The Honour of Savelli: A Romance
exiled Medici in the Via Larga. It so happened that La Palisse was in
constant communication with Tremouille, and this and my confident
bearing imposed upon the guards. I supplemented my argument with a
couple of crowns, and they let me pass without further parley. It will
thus be seen that whatever the regulations may have been, they were
easily broken. Indeed I found later on that they were, even at that
time, a dead letter, and that the zeal of the guards was merely
inspired by the prospect of making something out of me, which they did
on this occasion. I knew Florence fairly well, having been there under
circumstances very different to the present; but as I hurried along
the crowded streets, I began to feel I was somewhat uncertain as to
whither the roads led. I judged it prudent, however, not to make
inquiries, but kept my eyes on the sharp look-out for an hostel
suitable to my purse, which was diminishing at a fearful rate. I
stopped for a while at a street stall to satisfy my hunger with a cake
of wheat and a glass of milk, a wholesome but unpalatable beverage,
and entered into conversation with the stall-keeper. It came out that
I was in a difficulty about a lodging, and the man very civilly told
me where one could be procured, and added to his kindness, seeing I
was apparently a stranger to the place, by directing his son, a small
bare-legged urchin, to guide me to the house, which he said was an old
palace of the Albizzi, that had passed into the hands of the banker
Nobili, and was rented out in tenements.
Heaven only knows through what bye-lanes and alleys the imp led me,
chattering like an ape the whilst; but at last we reached the house
which lay in the street di Pucci. An arrangement was soon entered into
with the person in charge, and I paid in advance for two weeks the
small rent asked for the room I took. I selected the room, because
there was in it some furniture, such as a bed, a table and a couple of
chairs, which, I was informed with some emphasis, had been seized from
the last tenant in default of rent. I sent the boy away rejoicing, and
was surprised to find that the housekeeper did not depart as well; but
this worthy soon made it clear to me that a further payment was
requisite on account of the furniture. I was too tired to haggle, so
paid him the three broad pieces he wanted, and bid him get me some
candles. He returned after a little delay with what I needed, and I
may say at once that under a rough exterior I found this man, with all
his faults, was capable on occasions of displaying true kindliness of
heart.
I would like to pay him this tribute, for subsequently, as will be
seen, we had a grave difference of opinion which ended in disaster for
him. At the time this happened I could not but condemn him strongly,
for in order to further a plot in which he was engaged, he tried to
induce me to crime, and when, by a happy chance, I was able to
frustrate his design, joined in an attempt to murder me. I fully
believe, however, now that I can look back on affairs coolly, that, in
common with others of his age, he thought it no wrong to adopt any
means to further a political plot, whilst in the every day observances
of life he displayed, in an underhand manner, much virtue.
When he was gone I sat down to count my money, and found I had but ten
crowns in all the world. With prudence however this would last some
time. Still it was gall and wormwood to me to have to weigh each item
of my disbursement. It would be necessary as well to renew my attire,
which, with the exception of the leather buff coat, was almost ruined
by the hard wear it had been exposed to on my journey. I sat down to
rest, but now that I had reached Florence a reaction set in, and
assailed by a full sense of my position I gave way to despair. In a
little time I became more composed; but it was impossible to keep
still with the fire in my heart, and I sallied into the street, taking
care to note landmarks, so as to find my way back. In this manner I
must have gone for about a quarter of a mile, when I was brought to a
standstill by the coming of a gay party down the street, in the
direction opposite to mine, all marching by the light of many torches,
to the music of a band. The musicians led the procession, which was
flanked on each side by a number of flambeaux bearers, and a retinue
of servants, all bearing swords despite the law.
The merry-makers walked in pairs, each lady resting her fingers
on her cavalier's arm, and all laughing and talking with the utmost
good-humour. I was compelled to draw myself to the wall to admit of
their passing, and whilst thus giving them the road, the light fell
brightly on me, and I became an object of alarm to some of the fair,
who gave utterance to pretty little exclamations of terror, with the
result that I came in for haughty looks from the gallants.
In the middle of the promenaders were two ladies, who, apparently not
having partners of the opposite sex, had linked themselves together,
and the attention of the taller of these was bestowed upon me for a
moment, and it was not flattering. As she wore a mask, I could see
little of her face beyond the half contemptuous look in her eyes which
were dark as night, and a short curl of the upper lip, with which she
no doubt intended to express the same sentiment as her glance. I
waited calmly until the whole party passed on, admiring the grace of
the demoiselle who had favoured me with her scornful survey. I watched
them until they turned off into another street, and then went on, idly
wondering who the people were, and more especially the dark-eyed lady.
The street behind me was in gloom, a few yards in front of me a lamp
hanging from a wall threw a dim radiance; beyond that there was gloom
again. Through the darkness before me I heard the sound of hurrying
feet, coming in my direction, and almost before I was aware of it, the
newcomer and I fell into the circle of the light, and met face to
face.
