the prince-第25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！


surrendered；　and　with　Stefano　were　immediately　thrown　into　prison　and　put　to　death。　Meanwhile　the　Florentines　had　recovered　San　Miniato；　whereupon　it　seemed　advisable　to　Castruccio　to　make　peace；　as　it　did　not　appear　to　him　that　he　was　sufficiently　secure　at　Lucca　to　leave　him。　He　approached　the　Florentines　with　the　proposal　of　a　truce；　which　they　readily　entertained；　for　they　were　weary　of　the　war；　and　desirous　of　getting　rid　of　the　expenses　of　it。　A　treaty　was　concluded　with　them　for　two　years；　by　which　both　parties　agreed　to　keep　the　conquests　they　had　made。　Castruccio　thus　released　from　this　trouble；　turned　his　attention　to　affairs　in　Lucca；　and　in　order　that　he　should　not　again　be　subject　to　the　perils　from　which　he　had　just　escaped；　he；　under　various　pretences　and　reasons；　first　wiped　out　all　those　who　by　their　ambition　might　aspire　to　the　principality；　not　sparing　one　of　them；　but　depriving　them　of　country　and　property；　and　those　whom　he　had　in　his　hands　of　life　also；　stating　that　he　had　found　by　experience　that　none　of　them　were　to　be　trusted。　Then　for　his　further　security　he　raised　a　fortress　in　Lucca　with　the　stones　of　the　towers　of　those　whom　he　had　killed　or　hunted　out　of　the　state。

Whilst　Castruccio　made　peace　with　the　Florentines；　and　strengthened　his　position　in　Lucca；　he　neglected　no　opportunity；　short　of　open　war；　of　increasing　his　importance　elsewhere。　It　appeared　to　him　that　if　he　could　get　possession　of　Pistoia；　he　would　have　one　foot　in　Florence；　which　was　his　great　desire。　He；　therefore；　in　various　ways　made　friends　with　the　mountaineers；　and　worked　matters　so　in　Pistoia　that　both　parties　confided　their　secrets　to　him。　Pistoia　was　divided；　as　it　always　had　been；　into　the　Bianchi　and　Neri　parties；　the　head　of　the　Bianchi　was　Bastiano　di　Possente；　and　of　the　Neri；　Jacopo　da　Gia。　Each　of　these　men　held　secret　communications　with　Castruccio；　and　each　desired　to　drive　the　other　out　of　the　city；　and；　after　many　threatenings；　they　came　to　blows。　Jacopo　fortified　himself　at　the　Florentine　gate；　Bastiano　at　that　of　the　Lucchese　side　of　the　city；　both　trusted　more　in　Castruccio　than　in　the　Florentines；　because　they　believed　that　Castruccio　was　far　more　ready　and　willing　to　fight　than　the　Florentines；　and　they　both　sent　to　him　for　assistance。　He　gave　promises　to　both；　saying　to　Bastiano　that　he　would　come　in　person；　and　to　Jacopo　that　he　would　send　his　pupil；　Pagolo　Guinigi。　At　the　appointed　time　he　sent　forward　Pagolo　by　way　of　Pisa；　and　went　himself　direct　to　Pistoia；　at　midnight　both　of　them　met　outside　the　city；　and　both　were　admitted　as　friends。　Thus　the　two　leaders　entered；　and　at　a　signal　given　by　Castruccio；　one　killed　Jacopo　da　Gia；　and　the　other　Bastiano　di　Possente；　and　both　took　prisoners　or　killed　the　partisans　of　either　faction。　Without　further　opposition　Pistoia　passed　into　the　hands　of　Castruccio；　who；　having　forced　the　Signoria　to　leave　the　palace；　compelled　the　people　to　yield　obedience　to　him；　making　them　many　promises　and　remitting　their　old　debts。　The　countryside　flocked　to　the　city　to　see　the　new　prince；　and　all　were　filled　with　hope　and　quickly　settled　down；　influenced　in　a　great　measure　by　his　great　valour。

