Don Tarquinio; A Kataleptic Phantasmatic Romance

DON TARQUINIO

\The author reserves U. S.,

serial,

dramatic,

and

translation rights.]

DON TARQUINIO A KATALEPTIC PHANTASMATIC

ROMANCE

BY

FR.

ROLFE

AUTHOR OF " HADRIAN THE SEVENTH,"

ETC.

LONDON

CHATTO

&

WINDUS

1905

TO

H.

R.

FROM HIS

AFFECTIONATE BROTHER

To

some, Love comes so splendid and so soon,

With such wide That

wings, and steps so royally,

they, like sleepers

wakened suddenly

Expecting dawn, are blinded by His noon.

To

some, Love comes so silently and late, all unheard He is ; and passes by,

That

Leaving no

gift

but a remembered sigh,

While they stand watching But some know Love

at

at the

another gate.

enchanted hour

Him singing like a bird afar Him coming like a falling star

hear

They They see They meet His

:

:

eyes

and

all

:

their world's in flower.

ETHEL CLIFFORD.

PROLOGUE DEAR HERBERT:

When

the

last

a certain idiot asked

of one day in the in

was a-dying,

century

me

to write the history

man of

of a

life

the era of the Borgia.

It

fashion

was to include

every single act and

deed of his during a because it was given four-and-twenty hours wanted for a magazine, which proposed to :

of such histories illustrating the manners and customs of the Smart Set publish

a

series

in all ages.

Of

course

graphs which

I

instantly thought of the holo-

Don

toletes Poplicola edification

Tarquinio Giorgio Drakondi Santacroce wrote for the

of his son

port to have

Prospero.

been written about

as the leisurely effort of a ix

man

They

pur-

1523-1527,

of unbounded

PROLOGUE

x

energy very anxious to express himself; and there was one of them which certainly seemed

my

pat to

Don

all

doings

Tarquinio's

m

fr

1495,

(

actually did describe

It

purpose.

on

one day in

a little before) 6 p.m. to 6 p.m.

round the clock.

was very exciting and

It

very comical.

So as

did

I

But

it.

readily

you'll

that the frightful

age

man wrote an

No

Latin.

was

:

which was

of his own, wasn't

was by no means easy understand when I hint it

Greek

macaronics

his English tralator's difficulties

And boil

down

You

see,

that

I

was

he

to

But

explained

with a wealth of

my

down

set

did.

a

into

terms of

the

gentleman

And

book

a

it

he all

detail

:

but

it

his

consider

!

what

again, think

then

jargon

where

doubt the fashion of

write

to

all

Italian

it

means to

magazine article. commission were everything did so

such

a

the lot.

voluminously,

which simply could

not be omitted.

And

of

course

my

version

was

rejected.

PROLOGUE was

It

mere category

a

xi

not

a

story.

I

myself could see that. I

the

put

curses,

on

the

a

in

thing

who

idiot

cupboard with had invited me

on myself enough to waste four months

do a

to ass

make

to

useless

in

trying

of a silken purse

out

sow's ear

a

for being

thing,

mean, in attempting to compress a piece of real and serious and elaborate history, and an amazingly amusing character study, I

and a breathlessly ture,

a

into

intricate

story

adven-

of

merely ephemeral ten pages or

so of journalism.

There the papers lay until a week ago, when I had just finished my new book,

and was rummaging

among my belongings with the idea of tidying-up before beginning something fresh. They looked

as

though

they

might

be

interesting. I

took

them

out

;

and

conned

them

over. Little

by

little

I

saw what

an

accented

PROLOGUE

xii

fool

had been not to

I

own

Don

let

own

Tarquinio

quaint

acute

humorous sensuous conscientious way.

For

tell

it's

his

tale,

nonsense

all

his

in

to

say

that

Fifteenth

the

Century can't possibly speak to the Twentieth, because it is the Fifteenth and not the

and because those two centuries

Twentieth, haven't got have.

It's

And,

me

to

Common Denominator. Human Nature. a

since

so,

write

a

which

Catholic clergymen, or

silly

bothering

always

you're

book

not

is

my

Waterman's Ideal be

let

and

tralate to

You'll

you Don

find

him

about

incomprehensible

abnormal modernities antiquities, or I'll

They

his

for once

Barnum,

Tarquinio's holograph.

and

his

fellows just

as

and comically silly, and just as haphazardly and unexpectedly wise, and just deliciously

and just as bad, as the people whom you meet every day of your life, who always go such a frightfully long way round in as good,

their

not

endeavours to attain their objects, and bit like the disagreeably unnatural

a

PROLOGUE in

people

In

books who

ordinary

do the right thing right moment. short,

if

beings, these are

in

you're

the

tells

plight

the

right

risked

Great Ban,

should, and to

at

the

human

in

his

says of himself, and

Mark how

longings.

his

life

anxious

live,

and to

to

to

win act

love.

From CRABS HERBOROUGH,

On

way

your ones.

story of his fortunate

the

how he

and

persistently

interested

Read what Tarquinio his

xiii

the Feast of Saint Mildred.

day. release

as

he

Learn

a

from prince

DON TARQUINIO i

DURING

the

of

paparchy

Guicciardini

from

the

present year,

Clement,

1

of the

first

Messer

Francesco

and Messer Paolo Giovio came

Fiorenza,

bringing

written manuscripts

:

me

to

to the

their

end that

I

well-

might

read the same, and praise them or vituperate

them, as well for the purity of the good of the race of men.

But the

said manuscripts

letters as for

ought to be burned

;

and no copy of them ought to be preserved. These scribes are, as I have said, of Fiorenza

;

and they have written of events which took 2 place in the City when they were little boys. 1

Pope

Clement

Seventh

began

" to a the only " City

Roman.

the

A.D. 1523. 2

Rome

is

to

reign

DON TARQUINIO

2

They have no means of knowing these events, They have dared to except from hearsay. that which

write

they have

man Roman

impossible for any to

fully

of

intreat

Fiorentini

And

always

of Fiorenza truth-

by cause Carthaginian, which

of the hatred, indelible, all

for they

:

But we know well that

certainly never saw. it is

heard

bear

events,

Romans.

us

to

myself do know these their histories for I indeed was to be false and shameful I

:

concerned in the the City, at

making of history here in the same time of which these men

have dared to write mendaciously. Messer Francesco is a rather vain vacuous

man, incapable of dealing with grave matters. I

believe that

his shallow

he wisheth to be honest

mind causeth him to

:

but

collect gossip,

without testing its truth, as may be seen in the manuscript wnich he will not burn, where

They

say,

and

It

is

and

said,

and other suchlike forms are

Messer

Paolo,

on

the

written gossip as though

it

I

am

told that,

reiterated.

other

hand,

hath

were history: nor

DON TARQUINIO hath he deemed tions

Moreover, when

Francesco.

of his

The

in these three

I

showed

plainly

words, saying

:

people wish to be deceived.

them

deceive

will

Messer

that, to

responded

And,

aforesaid

mine own knowledge, certain allegations were false, he audaciously

him how

"

qualify his asser-

to

right

manner of the

the

in

it

3

an

after

return

in

hundred

I

will 1

for

gold

sequins.

years,

my

mendacity

have become verity."

The

said

Messer Paolo thus hath confessed

himself to be a

liar,

flagrant, impenitent.

