Chapter 9 Victoria Accolomboni (Duchess of Braziano)

(Translated by Li Xiong) I share the reader's regret.For this is not a romance, but a translation, though it faithfully transliterates a serious narrative written in Patu in 1999. A few years ago, I came to Mantua to search for some inexpensive sketches and small paintings that were commensurate with my small possessions.What I want is the work of a painter from years ago.With the fall of Florence in 1999, the distinctive style of Italian painting suffered great damage, and by about 1990 nothing remained of this style. There was an old nobleman who was as rich as a country, but he was penniless.He didn't recommend painting to me, but sold me a batch of manuscripts at high prices.The manuscript has yellowed due to age.I asked to read it, and he agreed, but said he believed I was a good man, and that if I didn't buy it, I wouldn't have memorized and published the amusing things I'd read.

This condition is not annoying.So I read three or four hundred volumes, making my eyes sore and tired.These manuscripts bring together events from two or three centuries, stories of tragic adventures, letters of challenge to duels, agreements of good neighborliness among nobles, memoirs of various subjects, and so on.These manuscripts command a lot of money.I bargained and finally got the right to have some short stories transcribed at a very high price.I love these little stories, they show the customs of Italy around 1990.I was given twenty-two volumes in folio.If the reader is patient, what he will read is one of the stories.I have translated it faithfully.I know the history of Italy in the sixteenth century.I think the following account is entirely true and believable.It is written in ancient Italian style, solemn and steady, straightforward, but extremely difficult to understand, full of allusions to the concept of utensils under the rule of Sixtus V (year).I have taken great pains in translating it so that it avoids the smell of modern and beautiful literature, and shows a contemporary consciousness without prejudice.

The author of the manuscript is unknown, but he is a prudent person who does not comment on things or deliberately exaggerate them. His only mission is to narrate truthfully.If he sometimes speaks vividly and touchingly without knowing it, it is because in the 1990s, people were not completely dominated by vanity, and their behavior was not completely artificial.At that time, people believed that only by expressing ideas in the most understandable way can the listener understand them.Before and after, no one, except courtiers or poets, thought of trying to please people with their eloquence.There is no one who claims to be willing to go through fire and water for His Majesty, but at the same time sends someone to rent a stage horse and prepares to flee for his life.Such treachery had not yet been invented.At that time, people didn't talk much, so they paid special attention to what others said.

So, good-natured reader, don't look here for amusing prose, quick pacing, beautiful sentences, fresh allegory for the hip, and especially don't expect here to feel the seductive emotion of a George Sand novel.Had this great writer been the author, she would have made a masterpiece of the life and misadventures of Victoria Acromboni.And what I offer you is an unadorned account which can only have the virtue of a measured historical work.The situation described in this article may be taken as a basis for an argument when men occasionally contemplate the great art of recognizing hearts as they drive along at nightfall.The author narrates everything and explains everything, leaving no room for readers to use their imagination.

He wrote this text ① twelve days after the heroine of the story died. Victoria Accolomboni was born in a small town called Agubbio in the Duchy of Urbino.Her family is a rich family.Because of her amazing beauty, she has attracted attention since she was a child.However, her loveliness is not mainly in her beauty, she has everything that is admirable for a lady, but among those unusual talents, there is a kind of elegance and charming charm that stands out, it is incredible: one only needs to take a look , will be shaken and shaken, unable to be yourself.Moreover, this girl doesn't speak much, and her conversation is simple, without any pretense and hypocrisy.This beautiful woman who is all over the country and the city, people will feel a sense of trust at the first contact.Perhaps, just by seeing her, one could resist this charm with all their strength; but once they heard her talk, especially after talking with her a few words, it was impossible to escape the attraction of her charm.

Victoria's father lived in Rome.His mansion is in the Lutiguisi Square near St. Pierre Church.There were many young knights in the city who wanted to marry her, and they fought each other and were jealous of each other for this.In the end, Victoria's parents fell in love with Cardinal Montalto's nephew, Felix Peretti.Montato was later Pope Sixtus V. Felix's original name was François Minucci.His mother, Camille Peretti, was the cardinal's younger sister.After being adopted by his uncle, he changed to his current name. ①The manuscript of this text is deposited in the editorial department of "Two Worlds Review".

When Victoria entered the Peretti house, she unconsciously brought with her what was called an irresistible charm, and showed it everywhere, so that it can be asserted that anyone who saw her would will fall in love with her①.Her husband loved her madly, her mother-in-law Camille, and even Cardinal Montalto himself, seemed to have only one thing in the world to worry about, and that was to figure out what Victoria liked, so as to try to satisfy them immediately.The cardinal, who was known for his abhorrence of money and aversion to luxury, now did everything possible to cater to Victoria's wishes, and often took pleasure in doing so, which amazed people all over Rome.Victoria was young, beautiful, attractive, and admired by all, and sometimes she couldn't help having some whims, which was a lot of waste.From her mother-in-law she got some priceless jewels, jewellery, and later the rarest treasures from a Roman jeweler.Jewelers in Rome were well-stocked at the time.

