New-York tribune., 1889-10-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
ANOTHER NOVEL BY MIR. AsToR.

Astor. 12mo, PIP. 25S. Chafies Scrpnoi S
Mr. Astor in his new story has again ura" !"
ipon the ample records of Italian history anu h"'
,ound. in the chronicles of that Ludovico Sforza
.alled n Moro.n the foundation for a romance
.bicb gives ample verge for the exercise of his
os =, no,traitur, his fondness for the picturesque
effects of medieval life, and his aptitude in vivid
5escrintion The Sforza of this tale is indeed OF
much lighter moral complexion than the aStute
md sunnle intricuer characterized by Philip de
Con,ines as homme sans foy," and regarded by
his contemporaries as TOO perfdlous TO believe un-
dor apv circumstances. But it is in the decline
of his power that he is introduced to us here;
when LIS once effective ruse of calling in the
French to destroy his Neapolitan foes had returned
TO plague him, and Louis the Twelfth was about
20 avenge the wrongs done TO Charles the Eighth!
The moment when the French invasion is an
nounced, and simultaneously the determination OF
Venice TO attack Ludovico in the rear is learned
has been chosen for the beginning of the narrative
which deals with II Moro's desperate and fuulc
efforts to stave of the threatened dlsaster' MS
final fight from Milan, his re-entry to the CITY
but not the citadel the desertion OF his SWISS mcr
cenaries which left him naked before his enemies,
his ignominious capture, long imprisonment, ana
death
Into the historical facts are woven number OF
Il
of Sforza is sent by him to Venice to endeaVor !"
secure the aid of the Doge, Barbarigo, in checkns
or countermandng the Venetian military piahS'
and this mission affords the author opportunity
for n sketch of the famous ceremony oil the "eu-
ding of the Adriatic and for a graphic picture VI
an examination be fore the awful Council OF lhree'
From the latter we take the following eAVracU'
Tho three councillors sat at table whsreon $1,000 ,So,r
an ivory crucifx Writing at high uesk Mas IneiI
nd in1ferently q
fearful shape occupied one side OF the room, ~ds az
whose peculiar construction he toyed with the Ilo
est OF one who examines novel ana IN! lhg.liionIs I
mapship. which, being thrust into the mouth OF the m
person about to undergo the question, WaS' pS Ino
holding the sufferers Jaws detended and preventing
Oh. outcry Before window was large carr n,cnad; td
above which at a proper elevation was firmly pScco
ihe celebrated helmet which the invention of Ven
cs for summary execution; In IL the head OF tne con
wrench drove long, sharp bolt deep into the base OF
he brain. severng the spinal column, and causing IN
The three councillors. their clerk and the negro
0Ssd 9 T Se f9FGs he@ TSey wondeTof what man
ner Of this eckiess cut-throat me wnneSsss l
form and startled face Of the youth who advanced With
difficulty before them bis aniles being chanSd Tin Ti
a short fetter His conductor scrupulously ied MN
to spot precisely in the centre Of the ro0m PLACED
his cap in his bound hands, and Withdrew closing the
If Narvaez had not at first comprehended the i'm
minence aud extremity OF the danger he accepted he
!
gulshed for never leaning TO the side Of mercy. He
knew that To confess to incur immediate sentence
proHss Of rescue. To deny was to be ordered in
ttantly upon the rack He looked al the judges before
purpose upon the face Of each then he glanced at The
secretary trimming his pens and at me Ssve o sb, n
rack, and sight Of that appalling Instrument the
anguish OF despair camo over him in thought OF con,
vused lips and starting eyes, and lacerated hesh ard
sobs and shrieks.
Isabel of Aragon, widow of that Gsleasso Sforza
whose death by poison LudovicO is charged with
comprising is of the actors in the drama, not
the least spirited scene of which is that in which
King Louis draws from Isabel frank declaration
Of her loathng for Bernardino Carte, the traitor
who surrendered the Castle Of Milan to the French
In the hope of marrying the Duchess. Cesar
Borgia Valentino appears here in of his most
sinister roles, and the chapter closes with an as
sassination in which he plays the principal part
The story is full of cear-cut little tabcaus of
medieval Italian manners, customs md observ-
ances. A sufficient flavor of the then prevalent
superstition is impaired by the figure of Messer
Almondoro the Dukes .soothsayer, of whom the
greatest marvelS were commonly reported but
who shows himself in the narrative a person Of
by no means supernatural ability penetration.
Hermes Sforza, nephew of the usurping Duke, is
a well-drawn example Of the gilled youth of the
period, and Narvaez, the fencing -master-but there
is a surprise for the reader in Narvaez which we
will not fOrcStall.
The Chevaher Bayard is shown in the per-
formance OF the daring deed that won him his
spurs. This is spirited description, but too long
for quotation. Here, however, is an interesting
picture of the Swiss mercenaries whose sudden
withdrawal ruined Sforza:
If Narvaez resented the presence Of the French. he
expressed himself Stl more fOrcibly at the aspect Of
the army of anzknechtS which LudOvico encamped on
1ripfa 90 Ang gIfahi funaa I,1
appeared I'm Italy since the descents Of caacenic fleets
some centuries before. Such the leyity of the
tne SIagS oS Iso crnar anu nHrIs az anu & Tuue
prOwess and ferOcity much had been said.
They were formed in battaliOns. each bearing flag
embiazoned with the emblem Of lis canton the bear
Of the oberland, the bull of Ur the fish Of Lucerne
Their costumes Of various shapes and cOlOrs all
breaches, reaching from the waist TO the ankle and
fitting within heavy untanned shoes; their helmets
iusely studded with nails. The officers were dis
tinguished by iron casques decorated with coarse
pumcs and those whose rank entitled them 10 horse
wore soft boots falling in folds below the knee For
weapons, armed with long, Jagged halbers.
shoulder; all had either sheathess sword bare.
thick dagger stuck through a thong at their bolt.
The most remarkable feature in the entire array was
the number Of women many OF Whom carried arr infants
walk all bore immense burdens; containing provisions,
cooking utensils and extra clothing for their consors
bundles they sbouldered, while others were attended
by fierce dogs. Such were the "Lansquenettes," as
they came TO be called, probably the most suffering
and miserable of their I'm any age.
II is rather curious that there is in Mr. Astor's
book nothing which can be called love-story,
though there is more than one love tragedy out
lined in it. The movement throughout is so
spirited, the reproduction of bygone times and
people realistic, that the reader will not miss
the element referred to. Mr. Astor has made ex-
cellent OF his historical material, and has
written romance which will heighten the repu-
tation ne made by Valentino