night and I was glad to secure a small dais in a window niche, which 

 gave a little coolness, and there I stayed as long as the function lasted. 

 My window was near where Queen Margarita stood, a most charming 

 though not exactly beautiful woman. Beside her native Italian, I heard 

 her speak EngHsh, German, French and Spanish to the various dele- 

 gates, using ail these languages with ease and fluency. She must have 

 been very well coached, too, as to the personality of the more distin- 

 guished delegates, for she had a few gracious words of recognition for 

 each of them. For example, to J. R. Lowell, she said: "Mr. Lowell, 

 have you published anything since Heart's Ease and Rue?" which was 

 his latest book. The King I saw only at a distance, for I clung to my 

 relatively cool spot. 



Tuesday, June 12, was the great day of the feast and, because of 

 the great heat and the Sirocco, it was an exhausting experience. After 

 an unconscionable wait, the academic procession was paraded, by a 

 very roundabout way, to the Archiginnasio, where the day's exercises 

 were to be held. The sun was fiercely hot and the heavy gown of black 

 silk extremely oppressive, but the sight of the crowd and the decorated 

 streets made it worth while. The ceremony was in the open courtyard 

 of the beautiful old buiiding, which was made even more charming by 

 flowers and hangings, while awnings excluded the sun's heat. At one 

 end of the court was a raised platform, with a red velvet canopy, and 

 there stood the gilded thrones for the King and Queen and their son, 

 the Prince of Naples. Behind the Queen stood ladies in waiting and 

 behind the King stood two equerries, army officers in dress uniform. 

 One of these equerries, a very heavy, middle-aged man, must have 

 suffered tortures. For the last hour, his knees shook so violently that, 

 every moment, I dreaded to see him. collapse. That exhibition of un- 

 necessary cruelty did not increase my respect for royalty. The young 

 heir apparent made an unpleasant impression, his dwarfish stature and 

 loose-lipped mouth gave the conception of a weak, deficient character. 

 His career, since he came to the throne, has shown that these were false 

 inferences and that he is very much of a man. 



At this ceremony, the speeches and addresses were unmercifully long- 

 winded, especially that of the famous poet, Carducci, which was the 

 especial feature of the occasion and which seemed to please King 

 Umberto exceedingly. For myself, I could understand nothing but the 

 oft-repeated "Italia unita," which never failed to evoke a storm of 

 enthusiasm. The final feature of the programme was a series of brief 

 addresses from the visiting delegates, each country choosing a spokes- 



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