the daughter of an empress-第58部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃

And　while　the　improvisatrice　was　thus　speaking　to　herself；　she　had　mechanically　adorned　her　person　with　the　brilliants；　attaching　the　beautiful　collar　to　her　neck；　the　long　pendants　to　her　ears；　and　placing　the　splendid　diadem　upon　her　brow。

She　looked　exceedingly　beautiful　in　these　ornaments；　and　consequently　rejoiced　that　her　friend　Cardinal　Francesco　Albani　came　at　this　precise　moment。

〃He　will　be　ravished？〃　said　she；　with　a　smile；　advancing　to　meet　him　with　the　proud　and　imposing　dignity　of　a　queen。

〃You　are　beautiful　as　a　goddess！〃　exclaimed　the　cardinal；　〃and　whoever　sees　you　thus　has　seen　the　protecting　divinity　of　ancient　Rome；　the　sublime　Juno；　queen　of　heaven！〃

〃Were　I　Juno；　would　you　consent　to　be　my　Vulcan？〃　roguishly　asked　Corilla。

〃No；〃　said　Albani；　laughing；　〃the　noble　Juno　was　not　exactly　true　to　her　Vulcan；　and　I　require　a　faithful　love！　Would　you　be　that；　Corilla？〃

〃We　shall　see；〃　said　she；　changing　the　arrangement　of　the　diadem　before　the　glass〃we　shall　see；　my　worthy　friend。　But　forget　not　the　conditionsfirst　the　laurel…crown！〃

〃You　shall　have　it！〃　triumphantly　responded　the　cardinal。

〃Are　you　certain　of　that？〃　asked　Corilla；　with　flashing　eyes　and　glowing　cheeks。

Cardinal　Francesco　Albani　smiled　mysteriously。

〃Pope　Ganganelli　is　ill；〃　said　he；　〃and　it　is　thought　he　will　die！〃



THE　DOOMING　LETTER

Groaning；　supported　by　his　faithful　Lorenzo's　arm；　Pope　Ganganelli　slowly　moved　through　the　walks　of　his　garden。　Some　months　had　passed　since　the　suppression　of　the　order　of　the　Jesuitshow　had　these　few　months　changed　poor　Clement！　Where　was　the　peace　and　cheerfulness　of　his　face；　where　was　the　sublime　expression　of　his　features；　the　firm　and　noble　carriage　of　his　bodywhere　was　it　all？

Trembling；　shattered；　with　distorted　features；　and　with　dull；　half…　closed　eyes；　crawled　he　about　with　groans；　his　brow　wrinkled；　his　lips　compressed　by　pain　and　inward　sorrow。

No　one　dared　to　remain　with　him；　he　spoke　to　no　one。　But　Lorenzo　was　yet　sometimes　able　to　drive　away　the　clouds　from　his　brow；　and　to　recall　a　faint　smile　to　his　thin　pale　lips。

He　had　also　to…day　succeeded　in　this；　and　for　the　first　time　in　several　weeks　had　Ganganelli；　yielding　to　his　prayers；　consented　to　a　walk　in　the　garden　of　the　Quirinal。

〃This　air　refreshes　me；〃　said　the　pope；　breathing　more　freely；　〃it　seems　as　if　it　communicated　to　my　lungs　a　renewed　vital　power　and　caused　the　blood　to　flow　more　rapidly　in　my　veins。　Lorenzo；　this　is　a　singularly　fortunate　day　for　me；　and　I　will　make　the　most　of　it。　Come；　we　will　repair　to　our　Franciscan　Place！〃

〃That　is　an　admirable　idea；〃　said　Lorenzo；　delighted。　〃If　your　holiness　can　reach　it；　you　will　recover　your　health；　and　all　will　again　be　well。〃

Ganganelli　sighed；　and　glanced　toward　heaven　with　a　sad　smile。

〃Health！〃　said　he。　〃Ah；　Lorenzo；　that　word　reminds　me　of　a　lost　paradise。　The　avenging　angel　has　driven　me　from　it；　and　I　shall　never　see　it　again。〃

〃Say　not　so！〃　begged　Lorenzo；　secretly　wiping　a　tear　from　his　cheek。　〃No；　say　not　so；　you　will　certainly　recover！〃

〃Yes；　recover！〃　replied　the　pope。　〃For　death　is　a　recovery；　and　in　the　end　perhaps　the　most　real。〃

