the cenci-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



contained　in　the　confessions；　that　he　ordered　the　culprits　to　be

dragged　by　wild　horses　through　the　streets　of　Rome。　　But　so　barbarous

a　sentence　shocked　the　public　mind；　so　much　so　that　many　persons　of

princely　rank　petitioned　the　Holy　Father　on　their　knees；　imploring

him　to　reconsider　his　decree；　or　at　least　allow　the　accused　to　be

heard　in　their　defence。



〃Tell　me；〃　replied　Clement　VIII；　〃did　they　give　their　unhappy　father

time　to　be　heard　in　his　own　defence；　when　they　slew　him　in　so

merciless　and　degrading　a　fashion？〃



At　length；　overcome　by　so　many　entreaties；　he　respited　them　for　three

days。



The　most　eloquent　and　skilful　advocates　in　Rome　immediately　busied

themselves　in　preparing　pleadings　for　so　emotional　a　case；　and　on　the

day　fixed　for　hearing　appeared　before　His　Holiness。



The　first　pleader　was　Nicolo　degli　Angeli；　who　spoke　with　such　force

and　eloquence　that　the　pope；　alarmed　at　the　effect　he　was　producing

among　the　audience；　passionately　interrupted　him。



〃Are　there　then　to　be　found；〃　he　indignantly　cried；　〃among　the　Roman

nobility　children　capable　of　killing　their　parents；　and　among　Roman

lawyers　men　capable　of　speaking　in　their　defence？　　This　is　a　thing　we

should　never　have　believed；　nor　even　for　a　moment　supposed　it

possible！〃



All　were　silent　upon　this　terrible　rebuke；　except　Farinacci；　who；

nerving　himself　with　a　strong　sense　of　duty；　replied　respectfully　but

firmly



〃Most　Holy　Father；　we　are　not　here　to　defend　criminals；　but　to　save

the　innocent；　for　if　we　succeeded　in　proving　that　any　of　the　accused

acted　in　self…defence；　I　hope　that　they　will　be　exonerated　in　the

eyes　of　your　Holiness；　for　just　as　the　law　provides　for　cases　in

which　the　father　may　legally　kill　the　child；　so　this　holds　good　in

the　converse。　　We　will　therefore　continue　our　pleadings　on　receiving

leave　from　your　Holiness　to　do　so。〃



Clement　VIII　then　showed　himself　as　patient　as　he　had　previously　been

hasty；　and　heard　the　argument　of　Farinacci；　who　pleaded　that

Francesco　Cenci　had　lost　all　the　rights　of　a　father　from；　the　day

that　he　violated　his　daughter。　　In　support　of　his　contention　he

wished　to　put　in　the　memorial　sent　by　Beatrice　to　His　Holiness；

petitioning　him；　as　her　sister　had　done；　to　remove　her　from　the

paternal　roof　and　place　her　in　a　convent。　　Unfortunately；　this

petition　had　disappeared；　and　notwithstanding　the　minutest　search

among　the　papal　documents；　no　trace　of　it　could　be　found。



The　pope　had　all　the　pleadings　collected；　and　dismissed　the

advocates；　who　then　retired；　excepting　d'Altieri；　who　knelt　before

him；　saying



〃Most　Holy　Father；　I　humbly　ask　pardon　for　appearing　before　you　in

this　case；　but　I　had　no　choice　in　the　matter；　being　the　advocate　of

the　poor。〃



The　pope　kindly　raised　him；　saying：



〃Go；　we　are　not　surprised　at　your　conduct；　but　at　that　of　others；　who

protect　and　defend　criminals。〃



As　the　pope　took　a　great　interest　in　this　case；　he　sat　up　all　night

over　it；　studying　it　with　Cardinal　di　San　Marcello；　a　man　of　much

acumen　and　great　experience　in　criminal　cases。　　Then；　having　summed

it　up；　he　sent　a　draft　of　his　opinion　to　the　advocates；　who　read　it

with　great　satisfaction；　and　entertained　hopes　that　the　lives　of　the

