the daughter of an empress-第39部分

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〃That　young　nobleman　had　mocked　and　made　a　laughing…stock　of　me　in　a　public　company；〃　calmly　replied　the　cardinal；　〃hence　it　was　natural　that　he　must　die。　Revenge　is　the　first　duty　of　man；　and　whoever　neglects　to　take　it　is　dishonored！〃

〃And　such　men　dare　to　call　themselves　Christians！〃　exclaimed　Ganganelli；　with　uplifted　arms〃and　such　men　call　themselves　priests　of　the　religion　of　love！〃

〃I　am　a　priest　of　love！〃　said　Albani。

〃But　of　what　love？〃　responded　the　pope；　with　an　appearance　of　agitation〃the　priest　of　a　wild；　beastly　passion；　of　a　rough　animal　inclination。　You　know　nothing　of　the　soft　and　silent　love　that　ennobles　the　heart　and　strengthens　it　for　holy　resolutions；　which　inculcates　virtue　and　decency；　and　lifts　up　the　eyes　to　heavenof　that　love　which　is　full　of　consolation　and　blessed　hope；　and　desires　nothing　for　itself。〃

〃God　save　me　from　such　a　love！〃　said　the　cardinal；　crossing　himself。　〃When　I　love；　I　desire　much；　and　of　virtue　and　perfection　there　is；　thank　God；　no　question。〃

〃Repent；　amend；　Francesco；〃　said　the　pope。　〃I　promised　your　uncle；　the　very　worthy　Cardinal　Alessandro　Albani；　once　more　to　attempt　the　course　of　mildness；　and　exhort　you　to　return　to　the　path　of　virtue。　Ah；　could　you　have　seen　the　poor　old　man；　with　tears　streaming　from　his　blind　eyestears　of　sorrow　for　you；　whom　he　called　his　lost　son！〃

〃My　uncle　did　very　wrong　so　to　weep；〃　said　the　cardinal。　〃Blind　as　he　was　he　yet　kept　a　mistress。　How；　then；　can　he　wonder　that　I；　who　can　see；　kept　several？　Two　eyes　see　more　than　none；　that　is　natural！〃

〃But　do　you；　then；　so　wholly　forget　your　solemn　oath　of　chastity　and　virtue？〃　excitedly　exclaimed　the　pope。　〃Look　upon　the　cross　that　covers　your　breast；　and　fall　upon　your　knees　to　implore　the　pardon　of　God。〃

〃This　cross　was　laid　upon　my　breast　when　I　was　yet　a　boy；〃　gloomily　responded　the　cardinal；　〃the　fetters　were　attached　to　me　before　I　had　the　strength　to　rend　them；　my　will　was　not　asked　when　this　stone　was　laid　upon　my　breast！　Now　I　ask　not　about　your　will　when　I　seek；　under　this　weight；　to　breathe　freely　as　a　man！　And；　thank　God；　this　weight　has　not　crushed　my　heartmy　heart；　that　yet　glows　with　youthful　freshness；　and　in　which　love　has　found　a　lurking…hole　which　your　cross　cannot　fill　up。　And　in　this　lurking…hole　now　dwells　a　charming；　a　wonderful　woman；　whom　Rome　calls　the　queen　of　song；　and　whom　I　call　the　queen　of　beauty　and　love！　All　the　world　adjudges　her　the　crown　of　poesy；　and　only　you　refuse　it　to　her。〃

〃Again　this　old　complaint！〃　said　the　pope；　with　a　slight　contraction　of　his　brow。　〃You　again　speak　of　her〃

〃Of　Corilla；〃　interposed　the　cardinal〃yes　of　Corilla　I　speak；　of　that　heavenly　woman　whom　all　the　world　admires；　to　whose　beautiful　verses　philosophers　and　poets　listen　with　breathless　delight；　and　who　well　deserves　that　you　should　reward　her　as　a　queen　by　bestowing　upon　her　the　poetic　crown！〃

〃I　crown　a　Corilla！〃　mockingly　exclaimed　the　pope。　〃Shall　a　Corilla　desecrate　the　spot　hallowed　by　the　feet　of　Tasso　and　Petrarch？　No；　I　say；　no；　when　art　becomes　the　plaything　of　a　courtesan；　then　may　the　sacred　Muses　veil　their　heads　and　mourn　in　silence；　but　they　must　not　degrade　themselves　by　throwing　away　the　crown　which　the　best　and　noblest　would　give　their　heart's　blood　to　obtain。　This　Corilla　may　bribe　you　poor　earthly　fools　with　her　smiles　and　amorous　verses；　but　she　will　not　be　able　to　deceive　the　Muses！〃