Cardinal Montalto was known to be severe, but, out of love for his niece and daughter-in-law, he treated her brothers as if they were his own nephews.Octave Acronboni had just turned thirty when he was nominated bishop of Fossombrona by the Duke of Urbino on the recommendation of Cardinal Montato.This post was specially appointed for him by Pope Gregory XIII.Young and violent, Marcel Acromboni was accused of several crimes and pursued by the security forces.He tried every means to escape from the law and avoid death, and under the protection of the cardinal, he lived a life of freedom. Victoria's third brother was named Jules Acromboni.Cardinal Montato entrusted him to Cardinal Alexander Sforza.The latter immediately ① I remember the beautiful and emotional sonnets and other genres of poetry written by Victoria can be read in the Milan library.It seems that she is not only beautiful, but also smart and elegant. ——The original note placed him in the most prominent position among his subordinates.

In a word, if their happiness is measured not by unsatisfied desires, but by the benefits they actually enjoy, then, in the eyes of the Acromboni family, Victoria and Cardinal Montalto The marriage of her nephew is considered a blessing in the world.However, those who are favored by fate may also be driven by crazy desires to pursue huge and unreliable benefits, and give birth to some weird and dangerous ideas. Any one among Victoria's relations who, as many Romans suspected, was driven by his own desire for promotion and fortune to divorce her from her husband, would soon learn in hindsight that contentment with a certain It would have been much wiser to have had some moderate advantage from property, for then he might have quickly attained the highest position that human ambition can aspire to.

Victoria lived like a queen at home.One night, as Felix Peretti and his wife had gone to bed, Catherine, Victoria's maid, handed him a letter.Katrin was born in Bologna.The letter was brought by her brother.His name was Dominique da Gaviva, nicknamed "Lefty," and he had been expelled from Rome for several crimes.However, thanks to Catherine's intercession on his behalf, Felix secured for him the strong protection of Cardinal Montalto.So he often came to Felix's house, and Felix trusted him a lot. The letter is written in the name of Marcel Acromboni.Of Victoria's brothers he was closest to her husband.He usually lived in seclusion outside Rome, though he sometimes ventured into the city, using the Felix home as a safe haven.

In this midnight letter, Marcel asked his brother-in-law Félix for help, saying that the matter was urgent and that he was waiting for him near the Montecavallo Palace. Felix told his wife what had happened, then dressed, took only his sword, took a servant with him, and went out with a torch.Just as he was about to step through the gate, he saw his mother Camille and all the women in the house, including Victoria, chasing after her.They all begged him hard not to go out in the middle of the night.He would not change his mind, and they knelt together, with tears in their eyes, and begged him to obey them. During the reign of Gregory XIII, the society was chaotic and assassinations were common. That kind of situation was really unheard of.Strange things happen every day, criminals go unpunished and get away with it.When the female relatives heard about these things, they were all terrified, especially Camille.In the past, Marcel Acromboni had never asked Felix for help when he ventured into the city, but at this time, such behavior seemed really out of date to them. Thinking of this, they were even more frightened. Felix was young and full of vigor, and these reasons for worry did not make him change his mind.On the contrary, when he heard that the letter was sent by "Lefty", he made up his mind that nothing could hold him back.He liked the man, had helped him once.He stepped out of the house. As mentioned above, he took only one servant with him, and asked him to carry a torch to light the way ahead.The poor young man had only taken a few steps towards Montecavallo when he was shot three times and fell to the ground.Seeing that he had fallen, the murderers rushed over and stabbed him many times until they were sure that he was dead.The bad news was immediately reported to Felix's mother and wife.Through them, it reached the cardinal, the uncle of the deceased. The cardinal didn't change his face when he heard the bad news, and he didn't show the slightest bit of grief. He just dressed in a hurry and began to pray for himself and the poor soul (who