convicted　persons　would　be　spared；　for　the　evidence　all　went　to　prove

that　even　if　the　children　had　taken　their　father's　life；　all　the

provocation　came　from　him；　and　that　Beatrice　in　particular　had　been

dragged　into　the　part　she　had　taken　in　this　crime　by　the　tyranny；

wickedness；　and　brutality　of　her　father。　　Under　the　influence　of

these　considerations　the　pope　mitigated　the　severity　of　their　prison

life；　and　even　allowed　the　prisoners　to　hope　that　their　lives　would

not　be　forfeited。



Amidst　the　general　feeling　of　relief　afforded　to　the　public　by　these

favours；　another　tragical　event　changed　the　papal　mind　and　frustrated

all　his　humane　intentions。　　This　was　the　atrocious　murder　of　the

Marchese　di　Santa　Croce；　a　man　seventy　years　of　age；　by　his　son

Paolo；　who　stabbed　him　with　a　dagger　in　fifteen　or　twenty　places；

because　the　father　would　not　promise　to　make　Paolo　his　sole　heir。

The　murderer　fled　and　escaped。



Clement　VIII　was　horror…stricken　at　the　increasing　frequency　of　this

crime　of　parricide：　for　the　moment；　however；　he　was　unable　to　take

action；　having　to　go　to　Monte　Cavallo　to　consecrate　a　cardinal

titular　bishop　in　the　church　of　Santa　Maria　degli　Angeli；　but　the　day

following；　on　Friday　the　10th　of　September　1599；　at　eight　o'clock　in

the　morning；　he　summoned　Monsignor　Taverna；　governor　of　Rome；　and

said　to　him



〃Monsignor；　we　place　in　your　hands　the　Cenci　case；　that　you　may　carry

out　the　sentence　as　speedily　as　possible。〃



On　his　return　to　his　palace；　after　leaving　His　Holiness；　the　governor

convened　a　meeting　of　all　the　criminal　judges　in　the　city；　the　result

of　the　council　being　that　all　the　Cenci　were　condemned　to　death。



The　final　sentence　was　immediately　known；　and　as　this　unhappy　family

inspired　a　constantly　increasing　interest；　many　cardinals　spent　the

whole　of　the　night　either　on　horseback　or　in　their　carriages；　making

interest　that；　at　least　so　far　as　the　women　were　concerned；　they

should　be　put　to　death　privately　and　in　the　prison；　and　that　a　free

pardon　should　be　granted　to　Bernardo；　a　poor　lad　only　fifteen　years

of　age；　who；　guiltless　of　any　participation　in　the　crime；　yet　found

himself　involved　in　its　consequences。　　The　one　who　interested　himself

most　in　the　case　was　Cardinal　Sforza；　who　nevertheless　failed　to

elicit　a　single　gleam　of　hope；　so　obdurate　was　His　Holiness。　　At

length　Farinacci；　working　on　the　papal　conscience；　succeeded；　after

long　and　urgent　entreaties；　and　only　at　the　last　moment；　that　the

life　of　Bernardo　should　be　spared。



》From　Friday　evening　the　members　of　the　brotherhood　of　the　Conforteria

had　gathered　at　the　two　prisons　of　Corte　Savella　and　Tordinona。　　The

preparations　for　the　closing　scene　of　the　tragedy　had　occupied

workmen　on　the　bridge　of　Sant'　Angelo　all　night；　and　it　was　not　till

five　o'clock　in　the　morning　that　the　registrar　entered　the　cell　of

Lucrezia　and　Beatrice　to　read　their　sentences　to　them。



Both　were　sleeping；　calm　in　the　belief　of　a　reprieve。　　The　registrar

woke　them；　and　told　them　that；　judged　by　man；　they　must　now　prepare

to　appear　before　God。



Beatrice　was　at　first　thunderstruck：　she　seemed　paralysed　and

speechless；　then　she　rose　from　bed；　and　staggering　as　if　intoxicated；

recovered　her　speech；　uttering　despairing　cries。　　Lucrezia　heard　the

tidings　with　more　firmness；　and　proceeded　to　dress　herself　to　go　to