So

long as he was content to write of those things of which he had cognition, for example the

Book About

Fishes 2 which

printed, so long he as a rather

used his 1

but

The it

lately

hath

been

was worthy of observance

pagan man who diligently But, seeing that he ability.

rustic

little

gold zecchino was worth about half-a-guinea,

had about four times the

latter's

purchasing

value. 2

I

suppose isy

Don

Tarquinio to mean

De

published A.D. 1524. I

2

Piscibus

DON TARQUINIO

4

falsehoods

but

also openly hath boasted of the same, let

him

not

and

hath written

only

his

It

dead be anathema. that

simple matter.

a

is

me

to

appeareth

history

many

the

writing

of

Let each man,

from the age of puberty, write of the things So few men can which happen to himself. that

write

written.

more

not

Also,

than

enough

will

be

some men, having been born

under benignant stars, will rise while others, having been born under malignant stars, will :

fall.

The

their

successors

writings of the will

will live

;

and

by reading what

profit

The

they have written.

first

writings of the second

die and disappear with the corruptible carcase

of their writers.

Wherefore

myself will write the history

I

of one day of mine thou,

my

son,

mayst

own

life,

learn

in

the

order that

true

method

of writing history that is to say, with knowledge, with a share in the fact, with truth as :

before

the

of persons

priest,

and

with things,

accurate

descriptions

but chiefly

without

DON TARQUINIO desire

any

of

persuading.

5

But

the

four

stumbling-blocks to truth, which the Anglican

mage are

1

must be avoided, and they

invented,

:

The

influence of fragile or

thority

Custom

The

unworthy au-

:

:

imperfection of undisciplined senses

:

Concealment of ignorance by ostentation of seeming wisdom. Furthermore, as to what truth

is, I

will say

faith

from the truths of our most holy which are of divine revelation and there-

fore

not to be questioned, the truth

that, apart

is

that

which every man may acquire from the apprehensive nature of perfectly cultivated senses :

or, is

as

the

Zeno

the Stoic saith, the test of truth

Kataleptic

o Prospero,

I will

the evidence of 1

Phantasm.

For

this cause,

write history for thee from

my

proper senses alone, and

This would be Br. Roger Bacon, O.F.M.

DON TARQUINIO

6

not from the

of ungoverned and

idle reports

ungovernable tongues. to write the I will choose day on which

history of the

was delivered from

I

disability,

of the day on which Alexander, magnificent, I will invincible, made me what I now am. write

history of

the

that day,

had no

Of

share.

know

But, to

write.

things were done in which

many

little

these

of

Cardinal

of

Borgia

The

Prince

Ferrara,

and

Prince

Squillace,

should

persons,

and

write

seeing that 1

of

I

I

will

I

knoweth and

as

as

I

am

I

will write.

the

Gioffredo other

am moved, capable,

and

Nevertheless,

none of these have written, thou

Regnator Olympl

The 2

as

2

1

innumerable

moved

be

and should be capable should

Olympos

that

must

needs

things

I

the history of that day

absolutely as the Ruler of it,

On

fortunate day.

my

is

Don

Tarquinio's designation

Deity.

am

led

to

Machiavelli called

believe

The

that

Prince

Cardinal of Valencia, and later

this viz.,

Duke

is

he

whom

Cesare (Borgia), of Valentinois.

DON TARQUINIO be content to take

shalt

a

good enough

at

that

that

wish

I

be

It will

father.

history, seeing

making and

its

history of that

the

day from me, thy loving

7

assisted

I

to

tell

the

truth.

Thou

1 know, o virginal Prospero, that, in the year MCCCCLXXXXV after the Admirable Parturition of the Mother-Maid, our house was

shalt

For xij years before, on the ninth day of the kalends of March, mine uncle and our baron Madonno Francesco, the same who suffering for

its sins.

was the model for Messer Simone Fiorentini's 2 image of our primate Saint George of Seriphos, had been stabbed in a brawl by one of the

We instantly had

infamous Dellavalle.

leagued

with Orsini against this our hereditary

enemy

This Prospero was born xiii Sept. 1513 /.*., under the Sign Virgo and the Planet Mercury. He seems to have been of a singularly pure mind, very He left a studious, and an excellent man of affairs. 1

great

name behind him

nuncio 1

;

and

as cardinal, plenipotentiary,

as the introducer of tobacco into Italy.

This sculptor was commonly known

tello.

The

and

image of

St.

George

is

as

at Florence.

Dona-

DON TARQUINIO

8

and Colonna

and had comported ourselves in such wise that, during iij months, the blood of ;

those monsters

But,

City.

of ridding

befouled

when we were this

the

in the very article

land of those

George our

Saint

in

every gutter

even as

reptiles,

progenitor ridded his

said

of Seriphos of the pterodactyl, for very few

Isle

of them

remained

1

Paparch

His

Own

alive,

reinforced

then

our Lord the

them with the bands of

house of Dellarovere and with those

of Riarj to which He was allied by the marriage of His sister. Then indeed we tolerated many

His

evils.

the

said

man,

City,

Sanctity expelled us

woman,

priest,

from

all

and

child,

encumbering us with the Great Ban so that we never should return ; and, further, He ordained

the

Catinari.

2

cause

my

where we 1

2

of

demolition It

was done

cousin

now

;

our

and

for

buildeth that

palace this

new

on

same palace

shall live.

Xystus the Fourth (Francesco Dellarovere). Piazza Catinari, where the earthenware dishes

came from.

DON TARQUINIO my

Marcantonio,

said

g

being mine

cousin,

Being of a singular habit of mind, anxious to evade the society of most men, and not having a taste equal in age, retired to Fiorenza.

he became a disciple of Messer Lionardo da Vinci that miracle of

either for

war or

for letters,

genius,

who loved him

Phaidon

for his beautiful hair

studied

the

painting,

like bats or

castle

men might

swim with webbed

loved

whom

he

architecture,

fortifications,

arts,

of fly

ingenious with wings

feet like tritons.

of the junior branch made way to our of Deira by Squillace in the Kingdom, 1

which thou never

That

with

:

and the construction

machines whereby

We

Sokrates

as

demesne

Greater Greece,

seen

hast

was

formerly

but shalt

see.

denominated

2

by cause that while yet the City was no more than a cluster of Alban 3 shepherds' huts on Campidoglio and Latium a 1

"

Lo Regno "

/.*.,

Southern

of Naples. 8

The

line Hill.

space between the

2 rj

Italy, the

Kingdom

pe>ya\r} 'EXAa?.

two peaks of the Capito-

DON TARQUINIO

io

took kingdom, numbers of our progenitors ship from Athens, violet-crowned, immortal,

and founded

But

at

fighting

states

and

cities

Deira we

fortified

men and

youths

among

the

arteries

of these were

natives

;

and, filled

on these

shores.

ourselves, drawing

apt

war from

to

by cause

that the

with the blood of

Athenian heroes mixed with the blood of those fierce

Northmen,

vicinity

who

also

about the time when

a-building, that

is

settled

our

in

castle

say about the year

to

our

was

ML

Redemption, our potency became superior to that of all other barons of

since our Fructiferous

the said Kingdom.

