations of temperature should give the Pope a cold.