〃You　refuse　me；　then；　the　crowning　of　the　renowned　improvisatrice　Corilla？〃　asked　the　cardinal；　with　painfully　suppressed　rage。

〃I　refuse　it！〃

〃And　why；　then；　did　you　send　for　me？〃　exclaimed　the　cardinal　with　vehemence。　〃Was　it　merely　to　mock　me？〃

〃It　was　for　the　purpose　of　warning　you；　my　son！〃　mildly　responded　the　pope。　〃For　even　the　greatest　forbearance　must　at　length　come　to　an　end；　and　when　I　am　compelled　to　forget　that　you　are　Alessandro　Albani's　nephew；　I　shall　then　only　have　to　remember　that　you　are　the　criminal　Francesco　Albani；　whom　all　the　world　condemns；　and　whom　I　must　judge！　Repent　and　reform；　my　son；　while　there　is　yet　time；　and；　above　all　things；　renounce　this　love；　which　heaps　new　disgrace　upon　your　family　and　overwhelms　your　relatives　with　sorrow　and　anxiety！〃

〃Renounce　Corilla！〃　cried　the　cardinal。　〃I　tell　you　I　love　her；　I　adore　her；　this　heavenly；　beautiful　woman！　How　can　you　ask　me　to　renounce　her？〃

〃Nevertheless　I　do　demand　it；〃　said　the　pope　with　solemnity；　〃demand　it　in　the　name　of　your　father；　in　the　name　of　God；　against　whose　holy　laws　you　have　sinnedyou；　His　consecrated　priest。〃

〃But　that　is　an　impossibility！〃　passionately　exclaimed　Francesco。　〃One　must　bear　a　heart　of　stone　in　his　bosom　to　require　it；　and　that　you　can　do　so　only　proves　that　you　have　never　known　what　it　is　to　love！〃

〃And　that　I　can　do　so　should　prove　to　you　that　I　have　indeed　known　it；　my　son！〃　sadly　responded　the　pope。

〃Whoever　has　known　love　knows　that　there　can　be　no　renunciation！〃

〃And　whoever　has　known　love　can　renounce！〃　exclaimed　the　pope；　with　animation。　〃Listen　to　me；　my　son；　and　may　the　sad　story　of　a　short　happiness　and　long　expiation　serve　you　as　a　warning　example！　You　think　I　cannot　have　known　love？　Ah；　I　tell　you　I　have　experienced　all　its　joys　and　all　its　sorrowsthat　in　the　intoxication　of　rapture　I　once　forgot　my　vows；　my　duties；　my　holy　resolutions；　and；　doubly　criminal；　I　also　taught　her　whom　I　loved　to　forget　her　own　sacred　duties　and　to　sin！　Ah；　you　call　me　a　saint；　and　yet　I　have　been　the　most　abject　of　sinners！　Under　this　Franciscan　vesture　beat　a　tempestuous；　fiery　heart　that　derided　God　and　His　laws；　a　heart　that　would　have　given　my　soul　to　the　evil　one；　had　he　promised　to　give　me　in　exchange　the　possession　of　my　beloved！　She　was　beautiful；　and　of　a　heavenly　disposition；　and　hence；　when　she　passed　through　the　aisles　of　the　church；　with　her　slight　fairy　form；　her　angelic　face　veiled　by　her　long　dark　locks；　her　eyes　beaming　with　love　and　pleasure；　a　heavenly　smile　playing　about　her　lipsah；　when　she　thus　passed　through　the　church；　her　feet　scarcely　touching　the　floor；　then　I；　who　awaited　her　in　the　confessional；　felt　myself　nearly　frantic　with　ecstasy；　my　brain　turned；　my　eyes　darkened；　there　was　a　buzzing　in　my　ears；　and　I　attempted　to　implore　the　aid　and　support　of　God。〃

〃You　should　have　appealed　to　Cupid！〃　said　the　cardinal；　laughing。　〃In　such　a　case　aid　could　come　only　from　the　god　of　ancient　Rome；　not　of　the　modern！〃

The　old　man　noticed　not　his　words。　Wholly　absorbed　in　his　reminiscences；　he　listened　only　to　the　voice　of　his　own　breast；　saw　only　the　form　of　the　beautiful　woman　he　had　once　so　dearly　loved！

