Hadrian the Seventh

endow almshouses for old people, and free schools where handicrafts would be taught to children. He wished Italy to establish and endow scholarships for the study of Italian archaeology, the idea being to foster a spirit of enthusiastic patriotism, by excavating and studying and preserving the buried cities and monuments and treasures of antiquity with which the sacred and glorious and inviolate soil of Italy simply teems. Lastly, He wished Italy to give rewards, say of a thousand lire in cash to every man and woman between twenty and thirty years of age, who had served one master or secular firm since Lady-day 1899, and who cared to claim such a reward. To give effect to His four wishes, He handed to Signor Panciera an order on the Bank of Italy payable to the Prime Minister of Italy for the time being. The value of the order was thirty-three millions sterling. It was an offering in honour of the thirty-three years during which God as Man had laboured for the Love of men. It was to be the nucleus of a national fund which was to be called “The Household of Christ.” This fund was to be administered, on the lines stated, by one male member of the Royal Family of Italy, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of the Interior for the time being, and by nine trustees drawn in rotation from the list of nobles in the Golden Book. The first of these twelve was to hold his trusteeship for life, and was to be nominated by the King’s Majesty within one year from the present date. The second and third were to be ex-officio trusteeships. Of the nine nobles three would retire each year; and the next three on the roll would succeed them. No ecclesiastics were to be concerned with the fund in any way, unless they were nobles eligible for trusteeship, or unless they were paid servants appointed as chaplains by the Trustees. Hadrian’s particular desire was that the “Household of Christ” should become in every sense a department of the government of Italy.

Signor Panciera came out reeling; and furiously drove in the direction of Monte Citorio. Here, he picked up Signor Zanatello; and the two carried their little basketful of news to the Queen-Regent in the Quirinale. Eleven minutes in Her Majesty’s music-room sufficed to send the three quickly through the Hall of Birds, and upstairs to the marconigraph office, by which means they announced the scheme to Victor Emanuel at Windsor Castle. The Sovereign’s reply was characteristically Italian, and (therefore) splendid.

“I add a million: the Queen adds a million: the Prince of Naples adds a million: all sterling.”

The Prime Minister sent the nation’s thanks and asked His Majesty to nominate himself as trustee. He got this gorgeous answer.

“The Trustees will be nicknamed the Pope’s Twelve Apostles. The Voce della Verità and the Osservatore Romano instantly would assign to me the role of Judas.”

Signor Panciera sent this message “Sire, there was a thirteenth apostle.”

The King retorted “But he was an afterthought.” That made Queen Elena laugh. The King continued. “Zanatello, take this money; give a receipt in the name of Italy. The Queen-Regent will issue a royal decree constituting the Household of Christ as a government department: I nominate the Duke of Aosta as the royal trustee: this scheme is just what Italy wants at this moment: give it effect at once.”

Zanatello implored His Majesty to become trustee. “No,” came the final response. “I will assist most strenuously in an unofficial capacity: when there is room for a thirteenth apostle, I will perpend: meanwhile I engage to double the fund within one year. The King of England will assist.”

Hadrian first read about the acceptance of the gift to Italy in the next day’s Populo Romano⁠—one of the most respectable papers in the world, He used to say. He felt that He had achieved another step; and instantly proceeded to the next. He summoned the Syndic of Rome, and made over to him, as a free gift to the City, all the moveable sculpture, paintings, tapestry, and archaeological specimens then present in the Vatican. Simultaneously, He canonized Dom Bosco and Dante Alighieri and published the “Epistle to the Italians.” This document was mainly hortatory, and directed against disbelief and secret societies. He bade Italy to consider Herself as the temple of art in Europe; and to set Herself, by the contemplation of masterpieces of human workmanship already in her possession, or to be added to Her possession by future discovery, to produce Herself as a country and a people prepared for The Lord Who is Altogether Lovely. He spoke of the “Mafia” with admiration and with horror. It was a brotherhood rather than a society, He said. It was a brotherhood of individualists each devoted to the service of his brother. Its essential virtues were honesty, mutual help, self-restraint. Nothing could be better. But the Devil had distorted the operation of so excellent a scheme. His Iniquity tempted the “Mafiosi” not only to help each other in good deeds, but in evil⁠—chiefly in evil deeds. They murdered and screened murderers; and forgot “Thou shalt do no murder.” They robbed and screened robbers; and forgot “Thou shalt not steal.” They alleged that Mazzini had welded them into a corporate body for political purposes; and had given them for a motto Mazzini Autorizza Furti Incendi Avvelenamenti, from the initials of which phrase they drew their corporate name. In place of that wicked and abominable sentence, He gave them Madonnina Applaude Fraternità Individualita Amore. Let the Mafia flourish with that motto for its ruling principle.

Italy was seeing the burden of poverty removed from Her children, was seeing Her youth enabled to cultivate talents, was seeing the honest labour of Her manhood and womanhood rewarded, was seeing refuge and provision prepared for old age. Rome set herself nobly to work at housing the treasures of art