passed away suddenly).Then, he came to the niece and daughter-in-law's room to comfort the family members, with an extremely solemn and calm demeanor.At that time, they were crying loudly, and the whole mansion was full of mourning.He advised them to stop crying.His words were powerful, and from that moment onwards there was never a trace of confusion in the mansion, or a wail heard, not even when the body was being removed from the mansion.Everything is like a well-ordered family organizing a well-prepared funeral.As for Cardinal Montalto himself, his habits and appearance were as usual, and there was no sign of pain in him, not even the expression of carefully restrained grief.Romans are generally curious.They watched the movements of the stricken man, trying to read signs of grief, but they found nothing, so they were convinced. The day after Felix's murder coincided with a meeting of cardinals in the Vatican.The whole town believed that, at least for the first day, Cardinal Montalto would not be there.For if he is there, he must appear in full view.Those people were so curious that they must have observed every slight expression of his affection.But that feeling is so decently stored in such a person: he longs to rise from an already high position to a higher position.Everyone agrees that it is inappropriate for a man who is ambitious and wants to be above ten thousand people to behave like ordinary people. However, everyone in the city was very wrong.First of all, Cardinal Montato was the first to arrive at the venue as usual.Secondly, even the best-sighted person would never expect to find the slightest expression of emotion in him.On the contrary, it was the response he gave when his colleagues mentioned this cruel incident and comforted him a few words, which surprised the people present.The poise and composure of a man who has suffered so much is immediately the talk of the town. Of course, there were a few courtly men at this council of cardinals who saw this apparent indifference as a deliberate disguise rather than a lack of affection.Their view was quickly accepted by many courtiers.It was thought that the murderer might have been powerful enough to prevent him from attaining supreme power in the future, and it was therefore necessary that Montalto not appear too sad. Whatever the cause of this apparent indifference, it is certain that it astonished all Rome and the court of Gregory XIII. But let's not go too far, let's go back to the meeting of cardinals.When the cardinals were all present, the Pope walked into the meeting room and turned his attention to Montalto.Everyone found that he burst into tears.But Cardinal Montalto remained as calm as ever. At this meeting, when it was Cardinal Montalto's turn to kneel before the throne and address the saint, the Pope could not help sobbing before he could speak.This time the ministers were even more astonished.When the Holy Majesty was able to speak out of his grief, he tried his best to comfort the cardinal, and promised that the murderer would be swiftly and severely punished.But the cardinal, after thanking the Holy Father respectfully, begged him not to order any investigation, and offered to pardon whoever the culprit might be.After this brief entreaty, the cardinal began his debriefing as if nothing unusual had ever happened. The cardinals in attendance all stared at the pope and Montalto.It was difficult to hide from these sharp-eyed ministers, but none of them dared to say that Montalto's face showed the slightest emotion when he approached the saint and saw him lose his self-control and sob in grief.Throughout his briefing to the Pope he maintained this striking indifference.Even the pope himself was taken aback.After the meeting, he could not help saying to his nephew Cardinal Sanxisto, whom he liked: "This man is indeed a great priest!" In the following days, Montalto's speech and demeanor remained the same, without any change.He received the cardinals, the prelates, and the princes and nobles of Rome who came to express their condolences, with his usual demeanor.In the company of any of them, whatever the relationship between them, he would not be moved by a word of mourning.When he talked with them, as usual, he first made some arguments about the vicissitudes of life, quoted a few passages from the "Bible" or the Pope's proverbs to support their respective views, and then changed the subject, talking about the news in the city or the private affairs of the other party, It seemed that those who came to comfort him wanted comfort from him instead. It was rumored that the man who had sent