The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1899-10-24

1t was all we could do to keep our own heads
on our shoulders; but by dint of shouting,
'AColonna!" with the Colonna, and "Orsini!
Orsini!" with their rivals, and sometimes
hitting a shrewd blow or two, we crossed
the Ripetta, and in few minutes were safe
In the Palazzo Corneto.
Here we were received by lie Clerc, who
comforted the trembling Strigonia, with the
assurance that an excellent supper awaited
him, informing me, almost in the same
breath, that D'Amboise was in the vatican.
lost no time in repairing thither, which l
did on foot, accompanied by Jacopo alone,
and made my way without let or hlndran &c
to the Tore Borgia. Here everything was in
the widest confusion, and the Spanish sol
dlers of the pope were plundering right and
left. l stumbled across De Leyva, who, with
few men at his back, was trying TO main
tain order. He gladly accepted the offer of
my sword, and we did what we could to pre-
vent the wholesale robbery from going on.
In a brief interval of rest, | asked:
do you know where DAmboise is
"ln the Sistine chapel, with half-a-dozen
others; De Briconnet guards the entrance"
'And Alexander"
"Dead or dying-I do not even know
where is is; Don Michele has seized as much
as he can, and, carrying Cesare on litter
has escaped to Ostia"
''Then Casare is not dead"
''No. Cross of St. James! see that?" and
he pointed to Keeling drunken crowd, full
with wine and plumber, who passed by us
with yells, into the great reception-rooms.
Followed by the few men who remained
steady, De Leyva dashed after them, and
with ToooTO Of boolc 7 uoo1o for tbp
Sistine chapel. | reached the Scala begia,
and although l knew the Sistine chapel was
but a few feet distant, yet, owing to the
darkness that prevailed, | missed the way,
and Jacopo was of course unable to help me.
Cropping UPWARDS we came to a small door,
and pushing it, found it to open easily. 1t
led into narrow, vaulted passage, where
the darkness was as if velvet curtain of
black hung before US. Il do not like The
look of this, excellency," said Jacopo, as We
halted in front of the door.
Keep a drawn sword" I answered, "and
follow me-"
We could only go il 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
i. had no end, but at last the darkness gave
way TO a scmigloom, and faint bar of light
cleaned ahead of us. At this we increased
our pace, finding sharp corner, Little be-
yond which rose a 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 q
moan of mortal agony, followed by laugh,
so wild and shrill, so exultant, and yet SC
full of malice, that it chilled us to the bone
It pealed through the door, and echoed down
che passage behind US, until the horrid
cadence became fainter and fainter, finally
| dying away into the black darkness.
GOOD save u.s." exclaimed Jacopo, ''it is 6
| fend laughing its way to hell"
He went on, with chattering teeth, tc
azure me to go no further; but crossing my