Willmar tribune., 1899-07-26

and pushing it, found it to open easily. II
led into narrow, vauted passage, where
!: the darkness was rs if q velvet curtain q
black hung before US. ~ do not like the
look of this, excelle:tcy, said jacopo. as We
halted in front Of the door. r.>>s !
/ Keep n drawn sword" answered, "and
follow me- -.
We could only go in single file, and picked
our way with the greatest care, our feet ring
ing on the stone floor. Except for this, the
silence was intense, and we could hear no
sound of the deviltry outside. The passage
continued, until we almost began to think
| it had no end, but at last the darkness gave
| way to a semigloom, and faint bar of light
cleaned ahead of us. At this we increased
our pace, finding sharp corner, Il Little be-
yond which rose winding flight OF stairs,
| ending before a half-open door, through
which the dim light came. put my foot on
the first of the steps, and was about to as
cend, when we were startled by hearing Il
moan of mortal agony. followed by laugh,
so wild and shrill, so exultant, and yet SO
full of malice, that it, chilled us to the bone.
II pealed through the door, and echoed down
the passage behind us, until the horrid
cadence became fainter and fainter, finally
dying away into the black darkness:
''God save us!" exclaimed Jacopo, 1T is a
liend laughing its way to hell" =
lie went on, with chattering teeth, to
adjure me to go no further; but'crossing my
self, | bade him be silent, and stepped for
| wards. Since that moan of agony, and ter.
1ible laugh of triumph, there was no sound,
and ! could almost hear my heart beating, as
| reached the door. Jacopo had nerved him
self to follow me, and stood pale and trem-
bling at my shoulder, his sword quivering in
his shaking hand. i was myself not free
from fear, for no man may combat with
spirits, but after moments hesitation.
looked cautiously in. ! saw before me room
Of great size, dimly lighted by two tall can
dies, burning on each side of massive bed
stead, on which lay man bound, and with
ing in the throes of death. The light, though
faint around the room, fell full on the face
of the man, and horribly as the features were
changed, distorted as they were, | saw they
were those of Alexander, and that he was
in his last agony, alone and friendless in his
splendid palace. Yet not alone, there was
another figure in the room. AS looked, it
stepped out Of the gloom of the rich curtains
at the window, and standing over the bed,
laughed again, that terrible laugh of deyilish
JOY. At the sound, the dying man moaned
through his black, foam-clothed lips, and
Corte, for it was he, bent over the body au4
Knocked him.
''Roderigo Borgia, Vicar of Christ, hell
yawns for you; but few moments, Borgia,
but few moments of life; think you, that
you suffer now? There is more coming
things even cannot dream Of" In the face
of Alexander came so awful look of en-
| hat T
stepped INTO the room, and putting my hand
on Corte's shoulder, said:
"Come, let him die in peace"
He turned on me with snarl, but recog-
nizing me, laughed again.
''Ha! ha! Let him die in peace. Why,
man, you saw her die, and can say this?
tor, Matthew Corte, bled him for an ague.
and touched him with little knife, just a
little pin prick. He began to die then; but
hell is not yet hot enough for him. He dies
in too much peace. Why, my dog died in
more agony! But he has felt something.
See those torn curtains! See this disordered
room! He tore those curtains in his mad
ness. He bit at the wood of the chairs, he
-howled like dog at the moon, and they
tied him here, and left him. I alone watch.
l will let him die in peace. Ha! ha! 1t is
good. 10 not want him to die yet. give
him food, and he lives. In a little while per.
haps he will die. But in peace! ha! ha! /
could almost die with laughter, when hear
that. It is too good! Ha! ha!''
l saw it. was hopeless to do anything with
Corte, and the pope was beyond repair |
might have cut down the madman, but it
would have served no purpose. For mo-
ment I thought ! would pass my sword
through the Borgia, and free him from pain.
1t would have been mercy, but luckily
had the sense to restrain myself. Again,
Alexander deserved his fate, and few min
utes more or less would make no difference.
So l left the wretch to die the death of a
dog, that befttcd his life, and turning on my
heel, went back through the passage
Jacopo heaved sigh of relief as VIC came
out, and felt different man as ran down
the steps of the Scala Regia. Here ! met
with De Leyva again, and told hin, what
had SEEN.
"The Camerlengo has lust gone to him. y
he answered, referring to the pope, land you
have missed D'Amboise. He has returned
to the Palazzo Corneto. l can do nothing
here, and am going myself. Do you walk OF
ride? have no horse"
"Wa}k," I answered, and the Spaniard
linked his arm in mine, as, followed by
Jacopo, we took our way back to the car.
dinals house.
On reaching there sought DAmGoise at
once. He had heard of my arrival, and was
awaiting me. After a brief greeting, told him
his business was done, and handed him the
Guittance had received from Hardwood
He was nightly pleased, as may he i'm.
agined: I felt it my duty to inform him OF
the death Of St. Armande, telling him how
it occurred, without in any way disclosing
my knowledge of the secret. He was much
affected.
1T is a sad business" he said. ''but we
have other things to think of now. Mon
Dieu! mon Dieu!"- And to this day am
unaware if he knew or not.
But the night was not yet over, and late
as ut was, there were yet things to be done
About midnight we heard that Alexande,
was dead, and few minutes later Gentil
Orsini hurried to the cardinal. They held .
hasty council, and De Briconnet and were
| summoned. News had come that Cesare had
not yet left Ostia, that he was too i'll te
travel, and D'Amboise and Orsini resolved
on a bold stroke. It was nothing less thar
the capture of Borgia. Orsini offered to lend
200 lances for the purpose, but a leader wa.
wanted. He could not 60 himself, as hi.
arch enemy, Fabrizio Colonna, held all Rom,
on the left bank of the 1iber, and was il
sufficient force to make dash for the Borpt
at any moment. The short of it was, thai
Eat the cardinaFs Recommendation, received
the command, and about two in the mornin,
set out for Ostia. If the ships cesa1e hae
Ihired had arrived the matter was ended. and
we could do nothing but if not, there wa,
every chance Of his surrendering without ,
blow, as although he had about 500 me,
with him, they were not to be relied on, ex