Felix assassinated was Prince Paolo Giordano Orsini, Duke of Braziano.What would happen to this figure at Montalto's condolences was, therefore, of particular interest to the Romans.Everyone believed that Cardinal Montalto and the Prince could not meet alone without showing some emotion, so close to each other. When the prince went to the cardinal's palace to express his condolences, the gates and streets were filled with onlookers; the rooms of the palace were filled with courtiers.Everyone was in high spirits, so we had to carefully observe the facial expressions of the two Zhaotan people.But no one could see anything unusual on their faces.Cardinal Montato's every move was in full compliance with the etiquette stipulated by the Holy See.He has a pleasant face and talks cordially with the prince. Not long after, Prince Paul bid farewell, boarded the carriage, and when he was alone with his close officials, he couldn't help laughing and praised: "This man is indeed a great priest!" It seemed that he wanted to confirm what the Pope had said a few days ago . Smart people believe that Cardinal Montato's performance in this incident has paved the way for him to the Pope's throne.Because many people have this opinion of him: either out of nature or virtue, although he has reason to be angry, he will or will not hurt anyone. Felix left no documents relating to his wife.Victoria had to go back to her natal family.On her departure, Cardinal Montalto gave her clothes, jewels, in short, everything that had come to her as a niece. On the third day after Felix's death, Victoria, accompanied by her mother, came to live in Prince Orsini's mansion.Some people say that they do this out of consideration for their own safety.Because the security forces seem to want to bring them to justice for the crime of tacit consent to the killing, or at least for the crime of not reporting it.Others thought (subsequent events seemed to confirm this idea) that they did it for the sake of marriage, since the Prince had said that he would marry Victoria when her husband died. However, despite all kinds of suspicions at that time or later, the real culprit who killed Felix has never been found out.But most people think that Prince Orsini sent for the murder; it is known that he loved Victoria, and made it clear, and his prompt marriage to Victoria is proof.The woman's status is low, and the man can marry her as long as his love is strong and his attitude is firm. ②A few days after the incident, a letter was sent to the Roman consul.The letter was written by Cesar Parentilli, a rough and brutal young man expelled from the city. In his letter, Parentilli said that the illustrious gentleman need not trouble himself to search for the murderer, because he was the real one.Not long ago he had a quarrel with Felix, and he had him killed. The letter soon spread through the crowd.But that hasn't changed people's minds. Many people believe that, without the acquiescence of the Accolomboni family, the assassination①②Prince Orsini's first wife was the sister of François I, Grand Duke of Tucana and Cardinal Ferdinand of Medici.She had a son named Virginio.Because of her adultery, she was killed by the prince with the consent of her two elder brothers.The law of honor brought into Italy by the Spaniards stipulated that illegitimate love affairs of a woman were an offense not only to her husband but also to her brother. ——Originally note that security forces cannot enter the Prince's Mansion without permission. ——The original note will not happen.Victoria's brothers were condemned, as they were supposed to be deluded by ambition, and wanted to marry a rich and powerful prince.It was Marcel who was most condemned, because it was he who signed the letter that called the unfortunate Felix out of the house.No one spoke well of Victoria: she agreed to move into the palace of the Prince of Orsini as a fiancée as soon as her husband died.It is asserted, however, that if long-distance weapons are not employed, at least for a while, it is unlikely that short-distance weapons will be employed for a moment. By order of Gregory XIII, the Roman Consul, Monsieur Portici, read the proclamation of the case.People only learned from the notice that the guy named Dominique, nicknamed "Lefty", was arrested by the security forces.At the second interrogation on 1/2/2019, he confessed without torture: "The culprit is Victoria's mother. The Bologna maid Catherine is an accomplice. After the incident, she fled to Palazzo Bracciano. Dodge (Prince Orsini is the owner of the palace, and the security forces dare not enter). The killers