But, though

we

lived in

shewing ourselves rather dangerous to any who would have been our enemies, yet we maintained ourselves with all the incessant

peace,

stringency of siege, at

first

in

preparation for

an assault by the Riarj, with our ancient foes, (which never was delivered, I suppose by cause that the whole orb of earth knew that we were very gravely to be feared being driven to bay

;)

and even afterward, when Xystus had migrated

H

DON TARQUINIO to

The Lord and

had

lost their

the Riarj and the Dellarovere

predominance,

we

our precautions, seeing that concerning

the

manner

paparch Innocent

1

abated none of

we were which

in

ignorant

new

the

would use Himself toward

us.

In those xij

o Prospero, thy

years,

father

passed from the care of nurses to boyhood and I am not to even to the gate of adolescence. intreat of those years now, nor of the manner

in

which

I

spent them.

But

I

will say that,

something of the solitary habit of Marcantonio, and being not entirely engrossed

having

by martial exercises or by human

my

fellows

made

thinking

deemed

were,

it

Maker of

I

me

learned chafe,

to

think

;

and

by cause that

I

to be a terrible sacrilege against the

the

pelled to waste

Deira,

I

letters as all

being

World

my fit

in

that

I

should be com-

among the rustics of mind and body to equal

life

any patrician in the City. My syllogism was the syllogism of the Alexandrian mages :

1

Innocent the Eighth (Giambattista Cibo).

DON TARQUINIO

12

Intelligence

God

is

must be Active :

Intelligent

Therefore, of His Nature for a force

God

not a force.

is

the Creator

Own I

Therefore,

But

at

Deira

He

create

:

:

Image He created also must Create. I

must

which engendereth nothing

is

In His

:

was

Me

:

as a bird in a cage, as a

prisoner in a dungeon, as a scorpion in a circle

of

fire

1

nor was there any release

i

Wherefore

the

new

for

of

adolescence

me. me,

exquisite, ebullient, very grievously did chafe.

But by chance, on the Valentine

occurred

in

to

the

me

year

the

of

Saint

MCCCCLXXXXV, there

Most

Cardinal- A. of Santa Lucia 1

festival

Illustrious in

Silice

Lord

alias in

Don

Tarquinio seems to have been born under the Sign Scorpio and the Planet Mars : which accounts for his queer character. I think this expression to be an allusion to the scorpion's well-known practice of

committing suicide by stinging by

fire.

itself

when surrounded

DON TARQUINIO

13

Orfea, the Prince Ippolito d'Este of Ferrara.

He

came with an admirable company out of Syracuse where he had been buying wrestlers :

was very curious in every kind of human monster, and his collection of athletes was

for he

without

He

rival.

being abnormal

:

vermilion

hat.

way of

was of the age of xvij years he had worn the

for he

and during

years,

himself also was by

ij

He

was

tall

of

frame

and

supple of sinew and mighty of limb, having fortified

his adolescence

exercises.

face

Grace and charm

of him.

with healthful

gleamed

with archery and other

with

bloomed on the

His olive-coloured skin glowed His bright black eyes pallor. grave

tranquillity,

meriting

His whole aspect was most basilical. praises. He was an expert swimmer and, with whatso;

ever weapons he adroitly strove, he did inure

himself

to

heat

and

cold

and

night-long

1

vigils.

Thou 1

shalt

know, o

my

rosy Prospero, that

Ciacconius, in his Lives of the Pontiffs, seems to

have availed himself of this description of the Cardinal of Ferrara.

DON TARQUINIO

i4

two kinds of beauty, videlicet the beauty of the body and the beauty of the soul.

there

are

The

latter

manent

;

is

be preferred: for

to

and

he

who

possesseth

is

it

per-

psychical

immortal gods, divine ones beauty Yet this kind inhabiting heavenly mansions. of beauty is not easily perceived. Wherefore is

like the

the possession of the other kind

is

much

to be

by cause that physical beauty maketh the world to turn round and to stand at gaze, desired

:

whereby perception of psychical beauty, there be, is

the

is

facilitated.

more important

when

its

first

any

Hence, physical beauty :

although, unless to

be added psychical beauty, invalid

if

it is

effect

liable to

it

become

should have faded.

But the Cardinal of Ferrara had both kinds of beauty, even as

I

the present scribe have both

kinds of beauty.

When we

first

looked upon each other, our

attention was arrested by sight

:

but,

nized each

means of the sense of

when words had other

as

passed,

we recog-

being of equal texture,

even as one star doth recognize another cross-

DON TARQUINIO

15

as travellers ing the firmament of heaven, or

returning to their dear homes recognize their

kindred standing on the threshold greeting. After many words had been spoken for, as :

soon

the glances of our eyes

as

together,

striking

the

first

clashed

of

sympathy, burned in our minds, spark

whereby a certain fire and as Harmodios and Aristogeiton loved each other so did

we

then the mighty Ippolito thus

:

addressed me " It is not meet that such an one should be :

chained

to

this

rock of

Deira,

vultures of impotent desire and

where the of annulled

energy consume thine heart and liver." Thus he spoke: but there was a his

in

saying "

mind,

perceiving which

plan

responded,

:

Only the successor of Him,

Us

and

able

to

Our house with deliver

Alexander." 1

I

;

and

Who

the Great

that

is

the

chained

Ban,

is

Paparch

1

Alexander the Sixth (Rodrigo de Borja y Borja,

commonly

called Borgia).

DON TARQUINIO

16

Ippolito answered

"

We

me

again, saying

:

Ourself are in the grace of the said

Moreover

Alexander, magnificent, invincible. the Great

Ban

not run in thy despite so

will

long as that thou shalt be in Our company and Rome hath for, where Este is, Ferrara is :

;

no

jurisdiction in Ferrara."

His saying

was a true one.

having collected heart

Cardinal of Ferrara,

anon, with the

As we

Rome.

rode,

rode to

we conversed concerning

might be manifested

exhibit

the

had not such

contended. firmed

my

me no

that,

though

limberness and quickness cause to blush while

discovery

we gave names

manner was.

appeared

when our

But,

by the

qualities,

It

irresistible strength as Ippolito

had, nevertheless

of eye gave

:

of our

nor did we omit to

beauty of our bodies in feats of

strength and agility. I

I

things, in order that the beauty

many souls

my my

turned

I

Wherefore,

familiars, with a joyful back upon Deira ; and

To

alliance

of

our

we

was conadmirable

to each other, as the

Ippolito,

I

gave the name

DON TARQUINIO 1 Hebe, on account of

17

To

his xvij years.

me,

he gave the name Sideynes, 2 on account of my xv years. And so conversing and contending,

we reached

the City.

was agreed that

It

should

I

the Estense Palace,

in

live as a

guest

such time when

until

Ippolito should find occasion for speaking of

me

to

was. City,

And so it our Lord the Paparch. But, as soon as we had invaded the

I

became conscious that

had exchanged on account of the I

one prison for another for, Great Ban, it was not convenient that :

from the Estense

out

go

decurion

3

Palace,

I

should

unless

a

of the cardinalitial familiars attended

and surrounded me. Thus,

was precluded from seeking such my youth and my spirit required.

I

adventures as

Now

and then,

order that 1 97/87;

I

I

accepted

the

restraint

:

in

might see the world's metropolis,

= youthful

prime

(in

Sparta,

the eighteenth

year). 2

aiSevvrj^

=a

youth of

fifteen

to

sixteen

(Laconian). 3

Ten

soldiers

and a lieutenant. 2

years

DON TARQUINIO

18

of which

myself was no mean

I

the estate of

my

But

citizen.

procession terribly irked

me

;

would not have gone out any more, save for a maid whom I espied on the third

and

day

I

and she was thy proper mother, o ProsFor, when I saw the tender girlishness

;

pero.

of her, and her blue-black black eyes, and her rosy

hair, flesh,

and her bluewhich was so

and pure that I knew it to be soft and firm and cool to touch, then the fire of bright

love was kindled

in

my

dear breast

;

and

I

But her very name was yearned after her. hidden from me: nor might I ask it of any, for I was environed by my guards, and she was

in

the

train

Her

of a princess.

gait

of equal age with me.

