CHAPTER VIII.
THE TARPEIAN ROCK.
One morning while Mr. George and Rollo were taking breakfast together inthe dining room of the hotel, Mr. George remarked that he had receivedsome news that morning.
"Is it good news, or bad news?" asked Rollo.
"It is good for me," replied Mr. George, "but I rather think you willconsider it bad for you."
"Tell me what it is," said Rollo, "and then I will tell you how Iconsider it."
So Mr. George informed Rollo that the news which he had received was,that there had been an arrival from America, and that the last night'spost had brought the papers to town.
"And so," said Mr. George, "I am going to spend the morning atPiale's[6] library, reading the papers, and you will be left toentertain yourself."
[Footnote 6: Pronounced _Pe-ah-ly's_.]
"O, that's no matter," said Rollo. "I can get Charles Beekman to gowith me. We can take care of ourselves very well."
"What will you do?" asked Mr. George.
"I want to go and see the Tarpeian Rock," said Rollo. "I read about thatrock, and about Tarpeia, in a history in America, and I want to see howthe rock looks."
"Do you know where it is?" asked Mr. George.
"No," said Rollo; "but I can find out."
"Very well," said Mr. George; "then I leave you to take care ofyourself. You can get Charles to go, if his mother will trust him withyou."
"She will, I am sure," said Rollo.
"Why, you got lost when you took him the other day," said Mr. George,"and you had ever so much difficulty in finding your way home again."
"O, no, uncle George," said Rollo, "we did not have any difficulty atall. We only had a little fun."
Soon after breakfast Mr. George bade Rollo good by, and went off to thebookstore and library, where he was to see and read the American papers.As soon as his uncle had gone, Rollo went up to Mrs. Beekman's room, andknocked at the door. A well-dressed man servant came to the door. Itwas Mr. Beekman's courier.
"Walk in, Mr. Rollo," said the courier; "Mrs. Beekman and Charles willcome in a minute."
So Rollo went in. The room was a small parlor, very beautifullyfurnished. In a few minutes Mrs. Beekman and Charles came in, followedby Charles's sister, a lively young lady about twelve years of age. Hername was Almira, though they usually called her Allie.
Rollo informed Mrs. Beekman, when she came into the room, that he hadcome to ask her to allow Charles to go and make an excursion with him.He was going, he said, to see the Tarpeian Rock.
"O, I would not go to see the Tarpeian Rock," said Mrs. Beekman. "Someladies of my acquaintance went to see it the other day, and they said itwas nothing at all."
"Ah, yes, mother!" said Charles, in an entreating tone of voice, "let mego with Rollo."
"Why, there is nothing at all to see," said Mrs. Beekman. "It is only asmall, steep face of a rock in a bank. On the Hudson River Railroad yousee rocks and precipices forty times as picturesque, all along the way."
Still Rollo and Charles were very desirous to go. The truth was, it wasnot so much what they expected to see at the end of the excursion, whichmade it so alluring to them, as the interest and excitement of thevarious adventures which they thought they would meet with on the way.Finally Mrs. Beekman said that she had not the least objection in theworld to their going to see the rock, only she was herself perfectlyconvinced that they would not find any thing worth seeing.
"I wish Allie could go too," said Rollo.
"Yes, mother," said Allie, clapping her hands.
"Why, do you care about seeing the Tarpeian Rock?" asked her mother.
"Yes, mother," said Allie, "I wish to see it very much, though I don'tknow what it is. What is it, Rollo?"
"I'll tell you all about it on the way," said Rollo, "if you can only gowith us."
"But she cannot walk there," said Mrs. Beekman. "No lady ever walks inRome."
"I will take a carriage," said Rollo.
"I am afraid you don't know how to manage about a carriage," said Mrs.Beekman.
"Yes, mother," replied Charles, "he knows how to manage about a carriageperfectly well. I tried him the other day."
Mrs. Beekman finally gave a tardy and reluctant consent to thechildren's proposal. She did not manage the case very wisely. Sheshould have considered in the first instance what her decision ought tobe, and then she should have adhered to it. If she was going to consentat all, she should have consented cordially, and at once. For parentsfirst to refuse their children's request, and then allow themselves tobe induced to change their determination by the entreaties andpersuasions of the children themselves, is bad management.
