the daughter of an empress-第59部分

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li　is　a　man　of　honor；　he　will　do　it！　Am　I　right；　therefore；　in　saying　that　the　contents　of　this　letter　are　very　heavy？〃

Lorenzo　trembled；　and；　grasping　the　pope's　hand；　he　hastily　and　anxiously　said：　〃No；　read　it　not。　Of　what　use　will　it　be　to　learn　its　contents？　It　is　tempting　God　to　endeavor　to　learn　the　future　in　advance！　Let　me　destroy　this　fatal　letter！〃

And；　while　his　faithful　servant　respectfully　stood　back；　Ganganelli　broke　the　seal。

A　pause　ensueda　long；　excruciating　pause！　Lorenzo；　kneeling；　prayed　Pope　Ganganelli　read　the　letter　of　the　physician　of　Bologna。　His　face　had　assumed　a　mortal　pallor；　while　reading；　his　lips　trembled；　and　tear…drops　rolled　slowly　down　over　his　sunken　cheeks。

Falling　from　his　hand；　the　letter　rustled　to　the　earth；　with　hanging　head　and　folded　hands　sat　the　pope。　Lorenzo　was　still　upon　his　knees　praying。　Ganganelli　suddenly　raised　his　head；　his　eyes　were　turned　heavenward；　a　cheerful；　God…given　peace　beamed　from　his　eyes；　and　with　a　clear；　exulting　voice；　he　said：　〃Lord；　Thy　will　be　done！　I　resign　myself　to　Thy　holy　keeping。〃

〃The　letter；　then；　brings　good　news？〃　asked　Lorenzo；　misled　by　the　joyfulness　of　the　pope。　〃There　is；　then；　no　ground　for　the　presentiments　of　death；　and　the　learned　doctor　says　you　will　live？〃

〃The　life　eternal；　Lorenzo！〃　said　Ganganelli。　〃This　letter　confirms　my　suppositions！　Brunelli　is　a　man　of　honor；　and　he　has　told　me　the　truth。　Lorenzo；　would　you　know　what　signifies　this　consuming　fire；　this　weariness　and　relaxation　of　my　limbs？　It　is　the　effect　of　/Acqua　Tofana/！〃

〃Oh；　my　God；〃　shrieked　Lorenzo；　〃you　are　poisoned！〃

〃Irretrievably；〃　calmly　responded　the　pope；　〃Brunelli　says　it；　and　I　feel　in　my　burning　entrails　that　he　speaks　the　truth。〃

〃And　are　there　no　remedies？〃　lamented　Lorenzo；　wringing　his　hands。　〃No　means　at　least　of　prolonging　your　life？〃

〃There　is　such　a　means；　and　Brunelli　recommends　it。　The　application　of　the　greatest　possible　heat；　the　production　of　a　continual　perspiration；　which　may　a　little　retard　the　progress　of　the　evil；　and　perhaps　prolong　my　life　for　a　few　weeks！

〃Lorenzo；　it　is　my　duty　to　struggle　every　day　with　death。　I　have　yet　much　to　complete　before　I　die；　yet　much　labor　before　I　go　to　my　eternal　rest；　and；　as　far　as　I　can；　I　must　bring　to　an　end　what　I　have　commenced　for　the　welfare　of　my　people！　Come；　Lorenzo；　let　us　return　to　the　Vatican；　set　pans　of　coals　in　my　room；　procure　me　furs　and　a　glowing　hot　sun！　I　would　yet　live　some　weeks！〃

With　feverish　impetuosity　Ganganelli　grasped　Lorenzo's　arm　and　drew　him　away。　Then；　suddenly　stopping；　he　turned　toward　his　favorite　place。

〃Lorenzo；〃　he　said　in　a　low　tone；　and　with　deep　sadness；　〃it　was　yet　very　pleasant　in　the　Franciscan　cloister。　Why　did　we　not　remain　there？　Only　see；　my　friend；　how　beautifully　the　sun　glitters　there　among　the　pines；　and　how　delightfully　this　air　fans　us！　Ah；　Lorenzo；　this　world　is　so　beautiful；　so　very　beautiful！　Why　must　I　leave　it　so　soon？〃

Lorenzo　made　no　answer；　he　could　not　speak　for　tears。

Ganganelli　cast　a　long　and　silent　glance　around　him；　greeting　with　his　eyes　the　trees　and　flowers；　the　green　earth　and　the　blue　sky。