She appeared to be For which causes, I

pervaded the City

hours in hope of an

proclaimed her nobility.

at all

auspicious encounter.

Once

I

scattered primroses

of her beauty.

ward

:

but

I

low

at

the

feet

She gazed modestly downlooked where I loved.

II

THAT

was the third day. The eighth was my fortunate day. set down the history of the said day, Kal.

Mar.,

day of Mars

the

being

I

will

a.d. vij

in

the

year MCCCCLXXXXV.

Divine Phoibos was finishing his course, and his radiant horses were about to plunge

when

into the ocean-stream, trious Silice

Most

the

Lord Cardinal-A. of Santa alias in

Ferrara, with

Orfea,

Illus-

Lucia

in

Prince Ippolito d'Este of

me, Prince Tarquinio Georgio

Drakontoletes Poplicola di Hagiostayros, 1 came 1

The

gentleman's actual surname, of course, was

Santacroce

mania of the

:

his

but,

being

epoch

Greek form of

for

rabidly

infected

with

the

Greek, he must needs give

it

c

Ayioaravpos.

Regarding

his

frequent allusions to Saint George of Seriphos as his progenitor, the

curious

may remember 19

2

that

2

it

was

DON TARQUINIO

2o

meadow beyond the Milvian where we had been playing at great-

from a Bridge

certain

1

ball.

2

on

his

A

of patrician pages had played

pair

which was red

side,

pair played

on

my

side,

names of the that

portance

Many

persons

I

said pages I

should

have

and

another

which was blue

the red were victorious. the

;

but

:

cannot remember it

of im-

remember

them.

nor

:

thrown

is

the

great-ball

Deykalion threw stones and the names of the throwers have gone down into oblivion.

since

;

These throwers were among those. Having come to the bank of Tiber, we Perseys of Seriphos that Perseys'

who

slew a dragon (pterodactyl

mother Danae founded Ardea

r),

in

Latium, that Publius Valerius Poplicola came to Rome from Ardea, that the house of Santacroce descends from him,

and that the armorials of Santacroce are the armorials of Saint George, argent a cross potent gules.

which considerations a somewhat

From

startling theory

may

be formed. 1

2

Now

called

Ponte Molle.

Pallone, a deliriously scientifically ferocious

common

in Italy.

game

DON TARQUINIO

21

Indian oars-

ascended the cardinalitial barge.

men

propelled

flesh

resembled the

wheat when

as

it

and the colour of

;

some

colour of a

their

of ripe

field

zephyr sways the

delicate

stems in the sunlight not more than half rebut their eyes were like vealing poppies :

of

pools

ink,

upon

fathomless,

glittering

pearl, very beautiful, and quite unintellectual. Servitors crowded amidships.

mother

o'

Turkish

and

arbalisters

manned

Ferrara

bulwarks.

the

from

halberdiers

Pages,

in

liveries

resembling vermilion skins from toe to

throat

and

tabards, cross,

in

bearing

displayed

to

the

at

life

and

whenever

barbarians

of Gaul

on the one

Paparch the

of

Tarquinio,

would

they

cardinals

play

at

days when the Keltic

were occupying half the side

Alexander Castle

For, like

princes

great ball, in those old

in

their

prow the double-

teach discretion.

Ippolito,

risked

City

armorials on

golden, and the high Estense gonfalon,

order

like

wrist,

of

was

Tiber,

being

Santangelo

while

the

beleaguered

on the

other.

DON TARQUINIO

22

For

this cause Ippolito displayed his state,

any man of

that

who

evil

mind,

so

presumptuous,

should be tempted of the devil to molest

might know that he would incur the ban of Holy Mother Church for molesting a car-

us,

dinal

not

less

than

the

ban of Ferrara

for

molesting an Este.

The

We

above the river was growing chilly. were heated with the game needed to

air

who

continue in action, that

we might evade

perils

of ague or of fever or of the Pest, most per-

Wherefore

nicious.

as possible

I

wrestled as vigorously

with Ippolito inside

curtains of the canopied poop.

strength reduced

and he threw times, I

till

me

:

But

his great

suppleness to no price

once and twice

and

he was weary of easy victories

was weary of the carpet. Abaft Ripetta, 1 came one

rumours It

my

the vermilion

with

whom we

in a little boat

:

;

six

but

with

instantly collogued.

was said that some sort of a peace had been 1

The

port

Umbria was

where the

landed.

agricultural

produce

from

DON TARQUINIO It

patched-up.

was about

mind became inflamed with

King

we descended from

desire

having crossed the

Wherefore,

inquiry.

river,

said that the Keltic

to relinquish the City.

Ippolito's

of

was

23

the barge

and made

;

we might

haste toward Vatican, in order that

get the news from that side.

As we

hurried

through

the

streets,

heart was sad and disconsolate in

cause of

mine

my

ill-used

by of cause and by longing and I was oblivious of all

secret

body

my

mine

;

breast,

other things. Ippolito perceived to console

me,

knew not

ail

my

grief,

and

set

we walked along

as

the causes of

my

:

himself

but he

He

distress.

spoke only of the Great Ban, which indeed weighed heavily, and moreover it was the root

and source of

mine

all

For, had

ill.

been for that grave impediment,

been a

free prince

could have

won

;

I

it

not

should have

and, with

the desire of

my freedom, I my soul, and also

body to advantage. Thus passed, from grieving over

could have used

my

he spoke: but

I

DON TARQUINIO

24

mine unknown maid and

my

bruised

flesh, into

most profound trouble by cause of my disAnd that trouble was so sore that very ability. I would soon it changed into furious despair.

do

:

but

I

could not do, by cause that

To

not do.

myself

merely a bandit.

seemed

I

Yet

I

I

useless.

might I was

got no joy of

banditry as other bandits did,

my

by cause that

I

was too foolish or too wise to comport myself as a bandit.

was

Blood thoughts

;

to Vatican

and I

blinding

my

lips

mine

quivered

eyes

at

fiercely.

came, in a passion of rage.

these

Thus

Ill

I

SAW

those great stone stairs leading to the

long fortified gallery which extends from the Apostolic Palace to the Castle of Santangelo.

saw the porphyry-coloured lines of paparchal I also saw men-at-arms which guarded them. I

knots of chamberlains

the porphyry-coloured

and pages and prelates which clustered upon them. All around me were voices and the noise

of movement.

and barons, each with

Cardinals

and bishops

his

company, continually were arriving and ascending the stairs and disappearing along the gallery above, or emerging

therefrom and descending and departing. All this time, Ippolito was pouring sympathetic I

words into

my deaf ears.

contrived to hear

him say

As he

left

me,

:

" Be of good heart, O Sideynes, for thy chance may be near even now. Fortune never 25

DON TARQUINIO

26

ceaseth to turn her wheel

may Then he

to-day

pages

and

;

Our

ij

and what

is

down

be up to-morrow."

climbed the I

was

stood by a

1

;

stair,

attended by his

left alone.

window

decurions

in the hall,

remained,

very sad.

waiting

in

my

vicinity, but not so near as to intrude upon

my my

secret.

