CHAPTER XV. THE CORSINI PALACE.
"This is truly an unexpected blessing--a fountain in the desert,"thought the Cardinal, as the three women were ushered into theaudience-chamber. "Providence serves me better than these knaves by whomI am surrounded." Casting an undisguised look of admiration at Clelia,who stood modestly behind her mother, he said aloud, "Let the petitionbe brought forward."
Monna Aurelia, considerately taking the document from Silvia, advancedwith it, and presented it on her knees.
After perusing it with apparent attention, the Cardinal addressedAurelia, saying, "So you are the wife of that Manlio who takes uponhimself to shelter and protect the enemies of the State, of his Holinessthe Pope?"
"It is I who am the wife of Signor Manlio, your Eminence," said Silvia,advancing. "This lady," pointing to Aurelia, "kindly offered to appearbefore your Eminence, and assure you that neither my husband or I haveever meddled with politics, and are persons of unquestioned honesty."
"Unquestioned honesty!" repeated the Cardinal, in simulated anger."Why, then, as you are so very honest, do you first shelter hereticsand enemies of the state, and then assist them to escape in such anunpardonable manner?"
"To escape!" exclaimed Clelia, who had hitherto preserved her presenceof mind. "Then my father is no longer confined in this dreadfulplace"--and a flush of joy spread itself over her lovely features.
"Yes, he has escaped; but ere long he will be re-taken, and must answerfor his double crime," said the Cardinal.
These words gave a blow to Silvia's new-born hopes, and, what withsurprise, fear, and excitement, she fell back into her daughter's armsin a swoon.
The Cardinal, hardened to such scenes, at once determined to takeadvantage of it, so summoning some servants, he ordered them to conveythe fainting woman and her friends to another room, where properremedies could be applied to restore the stricken wife. As they madetheir exit, he rubbed his soft hands gleefully, saying to himself, "Ah,my pretty one! you shall not leave the palace until you have paid me afee." He then sent for Gianni, who, recognizing the trio at their entry,had remained at hand, as he divined his services would be needed. Whenhe presented himself, his master chuckled out--
"Ebben, Signor Gianni! Providence beats your boasted ability out andout."
Gianni, knowing that all was sunshine again when he was thus dignifiedby the title "Signor," answered, "Have I not always said your Eminencewas born under a lucky star?"
"Well," continued the profane Cardinal, "since Providence favors me,it now only rests with you, Gianni, to finish the matter off." Then hecontinued, "Follow the women, and see that every respect is paid them;and when they are calmed, direct Father Ignazio to send for the elderwoman and the wife of the sculptor, under pretense of questioning themabout his escape, that I may have an opportunity of conversing alonewith the incomparable Clelia."
Bowing profoundly, the scoundrel departed to execute his dissolutemaster's commands.
As he passed out, a lackey entered, announcing that "Una SignoraInglese" wished to see his Eminence on business.
"Introduce her," said Procopio, stroking his chin complacently; forhe congratulated himself, in spite of the interruption, on his goodfortune, as he admired the young Englishwoman excessively.
Julia greeted him frankly as an acquaintance, holding ont her hand inthe English fashion, which he took, expressing in warm terms, as he ledher to a seat, his delight at seeing her.
"And to what am I to attribute the felicity of again receiving you sosoon under my roof? This room," he continued, "so lately brightened byyour presence, has a renewed grace for me now."
Julia seated herself, and replied, gravely, for she was slightlydiscomposed by the Cardinal's flattery, "Your Eminence is toocondescending. As you well know, my former object in coming to thepalace was to crave leave to copy some of the _chefs-d'ouvre_ with whichit is adorned; but today I am here on a different errand."
The Cardinal, drawing a chair to her side and seating himself, said,"And may I inquire its nature, beautiful lady?" placing, as he spoke,his hands upon hers with an insinuating pressure.
Julia, resenting the Cardinal's familiarity, drew her chair back;but, as he again approached, she stood up, and placed it between them,saying, as he attempted to rise, and with a look that made him flinch,"You surely forget yourself, Monseigneur; be seated, or I must leaveyou."
The prelate, profoundly abashed by the dignity of the English girl,obeyed, and she continued, "My object is to obtain information of thewife and daughter of the sculptor Manlio, who, I am told, came to thepalace some hours ago to present a petition to your Eminence."
"They came here, but have already left," stammered Procopio, as soon ashe had recovered from his surprise.
"Is it long since they quitted your Eminence?" asked Julia.
"But a few minutes," was the reply.
"I presume they have left the palace, then?"
"Assuredly," affirmed he, unblushingly.
Julia, with a gesture of incredulity, bowed, and took her leave.
What is there perfect in the world? This English nation is by no meansexempt from imperfection; yet the English are the only people who canbe compared with the ancient Romans, for they resemble each other in thesplendid selfishness of their virtues and their vices.
Egotists and conquerors, the history of both abounds in crime committedeither in their own dominions, or in those countries which they invadedand subdued. Many are the nations they have overthrown to satisfy theirboundless thirst for gold and power.
Yet who dare deny that the Britons, with all their faults, havecontributed largely to the civilization and social advancement ofmankind? They have laid the grand foundations of a new idea of humanity,erect, inflexible, majestic, free; obeying no masters but the laws whichthey themselves have made, no kings but those which they themselvescontrol.
By untiring patience and indomitable legality, this people has knownhow to reconcile government and order with the liberty of a self-rulingcommunity.
The isle of England has become a sanctuary, an inviolable refuge for theunfortunate of all other nations. Those proscribed by tyrants, and thetyrants who have proscribed them, flee alike to her hospitable shores,and find shelter on the single condition of taking their place ascitizens among citizens, and yielding obedience to the sovereign laws.
England, too, be it ever remembered first proclaimed to the world theemancipation of the slave, and her people willingly submitted to anincreased taxation in order to carry out this glorious act in all hercolonies. Her descendants in America have, after a long and bloodystruggle between freedom and oligarchy, banished slavery also foreverfrom the New World.
Lastly, to England Italy is indebted in part for her reconstruction, byreason of that resolute proclamation of fair play and no intervention inthe Straits of Messina in 1860.
To France Italy is also, indeed, indebted, since so many of her heroicsoldiers fell in the Italian cause in the battles of Solferino andMagenta. She has also profited, like the rest of the world, by thewritings of the great minds of France, and by her principles of justiceand freedom. To France, moreover, we owe, in a great measure, theabolition of piracy in the Mediterranean. France marched, in truth, forsome centuries alone, as the leader in civilization.
The time was when she proclaimed and propagated liberty to the world;but she has now, alas! fallen, and is crouching before the image of afictitious greatness, while her ruler endeavors to defraud the nationwhich he has exasperated, and employs his troops to deprive Italy of thefreedom which he helped to give her.
Let us hope that, for the welfare of humanity, she will, ere long,resume her proper position, and, united with England, once again useher sublime power to put down violence and corruption, and raise thestandard of universal liberty and progress.