are Macchio of Cubbio and Paolo Barca of Bracciano. They are the servants of a certain lord. Out of respect, I was not told the master's name." I thought, besides "out of respect", there was a request from Cardinal Montalto.He insisted on stopping the investigation, but in fact did not prosecute. "Left-handers" were deported to their country of origin, not allowed to leave without permission, and punished with death if they disobeyed.The day of his release was Saint-Louis Feast, which also happened to be Montalto's birthday.This convinced me all the more that it was at his request that the case was settled in this way.It must be understood that under the impotent Gregory XIII such a case would have caused endless troubles, and there was no way to remedy it. ① refers to fighting with swords and daggers. ——Original note. The movement of security forces was halted.But Pope Gregory XIII disagreed with the marriage of Prince Paolo Orsini, Duke of Braziano, to the widow of Acolomboni. The Holy Majesty put Victoria under house arrest, and then issued an order that the Prince and the widow should not marry without the permission of himself or his heirs. At the beginning of the year, Gregory XIII passed away suddenly.Prince Paolo Orsini went to consult the doctors of law, and they replied that they believed that since the person who issued the prohibition was dead, the prohibition should not be revoked.So the prince decided to marry Victoria before electing a new pope.But the marriage did not take place as quickly as the Prince had hoped.One was because he wanted the consent of Victoria's brothers, but Octave Acoramboni, bishop of Fossombrona, insisted on refusing to marry his sister.The second is because it is not believed that the successor of Gregory XIII will be elected soon.Finally, the wedding took place on the day of the year.Cardinal Montalto, who was very connected with the event, was elected Pope on this very day. Perhaps it was a coincidence, or perhaps it was the prince's subtlety to show that he had no more fear of the security forces under the new Pope than he had under the previous Pope. This marriage deeply hurt the heart of Sixtus V (this is the title Cardinal Montato took when he was Pope).He had escaped the ordinary priestly way of thinking.God placed him in the position of pope, and his thoughts and feelings also ascended to this high position. However, the Pope did not show the slightest displeasure.However, when Prince Orsini and a group of Roman princes and dignitaries went to see the Pope that day, kissed his feet, and wanted to see what he should expect or worry from the face of the Holy Father, whom he did not know very well so far, he found that the situation changed. Bad luck.The new pope gave the prince a strange look, listened to his congratulatory speech, and did not answer a word.So the Prince decided to find out immediately the Holy Majesty's attitude towards him. Through the arrangement of Medici Cardinal Ferdinand (the elder brother of his former wife) and the papal envoy, he was allowed to see the Pope.The Pope received him in his bedroom.He addressed the Pope in a well-prepared speech, in which he congratulated him on his enthronement without mentioning the past, and pledged, as a loyal servant, to do his best for him. The pope listened to him with a very serious expression.Finally, he replied that he, more than anyone, hoped that Paolo Giordano Orsini would live and behave in the future worthy of the Orsini lineage and the title of a true Christian knight.As for the prince's attitude towards the Holy See and the Pope in the past, only his conscience knows best.However, the prince can rest assured that he may have done something in the past that harmed Felix Peretti and him, Cardinal Montato, and he voluntarily did not pursue it. However, if he opposes Pope Sixes Tooth, then there is no forgiveness.For this reason, the pope charged the prince to immediately drive out from his palace and domains the robbers and gangsters who had been under his protection up to now. Sixtus V has a special power no matter what tone he uses. His eyes seem to breathe fire when he is angry or threatening.One thing is certain, and that is that Prince Paolo Orsini, who had always been a fear of the Pope, had to think seriously about how to deal with this tone of the Pope, which he had never heard in thirteen years. up.As soon as he left the Pope's palace, he ran to the Medici Cardinal's Palace and told his former brother-in-law in detail what happened just now.Following the cardinal's advice, he decided to expel all the habitual offenders who were hiding