The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1899-10-27
CHAPTER XNVI.
CONCERNING MANY THINGS.

One short and desperate attempt was
made to rescue Inn. About dozen horse
men charged right at Us, and for a moment
1T appeared as if they would succeed. But
we were too strong, and although they in
Hicted severe loss on us, killing Bande Mere
amongst others, they were cut down, all
but one, who led them. This man, seeing all
was lost, and determined not to be taken
himself, gallOped to the quay, and striking
his spurs home, leaped his horse far into the
river, and made for the vessel. The stream
was running fast and strong, but the good
beast, despite his burden, struggled bravely
against the flood. To relieve the horse, the
cavalier, having torn off his morton, slipped
from the saddle, and with his hand on the
pommel, attempted manfully to swim be-
side the animal. The weight of his cuIrass,
however, bore him down. Twice his head
sank below the water, twice he rose again
and battled with the flood. Those on the
ship made no effort to save him, and we on
shore could do nothing He had now, fight
ing every inch Of his way, drifted astern of
the vessel, and some one flung a rope at him.
His hand reached out to clasp it, but missed,
and then the under-current caught man and
horse and dragged them down. He rose yet
once again, his white despairing face
turned towards us, and with supreme eff
fort of hate, shook his clenched hand at me,
and was gone.
So died Crepin d Entrangues, the death of
brave man, unyieiding and fighting to the
last. The yellow Tiber Kissed in white foam
over the spot where he sank. Perchance
the mad currents dragged his body down to
the slime of the river-bed, picked it up again
in their swirl, tossed it in sport from one to
another, and finally flung it to rot on some
lonely bank, where the gulls screamed above
it, and the foxes Of the Maremma gnawed
at the rusty armor and snapped and
sna1T.led over the white bones in the moon
light.
Everyone knows the history Of the times,
and it is not my intention to dilate on this,
but merely to set down, without comment,
those matters of state in which Fortune al
lowed me to play a part. When Cesare sur
rendered at Ostia the Borgia were broken
for ever, and Ealentinois allowed, after a
short confinement, 20 escape to Spain, where
he died like a soldier. Now that the game
was in their hands, the allies began to GUAR
rel amongst themselves, the French king to
drivel away has opportunities in gayety, and
the Fcnctians to step in, in their Most Sc
rene way, and claim a share of the spOlls for
the Lion of st. Mark. Events moved quick
~, the genius Of the Great Captain won vic
tory after victory for Spain, the death OF
Francis Piccoloniini paved the way for the
accession Of Rourere to the papacy as Julius
H., and the Holy League was formed, by
means Of which the French were finally
driven from Italy. Thus, in a few years, the
work of D'Amboise was scattered to the
winds, but long before that time L had
sheathed my sword, and concerned myself
no more with war.
But on the day that surrendered my
prisoner TO D'Amboise and Orsini, the for
mer already in thought sat in st. Peters
chair, and the latter, at the very least, i'm
agined himself the Lord of the Romagna. l
sent forward couriers, with the news of my
success, 10 the cardinal, and ere we reached
Malafede met with return messenger from
D'Amboise bearing a brief note of con-
graduation, and adding that COlonna had
made terms to evacuate the portions of the
city he held. The messenger informed me
that the Bailly of Caen had already entered
Rome by the Porta Pia, and that, finding
himself between two fires, old Fabrlz Colon
ma had made virtue of necessity, and by
yielding now reserved himself for another
day This enabled me to go back by an
easier route than we had come, and as we
rode through the Ostian gate, | could not
help contrasting my present entry to the
day when Jacopo and had refined in our
weary steeds to let the Borga pass, and give
his following the road. At the Ponte S.
Angelo, surrendered my prisoner to Orsini
in person, and truly thought he would have
but few hours more to live, for GentiP Nir-
giniO had long score to settle with the
Borgia, and a longer memory for wrong.
The blood, too, of Paolo, whom Cesare
strangled at Sinigaglia, and that of the Car
dinal Orsini, whom he brutally murdered in
Rome, called aloud for vengeance. Cesare
himself seemed to be aware of this, for
whereas up to now he had remained in a
sullen silence, he found tongue to implore
me, in the most servile manner, not to de-
liver him to Orsini, and when | told him l
had no option, he tried to creep out of his
litter, and lay his cap at the feet of his
enemy. Orsini spoke nothing, merely or
dcring him to be borne to S. Angelo; but
as the Borgia shrank back into his litter he
said with a grim smile that he trusted the
duke would find his entertainment TO bis
liking. How it happened that Cesare caIat
off with a whole skin | never knew, bue he
did as / have mentioned above, and It Eur-
passes belief He turned cur at the last, ard
the low blood showed in him; but he was
one of those men who knew how to be thor
oughly bad. Orsini took back his lances,
saying he had need of them, so that it was
with my own few men that l reached the
Palazzo Corneto. Unjust except Bande Mere
from this number, and was truly sorry for
his death, for his was an honest sword. The
cardinal received me in the little chamber
where we had supped with Machiaveli. He
had thrown aside his clerical habit and was
In mail, but wore his barettina on his head.
He was more than kind, congratulating me
heartily on my success, going so far as co
say that by capturing Cesare 1 had given a
kingdom to France / then left him with
further assurances of his good will towards
me, and saw him no more for the day.
Towardst the small hours of the next morn
ing was aroused from deep sleep by Jaco-