Finally They Took Him And Tied
Napkins Upon His Arms And His Neck, And Then Led Him To A Knot Of
Priests A Little Out Of My Sight.
In a few moments, he reappeared
with all his canonicals on, except the mitre.
Now he was brilliant
indeed, loaded with gold ornaments, stiff with splendor. His face, I
noticed, was very red, and he looked weary. I did not quite
understand the tumbled towels; whether these were to catch the
consecrating oil that they poured on his head, or whether they were
emblematic of the filthy rags of this world, which he laid aside for
the new and shining garments of perfect holiness, I could not find
out. Now the new archbishop knelt again before the old archbishop,
and the old one put the mitre upon the head of the new one. Then the
old archbishop embraced and kissed the new, and after that all the
other bishops, who, as the French say, assisted at the ceremony,
performed the same act on both sides of his face. After this, the
new archbishop and his holy brother walked side by side, followed by
all the other bishops and priests, down from the altar among the
audience; and the new dignitary gave his blessing to all the people.
I wish I could carry you with me to the palace at Versailles. The
magnificent equestrian statue of Louis XIV., which you can see afar
off as you approach, the noble statues in the grand court yard, and
the ancient regal aspect of the whole scene, with its countless
fountains and its seven miles of pictures, are beyond all
description.
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