Mine

breast, silently,

which came

in

heart began to

very bitterly

weep within

but the crowds

:

and the crowds which went out

were ignorant of

my

grief.

To

the genuinely

nothing more distracting (and consoling) than the knowledge that he is aggrieved,

there

is

keeping his grievance to himself.

Anon,

a certain princess entered, attended

by

a galaxy of maids-of- honour, all chattering like

She was most virginal and young, with a long sheet of shining yellow hair flowing loosely from a garland of jacinths. Her

jays, very flippant.

robe of mulberry-coloured silk was embroidered

The paparchal pages with gold herring-bones. swept us against the wall to make a passage for her.

I

took one by the

ear,

demanding the

DON TARQUINIO lady's

name

for a very valid reason.

Madonna

that she was

said

27

Having

Lucrezia Borgia-

Sforza, the daughter of the Paparch's Sanctity,

the wife of the Tyrant of Pesaro, a pearl of

women, to

all,

with I

and good, gentle and courteous

anon he threatened

my

for

lovely

iij

abuse of his silver

tore out of

whose

But

ear.

with penalties 1

consoled him

ouches shaped like herons which

my

cloak

through the throng, to the princess

me

:

I

;

made

and, having pushed a very

low obeisance

for I wished to be seen of her

myself had noted my maid. When Madonna Lucrezia had given me a frank and simple look of admiration, for I was in

train 1

not unnotable in a knitted habit like a skin of nacre-coloured silk embroidered with a flight

of silver herons, 1 she also climbed the disappeared

:

stairs

and

but her maids-of-honour waited in

the gallery.

was standing below, strenuously looking Courtiers came forward up there, upward. I

1

The word Ardea

of Ardea

is

signifies

" a heron."

The

the cradle of the race of Santacroce.

city

DON TARQUINIO

28

to pairing with the girls, strutting

and

fro like

muster of peacocks. One of the maids had no companion. She of apes and

a troop

a

was walking by herself. An enormous baron, one of the loyal Cesarini, came from the gallery. His company gathered

round him

The

began the descent of the stair. maid also stepped down in his

as he

solitary

when

was sinking again into my melancholy; and then I saw no more of anyone,

train, just

I

but only her.

Her

sea-blue robe was girdled by great cat's-

Her mane

eyes set in gold. floated beryls.

around her from a coronal of sea-blue

There was

her eyes,

blushes

of blue-black hair

modest look of seeking in Tender half-veiled by lovely lashes. a

her

flesh.

I

watched her very cautelously, maintaining

my

brightened

dejected attitude

powers of

my

by the window, using

will to

times she passed

diaphanous

me

draw her

as she

to me.

paced the

hall.

all

the

Several

Anon

she stayed by me, lifting her lashes, fulfilling

me

with the light of her regard ; and she said

:

DON TARQUINIO "

O

art

Madonnino, why

29

thou so unutterably

sad?" and wrenched myself from my distress comported myself as one to whom a divine I

;

vouchsafed, letting a look of recog-

vision

is

nition

gradually

went to her

come

into

mine

So

eyes.

and drew her into the embrasure

;

of the window, where the mailed backs of decurion

walled

us

off

not

angry

modest, not unwilling.

but

:

dawn

in spring.

sweetly

Her mood

mine; and mine heart became sea at

I

City.

tender,

brightened

She was not mine

continued to speak.

I

:

for

said

;

I

but

which that

I

means of approaching her even now was ignorant of her name and

hitherto had had no that

I

as blithe as the

she was to be had for the asking

cause

that

my

She was

my

from the passers-by.

two firm knees, I told her had loved her since first I saw her in the

And, on

I

:

;

used the sacred language of lovers. She begged me to rise, lest some passer-by and her eyes darted should misunderstand me I

;

up the

stairs

to the other maids with

their

DON TARQUINIO

3o

She was very young, and perhaps a

partners.

by the violence of love, though I she by no means was for flying from it. stood up and, by cause that I most fervently

little

terrified

;

regarded her, she

her eyelids droop a

let

while she responded to me, telling

Anon

and condition.

in the sweet affray,

she used a

demanding

speak about myself. into

the citadel of

my

her

name

new stratagem that

I

should

was driven back

I

So,

me

little

sadness,

mine

assault

She pushed me closer, persisting, gently urging me. Anon I told her how that our house had been being prevented.

notwithstanding that we were

xij years in exile,

Book

the most noble patricians in the Golden

of

Rome

and

spoke of Saint George the Dragon-slayer of Seriphos, of the Great Ban, of our razed palace, of our baron fooling at ;

Fiorenza.

I

I

said

that

I

was a scion of the

younger branch, and innocent of the murders which had caused us to be banned and I ;

told her of

my

necessary to notice of

breeding, with

be

mine

known by arts

and

all

her.

parts.

other matters I

gave her

There

I

was

DON TARQUINIO

31

to serve her, as she could see, young, strong,

well-instructed, not uncomely, and burning for I also an opportunity of doing deeds. spoke of Ippolito, my friend, who had brought me to the City in search of that opportunity which

was not

at Deira.

She, with divine tenderness, feared for safety.

the

observed

precautions

and

the

privileges

the Estense familiars.

enjoyed among side of these things, I

as yet

our

said

I

Further,

We

mine house.

He

to reign.

So

had been

laid

if

bade her to know that

Paparch

had not manifested

and,

I

He

Wherefore

how

whom

I

so

well

might execute that Alexander so far

special

virulence

were bandits when found

us.

willed,

He

had taken the

toward

He

began

The Great Ban

on us by His

of meeting an opportunity. her

But, by

was not a notable person upon

Lord the

justice.

my

gave her confidence again, reciting

I

predecessors

could

annul

the sake

risk, for

And

;

it.

1

showed

that Ippolito, being in the Paparch's

was watching daily for a fortunate moment in which to plead my case. Not

favour,

DON TARQUINIO

32 that

wished to sue for favours

I

:

but

was

I

seeking an opportunity for doing some signal service,

which should merit and compel pa-

parchal approbation.

But, until

my

preferred to help myself.

I

should have been re-

disability

was (so I said) like a prisoner chains, unable to use myself.

moved,

She moved a

little

nearer to me, lifting the

sweet deep wells of her eyes for in

;

"

and she

O

said

I

I

O

Madonnina,

pity,

responded,

instantly

proper eyes to hers, saying |

Memoria'

lingered

fecit

mirabiliu'

suoru'

over a conserve of quinces,

etc.

I

which,

fumes and preventeth and I chatted vapours from striking upwards in Greek with Messer Pierettore Arrivabene

said Ippolito, disperseth

;

below the

dais, while

Ippolito and the Borgia

DON TARQUINIO

58

prince eagerly whispered.

When

the familiars

gone out by the lower door, we iij and went to take our washed our hands were

;

ease

in

the

secret

chamber.

Singing

boys

our progress, mingling voices with archluths, quiet, clear, and low, music delightful followed

to hear.

VI

THAT

was

secret chamber, o Prospero,

circular

and very large. The walls and the vaulted roof were covered with a veneer of ivory iij barleycorns in thickness, smoothly gleaming.

