It had doubtless been customary in old times so to carry all the dead; but the custom was retained at the time of which I am writing only in the case of distinguished persons, and very generally of the priesthood.

I remember, for instance, a poor little humpbacked Grand Duchess being so carried through the street magnificently bedecked as if she were going to a ball, and with painted cheeks.

She had been a beneficent little body, and the people, as far as they knew anything about her, revered her, and looked on her last presentation to them with sympathetic feelings.

But it was a sorry sight to see the poor little body, looking much like a bedizened monkey, so paraded.
Well, my mother and I were, aimlessly but much admiringly, wandering about the vast spaces of the cathedral when we became aware of a _funzione_ of some sort--a service as we should say--being conducted in a far part of the building.

There was no great crowd, but a score or two of spectators, mainly belonging to the _gamin_ category, were standing around the officiating priests and curiously looking on.