About　this　time　great　disturbances　arose　in　Rome；　owing　to　the　dearness　of　living　which　was　caused　by　the　absence　of　the　pontiff　at　Avignon。　The　German　governor；　Enrico；　was　much　blamed　for　what　happenedmurders　and　tumults　following　each　other　daily；　without　his　being　able　to　put　an　end　to　them。　This　caused　Enrico　much　anxiety　lest　the　Romans　should　call　in　Ruberto；　the　King　of　Naples；　who　would　drive　the　Germans　out　of　the　city；　and　bring　back　the　Pope。　Having　no　nearer　friend　to　whom　he　could　apply　for　help　than　Castruccio；　he　sent　to　him；　begging　him　not　only　to　give　him　assistance；　but　also　to　come　in　person　to　Rome。　Castruccio　considered　that　he　ought　not　to　hesitate　to　render　the　emperor　this　service；　because　he　believed　that　he　himself　would　not　be　safe　if　at　any　time　the　emperor　ceased　to　hold　Rome。　Leaving　Pagolo　Guinigi　in　command　at　Lucca；　Castruccio　set　out　for　Rome　with　six　hundred　horsemen；　where　he　was　received　by　Enrico　with　the　greatest　distinction。　In　a　short　time　the　presence　of　Castruccio　obtained　such　respect　for　the　emperor　that；　without　bloodshed　or　violence；　good　order　was　restored；　chiefly　by　reason　of　Castruccio　having　sent　by　sea　from　the　country　round　Pisa　large　quantities　of　corn；　and　thus　removed　the　source　of　the　trouble。　When　he　had　chastised　some　of　the　Roman　leaders；　and　admonished　others；　voluntary　obedience　was　rendered　to　Enrico。　Castruccio　received　many　honours；　and　was　made　a　Roman　senator。　This　dignity　was　assumed　with　the　greatest　pomp；　Castruccio　being　clothed　in　a　brocaded　toga；　which　had　the　following　words　embroidered　on　its　front：　〃I　am　what　God　wills。〃　Whilst　on　the　back　was：　〃What　God　desires　shall　be。〃

During　this　time　the　Florentines；　who　were　much　enraged　that　Castruccio　should　have　seized　Pistoia　during　the　truce；　considered　how　they　could　tempt　the　city　to　rebel；　to　do　which　they　thought　would　not　be　difficult　in　his　absence。　Among　the　exiled　Pistoians　in　Florence　were　Baldo　Cecchi　and　Jacopo　Baldini；　both　men　of　leading　and　ready　to　face　danger。　These　men　kept　up　communications　with　their　friends　in　Pistoia；　and　with　the　aid　of　the　Florentines　entered　the　city　by　night；　and　after　driving　out　some　of　Castruccio's　officials　and　partisans；　and　killing　others；　they　restored　the　city　to　its　freedom。　The　news　of　this　greatly　angered　Castruccio；　and　taking　leave　of　Enrico；　he　pressed　on　in　great　haste　to　Pistoia。　When　the　Florentines　heard　of　his　return；　knowing　that　he　would　lose　no　time；　they　decided　to　intercept　him　with　their　forces　in　the　Val　di　Nievole；　under　the　belief　that　by　doing　so　they　would　cut　off　his　road　to　Pistoia。　Assembling　a　great　army　of　the　supporters　of　the　Guelph　cause；　the　Florentines　entered　the　Pistoian　territories。　On　the　other　hand；　Castruccio　reached　Montecarlo　with　his　army；　and　having　heard　where　the　Florentines'　lay；　he　decided　not　to　encounter　it　in　the　plains　of　Pistoia；　nor　to　await　it　in　the　plains　of　Pescia；　but；　as　far　as　he　possibly　could；　to　attack　it　boldly　in　the　Pass　of　Serravalle。　He　believed　that　if　he　succeeded　in　this　design；　victory　was　assured；　although　he　was　informed　that　the　Florentines　had　thirty　thousand　men；　whilst　he　had　only　twelve　thousand。　Although　he　had　every　confidence　in　his　own　abilities　and　the　valour　of　his　troops；　yet　he　hesitated　to　attack　his　enemy　in　the　open　lest　he　should　be　overwhelmed　by　numbers。　Serravalle　is　a　castle　between　Pescia　and　Pistoia；　situated　on　a　hill　which　blocks　the　Val　di　Nievole；　not　in　the　exact　pass；　but　about　a　bowshot　beyond；　the　pass　itself　is　in　places　narrow　and　steep；　whilst　in　general　it　ascends　gently；　but　is　still　narrow；　especially　at　the　summit　where　the　waters　divide；　so　that　twenty　men　side　by　side　could　hold　it。　The　lord　of　Serravalle　was　Manfred；　a　German；　who；　before　Castruccio　became　lord　of　Pistoia；　had　been　allowed　to　remain　in　possession　of　the　castle；　it　being　common　to　the　Lucchese　and　the　Pistoians；　and　unclaimed　by　eitherneither　of　them　wishing　to　displace　Manfred　as　long　as　he　kept　his　promise　of　neutrality；　and　came　under　obligations　to　no　one。　For　these　reasons；　and　also　because　the　castle　was　well　fortified；　he　had　always　been　able　to　maintain　his　position。　It　was　here　that　Castruccio　had　determined　to　fall　upon　his　enemy；　for　here　his　few　men　would　have　the　advantage；　and　there　was　no　fear　lest；　seeing　the　large　masses　of　the　hostile　force　before　they　became　engaged；　they　should　not　stand。　As　soon　as　this　trouble　with　Florence　arose；　Castruccio　saw　the　immense　advantage　which　possession　of　this　castle　would　give　him；　and　having　an　intimate　friendship　with　a　resident　in　the　castle；　he　managed　matters　so　with　him　that　four　hundred　of　his　men　were　to　be　admitted　into　the　castle　the　night　before　the　attack　on　the　Florentines；　and　the　castellan　put　to　death。