〃Farewell；　farewell；　thou　beautiful　Nature！〃　he　whispered　low。　〃We　take　our　leave　of　each　other。　I　shall　never　again　see　these　trees　or　this　grassy　seat。　But　you；　Lorenzo；　will　I　establish　as　the　guardian　of　this　place；　and　when　you　sometimes　sit　here　in　the　still　evening　hour；　then　will　you　think　of　me！　Now　come；　we　must　away。　Feel　you　not　this　cool　and　gentle　air？　Oh；　how　refreshingly　it　fans　and　cools；　but　I　dare　not　enjoy　itnot　I！　This　cooling　cuts　off　a　day　from　my　life！〃

And　with　the　haste　of　a　youth；　Ganganelli　ran　down　the　alley。　Bathed　with　perspiration；　breathless　with　heat；　he　arrived　at　the　palace。

〃Now　give　me　furs；　bring　pans　of　coals；　Lorenzo；　shut　all　the　doors　and　windows。　Procure　me　a　heat　that　will　shut　out　death！〃

But　death　nevertheless　came；　the　furs　and　coverings；　the　steaming　coal…pans　with　which　the　pope　surrounded　himself；　the　glowing　atmosphere　he　day　and　night　inhaled；　and　which　quite　prostrated　his　friends　and　servants；　all　that　could　only　keep　off　death　for　some　few　weeks；　not　drive　it　away。　More　dreadful　yet　than　this　blasting　heat　with　which　Ganganelli　surrounded　himself；　yet　more　horrible；　was　the　fire　that　consumed　his　entrails　and　burned　in　his　blood。

Finally；　withered　and　consumed　by　these　external　and　internal　fires；　the　pope　greeted　Death　as　a　deliverer；　and　sank　into　his　arms　with　a　smile。

But　no　sooner　had　he　respired　his　last　breath；　no　sooner　had　the　death…rattle　ceased　in　this　throat；　and　no　sooner　had　death　extinguished　the　light　in　his　eyes；　than　the　cold　corpse　exhibited　a　most　horrible　change。

The　thin　white　hair　fell　off　as　if　blown　away　by　a　breath　of　air；　the　loosened　teeth　fell　from　their　sockets；　the　formerly　quietly　smiling　visage　became　horribly　distorted；　the　nose　sank　in　and　the　eyes　fell　out；　the　muscles　of　all　his　limbs　became　relaxed　as　if　by　a　magic　stroke；　and　the　rapidly　putrefying　members　fell　from　each　other。

The　pope's　two　physicians；　standing　near　the　bed；　looked　with　terror　upon　the　frightful　spectacle。

〃He　was；　then；　right；〃　murmured　the　physician　Barbi；　folding　his　hands；　〃he　was　poisoned。　These　are　the　effects　of　the　/Acqua　Tofana/！〃

Salicetti；　the　second　physician；　shrugged　his　shoulders　with　a　contemptuous　smile。　〃Think　as　you　will；〃　said　he；　〃for　my　part　I　shall　prove　to　the　world　that　Pope　Clement　XIV。　died　a　natural　death。〃

Thus　saying；　Salicetti　left　the　chamber　of　death　with　a　proud　step；　betaking　himself　to　his　own　room；　to　commence　his　history　of　Ganganelli's　last　illness；　in　which；　despite　the　arsenic　found　in　the　stomach　of　the　corpse　and　despite　the　fact　that　all　Rome　was　convinced　of　the　poisoning　of　the　pope；　and　named　his　murderer　with　loud　curses；　he　endeavored　to　prove　that　Ganganelli　died　of　a　long…concealed　scrofula！

And　while　Ganganelli　breathed　out　his　last　sigh；　resounded　the　bells　of　St。　Peter's；　thundered　the　cannon　of　Castle　Angelo；　and　the　curious　people　thronged　around　the　Vatican；　where　the　conclave　was　in　solemn　session　for　the　choice　of　a　new　pope。　Thousands　stared　up　to　the　palace；　thousands　prayed　upon　their　knees；　until　at　length　the　doors　of　the　balcony；　behind　which　the　conclave　was　in　session；　were　opened；　and　the　papal　master　of　ceremonies　made　his　appearance　upon　it。

At　a　given　signal　the　bells　became　silent；　the　cannon　ceased　to　thunder；　and　breathlessly　listened　the　crowd。

The　master　of　ceremonies　advanced　to　the　front　of　the　balcony。　A　pause　a　silent；　dreadful　pause！　His　voice　then　resounded　over　the　great　square；　and　the　listeners　heard　these　words：　〃/Habemus　pontificem　maximum　Pium　VI。！/〃　（We　have　Pope　Pius　VI。）

