Rollo on the Rhine | Page 8

no words to express the emotion which the music
awakened in his mind, and walked slowly away.
Presently they came to a place on one side, where there was a great iron
gate or door in the screen, which seemed to be ajar.
"Here's a door open," said Mr. George; "let us go in here."
Rollo shrank back a little. "I'm afraid they will not let us go in here,"
said he. "It looks like a private place."
Rollo was always very particular, in all his travels, to avoid every thing
like intrusion. He would never go where it seemed to him doubtful
whether it was proper to go. By this means he saved himself from a
great many awkward predicaments that persons who act on a contrary
principle often get themselves into while travelling. Mr. George was
not quite so particular.
"It looks rather private," said Mr. George; "but if they do not wish us to

go in, they must keep the door shut."
So he pushed the great iron gate open, and walked in. Rollo followed
him, though somewhat timidly.
They passed between a row of chapels[5] on one side, and a high,
carved partition on the other, which seemed to separate them from the
choir, until, at length, they came to the end of the partition, where there
was a gate that led directly into the choir. Mr. George turned in,
followed by Rollo, and they found themselves standing in the midst of
a scene of gorgeous magnificence which it is utterly impossible to
describe.
[Footnote 5: These chapels are recesses or alcoves along the side of the
church, fitted up and furnished with altars, crucifixes, confessionals,
paintings, images, and other sacred emblems connected with the ritual
of the Catholic worship. They are usually raised a step or two above the
floor of the church, and are separated from it by an ornamented railing,
with a gate in the middle of it.]
"That is where the music came from that we heard," said Rollo,
pointing upward.
Mr. George looked up where Rollo had pointed, and there he saw a
gallery at a great elevation above them, with a choir of singers in front,
and an enormous organ towering to a great height towards the vaulted
roof behind. The choir was separated from the body of the church by
ranges of columns above, and by richly-carved and ornamental screens
and railings below. The ceilings were beautifully painted in fresco, and
here and there were to be seen lofty windows of stained glass, antique
and venerable in form, and indescribably rich and gorgeous in coloring.
After gazing about upon this scene for a few minutes with great
admiration and awe, Rollo called his uncle's attention to a discovery
which he suddenly made.
"See," said he; "uncle George, there is a congregation."

So saying, Rollo pointed across the choir to a sort of gateway, which
was opposite to the side on which they came in, and where, through the
spaces which opened between the great columns that intervened, a
congregation were seen assembled. They were in a chapel which was
situated in that part of the church. The chapel itself was full, and a great
many persons were seated in the various spaces rear. Mr. George and
Rollo walked across the choir, and joined this congregation by taking a
position near a pillar, where they could see what was going on.
At a corner near a little gateway in a railing, where the people appeared
to come in, there was a woman sitting with a brush in her hand. The
brush was wet with holy water. The people, as they came in,--for a few
came in after Rollo and Mr. George arrived at the place,--touched their
fingers to this brush, to wet them, and then crossed themselves with the
holy water.
At the altar was a priest dressed in splendid pontificals. He was
standing with his back to the people. There was a great number of
immensely tall candlesticks on each side of him, and a great many
other glittering emblems. The priest was dressed in garments richly
embroidered with gold. There was a boy behind him dressed also in a
very singular manner. The priest and the boy went through with a great
variety of performances before the altar, none of which Rollo could at
all understand. From time to time the boy would ring a little bell, and
the organ and the choir of singers in the lofty gallery would begin to
play and sing; and then, after a short time, the music would cease, and
the priest and the boy would go on with their performances as before.
Presently Rollo heard a sound of marching along the paved floor, and
looking into the choir whence the sounds proceeded, he