the cenci-第5章

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will　be　remembered；　the　assassination　would　have　been　effected　the

day　before　had　it　not　been　for　the　religious　scruples　of　Signora

Lucrezia　Petroni。　　Towards　midnight；　Beatrice　fetched　them　out　of

their　hiding…place；　and　took　them　to　her　father's　chamber；　the　door

of　which　she　herself　opened。　　The　assassins　entered；　and　the　two

women　awaited　the　issue　in　the　room　adjoining。



After　a　moment；　seeing　the　sbirri　reappear　pale　and　nerveless；

shaking　their　heads　without　speaking；　they　at　once　inferred　that

nothing　had　been　done。



〃What　is　the　matter？〃　cried　Beatrice；　〃and　what　hinders　you？〃



〃It　is　a　cowardly　act；〃　replied　the　assassins；　〃to　kill　a　poor　old

man　in　his　sleep。　　At　the　thought　of　his　age；　we　were　struck　with

pity。〃



Then　Beatrice　disdainfully　raised　her　head；　and　in　a　deep　firm　。voice

thus　reproached　them。



〃Is　it　possible　that　you；　who　pretend　to　be　brave　and　strong；　have

not　courage　enough　to　kill　a　sleeping　old　man？　　How　would　it　be　if　he

were　awake？　　And　thus　you　steal　our　money！　　Very　well：　since　your

cowardice　compels　me　to　do　so；　I　will　kill　my　father　myself；　but　you

will　not　long　survive　him。〃



Hearing　these　words；　the　sbirri　felt　ashamed　of　their　irresolution；

and；　indicating　by　signs　that　they　would　fulfil　their　compact；　they

entered　the　room；　accompanied　by　the　two　women。　　As　they　had　said；　a

ray　of　moonlight　shone　through　the　open　window；　and　brought　into

prominence　the　tranquil　face　of　the　old　man；　the　sight　of　whose　white

hair　had　so　affected　them。



This　time　they　showed　no　mercy。　　One　of　them　carried　two　great　nails；

such　as　those　portrayed　in　pictures　of　the　Crucifixion；　the　other

bore　a　mallet：　the　first　placed　a　nail　upright　over　one　of　the　old

man's　eyes；　the　other　struck　it　with　the　hammer；　and　drove　it　into

his　head。　　The　throat　was　pierced　in　the　same　way　with　the　second

nail；　and　thus　the　guilty　soul；　stained　throughout　its　career　with

crimes　of　violence；　was　in　its　turn　violently　torn　from　the　body；

which　lay　writhing　on　the　floor　where　it　had　rolled。

The　young　girl　then；　faithful　to　her　word；　handed　the　sbirri　a　large

purse　containing　the　rest　of　the　sum　agreed　upon；　and　they　left。

When　they　found　themselves　alone；　the　women　drew　the　nails　out　of　the

wounds；　wrapped　the　corpse　in　a　sheet；　and　dragged　it　through　the

rooms　towards　a　small　rampart；　intending　to　throw　it　down　into　a

garden　which　had　been　allowed　to　run　to　waste。　　They　hoped　that　the

old　man's　death　would　be　attributed　to　his　having　accidentally　fallen

off　the　terrace　on　his　way　in　the　dark　to　a　closet　at　the　end　of　the

gallery。　　But　their　strength　failed　them　when　they　reached　the　door

of　the　last　room；　and；　while　resting　there；　Lucrezia　perceived　the

two　sbirri；　sharing　the　money　before　making　their　escape。　　At　her

call　they　came　to　her；　carried　the　corpse　to　the　rampart；　and；　from　a

spot　pointed　out　by　the　women；　where　the　terrace　was　unfenced　by　any

parapet；　they　threw　it　into　an　elder　tree　below；　whose　branches

retained'　it　suspended。



When　the　body　was　found　the　following　morning　hanging　in　the　branches

of　the　elder　tree；　everybody　supposed；　as　Beatrice　and　her　stepmother

had　foreseen；　that　Francesco；　stepping　over　the　edge　of　the　386

terrace　in　the　dark；　had　thus　met　his　end。　　The　body　was　so　scratched

and　disfigured　that　no　one　noticed　the　wounds　made　by　the　two　nails。

The　ladies；　as　soon　as　the　news　was　imparted　to　them；　came　out　from

their　rooms；　weeping　and　lamenting　in　so　natural　a　manner　as　to

disarm　any　suspicions。　　The　only　person　who　formed　any　was　the

laundress　to　whom　Beatrice　entrusted　the　sheet　in　which　her　father's

body　had　been　wrapped；　accounting　for　its　bloody　condition　by　a　lame

explanation；　which　the　laundress　accepted　without　question；　or

pretended　to　do　so；　and　immediately　after　the　funeral；　the　mourners

returned　to　Rome；　hoping　at　length　to　enjoy　quietude　and　peace。

For　some　time；　indeed；　they　did　enjoy　tranquillity；　perhaps　poisoned