And　the　bells　rang　anew；　the　cannon　thundered；　drums　beat；　and　trumpets　sounded；　upon　the　balcony　appeared　the　new　pope；　Juan　Angelo　Braschi；　Pius　VI。；　bestowing　his　blessing　upon　the　kneeling　people。

As　they　now　had　a　new　pope；　nothing　remained　to　be　done　for　the　deceased　pope　but　to　bury　him；　and　they　buried　him。

In　solemn　procession；　followed　by　all　the　cardinals　and　high　church　officials；　surrounded　by　the　Swiss　guards；　the　tolling　of　the　bells　and　the　dull　rolling　of　the　muffled　drums；　the　solemn　hymns　of　the　priests；　moved　the　funeral　/cortege/　from　the　Vatican　to　St。　Peter's　church。　In　the　usual　open　coffin　lay　the　corpse　of　the　deceased　pope；　that　the　people　might　see　him　for　the　last　time。　As　they　passed　the　bridge　of　St。　Angelo；　when　the　coffin　had　reached　the　middle　of　the　bridge；　arose　a　shriek　of　terror　from　thousands　of　throats！　A　leg　had　become　severed　from　the　body　and　hung　out　of　the　coffin；　swinging　in　a　fold　of　the　winding…sheet。　Cardinal　Albani；　who　walked　near　the　coffin；　was　touched　on　the　shoulder　by　the　loosely　swinging　limb；　and　turned　pale；　but　he　yet　had　the　courage　to　push　it　back　into　the　coffin。　The　people　loudly　murmured；　and　shudderingly　whispered　to　each　other：　〃The　dead　man　has　touched　his　murderer。　They　have　poisoned　him；　our　good　pope！　His　members　fall　apart。　That　is　the　effect　of　/Acqua　Tofana/。〃＇*＇

＇*＇　Archenholz　relates　yet　another　case　where　the　Acqua　Tofana　had　a　　　　　similar　violent　and　sudden　effect。　〃A　respectable　Roman　lady；　who　　　　　was　young　and　beautiful；　and　had　many　admirers；　made　in　the　year　　　　　1778；　a　similar　experiment；　to　rid　herself　of　an　old　husband。　As　　　　　the　dose　was　rather　strong；　death　was　followed　by　the　rapid　and　　　　　violent　separation　of　the　members。　They　employed　all　possible　　　　　means　to　retain　the　body　in　a　human　form　until　the　funeral　was　　　　　over。　The　face　was　covered　with　a　waxen　mask；　and　by　this　means　　　　　was　the　condition　of　the　corpse　concealed。　This　separation　of　the　　　　　members　seems　to　be　the　usual　effect　of　this　poison；　and　is　said　　　　　to　occur　as　soon　as　the　body　is　cold。〃

The　infernal　work　had　therefore　proved　successful；　the　vengeance　was　completeGanganelli　was　no　more；　and　upon　the　papal　throne　sat　Braschi；　the　friend　of　the　Jesuits　and　of　Cardinal　Albani；　to　whom　he　had　promised　the　crowning　of　the　improvisatrice　Corilla。

And　as　this　cost　nothing　to　the　miserly　Pope　Pius；　he　this　time　found　no　inconvenience　in　keeping　his　sacred　promise；　though　not　so　promptly　as　Corilla　and　the　passionate　cardinal　desired。

Not　until　1776；　almost　two　years　after　Braschi　had　mounted　the　papal　throne；　took　place　the　crowning　of　the　improvisatrice　in　the　capitol　at　Rome。

She　had　therefore　attained　the　object　of　her　wishes。　She　had　finally　reached　it　by　bribery　and　intrigue；　by　hypocritical　tenderness；　by　the　resignation　of　her　maiden　modesty　and　womanly　honor；　and　by　all　the　arts　of　coquetry。

But　this　triumph　of　hers　was　not　to　be　untroubled。　The　/nobili/　shouted　for　her；　and　the　cardinals　and　princes　of　the　Church；　but　the　people　accompanied　her　to　the　capitol　with　hissing　and　howling。　Poems　came　fluttering　down　on　all　sides；　the　first　that　fell　upon　Corilla's　head；　Cardinal　Albani　eagerly　seized　and　unfolded　for　the　purpose　of　reading　it　aloud。　But　after　the　first　few　lines　his　voice　was　silenced　it　was　an　abusive　poem；　full　of　mockery　and　scorn。

But　nevertheless　she　was　crowned。　She　still　stood　upon　the　capitol；　with　the　laurel…crown　upon　her　brow；　cheered　by　her