They　silently　walked　on；　and　making　a　path　through　the　bushes；　they　at　length　arrived　at　the　place；　with　the　construction　of　which　Lorenzo　had　some　months　before　surprised　the　pope；　and　which　Ganganelli　had　since　named　the　〃Franciscan　Place。〃

〃So；〃　joyfully　exclaimed　Lorenzo；　while　the　exhausted　pope　glided　down　upon　the　grass…bank〃so；　brother　Clement；　now　let　us　be　cheerful！　You　know　that　here　we　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　the　pope。　You　have　yourself　declared　that　here　you　would　be　brother　Clement；　and　nothing　more；　now　brother　Clement　was　always　a　healthy　man；　full　of　juvenile　spirits　and　strength。〃

〃Ah；　my　friend；〃　responded　Ganganelli；　〃I　fear　the　pope　has　secretly　followed　brother　Clement　even　to　this　place；　and　even　here　no　longer　leaves　him　free！　No；　no；　it　is　no　longer　brother　Clement　who　sits　groaning　here；　it　is　the　vicegerent　of　God；　the　father　of　Christendom；　the　holy　and　blessed　pope！　And　if　you　knew；　Lorenzo；　what　this　vicegerent　of　God　has　to　suffer　and　bear；　how　his　blood　like　streams　of　fire　runs　through　his　veins；　carbonizing　his　entrails　and　parching　the　roof　of　his　mouth；　so　that　the　tongue　fast　cleaves　to　it；　and　he　has　no　longer　the　power　to　complain　of　his　misery！　And　such　a　crushed　earth…worm　this　miserable；　infatuated　people　call　the　vicegerent　of　God；　before　whom　they　bow　in　the　dust！　Ah；　foolish　children；　are　you　not　yourselves　disgusted　with　your　masquerade；　and　do　you　not　blush　for　this　jest？〃

〃See　you　not；〃　said　Lorenzo；　with　forced　cheerfulness；　〃that　since　you　are　here　you　have；　against　your　will；　again　become　brother　Clement；　and　inveigh　against　God's　vicegerent　who　holds　his　splendid　court　in　the　Vatican　and　Quirinal！　Yes；　yes　that　was　what　brother　Clement　used　to　do　in　the　Franciscan　convent；　he　was　always　scolding　about　the　pope。〃

〃And　yet　he　let　men　befool　him　and　make　a　pope　of　him；〃　said　Ganganelli。　〃Ah；　Lorenzo；　they　were　indeed　good　purposes　that　decided　me；　and　good　and　holy　resolutions　were　in　me　when　I　bore　this　crown　of　St。　Peter　for　the　first　time。　Ah；　I　was　then　so　young；　not　in　years；　but　in　hopes　and　illusions。　I　was　so　enthusiastic　for　the　good　and　noble；　and　I　wished　to　serve　it；　to　honor　and　glorify　it　in　the　name　of　God！〃

〃And　in　the　end　you　have　done　so！〃　solemnly　responded　Lorenzo。

〃I　have　wished　to　do　so！〃　sighed　Ganganelli；　〃but　there　it　has　ended。　I　have　been　hemmed　in　everywhere；　wherever　I　wished　to　press　through；　I　have　always　found　a　wall　before　mea　wall　of　prejudices；　of　ancient　customs；　once　received　as　indifferent；　and　at　this　wall　my　cardinals　and　officials　held　watch；　taking　care　that　my　will　should　be　broken　against　it；　and　not　be　able　to　speak　through；　in　order　to　let　in　a　little　freedom；　a　little　fresh　air；　into　our　walled　realm！　They　have　curbed　and　weakened　my　will；　until　nothing　more　of　it　subsists；　and　of　my　holiest　resolutions　they　have　made　a　scarecrow　before　which　foreign　kings　and　princes　cry　murder；　and　prophesy　the　downfall　of　their　kingdoms　if　I　adhere　to　my　innovations。　Ah；　the　princes；　the　princes！　I　tell　you；　Lorenzo；　it　is　the　princes　who　have　undermined　the　happiness　of　the　world　with　their　ideas　of　absolute　power；　they　are　the　robbers　of　all　mankind；　for　freedom；　which　is　the　common　property　of　all　men；　that　have　they；　like　regular　lawless　highwaymen；　appropriated　for　themselves　alone。　They　plundered　the　luck…pennies　of　all　mankind；　and　coined　them　into　money　adorned　with　their　likenesses；　and　now　all　mankind　run　after　this　money；　thinking：　'If　I　gain　that；　then　shall　I　have　recovered　my　part　of　human　happiness　which　once　belonged　to　all　in　common！'　It　has　come　to　this；　Lorenzo；　through　the　rapacity　of　princes；　and　yet　they　still　tremble　upon　their　thrones；　and　fear　that　the　people　may　one　day　awake　from　their　stupid　slumber；　all　rising　as　one　man；　and　cry　in　the　paling　faces　of　their　robbers：　'Give　back　what　you　have　taken　from　uswe　will　have　what　is　ours；　we　require　freedom　and　human　right；　we　will　no　longer　remain　slaves　to　tremble　before　a　bugbear；　we　will　be　free　children　of　God；　and　have　no　one　to　fear　but　the　God　above　us　and　the　consciences　within　our　own　breasts！'　Come　down；　therefore；　from　your　usurped　thrones；　become　once　more　humanlabor；　enjoy；　complain；　and　rejoice；　as　other　men　do；　live　not　upon　the　sweat　of　your　subjects；　but　nourish　yourselves　by　your　own　efforts；　that　justice　may　prevail　in　the　world；　and　humanity　regain　its　rights！〃

