Washington sentinel., 1899-10-28
tt. = .,1l SENTINEL
The Doom OF a woman who was too
Beautiful

The Doom OF n w oman W no was TOO
Beautiful
The ancient history OF Florence
is full OF strange stories, but none
is more strange than that OF the
woman who, when Ferdinand de
Medici was on the throne OF Flor
ence, was brought before the tribu-
nal of blood, her figure enYeloped
IN an ample cloak that represented
winding sheet, and her face COW
cred with a mask representing a
grinning skull. This woman, who
seemed like a spectre preparing to
join the carnival of death, was
Rosaura Montalboni, and she was
charged with the strange offence,
shorn of legal technicalities and
language, OF being so beautiful
that she disturbed the peace OF the
city, and that her presence in it
was inimical to its welfare. She
was so beautiful that when she
stood at her window, crowds gath
cred to gaze upon her and blocked
up the thoroughiaTes She was so
beautiful that the employees Of the
Ducal Government spent their
time watching her instead of at
tending to their official duties.
She was so beautiful that when she
went into shops, the tradesmen
would accept no payment, but laid
their treasures at her feet, and
courted her smiles. She was so
beautiful that when she entered the
church Of Santa Maria del Fiore,
people gazed upon her instead Of
al the altar, and instead OF comfort
and salvation took home from the
sacred place only pam and con-
demnatIon.
Ifthe fishermen in the morning
drew from the Arno the corpse Of
a pale youth, il was the luckless
lover, who had killed himself Tor
Rosaura's sake. If the watchman
at night stumbled over the lifeless
form OF a velvet clad knight, he
was sure to have perished for the
sake OF Rosaura, who perhaps had
smiled kindly upon him, and
thereby excited the furious envy
OF his rivals II rich fathers died
suddenly they were sure to have
beSh poisoned on account of Rosa
ura. Once famine prevailed in the
city. The populace, iniuriated by
the want Of bread, forced their way
into the Montalboni Palace, whose
mistress bathed in milk, and gave
banqueSs daily. When the frantic
mob burst the doors open, RosauTa
came down the marble steps en-
tirely alone, her wonderful golden
hair floating over her shoulders,
tanning herself with a diamond
mounted fan-and the people were
silent before her. The ringleaders
kissed the hem OF her robe and the
throng retired. Thrice her beauty
was denounced by outraged faith.
ers, whose sons had fallen victims
to Rosaura's charms, and she ap-
peared before the judges. But
when she looked into their faces
they forgot the law; when she wept
they vowed she was innocent;
when she smiled they were pre-
pared to declare themselves guilty
for her sake
When a steward OF the Dukes
funds appropriated treasure. and
killed himself after squanderinp it
all for the beautiful Rosaura, mercy
could be no longer shown. She
was ordered to be branded and for
ever exiled from Florence. The
pillory was erected in front OF the
notorious Palazzo Pizzi, and in
sight Of vast crowds. the beautiful
woman was led forward on the
scaffold. The executioner took
the red hot iron, tore the silk robe
from Rosaura's shoulder, but
instantly, instead OF the hot iron,
he pressed his burning lips upon
her shoulder. The Jest cost the
executioner his head, but saved
Rosaura. No one could be found
to execute sentence upon her. The
marvel reached the Dukes ears.
Cosmo de Medici was an old man,
and inclined to pietY. Perhaps it
was from Christian motives that
when ne sent tor Rosaura, and saw
her, he pardoned her. She was
permitted to be beautiful unpun
ished. But after Cosmo, young
Ferdinand de Medici assembled the
throne. He had Rosaura sent to
the tribunal OF blood, and it was
by their stern decree that the skull
mask was fixed upon her, that not
even her jailers might be led astTay,
and that every human being might
shrink from her, and, instead OF
love, feel only terror.
For nine and thirty years Ferdi-
nand de Medici sat upon the throne
and Cosmos III. succeeded him.
Thereupon a general amnesty was
declared. Il was the duty OF the
jadges to examine the records and
decide whether the individual
offense warranted the granting OF
the amnesty in his case. Then a
woman in a hideous mask was
found, and when the mask was re-
moved, an equally corpse like,
withered face was revealed-the
living semblance of the mask she
wore. 1t was Rosaura Montalboni.