Allie went into her mother's bed room to get ready, and in a few minutesreturned, her countenance beaming with animation and pleasure.
They all went down to the door of the hotel. There were severalcarriages standing in the square. The coachmen, as soon as they saw theparty at the door, all began to hold up their whips, and to call toRollo. Some of them began to move their horses towards him.
Rollo glanced his eyes rapidly at the several coaches, and selecting theone which he thought looked the best, he beckoned to the coachman of it.The coachman immediately drew up to the door. He then jumped down fromthe box, and opened the carriage door.
Before getting in, however, Rollo wished to make his bargain; so he saidto the coachman,--
"To the Capitol. Two pauls."
He spoke these words in the Italian language. He had learned the Italianfor "two pauls" long before, and he had looked out the Italian name forthe Capitol in his Guide Book that morning, so as to be all ready. TheItalian name which he found was _Campidoglio_.
The coachman hesitated a moment, and then said, holding up three fingersat the same time,--
"Three pauls."
Of course he spoke in Italian.
Rollo, instead of answering him, immediately began to turn away and lookout towards the other carriages.
"_Si, signore, si,_" said the coachman. "Two pauls let it be."
So he held open the carriage door wider than ever, and Rollo assistedAllie to get in. He and Charles followed, and then the coachman droveaway.
"You agreed to give him too much," said Charles, as soon as they wereseated. "A paul and a half is the regular fare."
"I know it," said Rollo; "but I always offer a little more than theregular fare, especially when I have a lady with me, for then they havenot a word to say."
"But this man had a word to say," replied Charles. "He wanted you togive him three pauls."
"Yes," said Rollo, "sometimes they try a little to make a dispute; butthey have no chance at all, and they give right up."
Rollo had ordered the coachman to drive to the Capitol, because he hadfound, by studying the map and the Guide Book, that the entrance to theenclosure where the Tarpeian Rock was to be seen was very near there. Hehad examined the map attentively, and so he knew exactly which way hemust go after being set down at the foot of the Capitol stairs.
Accordingly, when the carriage stopped, Rollo got out first himself, andthen helped Allie and Charles out. He paid the coachman the price agreedupon, and a couple of coppers over for _buono mano_.
"Now," said he to Charles and Allie, "follow me."
Rollo went on a little way along a winding street, and then turning tothe right, began to go up a steep ascent, formed of very broad steps,which seemed to lead to a higher street. As soon as the party began togo up these steps, they saw several children running down from above tomeet them. When these children reached the place where Rollo was, theybegan saying something very eagerly in Italian, scrambling up thesteps again at the same time, so as to keep up with Rollo and his party.
"What do these children want?" asked Allie.
"I don't know," said Rollo. "I have not the least idea."
"I suppose they are begging," said Charles.
"No," said Allie. "If they were begging, they would hold out theirhands."
At th
e top of the stairs Rollo and his party were met by half a dozenmore children, so that there were now eight or ten in all. They ran onbefore and by the side of Rollo and his party, all looking very eagerand animated, talking incessantly, and beckoning and pointing forward.
"Ah!" said Rollo, "I know. They want to show us the way to the TarpeianRock."
"But you said you knew the way," said Allie.
"I said I could find it," replied Rollo, "and so I can; but I am willingto pay one of these children for showing me, but not all. Stop a minute,till I choose. Or, rather, you may choose, Allie," he added.
The party now stopped, while Allie surveyed the ragged andwretched-looking group before her.
"There is not a pretty child among them," said Allie.
"You should not look for the best looking one, Allie," said Charles."You should choose the _worst_ looking one. She is likely to need itmost. Pretty looking girls get along well enough."
"Then I choose that poor barefooted girl, that looks so pale," saidAllie.
"Yes," said Rollo; "she looks as if she had had a fever."
So Rollo pointed to the girl, and showed her a copper, which he took forthe purpose from his pocket. At the same time he made a waving motionwith his hand to the rest, to denote that he did not wish for theirservices, and that they might go away.
The barefooted girl seemed greatly pleased. Her pale and emaciated facewas lighted up with a smile of pleasure. She ran along forward,beckoning to Rollo and his party to follow.
The rest of the children, though they understood perfectly the signal ofdismission that Rollo had made to them, were determined not to be sentoff in that way; so they went on gesticulating and clamoring as much asever.