It was D'Entrangues! He knew me as if by instinct.
"You!" he exclaimed, and on the instant his sword was out. I said
nothing. I was blind, mad with anger. My whole soul hungered for his
life as I thrust at him, and in doing so slipped my foot over the edge
of the narrow pavement and fell heavily. He was on me at once;
something flashed in his left hand, and I felt a stinging sensation
all over my side. He did not wait to see the result of his blow.
Perhaps he made too sure, and springing over me, ran into the darkness
beyond. I scrambled up at once, and made an attempt to follow; but my
brain began to reel, and I was compelled to lean against the wall to
support myself.
The clash of steel had however aroused some of the inhabitants, and
hearing footsteps approaching I pulled myself together with an effort,
and making across the road, turned back to my lodging. Here again I
felt too weak to proceed without help, and sank to the ground, knowing
I was bleeding freely. By this time two or three men came up, and
after surveying the spot under the street-lamp, crossed over in my
direction. The rays of a lantern held by one of them discovered me,
and they hastened up. I begged the favour of their assistance to my
abode, saying I had been stabbed, and this the worthy citizens readily
accorded; and not content with that, when I reached my room, gave me
all help in dressing my injury. The dagger, which I had to extract,
had gone through the folds of my cloak, but was turned by a steel
buckle on the strap of my buff coat, and had cut through the coat and
down my side, inflicting an ugly flesh wound. This in itself was not
dangerous; but I had lost much blood, and when the kind citizens had
gone, in making an attempt to rise from my chair, I had only just time
to reach my bed before I became unconscious.
CHAPTER VI.
BERNABO CECI.
I cannot say for what time I lay thus bereft of sense; but on coming
to myself I saw the candle in my room was all but spent, and the wick
flaring in a long flame. I looked to see if my wound had broken out
a-bleeding afresh, and was glad to find this was not the case, and
that the bandages were in their position. The small effort, however,
nearly set me off once more. The room swam round, the bright flame of
the candle dwindled down to a little star, no bigger than a pin point,
and then began slowly to increase in size as the faintness passed off,
and I was able to see clearly again. Any attempt to move gave me
agony, and, closing my eyes, I lay still. I heard the candle expire
with a splutter, and leave me in darkness. Then I began to get
light-headed, and unable to control my thoughts. Somehow my mind
travelled back to the days of my childhood, and the figure of the only
living relative I can remember, my father, came before me, standing
just as he was wont to stand, when about to give me a lesson in the
exercise of the sword, and repeating a warning he never ceased to din
into my ears. "Learning," he said, "is of little use to a gentleman.
You need not know more of books than a Savelli should, but in
horsemanship, and in the use of the sword----" he finished with a
gesture more expressive than words. And truly old Ercole di Savelli
was never a bookworm, although he ended a stormy life in his bed.
He was the son of that Baptista di Savelli, who was ruined with the
Prefetti di Vico, and other noble houses during the time of Eugene IV.
Such estates as Baptista had, were transferred with the person of his
sister Olympia, who married into the Chigi, to that family, and with
them the custodianship of the Conclaves. Baptista di Savelli left his
son nothing but a few acres. The latter tried to woo Fortune in the
Spanish war, but did not obtain her favours. He returned to Italy, and
poor as Job though he was, hesitated not to marry for love, and engage
in a lawsuit with Amilcar Chigi. What between the one and the other,
Ercole was ruined in a hand turn. His wife died in giving birth to me,
and disgusted with the world, he retired to a small estate near Colza
in the Bergamasque. There he devoted himself to a pastoral life, and
to bringing me up as a soldier, until, one fine day, having contracted
a fever, he received absolution and died like a gentleman and a
Christian.
I followed the profession for which I was intended, joining the levy
of the Duke of Urbino, and sharing in all the ups and downs of the
times, until Fortune did me a good turn at Fornovo. Subsequently
things went well with me, and although I had to mortgage my narrow
lands, to raise and provide equipment for the men, with whom I joined
Tremouille, I was in expectation of a full reward, when I was so
suddenly stricken down.
Thinking of these things in the dark, tormented by a devouring thirst,
which I was unable to quench, haunted by the impression that my last
hour was come, and that I should die here like a dog, without even the
last rites of the church, I fell into a frenzy, and began to shout
aloud, and rave as in a delirium. D'Entrangues came before me, wearing
a smile of triumph, and I strove impotently to reach. Then the whole
room seemed to be full of my enemy, from every corner I could see the
white face, the red hair, and the smile of successful malice. The
figures, each one exactly like the other, floated over me, stood by my
side, sometimes brought their faces within an inch of mine, until I
imagined I felt a flame-like breath beating on me. Finally they
flitted backwards and forwards, rapidly and more rapidly, until there
was nothing but a mass of moving shadow around me, which gradually
resolved itself again into a single form. I strove to reach for my
sword to strike at it, but my arms were paralysed. So through the