in his palace and territory immediately, and he also considered finding a plausible reason as soon as possible to leave the country ruled by this hard-line pope. It should be known that Prince Paolo Orsini has become a big fat man, his legs alone are thicker than ordinary people's body, and one of his thick legs has a disease called "she-wolf".The reason for this name is that a large amount of fresh meat should be applied to the affected area, otherwise, the festering pus will swallow the surrounding healthy muscles. So the prince excused this disease and went to the world-famous Albano Baths to recuperate.That place, near Padua, is under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Venice.In mid-June, he set off with his new wife.For him, Albano was a safe haven, because the Orsini family and the Republic of Venice had been helping each other for many years and their relationship was very close. Arriving at this safe place, the prince wanted to live happily for a while, so he rented three luxurious palaces.One is in Via Zerca in Venice, called Palazzo Danto Green; the other in Padua, facing the magnificent Piazza Alena, is called Palazzo Focalini.The third he chose in Salo, on the picturesque shore of Lake Gard, had once belonged to the Sforza Paravicini family. The ruler of Venice was overjoyed to hear that such a prince had come to their country, and at once offered him a large annual stipend to raise and command an army of two or three thousand men.The prince tactfully declined this suggestion; he sent the senators to answer that, by nature and tradition, he would be glad to serve the noble republic, but that he was still a vassal of the Catholic king, so that he could not undertake other duties.This decisive answer poured cold water on the elders.Originally, they planned to hold a grand welcome ceremony for him in the name of the public. After getting his reply, they decided to treat him as an ordinary person. When Prince Orsini learned of all this, he made up his mind not to go to Venice.Having reached the neighborhood of Padua, he made a circle of this beautiful country, and with all his retinue, went straight to the palace at Salou on the shore of the Gard.Everything was prepared there for his arrival.He spent the whole summer in a variety of entertainment. When autumn came, the prince wanted to change his residence, so he made several short trips.He felt that his body was not as good as before, and he couldn't bear the fatigue, so he couldn't help worrying about his health.Later, he wanted to go to Venice to live for a few days, but his wife Victoria made him change his mind and stay in Salou. Some believe that Victoria Acromboni already felt that her husband's life was numbered.Let him stay in Salou in order to take him out of Italy in the future and move to another place, for example, to live in a free city in Switzerland.In this way, after the death of her husband, she can also preserve herself, and her own share of property. Not to mention whether this speculation is reasonable, but things have not developed in this way at all.Because on November 10, the prince felt unwell again, he had an immediate premonition of what was going to happen. He pitied his unfortunate wife.Seeing that she is young and beautiful, she has neither a name nor a profit. She is hated by the princes who rule Italy, and she is not liked by the Orsini family, and she cannot be expected to remarry after his death.As a noble, honest nobleman, he wrote a will himself, hoping to guarantee this unfortunate woman's rightful property.He left her a hundred thousand piastres in money or jewels, and all the carriages and chattels for the journey.He left all the rest of the property to his only son, Virginio Orsini, who was born to his ex-wife. The world is impermanent and unpredictable!Paul Orsini thought that this arrangement of his would guarantee the safety of the unfortunate young woman, but it turned out to be a disaster for her and bankrupt her. On November 12, he signed the will.Feel comfortable.On the morning of the 13th, he was bled.The doctor could only use strict fasting therapy, and clearly stipulated that he was not allowed to eat anything. But as soon as the doctor was out, the prince asked for a meal.Others dared not disobey him, so he ate and drank as usual.As soon as the meal was over, he lost consciousness.He died two hours before sunset. After the prince's sudden death, Victoria Accolomboni, accompanied by her brother Marcel and the prince's courtiers, moved to Padua, where she lived in the Palazzo Focalini, which the prince had previously rented. Soon, another