the cenci-第7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！



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

the　torch　as　to　extinguish　the　flame　in　its　descent。



At　this　moment　the　gates　opened；　and　Giacomo　appeared　first　on　the

threshold。　　He　fell　on　his　knees；　adoring　the　holy　crucifix　with

great　devotion。　　He　was　completely　covered　with　a　large　mourning

cloak；　under　which　his　bare　breast　was　prepared　to　be　torn　by　the

red…hot　pincers　of　the　executioner；　which　were　lying　ready　in　a

chafing…dish　fixed　to　the　cart。　　Having　ascended　the　vehicle；　in

which　the　executioner　placed　him　so　as　more　readily　to　perform　this

office；　Bernardo　came　out；　and　was　thus　addressed　on　his　appearance

by　the　fiscal　of　Rome



〃Signor　Bernardo　Cenci；　in　the　name　of　our　blessed　Redeemer；　our　Holy

Father　the　Pope　spares　your　life；　with　the　sole　condition　that　you

accompany　your　relatives　to　the　scaffold　and　to　their　death；　and

never　forget　to　pray　for　those　with　whom　you　were　condemned　to　die。〃



At　this　unexpected　intelligence；　a　loud　murmur　of　joy　spread　among

the　crowd；　and　the　members　of　the　Confraternity　immediately　untied

the　small　mask　which　covered　the　youth's　eyes；　for；　owing　to　his

tender　age；　it　had　been　thought　proper　to　conceal　the　scaffold　from

his　sight。



Then　the　executioner；　having　disposed　of　Giacomo；　came　down　from　the

cart　to　take　Bernardo；　whose　pardon　being　formally　communicated　to

him；　he　took　off　his　handcuffs；　and　placed　him　alongside　his　brother；

covering　him　up　with　a　magnificent　cloak　embroidered　with　gold；　for

the　neck　and　shoulders　of　the　poor　lad　had　been　already　bared；　as　a

preliminary　to　his　decapitation。　　People　were　surprised　to　see　such　a

rich　cloak　in　the　possession　of　the　executioner；　but　were　told　that

it　was　the　one　given　by　Beatrice　to　Marzio　to　pledge　him　to　the

murder　of　her　father；　which　fell　to　the　executioner　as　a　perquisite

after　the　execution　of　the　assassin。　　The　sight　of　the　great

assemblage　of　people　produced　such　an　effect　upon　the　boy　that　he

fainted。



The　procession　then　proceeded　to　the　prison　of　Corte　Savella；

marching　to　the　sound　of　funeral　chants。　　At　its　gates　the　sacred

crucifix　halted　for　the　women　to　join：　they　soon　appeared；　fell　on

their　knees；　and　worshipped　the　holy　symbol　as　the　others　had　done。

The　march　to　the　scaffold　was　then　resumed。



The　two　female　prisoners　followed　the　last　row　of　penitents　in　single

file；　veiled　to　the　waist；　with　the　distinction　that　Lucrezia；　as　a

widow；　wore　a　black　veil　and　high…heeled　slippers　of　the　same　hue；

with　bows　of　ribbon；　as　was　the　fashion；　whilst　Beatrice；　as　a　young

unmarried　girl；　wore　a　silk　flat　cap　to　match　her　corsage；　with　a

plush　hood；　which　fell　over　her　shoulders　and　covered　her　violet

frock；　white　slippers　with　high　heels；　ornamented　with　gold　rosettes

and　cherry…coloured　fringe。　　The　arms　of　both　were　untrammelled；

except　far　a　thin　slack　cord　which　left　their　hands　free　to　carry　a

crucifix　and　a　handkerchief。



During　the　night　a　lofty　scaffold　had　been　erected　on　the　bridge　of

Sant'　Angelo；　and　the　plank　and　block　were　placed　thereon。　　Above　the

block　was　hung；　from　a　large　cross　beam；　a　ponderous　axe；　which；

guided　by　two　grooves；　fell　with　its　whole　weight　at　the　touch　of　a

spring。



In　this　formation　the　procession　wended　its　way　towards　the　bridge　of

Sant'　Angela。　　Lucrezia；　the　more　broken　down　of　the　two；　wept