the　chapel；　exhorting　Beatrice　to　resignation；　but　she；　raving；　wrung

her；　hands　and　struck　her　head　against　the　wall；　shrieking；　〃To　die！

to　die！　　Am　I　to　die　unprepared；　on　a　scaffold！　on　a　gibbet！　　My　God！

my　God！〃　　This　fit　led　to　a　terrible　paroxysm；　after　which　the

exhaustion　of　her　body　enabled　her　mind　to　recover　its　balance；　and

from　that　moment　she　became　an　angel　of　humility　and　an　example　of

resignation。



Her　first　request　was　for　a　notary　to　make　her　will。　　This　was

immediately　complied　with；　and　on　his　arrival　she　dictated　its

provisions　with　much　calmness　and　precision。　　Its　last　clause　desired

her　interment　in　the　church　of　San　Pietro　in　Montorio；　for　which　she

always　had　a　strong　attachment；　as　it　commanded　a　view　of　her

father's　palace。　　She　bequeathed　five　hundred　crowns　to　the　nuns　of

the　order　of　the　Stigmata；　and　ordered　that　her　dowry；　amounting　to

fifteen　thousand　crowns；　should　be　distributed　in　marriage　portions

to　fifty　poor　girls。　　She　selected　the　foot　of　the　high　altar　as　the

place　where　she　wished　to　be　buried；　over　which　hung　the　beautiful

picture　of　the　Transfiguration；　so　often　admired　by　her　during　her

life。



Following　her　example；　Lucrezia　in　her　turn；　disposed　of　her

property：　she　desired　to　be　buried　in　the　church　of　San　Giorgio　di

Velobre；　and　left　thirty…two　thousand　crowns　to　charities；　with　other

pious　legacies。　　Having　settled　their　earthly　affairs；　they　joined　in

prayer；　reciting　psalms；　litanies；　and　prayers　far　the　dying。



At　eight　o'clock　they　confessed；　heard　mass；　and　received　the

sacraments；　after　which　Beatrice；　observing　to　her　stepmother　that

the　rich　dresses　they　wore　were　out　of　place　on　a　scaffold；　ordered

two　to　be　made　in　nun's　fashionthat　is　to　say；　gathered　at　the

neck；　with　long　wide　sleeves。　　That　for　Lucrezia　was　made　of　black

cotton　stuff；　Beatrice's　of　taffetas。　　In　addition　she　had　a　small

black　turban　made　to　place　on　her　head。　　These　dresses；　with　cords

for　girdles；　were　brought　them；　they　were　placed　on　a　chair；　while

the　women　continued　to　pray。



The　time　appointed　being　near　at　hand；　they　were　informed　that　their

last　moment　was　approaching。　　Then　Beatrice；　who　was　still　on　her

knees；　rose　with　a　tranquil　and　almost　joyful　countenance。　　〃Mother；〃

said　she；　〃the　moment　of　our　suffering　is　impending；　I　think　we　had

better　dress　in　these　clothes；　and　help　one　another　at　our　toilet　for

the　last　time。〃　　They　then　put　on　the　dresses　provided；　girt

themselves　with　the　cords；　Beatrice　placed　her　turban　on　her　head；

and　they　awaited　the　last　summons。



In　the　meantime；　Giacomo　and　Bernardo；　whose　sentences　had　been　read

to　them；　awaited　also　the　moment　of　their　death。　　About　ten　o'clock

the　members　of　the　Confraternity　of　Mercy；　a　Florentine　order；

arrived　at　the　prison　of　Tordinona；　and　halted　on　the　threshold　with

the　crucifix；　awaiting　the　appearance　of　the　unhappy　youths。　　Here　a

serious　accident　had　nearly　happened。　　As　many　persons　were　at　the

prison　windows　to　see　the　prisoners　come　out；　someone　accidentally

threw　down　a　large　flower…pot　full　of　earth；　which　fell　into　the

street　and　narrowly　missed　one　of　the　Confraternity　who　was　amongst

the　torch…bearers　just　before　the　crucifix。　　It　passed　so　close　to

the　torch　as　to　extinguish　the　fl