brother of hers, Flaminio, the favorite of Cardinal Farnese, also came here.And so she began the necessary running to secure the inheritance her husband had left her.This estate consisted of sixty thousand piastres, to be paid within two years, plus dowry, dowry, jewels and chattels at her disposal. Prince Orsini ordered in his will that according to the wishes of the Duchess, he should buy for her a palace worth 10,000 piastres and a country residence with vineyards for 6,000 piastres in Rome or other cities. , and he wanted her to be furnished with cooks and servants in a number commensurate with her rank.There should be about forty servants, and a corresponding number of horses. The late prince appointed two cardinals, Farnese and the Medici, to be his executors.Lady Victoria could be expected to have the care of both of them, as well as Ferrari, Florence and the Princes of Urbino.However, it must be pointed out that the will was drawn up in Padua and notarized by Palizzolo and Menoyo, the top professors at the University of Padua.Those two eminent professors are now well-known jurists. Prince Louis Orsini came to Patua to settle matters concerning the late Duke and his widow, and then to accept the appointment of the noble republic to Corfu as governor. Lady Victoria and Prince Louis have had a disagreement over what to do with the horses left by the late Duke.The prince believes that according to the usual saying, horses are not chattels, but the Duchess said that horses should be regarded as chattels in the strict sense.In the end they agreed that she would keep the horses until a later judgment was made.She asked Soadi of Bergamo as surety.The lord was the captain of the mercenaries of the Venetian consuls, and one of the richest men in his homeland. The late duke had borrowed money from Prince Louis, pledging a supply of silver tableware. There is also a dispute between the two sides over these tableware.The matter will also be decided by the courts, as the Duke of Ferrari is trying his best to have the will of the late Prince Orsi executed satisfactorily. On Sunday, December 23, the court decided on the second dispute. That night, forty men broke into Lady Victoria's house.They were so strangely dressed and so elaborately disguised that no one could recognize them unless they spoke. They greeted each other in slang. They looked for the Duchess as soon as they entered the house.After finding it, one of them said to her: "Now, it's your turn to die." He didn't prepare her for a minute, even when she asked to pray to God, he raised a sharp dagger, stabbed her in the chest, and stirred it up and down and left and right. The ruthless fellow asked the unfortunate woman several times to tell him if the dagger had stabbed her in the heart.Finally she died.During this time, others searched for the Duchess' brother.Marcel, who was not at home, survived, while another brother was stabbed hundreds of times.The murderers threw the body on the ground, and let the whole palace cry loudly, just snatched the boxes containing jewels and money, and walked away. News of this quickly reached the consuls of Patua.They sent someone to examine the body and report the situation to Venice. Throughout Monday, many people flocked to the aforementioned palace and Hermitage Chapel to view the corpse.The spectators saw how beautiful the Duchess was, and felt pity for the dead: they lamented her misfortune, hated the murderers, but they didn't know who they were. On the basis of numerous indications, the security forces suspected that the murder had been ordered, or at least with the consent of Prince Louis.So they summoned him.The prince came with forty armed retinues to the famous commander of the troops.The soldiers guarding the gate stopped them and only allowed the prince to enter with three or four attendants.Unexpectedly, after the prince and the others entered the door, the rest of the people pushed aside the guards and rushed in with a bang. Prince Louis came before the prince, and complained that he had been so offended, as no prince had ever done to him.The Commander asked him if he knew about Lady Victoria's murder and the events of the night before.The prince said he knew, and he had ordered someone to report it to the judiciary.The commander wanted to record his answer, and he said that a person of his status does not need this set of procedures, and besides, it seems that a person like him cannot be interrogated. Prince Louis asked permission to send a messenger to Florence with a letter to Virginio Orsini, informing him of the accidental crime and the lawsuit.He