Ivory

images of fauns and nymphs as large as xj of the one, x of the other, stood

life,

on

ivory pedestals round the walls supporting the cornice.

The

said cornice

also

was of ivory

carved with a dance of satyrs in basso

Wax

torches burned on

tall

rilievo.

gold candlesticks

placed on the floor between the images, except

by the ivory door and The last was furnished with a

in the spaces occupied

the window.

balcony over Tiber the

was

City

in

;

and shewed

from Byzantion. Having washed

very thick

our 59

fingers

view of

The

darkening twilight.

covered by a

a

black

at

the

floor

carpet

gold

DON TARQUINIO

60

by the door, we composed ourselves on massive black velvet cushions, which were

lavabo

and

here

heaped up

table

a

sweetmeats

offered

upon the

low ivory to us from

drew up

Ippolito

there

a

for the

night

and

;

gold box,

cursing meanwhile by cause that the

napkins

floor.

was lacking.

of

pile

In

the

midst of his objurgations, a servitor hurried

an

with

in

the

armful,

lavabo.

same by his normal

the

depositing

Ippolito

resumed

grave smile.

The men of improving our histories

letters

swaggered

The

minds.

in,

first

bent on read

the

of Solon and Publius Valerius Popli-

cola with Parallel,

from the

|3ioi

7ra/oaXX?/Xoi

of

Messer Ploytarchos the second read a page of Messer Cicero's Oration for Caecina the :

:

third declaimed the eighteenth canto of Messer Alighieri's

lection

Paradiso

:

the

fourth

intoned

a

from the Evangel of Saint John the

Divine (whose Greek, o Prospero, is purer than that of the other Apostles, especially Saint Paul), and he used the second

volume of

that

DON TARQUINIO which

Bible

fine

mccclxxv sequins.

61

Duke Borso

cost

d'Este

1

Prince Gioffredo became uneasy in his body

:

had not expected this kind of entertainWherefore Ippolito conversed with him ment. for he

apart, while I

became obedient

to the

mages who

my masters for the nonce it being times my will, as it should be thine, were

:

mercurial son, to give acquisition

of

mental

acquisition of physical.

Tuscan

a folio of the

much

as

superiority I

at all

o

my

care

to

the

as

to

the

translated aloud into

Phaidon of Plato, that

absolute work, and a breve of Messer Plinius

from the new edition which Messer Pomponius Laetus had given to Ippolito. 2 Anon I meekly tolerated an adverse

judgment of

my

weekly

thesis, the absurd subject of which was

Irreducible

Surd

:

nor did

I

Messer Pierettore denounced Childish, for 1

About

2

No

now

I

even wince when it

by the epithet

was beyond concern for

7,500, or $37,500.

doubt

this

The

was the

edition issued in 1491.

DON TARQUINIO

62

these lesser matters, pondering the unmitigable

calamity in which

Anon

I

stood.

was Ippolito's turn to do his lessons ; and mine to amuse the guest. That one, by no means satisfied with the grave conversation it

of the cardinal, looked upon

more

suitable

companion

me

and

;

as

being a

he instantly

proposed that we should ride through the City to see the sights of the night. I was by no

means loath

to oblige

him

indeed the peril of

:

such an adventure recommended a

means of escape from

While

my

I

chose

as

melancholy.

decurion and the

being collected,

my

prince's were

mail-shirt

from a

Ippolito had obtained a few minutes'

trayful.

interval in

he

my

me

itself to

which to speed our departure

my

praised

caution

Prince

to

;

and

Gioffredo,

saying that foolhardiness was not courage, and that

vanity (however just) should

The

rashness. glittering

in

buckling-on I

was

as

the

my

comely

son

Paparch's pliant

steel,

sword-belt

;

not breed

watched while

and he

I

me was

said that

in the mail falling in escallops

DON TARQUINIO round mine haunches

Thus he

spoke

as I

and,

;

was in

63 silk or velvet.

on

finding

the

tray

another mail-shirt so fine that his two hands

plump, juicy with heat, completely covered it, he let my pages do it on him. Certainly he

made

a gallant

show

;

and a mirror taught him

that veiling the splendour of the

body

such

(in

a gleaming web) enhances the splendour of the

limbs

:

We the

which gave him great content.

mounted

word

to our

yawned

before

With

pomp

a

in the

decurions.

ij

us

court

first

;

;

The

and gave great gate

and clanged behind

of xx torches,

we

us.

clattered over

Tiber by the double-bridge and the Island. The night was young. The City was still for :

the Keltic

army

Gate and

in the

rode quietly,

chiefly lay outside the

Flaminian

Region of Campo Marzo. We bidding our guards to follow us

for so the light

:

of their torches made clear the

way, and our eyes were not dazzled with the glare.

The

Prince

of Squillace said that he was

going to amuse himself.

I,

desperate with the

DON TARQUINIO

64

oppression of

my

misery, declared that

I

also

would amuse myself, Great Ban or no Great Ban, safely or unsafely.

men

x

my

I

had

my

with their lieutenant

;

something for the sake of a

risk

sword and

and

I

little

would amuse-

ment. Gioffredo said that to be

compared

Rome

was a dull

city,

not

for gaiety with little cities like

Naples or Ferrara, seeing that Colonna and Orsini had eaten all the baronage save Cesarini, which last house alone remained leal to our

Lord arts,

and

the

One might

Paparch.

quoth he

:

or plague the rebellious barons

their Keltic friends

Palace nents.

cultivate the

:

or

sit

in the Apostolic

making and unmaking kings and contiBut these were dismal sports, quoth

he.

might go and throw stones on Campo Vaccino, 1 in defiance of the CardinalLittle vulgar boys

Vicar's edict, quoth

I.

Degenerates, quoth he, might go and gamble 1

The

waste land which occupied the side of the then unexcavated Forum.

DON TARQUINIO who

with the white-faced cardinal, the pink of fashion, but infernally

We

good

agreed

for

65 certainly

was

whose luck was too sons.

younger

that princes

were much to be

commiserated.

Formerly, quoth Gioffredo, much diversion had been gained by hunting Jews or Bargelli, 1 slicing off their noses, or other

them

:

but

now

the Paparch

exercitations,

using

the

race

accursed

ways

afflicting

prohibited these

Himself very kindly which so

feloniously

to

had

Redeemer, and being

slaughtered our Divine

determined to keep order in the City by means of the said Bargelli. Wherefore, quoth he, these

things

being

so,

and

Sanctity being not only so

the

Paparch's

good but

also so

loving and so dear that no one but a devil wil-

would offend Him, it behoved respectable princes to be at some pains in obeying Him.

fully

I

loved the boy for those words, o Prospero

for they his

showed

that a

:

good heart accompanied

handsome person and

his

Alexander the Sixth's

lightly

police.

merry

DON TARQUINIO

66

found no word to say ; and mine unhappiness overwhelmed me. We both

But

temper.

were

silent.

I

Anon we

halted on the Square of

Santangelo.

Gioffredo leaned across to me, slyly saying that I

we ought

took

fire

seek legitimate adventures. his words ; and we rode on,

to

at

through and through the Street of the Bear, peeping in the inns where foreigners lay but :

we savoured no resorts.

At

spice of adventure in the public

Saint John's of the Florentines,

agreed to prowl separately decurion,

we

and, taking each our

;

chose different roads.

went by Banchi Vecchi.

we

Gioffredo

tried Giulia Street.