Rollo paid no attention to them, but walked on with Charles and Allie athis side. Presently their guide, and all the other children with her,stopped at a sort of gateway in a wall. By the side of the gateway therewas an iron ring hanging by a chain. Two or three of the children seizedthis ring together and pulled it, by which means a bell was rung inside.The other children crowded together on each side of this gate, leavingroom, however, for Rollo and his party to go through, and all held outtheir hands for money.
"I am only going to pay the one that I engaged," said Rollo; "but, poorthing, I mean to give her two coppers, instead of one, she looks so sickand miserable."
"So I would," said Allie. "And here," she added, putting her hand intoher pocket and taking out a Roman copper coin, "I have got a penny here;you may give her that, too."
"That is not a penny," said Charles. "That is a _baioccho_."
"Never mind," said Allie; "_I_ call it a penny. I can't remember theother name. Besides, it is all the same thing."
Rollo gave the three pieces of money to the poor girl, and the rest ofthe children, when they saw how generous he was, became more clamorousthan ever. But Rollo paid no heed to them. Indeed, a moment after he hadpaid his little guide her money, the gate opened, and the party wentin. The poor children were all left outside, and shut out.
It was a small girl, about thirteen years old, that opened the gate.
Rollo and his party found themselves ushered into a sort of garden. Thegirl led the way along a narrow path between beds of beans, lettuce, andother garden vegetables. Besides these vegetables, there were groups ofshrubbery here and there, among which roses and other flowers wereblooming. This garden seemed to be in the heart of the city, for it wasbordered on three sides by buildings, and on the fourth by a low wall,which appeared to be built on the brow of a hill, for the roofs andchimneys of other houses, situated on a lower level, could be seen overit below.
The girl led the way to a place by this wall, where, by looking over,there could be seen, at a distance along the hill, a small place wherethe rock which formed the face of it was precipitous. The precipiceseemed to be about ten or fifteen feet high.
"Is that the Tarpeian Rock?" asked Rollo.
The girl who conducted them did not reply, not knowing any language butthe Italian.
"I've seen a great deal prettier rocks in America," said Allie.
"Then are you sorry you came?" asked Rollo.
"O, no!" said Allie; "I am very glad I came. But what is it that makesthis rock so famous?"
"Why, it is the place where, in old times, a very remarkable thinghappened," replied Rollo. "I read the story in the history of Rome, whenI was studying history in America. There was a girl named Tarpeia. Shelived somewhere near the top of this rock, and the wall of the city camesomewhere along here, and there was a gate. The Sabines made war againstthe Romans, and came to attack the city, but they could not get in onaccount of the walls. One day Tarpeia was on the wall looking down, andshe saw some of the Sabine soldiers walking about below."
"Why did not they shoot her?" asked Charles.
"O, they had no motive for shooting her," replied Rollo. "She was anice, pretty girl, I suppose, and they liked to look at her, and to talkwith her. Besides, they had a cunning plan in view. They asked herwhether they could not induce her to open the gates and let them intothe city. She said she would do it if they would give her what they woreon their arms. She meant their bracelets. The soldiers in those daysused to adorn themselves with rings, and bracelets, and other suchthings. But then, besides these bracelets they wore their shields andbucklers on their arms. These were very heavy things, made of iron, andcovered with hides. So they agreed that they would give her what theywore on their arms, secretly meaning that they would throw theirbucklers upon her; but she thought they meant that they would give hertheir bracelets.
"So that night," continued Rollo, "the soldiers came, bringing a greatmany other soldiers with them, and Tarpeia opened the gate and let themin. The whole troop rushed by her into the town, as fast as they couldgo, and as they passed they all threw their bucklers upon poor Tarpeia,till she was crushed to death, and buried up by them. It was pretty nearthis rock where this happened, and so, forever after, they called it theTarpeian Rock, and that is the reason why so many people come to seeit."
There was a moment's pause after Rollo had finished his story, duringwhich Allie looked quite concerned. At length she said, in a veryearnest tone,--
"I think it was a shame!"
"I think they served her just right," said Charles.
"O, Charles!" replied Alice, "how can you say so?"
