Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-06-07

.
d, copyright. 1895. by D. Appleton & Co
All rights reserved.l
CHATTER XVII.
THE VATICAN
The neyt morning | sought an interview
with DAmboise and stated to him what
had occurred, proposing that should leave
Rome at once, and await his instructions
at any point be should tx. To my surprise,
he did not regard the matter in so serious
light, saying that small fine would no
doubt settle the matter. My dear cava-
iiere," he said, "our lord does not desire
the death Of sinner, but only his purse.
Make your mind easy, but keep a tighter
hand on your men,"
II shall assuredly do 80, your eminence."
Another thing. / think you will have
to put aside your shyness, and attend me
to the vatican for the next few days. 1t
is extraordinary how suspicious the court
here is. They keep constant watch on
me, and on all the suite, and your seclu-
sion, and solitary rides out, have beer the
subject of remark. The ladies too are xIing
interest in you. In fact, have been spe-
cially asked to bring you with me, by Ma
donna Lucrezia, all owing to foolish re-
mark made by Strigonia"
81 am at your eminence's orders"
1T is little risk, but do not want them
to think that you are anything but mere
member of my suite. If there were the
slightest suspicion, all my plans would be
upset, and the time is at hand now, day
or two at the outside"
THANK God! l am eating my heart out
here"
Courage, cavaliere! 1t will end soon.
BY the way, is Bayard right in saying You
have enlisted St. Armande?"
eyes, your eminence."
"Ciel! l should not have thought he
would have been one for your purpose. But
that is your affair."" and he began to
laugh.
II have seven good swords behind me,
not do we'll; but could hardly refuse his
request"
D'Amboise made no answer, and our in
terview came to close. would, however,
add here that nothing ever came of the
burning of the inn. No complaint was ever
laid, as far as could find out, and the mat
ter might have been an everyday occur
renee, so little attention did it excite.
of course did not know that affairs had
reached to such pitch of disorder in Rome,
and lived in hourly expectation, notwith-
standing the cardinals speech, of having
considerable worry over the revengeful zeal
of Jacopo. / took care that no such thing
was likely to occur again, and Master ia
copo was penitent, swearing he would never
give me further cause for annoyance. At
the levee, that morning, St. Armande was,
as usual, beside Inc, and whispered to hi1,
to hold himself in readiness, as the time
for our business was at hand.
II am glad of that" he answered, his
face lighting up.
II attend the cardinal to-day to the vati
can," l said, by way of continuing the con-
versation.
"There will be much going on this even
ing" he made reply. "The Florcntine en-
voy has been here for the past two days,
and the affair at the vatican tonight is in
his honor. Do you know that you have
excited great curiosity in the hearts Of the
court ladies?'
Indeed? It is not my way"
'Is it not? Well, Lucrezia expressed a
particular desire to see you"
81 trust it may not lead to the Tiber,
chevalier. The attentions of the Lady Luz
crezia are a trife dangerous.
His face became very grave.
"Be civil TO her, nothing more" he whis-
pered. "You are quite right. Oh, how
hate that place!' he shivered little.
"Well, we will soon be out of it,
"Please God!'
There was no one at the high table at
dinner that day, both the cardinal and Bay
ard having gone to dine with Sforza at the
Sforza Cesarini, quite an informal business,
and none of the suite accompanied them.
The conversation at our table turned
much on affairs, and, as there were for once
no guests, speech was very free.
"The feur-de-lis will cover our tongues
said LIE Clerc, "and to-day we may let them
wag."
'Then how long is this truce to last?"
asked De Briconnet, the captain of the
cardinals guard. ri am sick of this idle
ness here" he added.
"As for that, no man knows whether it is
peace or wal" replied LIE Clerc. ''Tremouille
is cha6ng at Passignano, swearing that the
game was ours if we had only let him march
on after Fossombrone, and he was right.
Now Cesare hiss stamped out the Magione
league, and the Borgia are as strong as
ever"
"How came such man as Roderigo Dor
gia ever to be made pope?" asked.
LIE Clerc laughed as he passed on the
Orvieto.
"When our lord, the sainted Innocent,
was called away, there were three favorites
in the conclave. One was Giuliano della
Revere, the other Ascanio Sforza, and the
third Roderigo Borgia. His eminence OF
St. Sabine's was our man, and the elec-
ton would have been certain had not Bor-
gia and Ascanio joined hands and the Milan
csc voted for Roderigo."
II did not think Sforza would have been
so self-sacrifcing," said De Briconnet.
"There were compensations, Jacques"
LIE Clerc went on. -Four mule-loads of gold
were given to Ascanio, he was made vice
chancellor of the church, and given Bor-
gia's own palace, the Cesarini, where his
eminence dimes to-day. Immediately after
the elections were made was at the rota
exchanging few words with your uncle,
the cardinal of St. Malo, and he told me
that as soon as the result was known, Me-
dici turned to Cardinal Cibo, and said: we
are in the jaws of the wolf! Heaven grant
that he may not devour us!' As for Bor-
gia he could do nothing but walk about,
calling out: I am pope, pontiff, vicar OF
Christi" '@'
Il do not suppose it can last long" said
De Briconnet.
"Heaven knows. He is close upon II
and grows younger every day. He is
as strong as he was thirty years ago. And
there are few men who can sit horse
az he can, even now"
"That is true" remarked, and gave the
story of my meeting with the Borgia on
the day of my arrival in Rome.
- ~ Shortly after this our dinner, where
speech had been so free, broke up, and, find
ing out the hour at which the cardinal