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Outside the Vatican, crowds will wait expectantly, eyes fixed on a spindly stovepipe that juts from a wall of the Sistine hapel. Reason: ballots are burned with damp straw—which makes black smoke—when votes are inconclusive, burned alone -which causes white smoke—after a Pope has been chosen. After the deciding vote, he Pope-elect is asked simply: "Acciptasne -lectionem? [Do you accept the election?]." His solemn answer: "Accepto."