the cenci-第6章

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The　final　sentence　was　immediately　known；　and　as　this　unhappy　family

inspired　a　constantly　increasing　interest；　many　cardinals　spent　the

whole　of　the　night　either　on　horseback　or　in　their　carriages；　making

interest　that；　at　least　so　far　as　the　women　were　concerned；　they

should　be　put　to　death　privately　and　in　the　prison；　and　that　a　free

pardon　should　be　granted　to　Bernardo；　a　poor　lad　only　fifteen　years

of　age；　who；　guiltless　of　any　participation　in　the　crime；　yet　found

himself　involved　in　its　consequences。　　The　one　who　interested　himself

most　in　the　case　was　Cardinal　Sforza；　who　nevertheless　failed　to

elicit　a　single　gleam　of　hope；　so　obdurate　was　His　Holiness。　　At

length　Farinacci；　working　on　the　papal　conscience；　succeeded；　after

long　and　urgent　entreaties；　and　only　at　the　last　moment；　that　the

life　of　Bernardo　should　be　spared。



》From　Friday　evening　the　members　of　the　brotherhood　of　the　Conforteria

had　gathered　at　the　two　prisons　of　Corte　Savella　and　Tordinona。　　The

preparations　for　the　closing　scene　of　the　tragedy　had　occupied

workmen　on　the　bridge　of　Sant'　Angelo　all　night；　and　it　was　not　till

five　o'clock　in　the　morning　that　the　registrar　entered　the　cell　of

Lucrezia　and　Beatrice　to　read　their　sentences　to　them。



Both　were　sleeping；　calm　in　the　belief　of　a　reprieve。　　The　registrar

woke　them；　and　told　them　that；　judged　by　man；　they　must　now　prepare

to　appear　before　God。



Beatrice　was　at　first　thunderstruck：　she　seemed　paralysed　and

speechless；　then　she　rose　from　bed；　and　staggering　as　if　intoxicated；

recovered　her　speech；　uttering　despairing　cries。　　Lucrezia　heard　the

tidings　with　more　firmness；　and　proceeded　to　dress　herself　to　go　to

the　chapel；　exhorting　Beatrice　to　resignation；　but　she；　raving；　wrung

her；　hands　and　struck　her　head　against　the　wall；　shrieking；　〃To　die！

to　die！　　Am　I　to　die　unprepared；　on　a　scaffold！　on　a　gibbet！　　My　God！

my　God！〃　　This　fit　led　to　a　terrible　paroxysm；　after　which　the

exhaustion　of　her　body　enabled　her　mind　to　recover　its　balance；　and

from　that　moment　she　became　an　angel　of　humility　and　an　example　of

resignation。



Her　first　request　was　for　a　notary　to　make　her　will。　　This　was

immediately　complied　with；　and　on　his　arrival　she　dictated　its

provisions　with　much　calmness　and　precision。　　Its　last　clause　desired

her　interment　in　the　church　of　San　Pietro　in　Montorio；　for　which　she

always　had　a　strong　attachment；　as　it　commanded　a　view　of　her

father's　palace。　　She　bequeathed　five　hundred　crowns　to　the　nuns　of

the　order　of　the　Stigmata；　and　ordered　that　her　dowry；　amounting　to

fifteen　thousand　crowns；　should　be　distributed　in　marriage　portions

to　fifty　poor　girls。　　She　selected　the　foot　of　the　high　altar　as　the

place　where　she　wished　to　be　buried；　over　which　hung　the　beautiful

picture　of　the　Transfiguration；　so　often　admired　by　her　during　her

life。



Following　her　example；　Lucrezia　in　her　turn；　disposed　of　her

property：　she　desired　to　be　buried　in　the　church　of　San　Giorgio　di

Velobre；　and　left　thirty…two　thousand　crowns　to　charities；　with　other

pious　legacies。　　Having　settled　their　earthly　affairs；　they　joined　in

prayer；　reciting　psalms；　litanies；　and　prayers　far　the　dying。



At　eight　o'clock　they　confessed；　heard　mass；　and　received　the

sacraments；　after　which　Beatrice；　observing　to　her　stepmother　that

the　rich　dresses　they　wore　were　out　of　place　on　a　scaffold；　ordered

two　to　be　made　in　nun's　fashionthat　is　to　say；　gathered　at　the

neck；　with　long　wide　sleeves。　　That　for　Lucrezia　was　made　of　black

cotton　stuff；　Beatrice's　of　taffetas。　　In　addition　she　had　a　small