〃God　listened　not　to　my　fervent　prayers；〃　he　continued；　with　a　sigh；　〃or　perhaps　my　stormily　beating　heart　heard　not　the　voice　of　God；　because　I　listened　only　to　her；　because　with　intoxicated　senses　I　was　listening　to　the　modest；　childishly　pure　confession　which　she；　kneeling　in　the　confessional；　was　whispering　in　my　ears；　because　I　felt　her　breath　upon　my　cheeks　and　in　every　trembling　nerve　of　my　being。　And　one　day；　overcome　by　his　glowing　passion；　the　monk　so　far　forgot　his　sworn　duty　as　to　confess　his　immodest　and　insane　love　for　the　wife　of　another　man！〃

〃Ah；　she　was；　then；　married？〃　remarked　the　cardinal。

〃Yes；　she　was　married；　sold　by　her　own　parents；　sacrificed　at　the　shrine　of　mammon；　married　to　a　man　whom　she　did　not　and　could　not　love；　and　who　pursued　her　with　an　insane　jealousy。　Ah；　she　suffered　and　suffered　with　the　uncomplaining　calmness　of　an　angel。　And　I；　did　I　not　also　suffer？　We　wept　together；　we　complained　together；　until　our　hearts　at　length　forgot　complaining；　and　an　unspeakable；　a　terrible　happiness；　made　us　forget　our　troubles。　I　had　forgotten　allmy　God；　my　clerical　vows；　she　also　had　forgotten　allher　husband；　her　vow　of　fidelity；　and　if　a　thought　of　these　things　sometimes　intruded　upon　our　moments　of　happiness；　it　only　caused　us　to　plunge　into　new　delights；　and　to　lull　ourselves　anew　into　a　blessed　forgetfulness！〃

〃And　the　good；　jealous　husband　remarked　nothing？〃　asked　the　cardinal。

〃He　remarked　nothing！　He　loved　me；　he　confided　in　me；　he　called　me　his　friend；　and　when　he　was　compelled　to　take　a　long　journey；　he　confided　to　me　his　house　and　his　wife；　establishing　me　as　the　guard　of　her　virtue！〃

The　cardinal　broke　out　into　loud　laughter。　〃These　good　husbands；〃　said　he；　〃they　are　all　alike　to　a　hair。　Every　one　has　a　friend　in　whom　he　confides；　and　it　is　that　very　friend　who　betrays　him。　They　must　all　fulfil　their　destinies；　these　good　husbands！　Relate　further；　holy　father！　Your　story　is　very　entertaining。　I　am　curious　to　hear　the　end！〃

〃The　end　was　terrible；　replete　with　horror　and　shame；〃　said　the　pope。　〃We　lived　blessed　days；　heavenly　nights。　Oh；　we　were　so　happy　that　we　hardly　had　a　thought　for　our　criminality；　but　only　for　our　love。　One　night　there　was　a　knocking　at　the　closed　door　of　the　house；　and　we　shudderingly　recognized　the　voice　of　the　husband　demanding　admission。〃

〃And　you　were　not　at　all　in　a　situation　to　grant　it　to　him；〃　laughingly　interposed　the　cardinal。　〃He　might；　perhaps；　have　been　not　a　little　astonished；　this　good　husband；　that　you　watched　by　night　as　well　as　by　day　the　temple　of　his　wedded　happiness。〃

〃With　tears　of　anguish　and　terror　she　conjured　me　to　fly；　to　save　her　from　the　derision　of　the　world　and　the　anger　of　her　husband。　She　led　me　to　a　secret　stairway；　and　I；　like　a　madman　pursued　by　the　furies；　was　hastening　to　descend；　when　my　foot　slipped　and　I　fell　down　the　stairs　with　a　loud　clattering　noise。　I　felt　the　blood　oozing　from　my　breast　and　pouring　from　my　mouth　in　a　warm　streammy　limbs　pained　me　frightfullybut　I　picked　myself　up　and　with　extremest　suffering　fled　to　my　cloister；　when；　having　reached　my　cell；　I　fell　senseless。　A　long　illness　now　confined　me　to　my　bed　and　tortured　my　body　with　frightful　pains；　but　far　more　frightful　were　the　tortures　of　my　soul；　more　frightful　the　voices　that　day　and　night　whispered　to　me　of　my　crime　and　guiltiness！　My　conscience　was　fully　awakened；　it　spoke　to　me　in　a　voice　of　thunder；　and　like　a　worm　I　turned　upon　my　bed　of　pain；　imploring　of　God　a　little　mercy　for　the　torments　that　burned　my　brain！　This　time　God　permitted　Himself　to　be　found　by　me；　I　heard　his　voice；　saying：　'Go　and　repent；　and　thy　s