bitterly；　but　Beatrice　was　firm　and　unmoved。　　On　arriving　at　the　open

space　before　the　bridge；　the　women　were　led　into　a　chapel；　where　they

were　shortly　joined　by　Giacomo　and　Bernardo；　they　remained　together

for　a　few　moments；　when　the　brothers　were　led　away　to　the　scaffold；

although　one　was　to　be　executed　last；　and　the　other　was　pardoned。

But　when　they　had　mounted　the　platform；　Bernardo　fainted　a　second

time；　and　as　the　executioner　was　approaching　to　his　assistance；　some

of　the　crowd；　supposing　that　his　object　was　to　decapitate　him；　cried

loudly；　〃He　is　pardoned！〃　　The　executioner　reassured　them　by　seating

Bernardo　near　the　block；　Giacomo　kneeling　on　the　other　side。



Then　the　executioner　descended；　entered　tie　chapel；　and　reappeared

leading　Lucrezia；　who　was　the　first　to　suffer。　　At　the　foot　of　the

scaffold　he　tied　her　hands　behind　her　back；　tore　open　the　top　of　her

corsage　so　as　to　uncover　her　shoulders；　gave　her　the　crucifix　to

kiss；　and　led　her　to　the　step　ladder；　which　she　ascended　with　great

difficulty；　on　account　of　her　extreme　stoutness；　then；　on　her

reaching　the　platform；　he　removed　the　veil　which　covered　her　head。

On　this　exposure　of　her　features　to　the　immense　crowd；　Lucrezia

shuddered　from　head　to　foot；　then；　her　eyes　full　of　tears；　she　cried

with　a　loud　voice



〃O　my　God；　have　mercy　upon　me；　and　do　you；　brethren；　pray　for　my

soul！〃



Having　uttered　these　words；　not　knowing　what　was　required　of　her；　she

turned　to　Alessandro；　the　chief　executioner；　and　asked　what　she　was

to　do；　he　told　her　to　bestride　the　plank　and　lie　prone　upon　it；　which

she　did　with　great　trouble　and　timidity；　but　as　she　was　unable；　on

account　of　the　fullness　of　her　bust；　to　lay　her　neck　upon　the　block；

this　had　to　be　raised　by　placing　a　billet　of　wood　underneath　it；　all

this　time　the　poor　woman；　suffering　even　more　from　shame　than　from

fear；　was　kept　in　suspense；　at　length；　when　she　was　properly

adjusted；　the　executioner　touched。　　the　spring；　the　knife　fell；　and

the　decapitated　head；　falling　on　the　platform　of　the　scaffold；

bounded　two　or　three　times　in　the　air；　to　the　general　horror；　the

executioner　then　seized　it；　showed　it　to　the　multitude；　and　wrapping

it　in　black　taffetas；　placed　it　with　the　body　on　a　bier　at　the　foot

of　the　scaffold。



Whilst　arrangements　were　being　made　for　the　decapitation　of　Beatrice；

several　stands；　full　of　spectators；　broke　down；　some　people　were

killed　by　this　accident；　and　still　more　lamed　and　injured。



The　machine　being　now　rearranged　and　washed；　the　executioner　returned

to　the　chapel　to　take　charge　of　Beatrice；　who；　on　seeing　the　sacred

crucifix；　said　some　prayers　for　her　soul；　and　on　her　hands　being

tied；　cried　out；　〃God　grant　that　you　be　binding　this　body　unto

corruption；　and　loosing　this　soul　unto　life　eternal！〃　　She　then

arose；　proceeded　to　the　platform；　where　she　devoutly　kissed　the

stigmata；　then　leaving　her　slippers　at　the　foot　of　the　scaffold；　she

nimbly　ascended　the　ladder；　and　instructed　beforehand；　promptly　lay

down　on　the　plank；　without　exposing　her　naked　shoulders。　　But　her

precautions　to　shorten　the　bitterness　of　death　were　of　no　avail；　for

the　pope；　knowing　her　impetuous　disposition；　and　fearing　lest　she

might　be　led　into　the　commission　of　some　sin　between　absolution　and

death；　had　given　orders　that　the　moment　Beatrice　was　extended　on　the

scaffold　a　signal　gun　should　be　fired　from　the　castle　of　Sant'