I

All the shops of the archers and armourers

were shut on

Campo

de' Fiore

the houses twinkled with

the Square of Catinari

:

see the razed palace of

no

for

I

;

and the eyes of

light.

I

avoided

could not bear to

our house there

;

and

I

halted under the Capitol at the foot of Toasted

Beans Lane.

was drowning in the cold waters of unhappiness. I also was molested by I

the pangs of hunger

:

for study

doth augment

DON TARQUINIO

67

the carnal appetite most wonderfully, and, at

was necessary also that I continually should heap fuel on the furnace of the prime of mine adolescence. I diverged at a right angle, that time,

it

proceeding through a series of narrow

and by the black bulk of Rotondo of Pigna,

Region Eustace

where

:

being

chambers and see for myself,

for

it

me

to

Square dismounted at

I

famous

already

which had

the

in

the

of

Saint

the

new

Ippolito had spoken of this place,

Falcon Inn. as

to

streets,

1

its

for

antic viands

and to

gratified

taste

mine

;

its

and

grotesque I

wished to

food similar to that

illustrious forefathers

:

seemed that such a diversion would enable

overcome the malignance of my stars. The chamber, which I chose, was shaped like

an isoskelene triangle couped at the apex by a circular alcove about iij braccie 2 in diameter. The

door was walls

in

the

base

and roof and

colour.

The

last

of the triangle.

The

were porphyrystrewn with lemon

tiled floor

was

verbena, a most delicious odour, invigorating, 1

The

Pantheon.

2

7 feet 8 inches.

52

DON TARQUINIO

68

The

passion-inspiring.

cushions. their

The

shuttered

coloured curtains.

A

porphyry-

rush-seated settle waited

table in the

vij wicks smiled

windows concealed

white and

behind

blindness

by a bronze

alcove was a couch of

middle

and

lamp of While I de-

;

from overhead.

manded supper of the innkeeper,

I

a

dismissed

cap and cloak into the alcove, giving

my

my

sword

by the bench, washing mine hands and combing mine hair as though there was no such thing as wretchedness on this orb of earth. leave to rest

He

named

foetida, a

a

boiled owl farced with assa-

roasted wild-boar with sweet

sauce

and pine-kernels, a bear's hams, and a baked I chose the boar and the porpenporpentine. tine for my proper repast, with a measure of the black wine of Marino

hams and

xj

black 1

sturdy

I

sent the bear's

measures of wine to

paying two double giulj

A

and

;

Roman

1

my

decurion,

for the entertainment.

hob, in snowy linen with

hosen and leathern bellyband, brought

The

double giulio was worth (say) a florin, but had about four times the latter's purchasing value.

DON TARQUINIO

69

He

napery and the apparatus of the table.

came again with

rush

loose

wine-flask's

on each hand, and the

a dish

cover

This time,

strong white teeth.

his

gripped in

a clean-limbed

youngster accompanied him, precociously and grandly formed, having a wonderful freshness

of complexion, short curly brown

hair,

and an

expression of disgust in his frank eyes.

The

Prospero, and

mirror

the

is

eye

it

is

of

of

kinds,

ij

the

soul,

o

videlicet the

The open eye open eye and the shut eye. denoteth a soul which is ready, willing, able, to enter

peer

:

into

unreserved

not

abnegating

communion its

with

its

but

proper rights,

sharing the same, according to the precepts of nobility. veil

is

true

those

The

shut eye

is

drawn continually, or

image of the

soul.

unfortunate

persons

poorness of

spirit or

from

that eye wherein a at will, before the It

appertaineth

ceal their souls in selfish solitude.

o Prospero. of all White

My

from

who, either

vileness,

to

wish to con-

Note

this,

proper preference (like that

Men)

is

for the

open eye

;

and,

DON TARQUINIO

70

having seen this youngster, I knew that some benignant star had deigned to send me one with

whom

was

I

in

sympathy

;

and

addressed

I

myself to wait for further manifestations. The boy appeared to be clothed on his arms

and he

and the outsides of

his sides

really

his legs

:

but

was covered from throat to wrist and

foot with a single garment

of knitted wool,

resembling a skin, myrtle-green

with a wide

He

central stripe of flesh-colour, very ingenious.

did table-service inaccurately and disdainfully.

was plain that he never had served, and that he was accustomed to be served. Not a word It

was

When I

I

had

performed

the

last lavation,

on the bench, stretching out my length and I formed a totally erroneous

lay back

legs at

idea I

mine hunger.

said while I satiated

;

of

the

avocation

did not speak

:

furiously blushed

The set

of

mine

attendant.

He

but only looked at him. ;

and

his eyes flamed.

.

.

.

events of the next quarter-hour will be

forth in

another history,

Prospero, wilt read to the age of

xv

when thou

years.

.

.

.

which thou, o shalt

have come

DON TARQUINIO Anon, having summoned declared //

my

will to

him.

I

my

71 I

lieutenant,

would rescue these

children, taking the lad behind

but he would take the girl behind

decurion was to close our rear

;

saddle

my

The

his.

and

all

:

was to

be swiftly done.

So

it

There were

was done.

and

protests

outcries at the door, a fine affray, hard blows

stung more than one with

and

I

But,

when we were

sword.

my

free of the crowd,

I

;

changed

pursuers into scramblers, by scattering the contents of I

my

burse on the cobble-stones

escaped with

my

We galloped

;

and so

spoils.

through the Square of Navona

1 Region of Parione j and, by the tortuous lanes of the Region of Ponte to Saint John's of

in the

the Florentines. Straightly behind

me

balanced, hands

haunches, the lad rode. spell 1

on

his

Strange was that fierce

of riding through the darkness of night.

The

fourteen

Regions."

districts

of

Rome were

called

VII

THE

of Tiber City was quiet on the other side

and where we halted the

:

but,

on our right hand,

camp, now blazing with torches, like a swarm of wasps. My guards

Keltic

hummed

lighted their

own

torches

from the lanthorn

which hung before the image of Saint John

at

the street corner.

We

went onward slowly, through Banchi Vecchi and by the Cenci Palace, in search of Gioffredo Pierleone,

:

1

whom we much

found near the

fort

of

disordered in his habits, his

hosen being full of dried peas of which his Their laughter decurion was relieving him. prevented

words

my

giving favour to 1

I

suppose

Marcellus

this

which

eleventh century.

for a

my to

the It is

time.

tongue, be

the

Pierleone

now 72

I

Wherefore,

consigned the

ruined

Theatre of

fortified

in

the Palazzo Savelli.

the

DON TARQUINIO Keltic lad to one of

my

73

proper guards

when anon Gioffredo had remounted, we on side by side. He was very adventures in

a

loquacious Jew's

and,

;

ij

concerning

rode

his

house, which used to

stand by St. George's of the Golden Sail and the arch of Janus, where certain Jewesses had

been

him.

entertaining

But,

their

father

having returned unexpectedly from some nocturnal orgy, they had hidden Gioffredo in the pea-bin

from which uncomfortable abode he

:

at length

emerged, deeming the moment con-

venient for

But the

said

Jew, having found a strange sword, was on the watch and Gioffredo had only furiously withstood him. flight.

;

a poignard and a mail-shirt, the latter in his

hand instead of on

his

body

:

but, nevertheless,

he had bidden old Abraham to bethink himself, seeing that the said poignard had been used for

carving pork. self the

more

;

But the Jew had enraged himand Gioffredo, having all his

points untrussed and his hosen about his feet,

was unable to run.