Castruccio；　having　prepared　everything；　had　now　to　encourage　the　Florentines　to　persist　in　their　desire　to　carry　the　seat　of　war　away　from　Pistoia　into　the　Val　di　Nievole；　therefore　he　did　not　move　his　army　from　Montecarlo。　Thus　the　Florentines　hurried　on　until　they　reached　their　encampment　under　Serravalle；　intending　to　cross　the　hill　on　the　following　morning。　In　the　meantime；　Castruccio　had　seized　the　castle　at　night；　had　also　moved　his　army　from　Montecarlo；　and　marching　from　thence　at　midnight　in　dead　silence；　had　reached　the　foot　of　Serravalle：　thus　he　and　the　Florentines　commenced　the　ascent　of　the　hill　at　the　same　time　in　the　morning。　Castruccio　sent　forward　his　infantry　by　the　main　road；　and　a　troop　of　four　hundred　horsemen　by　a　path　on　the　left　towards　the　castle。　The　Florentines　sent　forward　four　hundred　cavalry　ahead　of　their　army　which　was　following；　never　expecting　to　find　Castruccio　in　possession　of　the　hill；　nor　were　they　aware　of　his　having　seized　the　castle。　Thus　it　happened　that　the　Florentine　horsemen　mounting　the　hill　were　completely　taken　by　surprise　when　they　discovered　the　infantry　of　Castruccio；　and　so　close　were　they　upon　it　they　had　scarcely　time　to　pull　down　their　visors。　It　was　a　case　of　unready　soldiers　being　attacked　by　ready；　and　they　were　assailed　with　such　vigour　that　with　difficulty　they　could　hold　their　own；　although　some　few　of　them　got　through。　When　the　noise　of　the　fighting　reached　the　Florentine　camp　below；　it　was　filled　with　confusion。　The　cavalry　and　infantry　became　inextricably　mixed：　the　captains　were　unable　to　get　their　men　either　backward　or　forward；　owing　to　the　narrowness　of　the　pass；　and　amid　all　this　tumult　no　one　knew　what　ought　to　be　done　or　what　could　be　done。　In　a　short　time　the　cavalry　who　were　engaged　with　the　enemy's　infantry　were　scattered　or　killed　without　having　made　any　effective　defence　because　of　their　unfortunate　position；　although　in　sheer　desperation　they　had　offered　a　stout　resistance。　Retreat　had　been　impossible；　with　the　mountains　on　both　flanks；　whilst　in　front　were　their　enemies；　and　in　the　rear　their　friends。　When　Castruccio　saw　that　his　men　were　unable　to　strike　a　decisive　blow　at　the　enemy　and　put　them　to　flight；　he　sent　one　thousand　infantrymen　round　by　the　castle；　with　orders　to　join　the　four　hundred　hor