The girl who had conducted the party through the garden now began tolead the way back again, and they all followed her. As she walked along,the girl began to gather flowers from the beds and borders, and finallymade quite a pretty bouquet. When she got to the gate, and was ready toopen it, she presented this bouquet in a very polite and graceful mannerto Allie. Rollo took some money from his pocket, and put it into herhand; and then she opened the gate, and let them all out.
"How much did you pay her, Rollo?" asked Charles.
"I paid her double," said Rollo, "because she was so polite as to giveAllie such a pretty bouquet."
Allie was now more pleased with her bouquet than before. It pleased herextremely to find that Rollo took so much interest in her receiving abouquet as to pay something specially for it.
So they all went down the steps which led to the foot of the CapitolHill.
"Shall we walk home?" asked Rollo, "or shall I find a carriage, so thatwe can ride?"
"Let us walk," replied Allie, "and then we shall be longer on the way."
Just then Rollo, looking at the sky, saw that there were some ratherthreatening clouds diffused over it. Indeed, on putting out his hand, heplainly felt a sprinkling of rain.
"It is going to rain," said he, "and so we shall be obliged to ride. Butwe can make it longer by stopping to see something on the way."
"Well," said Allie, "let's do it. What shall we stop to see?"
"If there is going to be a shower," said Rollo, "it would be a good timeto stop and see the Pantheon."
"What is the Pantheon?" asked Allie.
"It is an immense round church, with a great hole in the roo
f," repliedRollo.
"Why don't they mend the hole?" asked Charles.
"O, they made it so on purpose," said Rollo.
"Made it on purpose!" repeated Allie. "I never heard of such a thing. Ishould think the rain would come in."
"It does come in," said Rollo, "and that is the reason why I want to goand see the Pantheon in the time of a shower. It is so curious to seethe rain falling down slowly to the pavement. You see, the church isround, and there is a dome over it, and in the centre of the dome theyleft a great round hole."
"How big?" asked Allie.
"It is twenty-eight feet across," said Rollo; "but you would not thinkit so big when you come to see it. It is up so high that it looks verysmall. We know how big it is by the size of the wet spot on the floor."
By the time that the party had arrived at this point in theconversation, Rollo saw a carriage standing in the street at a littledistance before him, and he made a signal to the coachman to come tohim. The coachman came. Rollo made his bargain with him, and they allgot in. The coachman drove immediately to the Pantheon, and they arrivedthere just as the shower began to come on.
Before the church was an immense portico, supported by columns. Thecolumns, and the whole entablature which they supported, were darkenedby time, and cracked, and chipped, and broken in the most remarkablemanner. Allie and Charles stood under the portico and looked around,while Rollo paid the coachman.
INTERIOR OF THE PANTHEON.]
There was a large open square before the Pantheon, with an ancient andvery remarkable looking fountain in the centre of it. There was a basinaround this fountain, into which monstrous mouths, carved in marble,were spouting water. When Rollo had paid the coachman, he led the wayinto the church. Allie and Charles followed him. They found themselvesushered into an immense circular interior, with rows of columns allaround the sides, and chapels, and sculptures, and paintings, andbeautiful panels of variegated marbles between them.
Overhead was an immense dome. This dome is nearly a hundred and fiftyfeet high, and the circular opening in the centre of it is about thirtyfeet across. Through this opening the rain was descending in a steadybut gentle shower. It was very curious to look up and see theinnumerable drops falling slowly from the bright opening above, down tothe marble floor. This opening is the only window. There is no otherplace, as you will see by the engraving, where light can come in.
The margin of the opening is formed of an immense brass ring. Such aring is necessary in a structure like this, and it must be of greatthickness and strength, to resist the pressure of the stones crowding inupon it all around.
This Pantheon was built by the ancient Romans, two thousand years ago.What it was built for originally nobody now knows. In modern times ithas been changed into a church. It is immensely large, being nearly ahundred and fifty feet in diameter, and a hundred and fifty feet high.If you will inquire and ascertain what is the size of some largebuilding in your vicinity, and compare it with these dimensions, youwill form a clearer idea of the magnitude of this ancient edifice thanyou can acquire in any other way.
Rollo and his party rambled about the Pantheon, looking at the statues,and paintings, and chapels, and observing the groups of pilgrims and ofvisitors that were continually coming and going, for nearly an hour. Bythis time the shower had entirely passed away, and the sun having comeout bright, they all walked home.