by　remorse；　but　ere　long　retribution　pursued　them。　　The　court　of

Naples；　hearing　of　the　sudden　and　unexpected　death　of　Francesco

Cenci；　and　conceiving　some　suspicions　of　violence；　despatched　a　royal

commissioner　to　Petrella　to　exhume　the　body　and　make　minute

inquiries；　if　there　appeared　to　be　adequate　grounds　for　doing　so。　　On

his　arrival　all　the　domestics　in　the　castle　were　placed　under　arrest

and　sent　in　chains　to　Naples。　　No　incriminating　proofs；　however；　were

found；　except　in　the　evidence　of　the　laundress；　who　deposed　that

Beatrice　had　given　her　a　bloodstained　sheet　to　wash。　　This；　clue　led

to　terrible　consequences；　for；　further　questioned　she　declared　that

she　could　not　believe　the　explanation　given　to　account　for　its

condition。　　The　evidence　was　sent　to　the　Roman　court；　but　at　that

period　it　did　not　appear　strong　enough　to　warrant　the　arrest　of　the

Cenci　family；　who　remained　undisturbed　for　many　months；　during　which

time　the　youngest　boy　died。　　Of　the　five　brothers　there　only　remained

Giacomo；　the　eldest；　and　Bernardo；　the　youngest　but　one。　　Nothing

prevented　them　from　escaping　to　Venice　or　Florence；　but　they　remained

quietly　in　Rome。



Meantime　Monsignor　Guerra　received　private　information　that；　shortly

before　the　death　of　Francesco；　Marzio　and　Olympio　had　been　seen

prowling　round　the　castle；　and　that　the　Neapolitan　police　had

received　orders　to　arrest　them。



The　monsignor　was　a　most　wary　man；　and　very　difficult　to　catch

napping　when　warned　in　time。　　He　immediately　hired　two　other　sbirri

to　assassinate　Marzio　and　Olympio。　　The　one　commissioned　to　put

Olympio　out　of　the　way　came　across　him　at　Terni；　and　conscientiously

did　his　work　with　a　poniard；　but　Marzio's　man　unfortunately　arrived

at　Naples　too　late；　and　found　his　bird　already　in　the　hands　of　the

police。



He　was　put　to　the　torture；　and　confessed　everything。　　His　deposition

was　sent　to　Rome；　whither　he　shortly　afterwards　followed　it；　to　be

confronted　with　the　accused。　　Warrants　were　immediately　issued　for

the　arrest　of　Giacomo；　Bernardo；　Lucrezia；　and　Beatrice；　they　were　at

first　confined　in　the　Cenci　palace　under　a　strong　guard；　but　the

proofs　against　them　becoming　stronger　and　stronger；　they　were　removed

to　the　castle　of　Corte　Savella；　where　they　were　confronted　with

Marzio；　but　they　obstinately　denied　both　any　complicity　in　the　crime

and　any　knowledge　of　the　assassin。　　Beatrice；　above　all；　displayed

the　greatest　assurance；　demanding　to　be　the　first　to　be　confronted

with　Marzio；　whose　mendacity　she　affirmed　with　such　calm　dignity；

that　he；　more　than　ever　smitten　by　her　beauty；　determined；　since　he

could　not　live　for　her；　to　save　her　by　his　death。　　Consequently；　he

declared　all　his　statements　to　be　false；　and　asked　forgiveness　from

God　and　from　Beatrice；　neither　threats　nor　tortures　could　make　him

recant；　and　he　died　firm　in　his　denial；　under　frightful　tortures。

The　Cenci　then　thought　themselves　safe。



God's　justice；　however；　still　pursued　them。　　The　sbirro　who　had

killed　Olympio　happened　to　be　arrested　for　another　crime；　and；　making

a　clean　breast；　confessed　that　he　had　been　employed　by　Monsignor

Guerrato　put　out　of　the　way　a　fellow…assassin　named　Olympio；　who

knew　too　many　of　the　monsignor's　secrets。



Luckily　for　himself；　Monsignor　Guerra　heard　of　this　opportunely。　　A

man　of　infinite　resource；　he　lost　not　a　moment　in　timid　or　irresolute

plans；　but　as　it　happened　that　at　the　very　moment　when　he　was　warned；

the　charcoal　dealer　who　supplied　his　house　with　fuel　was　at　hand；　he

sent　for　him；　purchased　his　silence　with　a　handsome　bribe；　and　then；

buying　for　almost　their　weight　in　gold　the　dirty　old　clothes　which　he

wore；　he　assumed　these；　cut　off　all　his　beautiful　cherished　fair

hair；　stained　his　beard；　smudged　his　face；　bought　two　asses；　laden

with　charcoal；　and　limped　up　and　down　the　streets　of　Rome；　crying；

〃Charcoal！　　charcoal！〃　Then；　whilst　all　the　detectives　were　hunting

high　and　low　for　him；　he　got　out　of　the　city