black　turban　made　to　place　on　her　head。　　These　dresses；　with　cords

for　girdles；　were　brought　them；　they　were　placed　on　a　chair；　while

the　women　continued　to　pray。



The　time　appointed　being　near　at　hand；　they　were　informed　that　their

last　moment　was　approaching。　　Then　Beatrice；　who　was　still　on　her

knees；　rose　with　a　tranquil　and　almost　joyful　countenance。　　〃Mother；〃

said　she；　〃the　moment　of　our　suffering　is　impending；　I　think　we　had

better　dress　in　these　clothes；　and　help　one　another　at　our　toilet　for

the　last　time。〃　　They　then　put　on　the　dresses　provided；　girt

themselves　with　the　cords；　Beatrice　placed　her　turban　on　her　head；

and　they　awaited　the　last　summons。



In　the　meantime；　Giacomo　and　Bernardo；　whose　sentences　had　been　read

to　them；　awaited　also　the　moment　of　their　death。　　About　ten　o'clock

the　members　of　the　Confraternity　of　Mercy；　a　Florentine　order；

arrived　at　the　prison　of　Tordinona；　and　halted　on　the　threshold　with

the　crucifix；　awaiting　the　appearance　of　the　unhappy　youths。　　Here　a

serious　accident　had　nearly　happened。　　As　many　persons　were　at　the

prison　windows　to　see　the　prisoners　come　out；　someone　accidentally

threw　down　a　large　flower…pot　full　of　earth；　which　fell　into　the

street　and　narrowly　missed　one　of　the　Confraternity　who　was　amongst

the　torch…bearers　just　before　the　crucifix。　　It　passed　so　close　to

the　torch　as　to　extinguish　the　flame　in　its　descent。



At　this　moment　the　gates　opened；　and　Giacomo　appeared　first　on　the

threshold。　　He　fell　on　his　knees；　adoring　the　holy　crucifix　with

great　devotion。　　He　was　completely　covered　with　a　large　mourning

cloak；　under　which　his　bare　breast　was　prepared　to　be　torn　by　the

red…hot　pincers　of　the　executioner；　which　were　lying　ready　in　a

chafing…dish　fixed　to　the　cart。　　Having　ascended　the　vehicle；　in

which　the　executioner　placed　him　so　as　more　readily　to　perform　this

office；　Bernardo　came　out；　and　was　thus　addressed　on　his　appearance

by　the　fiscal　of　Rome



〃Signor　Bernardo　Cenci；　in　the　name　of　our　blessed　Redeemer；　our　Holy

Father　the　Pope　spares　your　life；　with　the　sole　condition　that　you

accompany　your　relatives　to　the　scaffold　and　to　their　death；　and

never　forget　to　pray　for　those　with　whom　you　were　condemned　to　die。〃



At　this　unexpected　intelligence；　a　loud　murmur　of　joy　spread　among

the　crowd；　and　the　members　of　the　Confraternity　immediately　untied

the　small　mask　which　covered　the　youth's　eyes；　for；　owing　to　his

tender　age；　it　had　been　thought　proper　to　conceal　the　scaffold　from

his　sight。



Then　the　executioner；　having　disposed　of　Giacomo；　came　down　from　the

cart　to　take　Bernardo；　whose　pardon　being　formally　communicated　to

him；　he　took　off　his　handcuffs；　and　placed　him　alongside　his　brother；

covering　him　up　with　a　magnificent　cloak　embroidered　with　gold；　for

the　neck　and　shoulders　of　the　poor　lad　had　been　already　bared；　as　a

preliminary　to　his　decapitation。　　People　were　surprised　to　see　such　a

rich　cloak　in　the　possession　of　the　executioner；　but　were　told　that

it　was　the　one　given　by　Beatrice　to　Marzio　to　pledge　him　to　the

murder　of　her　father；　which　fell　to　the　executioner　as　a　perquisite

after　the　execution　of　the　assassin。　　The　sight　of　the　great

assemblage　of　people　produced　such　an　effect　upon　the　boy　that　he

fainted。



The　procession　then　proceeded　to　the　prison　of　Corte　Savella；

marching　to　the　sound　of　funeral　chants。　　At　its　gates　the　sacred

crucifix　halted　for　the　women　to　join：　they　soon　appeared；　fell　on

their　knees；　and　worshipped　the　holy　symbol　as　the　others　had　done。

The　march　to　the　scaffold　was　then　resumed。



The　two　female　prisoners　followed　the　last　row　of　penitents　in　single