Angelo；　which　was　done；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　everybody；

including　Beatrice　herself；　who；　not　expecting　this　explosion；　raised

herself　almost　upright；　the　pope　meanwhile；　who　was　praying　at　Monte

Cavallo；　gave　her　absolution　'in　articulo　mortis'。　　About　five

minutes　thus　passed；　during　which　the　sufferer　waited　with　her　head

replaced　on　the　block；　at　length；　when　the　executioner　judged　that

the　absolution　had　been　given；　he　released　the　spring；　and　the　axe

fell。



A　gruesome　sight　was　then　afforded：　whilst　the　head　bounced　away　on

one　side　of　the　block；　on　the　other　the　body　rose　erect；　as　if　about

to　step　backwards；　the　executioner　exhibited　the　head；　and　disposed

of　it　and　the　body　as　before。　　He　wished　to　place　Beatrice's　body

with　that　of　her　stepmother；　but　the　brotherhood　of　Mercy　took　it　out

of　his　hands；　and　as　one　of　them　was　attempting　to　lay　it　on　the

bier；　it　slipped　from　him　and　fell　from　the　scaffold　to　the　ground

below；　the　dress　being　partially　torn　from　the　body；　which　was　so

besmeared　with　dust　and　blood　that　much　time　was　occupied　in　washing

it。　　Poor　Bernardo　was　so　overcome　by　this　horrible　scene　that　he

swooned　away　for　the　third　time；　and　it　was　necessary　to　revive　him

with　stimulants　to　witness　the　fate　of　his　elder　brother。



The　turn　of　Giacomo　at　length　arrived：　he　had　witnessed　the　death　of

his　stepmother　and　his　sister；　and　his　clothes　were　covered　with

their　blood；　the　executioner　approached　him　and　tore　off　his　cloak；

exposing　his　bare　breast　covered　with　the　wounds　caused　by　the　grip

of　red…hot　pincers；　in　this　state；　and　half…naked；　he　rose　to　his

feet；　and　turning　to　his　brother；　said



〃Bernardo；　if　in　my　examination　I　have　compromised　and　accused　you；　I

have　done　so　falsely；　and　although　I　have　already　disavowed　this

declaration；　I　repeat；　at　the　moment　of　appearing　before　God；　that

you　are　innocent；　and　that　it　is　a　cruel　abuse　of　justice　to　compel

you　to　witness　this　frightful　spectacle。〃



The　executioner　then　made　him　kneel　down；　bound　his　legs　to　one　of

the　beams　erected　on　the　scaffold；　and　having　bandaged　his　eyes；

shattered　his　head　with　a　blow　of　his　mallet；　then；　in　the　sight

of　all；　he　hacked　his　body　into　four　quarters。　　The　official　party

then　left；　taking　with　them　Bernardo；　who；　being　in　a　state　of　high

fever；　was　bled　and　put　to　bed。



The　corpses　of　the　two　ladies　were　laid　out　each　on　its　bier　under

the　statue　of　St。　Paul；　at　the　foot　of　the　bridge；　with　four　torches

of　white　wax；　which　burned　till　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　then；

along　with　the　remains　of　Giacomo；　they　were　taken　to　the　church　of

San　Giovanni　Decollato；　finally；　about　nine　in　the　evening；　the　body

of　Beatrice；　covered　with　flowers；　and　attired　in　the　dress　worn　at

her　execution；　was　carried　to　the　church　of　San　Pietro　in　Montorio；

with　fifty　lighted　torches；　and　followed　by　the　brethren　of　the　order

of　the　Stigmata　and　all　the　Franciscan　monks　in　Rome；　there；

agreeably　to　her　wish；　it　was　buried　at　the　foot　of　the　high　altar。



The　same　evening　Signora　Lucrezia　was　interred；　as　she　had　desired　to

be；　in　the　church　of