And　Ganganelli's　eyes　flashed；　his　sunken　cheeks　were　feverishly　flushed；　while　he　was　thus　speaking。　Lorenzo　observed　it　with　anxious　eyes；　and　when　the　pope　made　a　momentary　pause；　he　said：　〃You　are　again　altogether　the　good　and　brave　brother　Clement；　but　even　he　should　think　about　sparing　himself！〃

〃And　to　what　end　should　he　spare　himself？〃　excitedly　exclaimed　Ganganelli；　〃Death　sits　within　me　and　laughs　to　scorn　all　my　efforts；　burying　himself　deeper　and　deeper　in　my　inward　life。　You　must　know；　Lorenzo；　that　my　cause　of　sorrow　is　precisely　this；　that　I　now　live　in　vain；　and　that　I　cannot　finish　what　I　began！　I　wished　to　make　my　people　happy　and　free；　that　was　what　alarmed　all　these　princes；　that　was　an　unheard…of　innovation；　and　they　have　all　put　their　heads　together　and　whispered　to　each　other；　'He　will　betray　to　mankind　that　they　have　rights　of　which　we　have　robbed　them。　He　wishes　to　give　back　to　mankind　his　inherited　portion　of　the　booty！　But　what　will　then　become　of　us？　Will　not　our　slaves　rise　up　against　us；　demanding　their　human　rights？　We　cannot　suffer　such　innovations；　for　they　involve　our　destruction！'　Thus　have　they　cried；　and　in　their　anxiety　they　have　decided　upon　my　death！　Then　they　threw　me　in　a　crumb　exactly　suited　to　my　dreams　of　improving　the　happiness　of　the　people；　they　all　consented　that　I　should　relieve　mankind　from　that　dangerous　tapeworm；　Jesuitism；　and　with　secret　laughter　thought；　'It　will　be　the　death　of　him！'　And　they　were　right；　these　sly　princes；　it　will　be　the　death　of　me！　I　have　abolished　the　order　of　Jesuitsin　consequence　of　which　I　shall　die　but　the　Jesuits　will　live；　and　live　forever！〃

The　echo　of　approaching　footsteps　was　now　heard；　and；　sinking　with　fatigue；　he　directed　Lorenzo　to　go　and　meet　the　intruder；　and　by　no　means　to　let　any　one　penetrate　to　him。

Returning　alone；　Lorenzo　handed　the　pope　a　letter。

〃The　courier　whom　you　sent　out　some　days　since　has　returned；〃　said　he。　〃This　is　his　dispatch。〃

Taking　the　letter；　with　a　sad　smile；　the　pope　weighed　it　in　his　hand。　〃How　light　is　this　little　sheet；〃　said　he；　〃and　yet　how　heavy　are　its　contents！　Do　you　know　what　this　letter　contains；　Lorenzo？〃

〃How　can　I？　A　poor　cloister　brother　is　not　all…knowing！〃

〃This　letter；〃　said　the　pope；　with　solemnity；　〃Brings　me　life　or　death。　It　is　the　answer　of　the　learned　physician；　Professor　Brunelli；　of　Bologna！〃

〃You　have　written　to　him？〃　asked　Lorenzo；　turning　pale。

〃I　wrote　him；　particularly　describing　my　condition　and　sufferings；　in　God's　name　I　conjured　him　to　tell　me　the　truth；　and　Brunelli　is　a　man　of　honor；　he　will　do　it！　Am　I　right；　therefore；　in　saying　that　the　contents　of　this　lett