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！
the Greek masterpieces of sculpture collected at vast cost by Leo X；
he wished to break them to pieces； exclaiming； 〃Suet idola
anticorum。〃 His first act was to despatch a papal nuncio； Francesco
Cherigato； to the Diet of Nuremberg； convened to discuss the reforms
of Luther； with instructions which give a vivid notion of the manners
of the time。
〃Candidly confess；〃 said he； 〃that God has permitted this schism and
this persecution on account of the sins of man； and especially those
of priests and prelates of the Church； for we know that many
abominable things have taken place in the Holy See。〃
Adrien wished to bring the Romans back to the simple and austere
manners of the early Church； and with this object pushed reform to
the minutest details。 For instance； of the hundred grooms maintained
by Leo X； he retained only a dozen； in order； he said； to have two
more than the cardinals。
A pope like this could not reign long： he died after a year's
pontificate。 The morning after his death his physician's door was
found decorated with garlands of flowers； bearing this inscription：
〃To the liberator of his country。〃
Giulio di Medici and Pompeo Colonna were again rival candidates。
Intrigues recommenced； and the Conclave was once more so divided that
at one time the cardinals thought they could only escape the
difficulty in which they were placed by doing what they had done
before； and electing a third competitor； they were even talking about
Cardinal Orsini； when Giulio di Medici； one of the rival candidates；
hit upon a very ingenious expedient。 He wanted only five votes； five
of his partisans each offered to bet five of Colonna's a hundred
thousand ducats to ten thousand against the election of Giulio di
Medici。 At the very first ballot after the wager； Giulio di Medici
got the five votes he wanted； no objection could be made； the
cardinals had not been bribed； they had made a bet； that was all。
Thus it happened； on the 18th of November； 1523； Giulio di Medici was
proclaimed pope under the name of Clement VII。 The same day； he
generously paid the five hundred thousand ducats which his five
partisans had lost。
It was under this pontificate； and during the seven months in which
Rome； conquered by the Lutheran soldiers of the Constable of Bourbon；
saw holy things subjected to the most frightful profanations； that
Francesco Cenci was born。
He was the son of Monsignor Nicolo Cenci； afterwards apostolic
treasurer during the pontificate of Pius V。 Under this venerable
prelate； who occupied himself much more with the spiritual than the
temporal administration of his kingdom； Nicolo Cenci took advantage
of his spiritual head's abstraction of worldly matters to amass a net
revenue of a hundred and sixty thousand piastres； about f32；000 of
our money。 Francesco Cenci； who was his only son； inherited this
fortune。
His youth was spent under popes so occupied with the schism of Luther
that they had no time to think of anything else。 The result was；
that Francesco Cenci； inheriting vicious instincts and master of an
immense fortune which enabled him to purchase immunity； abandoned
himself to all the evil passions of his fiery and passionate
temperament。 Five times during his profligate career imprisoned for
abominable crimes； he only succeeded in procuring his liberation by
the payment of two hundred thousand piastres； or about one million
francs。 It should be explained that popes at this time were in great
need of money。
The lawless profligacy of Francesco Cenci first began seriously to
attract public attention under the pontificate of Gregory XIII。 This
reign offered marvellous facilities for the development of a
reputation such as that which this reckless Italian Don Juan seemed
bent on acquiring。 Under the Bolognese Buoncampagno； a free hand was
given to those able to pay both assassins and judges。 Rape and
murder were so common that public justice scarcely troubled itself
with these trifling things； if nobody appeared to prosecute the
guilty parties。 The good Gregory had his reward for his easygoing
indulgence； he was spared to rejoice over the Massacre of St。
Bartholomew。
Francesco Cenci was at the time of which we are speaking a man of
forty…four or forty…five years of age； about five feet four inches in
height； symmetrically proportioned； and very strong； although rather
thin； his hair was streaked with grey； his eyes were large and
expressive； although the upper eyelids drooped somewhat； his nose was
long； his lips were thin； and wore habitually a pleasant smile；
except when his eye perceived an enemy； at this moment his features
assumed a terrible expression； on such occasions； and whenever moved
or even slightly irritated； he was seized with a fit of nervous
trembling； which lasted long after the cause which provoked it had
passed。 An adept in all manly exercises and especially in
horsemanship； he sometimes used to ride without stopping from Rome to
Naples； a distance of forty…one leagues； passing through the forest
of San Germano and the Pontine marshes heedless of brigands； although
he might be alone and unarmed save for his sword and dagger。 When
his horse fell from fatigue； he bought another； were the owner
unwilling to sell he took it by force； if resistance were made； he
struck； and always with the point； never the hilt。 In most cases；
being well known throughout the Papal States as a free…handed person；
nobody tried to thwart him； some yielding through fear； others from
motives of interest。 Impious； sacrilegious； and atheistical； he
never entered a church except to profane its sanctity。 It was said
of him that he had a morbid appetite for novelties in crime； and that
there was no outrage he would not commit if he hoped by so doing to
enjoy a new sensation。
At the age of about forty…five he had married a very rich woman；
whose name is not mentioned by any chronicler。 She died； leaving him
seven childrenfive boys and two girls。 He then married Lucrezia
Petroni； a perfect beauty of the Roman type； except for the ivory
pallor of her complexion。 By this second marriage he had no
children。
As if Francesco Cenci were void of all natural affection； he hated
his children； and was at no pains to conceal his feelings towards
them： on one occasion； when he was building； in the courtyard of his
magnificent palace； near the Tiber； a chapel dedicated to St。
Thomas； he remarked to the architect； when instructing him to design
a family vault； 〃That is where I hope to bury them all。〃 The
architect often subsequently admitted that he was so terrified by the
fiendish laugh which accompanied these words； that had not Francesco
Cenci's work been extremely profitable； he would have refused to go
on with it。
As soon as his three eldest boys； Giacomo； Cristoforo； and Rocco；
were out of their tutors' hands； in order to get rid of them he sent
them to the Univers