file；　veiled　to　the　waist；　with　the　distinction　that　Lucrezia；　as　a

widow；　wore　a　black　veil　and　high…heeled　slippers　of　the　same　hue；

with　bows　of　ribbon；　as　was　the　fashion；　whilst　Beatrice；　as　a　young

unmarried　girl；　wore　a　silk　flat　cap　to　match　her　corsage；　with　a

plush　hood；　which　fell　over　her　shoulders　and　covered　her　violet

frock；　white　slippers　with　high　heels；　ornamented　with　gold　rosettes

and　cherry…coloured　fringe。　　The　arms　of　both　were　untrammelled；

except　far　a　thin　slack　cord　which　left　their　hands　free　to　carry　a

crucifix　and　a　handkerchief。



During　the　night　a　lofty　scaffold　had　been　erected　on　the　bridge　of

Sant'　Angelo；　and　the　plank　and　block　were　placed　thereon。　　Above　the

block　was　hung；　from　a　large　cross　beam；　a　ponderous　axe；　which；

guided　by　two　grooves；　fell　with　its　whole　weight　at　the　touch　of　a

spring。



In　this　formation　the　procession　wended　its　way　towards　the　bridge　of

Sant'　Angela。　　Lucrezia；　the　more　broken　down　of　the　two；　wept

bitterly；　but　Beatrice　was　firm　and　unmoved。　　On　arriving　at　the　open

space　before　the　bridge；　the　women　were　led　into　a　chapel；　where　they

were　shortly　joined　by　Giacomo　and　Bernardo；　they　remained　together

for　a　few　moments；　when　the　brothers　were　led　away　to　the　scaffold；

although　one　was　to　be　executed　last；　and　the　other　was　pardoned。

But　when　they　had　mounted　the　platform；　Bernardo　fainted　a　second

time；　and　as　the　executioner　was　approaching　to　his　assistance；　some

of　the　crowd；　supposing　that　his　object　was　to　decapitate　him；　cried

loudly；　〃He　is　pardoned！〃　　The　executioner　reassured　them　by　seating

Bernardo　near　the　block；　Giacomo　kneeling　on　the　other　side。



Then　the　executioner　descended；　entered　tie　chapel；　and　reappeared

leading　Lucrezia；　who　was　the　first　to　suffer。　　At　the　foot　of　the

scaffold　he　tied　her　hands　behind　her　back；　tore　open　the　top　of　her

corsage　so　as　to　uncover　her　shoulders；　gave　her　the　crucifix　to

kiss；　and　led　her　to　the　step　ladder；　which　she　ascended　with　great

difficulty；　on　account　of　her　extreme　stoutness；　then；　on　her

reaching　the　platform；　he　removed　the　veil　which　covered　her　head。

On　this　exposure　of　her　features　to　the　immense　crowd；　Lucrezia

shuddered　from　head　to　foot；　then；　her　eyes　full　of　tears；　she　cried

with　a　loud　voice



〃O　my　God；　have　mercy　upon　me；　and　do　you；　brethren；　pray　for　my

soul！〃



Having　uttered　these　words；　not　knowing　what　was　required　of　her；　she

turned　to　Alessandro；　the　chief　executioner；　and　asked　what　she　was

to　do；　he　told　her　to　bestride　the　plank　and　lie　prone　upon　it；　which

she　did　with　great　trouble　and　timidity；　but　as　she　was　unable；　on

account　of　the　fullness　of　her　bust；　to　lay　her　neck　upon　the　block；

this　had　to　be　raised　by　placing　a　billet　of　wood　underneath　it；　all

this　time　the　poor　woman；　suffering　even　more　from　shame　than　from

fear；　was　kept　in　suspense；　at　length；　when　she　was　properly

adjusted；　the　executioner　touched。　　the　spring；　the　knife　fell；　and

the　decapitated　head；　falling　on　the　platform　of　the　scaffold；

bounded　two　or　three　times　in　the　air；　to　the　general　horror；　the

executioner　then　seized　it；　showed　it　to　the　multitude；　and　wrapping

it　in　black　taffetas；　placed　it　with　the　body　on　a　bier　at　the　foot

of　the　scaffold。



Whilst　arrangements　were　being　made　for　the　decapitation　of　Beatrice；

several　stands；　full　of　spectators；　broke　down；　some　people　were

killed　by　this　accident；　and　still　more　lamed　and　injured。



The　machine　being　now　rearranged　and　washed；　the　executioner　returned

to　the　chapel　to　take　charge　of　Beatrice；　who；　on　seeing　the　sacred

crucifix；　said　some　prayers