Wherefore, taking the

DON TARQUINIO

74

by the sleeves, he swinged at his opponent such a blow that he fell prone, over mail-shirt

whom

incontinently rolling, the Paparch's son

He

contrived to get into the street. his

sword and

his

garments: but his

and

had

lost

and he had spoiled speech was so comical,

his boots

;

(when the movement

his occasional jerks

of his horse caused him to

sit

upon

a forgotten

by degrees dismissed the severity with which I at first was inclined to treat him. And pea)

also

so

was no

I

we came

saint myself.

So

I

And

said.

in silence to the Fabrician Bridge.

Gioffredo affectionately inquired the cause of

my grow

silence,

saying

that

thinking

made one

old.

To whom

I

responded, saying that

I

was

unhappy, and that all these games appeared to be only vain and rather silly, seeing that there

were

many

other

worthier

princes of our quality.

occupations

for

But, remembering that

Gioffredo was a guest, anon

changed my mood, whether he wend to Vatican. would lightly asking

He

would not

;

I

but he demanded half of

bed for the night, commanding

my

his decurion to

DON TARQUINIO

75

from Traspontina, 1 for him to don on the morrow. And so we bring a valise of

new

habits

entered the palace.

Some malignant star caused a misfortune at our entrance. The soldier, who had my Keltic on

lad

his horse's

crupper, dismounted; and

Near by, ij began to unbuckle the girth. pages had been fighting ; and one was bewailing and

letting drip a bleeding nose.

of the blood enraged the

The odour

stallion,

on whose

bare back the Keltic lad was sitting sideways,

waiting for orders. his leg over bridle.

;

That one promptly flung

and, leaning forward, seized the

Insued sudden dispersal of the crowd,

wild galloping through the courtyards, sidelong

sweepings and rushings, heavenward tossings, frantic plungings ; but the rider sat erect, tense as

young Bellerophon before Chimaira, gripped

to his steed

was 1

a very

The

by thighs and knees.

grand

Indeed,

it

spectacle.

palace of the Cardinal of Saint Mary's across

the Bridge, by the Vatican.

Borgia princes.

It

was rented

for the

DON TARQUINIO

76

While we Ippolito

:

all

were gazing, the noise disturbed

who came bounding down

arch beneath the hall.

stair,

through the low

beast dashed

as the furious

the

That

cardinal instantly

cast his cardinalature to the iiij winds, leaping

and

at

tearing

the

muffling

strength,

bitt

the

with

the

gigantic

head in

his

grooms ran

up

stallion's

vermilion mantle, while

his

and hobbled the dire hooves.

Anon before

the Keltic lad dismounted; and stood us,

blushing,

trembling,

bright-eyed,

brave, a slender supple figure, with articulations

His glance strayed She stood still where she had

of most delicate distinction.

toward the

girl.

been placed at

first.

that I myself

was miserable.

Gioffredo's eyes

began to goggle. Ippolito looked from the

stranger to me.

In admiring him,

Having whispered what was necessary I

announced to the other

Most

Illustrious

of Ferrara.

The

I

forgot

to the one,

Ippolito's condition of

Lord Cardinal-A. and Prince Keltic lad kneeled; and did

obeisance to the sapphire.

DON TARQUINIO Ippolito

resumed

asking the lad to

his

name

77

cardinalature,

stiffly

himself.

That one responded, saying that he was the Vicomte Rene XVIIII Raoul Alain Gabriel Marie de

Sainctrose,

Vidame de

Sainctrose,

and now, o Prospero, thou knowest how thy father, and thy god1 first became father, and Renato's, acquainted Sieur de Chastelmondesir

;

each with other.

We

all

much

were

demanded more news.

astonished.

To whom

Ippolito

the Vicomte

de Sainctrose was pleased to say that his father

had

had

Estienne

two

brothers,

who was

father

the

videlicet

to

Sieur

Damoiselle

the

Estelle there present and cousin of the speaker,

and the Sieur Guichart who was father

Damoiseau Armand then absent but

1

the

and mother long had lived

This would be

that

in

journal.

so

olympian

magnanimous Renato, son of

Marcantonio here mentioned, of

Gheraldo Pinarj

also cousin

Further he said that his own

of the speaker. father

to the

deliciously

has

whom Dom

written

in

his

DON TARQUINIO

78

mansions

l :

that his uncle Estienne had

the same road at Michaelmas

by

:

Guichart, being then his warden and the

and wishing to have

own

his

son, kept

his

gone

that his uncle girl's,

demesne and hers

them both

for

hardly, fearing by

cause that they loved one another.

Wherefore,

on the day of the dead, 2 those to

their

parents

with

the

ij had prayed gods, and anon

escaped into the forest belonging to the said

Vicomte de Sainctrose, intending to love and to But a company of Egyptians had die there. captured

them; and had brought them, with

other stolen children, by long roads to the City, selling

them

as slaves.

Ippolito interrupted, saying something about

an

evil trade.

The Vicomte

indignantly gainsaid

him

:

as-

severating that he himself and his cousin had

been but a night and a day in the City; and that, as he was not alone, it behoved him to use 1

A

pretty

way

of saying that they were gone to

heaven. 2

All Souls' Day, the second of November.

DON TARQUINIO

79

He

subtilty for the sake of his said cousin.

denied

that

he had followed

having a knife, to

evil

trade,

which either would cause force

would open Paradise

or

flee,

an

him then speaking. Ippolito still demurred

and

for the girl

for

saying

:

but Rene persisted,

:

" The Giorgio

Most

Prince

Illustrious

Drakontoletes

Tarquinio di

Poplicola

Hagio-

words and kindlike, the

stayros used princely

from strangers during many months for which cause We wished to let him know that a first

:

Keltic noble could be as generous as a

Roman

patrician."

And

he added, in the Greek tongue, that he venerated me as his Deliverer. 1

As thou

well knowst, o Prospero, the road to

my love lieth through that last

Hellas

;

and,

word of the Vicomte de

bowels yearned because of him.

2

Don

2

Tarquinio was a great one

the evidence of his senses.

The

when

I

heard

Sainctrose, I

said

my

:

for judging by brave and pitiful little

DON TARQUINIO

8o

" Tell us thine age, o Damoiseau."

He

responded to me, saying that the nones of April would mark the opening of his fifteenth year.

When

I

understood that he had been born

Ram

under the

and Mars, the cause of

extraordinary courage

manner

his

and of the astounding

which he had governed his affairs, at once became clear to me. Desiring to be assoin

vicomte had told an amazing

tale

;

and there was not

If this had happened

a shred of corroborative detail.

in the nineteenth century, they of course

interned the couple in

more or

until they had obtained a

which any

the fifteenth century, believed

Own

in

delicacy

;

and,

But

it

when men

Who

God,

Image

criminal seclusion,

pack of identificatory papers

can forge.

fool

less

would have

had

luckily

men

(being

made

them

they

consequently,

happened

felt

in

of sense) in His

no

false

about assuming for themselves some of the

truth

when

example, the power of recognizPrince they saw and heard it.

Tarquinio

heard

the

divine attributes

ing

for

Vicomte

de

Sainctrose

:

he

looked into his open eyes ; and decided that the thing was true saving himself (and everyone else) an infinity of trouble

by

rris

sensibility.

DON TARQUINIO elated

with

an

such

deliberations with these