modern Rome. "Look down upon that countless multitude." Mackinnon
looked down, and saw three groups of French soldiers, with three or
four little men in each group; he saw, also, a couple of dirty
friars, and three priests very slowly beginning the side ascent to
the church of the Ara Coeli. "Look down upon that countless
multitude," said Mrs. Talboys, and she stretched her arms out over
the half-deserted city. "They are escaping now from these
trammels,--now, now,--now that I am speaking."

"They have escaped long ago from all such trammels as that of landed
property," said Mackinnon.

"Ay, and from all terrestrial bonds," she continued, not exactly
remarking the pith of his last observation; "from bonds quasi-
terrestrial and quasi-celestial. The full-formed limbs of the
present age, running with quick streams of generous blood, will no
longer bear the ligatures which past times have woven for the
decrepit. Look down upon that multitude, Mackinnon; they shall all
be free." And then, still clutching him by the arm, and still
standing at the top of those stairs, she gave forth her prophecy
with the fury of a Sybil.

"They shall all be free. Oh, Rome, thou eternal one! thou who hast
bowed thy neck to imperial pride and priestly craft; thou who hast
suffered sorely, even to this hour, from Nero down to Pio Nono,--the
days of thine oppression are over. Gone from thy enfranchised ways
for ever is the clang of the Praetorian cohorts and the more odious
drone of meddling monks!" And yet, as Mackinnon observed, there
still stood the dirty friars and the small French soldiers; and
there still toiled the slow priests, wending their tedious way up to