produced a false letter and obtained the commander's permission. The courier was detained as soon as he left the city, and his body was searched carefully. Not only was the letter produced by Prince Louis found, but a second letter was found from the courier's boots.The text of the letter is as follows: Virginio Orsini received "My lord: the agreed thing has been carried out. Even the famous Tong Dini (apparently referring to the commander who interrogated the prince) was kept in the dark about the secret of the act. People here regard me as the most upright person in the world. I will do this myself. Please dispatch those people as soon as possible, and don’t forget them.” This letter attracted the attention of the consuls.They immediately sent it to Venice.According to their orders, the city gate was closed immediately, and soldiers guarded the city wall day and night.城里贴出告示，有知道凶手下落而不举报者，将严惩不贷；凶犯中有检举同谋者，不但不予追究，而且发给奖金。 圣诞节前夕，天黑后七小时（十二月二十四日午夜），阿洛伊斯·勃拉加丹从威尼斯赶来。元老院授予他大权，并责成他不惜一切代价，要把上述亲王及其同伙不论死活，捉拿归案。 勃拉加丹检察官和统领、当地最高行政官一起，在要塞会商。 接着发布命令：全体骑兵和步兵，带上武器去包围路易亲王府邸，违者处以绞刑。王府距要塞只有一箭之地，与阿莱纳广场的圣·奥古斯丁教堂相毗邻。 行动的日子（也就是圣诞节这一天）来临了。城里贴出公告，鼓励圣·马可的儿子们拿起武器，向路易亲王的府邸发起冲击。没有武器的人只要愿意，可去要塞领取；有把路易亲王交给治安部队者，不论死活，奖给两千杜卡托，捉到他的随从的，每个奖五百杜卡托。此外，凡是没带武器者，也有命令禁止他们接近王府，以免妨碍战斗。 与此同时，在面对王府的老城墙上，架起了排枪、臼炮和重炮，在望得见王府后院的新城墙上，也作了同样的部署。 在这边还布置了骑兵，随时可以出击。有人在河岸上匆匆堆放长椅、橱柜、车辆和其他家具，筑成一道障碍，想阻止里面的人突围，同时也可使炮手和士兵免被对方的火枪击中。 最后，在王府正面和侧面的河里，布置了船只，上面载满配有火枪和其他武器的战士。同时，在所有街道上设置了路障。 在作这种种准备的当口，有人送来一封信，措辞委婉。在信中亲王抱怨自己未经审查，就被判定有罪，被当作敌人，甚至叛臣对待。这封信是由里维洛托起草的。 十二月二十七日，城里的行政官派三名绅士去见路易亲王。他们都是公证事务所的首席书记。只见亲王率领四十名久征惯战的随从守在王府里，正在用地板和打湿的床垫构筑工事，擦拭火枪，装填弹药。 三位绅士向亲王宣布，执政官们决心将他缉拿归案。他们劝他投降，说在开火之前，他这样做，可望得到某种宽恕。 路易亲王回答说，只要把包围王府的兵马撤走，他就可以带两三个随从去与执政官员谈判，只是要保证他能自由回府。 三位来使让亲王把这个建议写成文字，然后带回去交给执政官。执政官们听取了皮奥·埃纳和在场的其他贵族的意见，拒绝了这一建议。三位使节又来到亲王府，向他宣布，如果他不无条件投降，就要用重炮猛轰，把他的府邸夷为平地。 对此，亲王回答说，他宁死也不受此屈辱。 执政官们发出了战斗的信号。虽说只用一次炮轰就能把王府炸平，但执政官们开始还想手下留情，看里面的人是否同意投降。 这个办法如果成功，那会给圣—马可省下不少开支。因为王府若被炸毁，重建要花很多钱。不过，这个办法并没有得到一致赞同。因为，如果路易亲王的随从毫不犹豫，打定主意朝外冲，究竟谁胜谁负，尚难逆料。那些人都是打仗的老手，武器精良，弹药充足，一个个又顽强勇敢，尤其是他们有背水一战，死里求生的意识。即使作最坏的考虑，死于战火也比落在刽子手手里强得多。再说，与他们交火的是些什么人哩？是一群缺乏战斗经验的人。真要出现这种情况，这些围攻者会后悔他们的宽厚善良。 围攻者开始炮击王府前面的柱廊。然后，炮火抬起一点，摧毁了柱廊后面的墙体。在这期间，里面的人也向外猛烈地开枪射击，但战果甚微，只伤了一个老百姓的肩膀。 路易亲王狂呼乱吼：“拼啊！拼啊！杀啊！杀啊！”他忙不迭地叫人把锡盘和窗框上的铅条铸成子弹。他还威胁着要往外冲。可是围攻者采用了新战术，把大口径的重炮移到了前面。 第一炮就把房子炸塌了一大块。一个叫潘朵弗的人跌落在废墟上。这是个胆大妄为的大盗，早被逐出教廷的辖地。他和同伙用路易亲王提供的火枪和匕首，袭击了坐着马车赶路的樊尚·维特利，把他杀死。为此，高贵的维特利大人赏四百皮亚斯特，收买他的首级。潘朵弗跌昏了，不能动弹。凯蒂·李斯塔大人家的一位仆人举枪冲上去，勇敢地割下了他的头颅，马上跑回要塞，把它交给执政官们。 不久，另一发炮弹又摧毁了一面墙体。蒙特梅里诺伯爵亦被炸倒，旋即死在瓦砾上。他的躯体被炮弹炸成了碎片。 接着，从王府冲出一个人来。此人名叫罗伦卓上校，属于卡梅里诺的贵族，家资钜万，曾多次显示出自己的勇敢，颇受亲王器重。他横下心，要拼掉几个再死。他想开火，可是，也许是出于天意，枪机扳动了，子弹却没击发。就在这时，一颗子弹飞来，把他打了个窟窿。开枪的是个穷光蛋，在圣－米歇尔中学当学监。他走近尸体，想割下首级去领赏，没想到一些人比他更敏捷，更强壮，抢在他前面拿走了上校的钱包、腰带、枪、钱币和戒指，并割走了他的脑袋。 路易亲王见到他最信任的两个心腹死了，心慌意乱，半晌没有回过神来。 亲王的管家、穿着便服的秘书费朗菲老爷在一座阳台上扬起一条白手帕，表示投降。接着他走出屋子，由执政官们的副官昂赛姆押往大本营。 围攻者立即对他审问。他说对已经发生的事他没有任何责任，因为他圣诞节前夕才从威尼斯返回。他在那里待了好些日子，为亲王办事。 问他有多少人与亲王待在一起，他说有二三十人。 问他那些人姓甚名谁，他说他仅知道八到十个人的姓名。 他们是贵族，和他一样与亲王同桌进餐。其他的人是些流浪汉，来得也不久，他对他们的情况不大了解。 他说了十三个人的姓名，其中包括里维洛托的兄弟。 不一会儿，架在城墙上的大炮开始轰鸣。战士们开进与王府周围的房子，以阻止敌人逃窜。路易亲王刚才差点和前面那两个死鬼一样送了命，便命令周围的人死死顶住，直到见到他的亲笔信，和某种记号为止。说完，他便向上文提到的昂赛姆投降。由于人群密集，街上布满路障，不能按规定派车押送他，便决定让他步行。 马赛尔·阿柯朗波尼的人马把他围在中间。里边一圈是雇佣兵部队的军官们，昂赛姆副官和城里一些绅士、统领。他们都拿着武器。外面一圈是士兵和武装的市民。路易亲王身着棕色衣服，腰挂佩剑，胳膊挽着披风的一摆，很是潇洒。他一边走，一边露出轻蔑的微笑：我若打下去……那种神气，仿佛要告诉人家，他是胜利者。众人把他带到执政官面前，他立即向他们致意，说：“先生们，我是这位先生的俘虏。”他指着昂赛姆，“发生这种事情，我十分愤怒。这可不是我的过错。” 统领下令缴下他的佩剑。他靠着阳台，发现了一把小剪刀，便用它修剪起指甲来。 统领问他府里有些什么人。他说出一些人的名字，其中有上面提到的里维洛托上校和蒙特梅里诺伯爵。他说为了拯救其中一人，愿出一万皮亚斯特。对另一人，他甚至愿以鲜血为报。他要求把他安置在与他身份相称的地方。事情这样谈妥以后，他便写信给他的手下，并附上戒指作为记号，叫他们投降。他对昂赛姆大人说，他把枪和佩剑送给他，如果在他府上发现了武器，亦请他赏脸留用，因为那是贵族的而不是普通士兵的武器。 士兵们开进王府，仔细搜索，并立即把亲王的手下召集拢来，点名登记，一共三十四名。然后他们两人两人一组，押进了法院的监狱。死了的留下喂狗。一切经过都迅速报给威尼斯。 人们发现，亲王手下许多同谋的士兵漏网了，于是发下通令，严禁窝藏罪犯，违者捣毁住宅，没收财产。有知情举报者，奖给五十皮亚斯特。通过这个办法，又抓到了几个。 从威尼斯派了一艘三桅战舰来到康狄城传达命令：着拉蒂诺·奥西尼立即回威尼斯处理要事。大家认为他将丢掉官职。 先天是圣·埃蒂耶娜的瞻礼日，上午，大家期望着观看处死路易亲王的场面，或者听到他已在狱中绞杀的消息。可是情况并非如此，人们不禁大为诧异，因为他并不是一只可长期关在笼中的鸟。不过到了夜里，法院开庭审判。圣·让瞻礼日黎明前不久，大家得知这位老爷已被绞死，死得十分从容。他的尸体由教堂的教士和耶稣会神甫陪护，立刻送到了大教堂。整整一天，他被陈放在教堂中央一张桌子上示众，给那些不谙世事的人提供借鉴。 翌日，按照他的遗愿，他的尸体被送到威尼斯，埋在那里。 星期六绞死了他的两名手下。一个叫福里奥，是个骨干，另一个则是个卑鄙的小人。 星期一，也就是这一年的最后一天，又绞死了十三个，其中好几个是大贵族。另外还有两人，一个是斯普朗狄亚诺统领，一个是帕加奈罗伯爵，都受了点刑，被带往广场示众。到了刑场，他们被打破脑袋，昏死过去，然后被活活地大卸成四块。这两人都是贵族，在行凶作恶之前，家境十分富有。有人说帕加奈罗伯爵就是残杀维多利娅夫人的凶手。也有人表示异议，说路易亲王在上文提到的那封信里，表明是他亲手行的凶。也许这是出于虚荣，就像他派人杀了维特利在罗马表现的那样，也许只是为了向维吉尼奥·奥西尼亲王讨好。 帕加奈罗伯爵在受到致命一击之前，胸口被捅了好几刀，最后刺中了心脏，就像可怜的妇人所经受的那样。因此，从他胸脯流出大量鲜血，宛如河流。他过了半个多小时才死，令众人惊骇不已。他当时四十有五，生命力十分强盛。 绞架仍然耸立着。本要在新年的第二天处决剩下的十九个罪犯，可是刽子手极为疲乏，百姓见了那么多死人也觉恐慌，因此推迟了两天。但是没人认为会有人得到赦免。在路易亲王的手下，也许只有一人例外，那就是管家费朗菲老爷。 他竭尽全力，终于证明他没有参与凶杀事件。 帕多瓦的居民，甚至年纪最大的人，都记不起在什么时候曾根据公正的判决，一次处死过这么多人。因此，威尼斯的执政官在那些最文明的国家获得了良好的声誉。 （另一人补写道：）书记兼管家费朗菲被判十五年徒刑。司酒官奥诺利奥和另外二人被判刑一年。另有七人被判处戴脚镣划船的苦役。最后七人被释放。