Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-14

T PUT aside NorSe'S warning against
my remaining at Greyhouse, al
though not with as much inner
i fortitude as Eleanor's protector
should have had,
What else have your investigations
revealed?" I asked.
He smiled, would you really like
to know? Will you be patient with meY
Very WELL" He took from among his
papers a closely written sheet. TITS
this kind of thing, Here's the record
of an Italian family in the sixteenth
century. There were two brothers,
in 1895, They had numerous sons and
kinsmen, among the latter Grifonetto
Baglieni. They had many places In
Perugia and ruled the town between
them 1t was family famous for
three things-its wealth, extravaganza
and personal beauty. One OF the sons,
Astofre, served Raphael as his model
for St. George; another, Gianpaolo, set
of his height and masterful bearings:
another eXcelled In horsemanship and
in ligthness of step, so that-listen
to this, Ames-so that no one knew
of his presence, II he came behind
them. Do you recall Francis Balloons
lightness of step?"
nodded and recalled, besides.
that panther-like football outside my
door.
"They surrounded themselves with
armed followers, although IN strength
and skill they were themselves o host,
trained soldiers every one, leaders OF
free lances, condottieri. They filled
their palaces with treasures Of art,
vessels of gold and silver, with scholars
and servants, poets and testers. Their
women were beautiful and noble. What
feaSting at the marriage of Astorre
Baglionl and Lavinia of the Colonnas!
What draping of the streets in Velvets
and tapestries showering of largesse,
display of cloth of gold, what luxury
of gifts They entertained popeS and
princes, served as captains of the church
or captains of cities-were called the
magnificent Baglioni. That's one side
of the coin. Look at the other.
by 1860, in little more than two
barely a trace. Do you know hoW?"
Norse's face looked older and drawn
thought, although perhaps 1t was
merely the gray Of twilight closing in.
His manner absorbed me: he was lost
in his evocatoin of history.
They destroyed each other, for the
most part. A few died In war. Astorre
Baglioni. on the night of his marriage,
was stabbed to death in the arms Of his
father and brother. And then followed
murder on murder, thirst of assassina-
ton unquenched for 60 years, Gianpa0lo
arrangeS the killing of his wife, and, at
a banquet when the news Is brought, re.
doubles the feasting. He Stays two of
his kinsmen, and is done to death by
q cousin, GENTLE, Bishop of Orvieto.
But his son avenges him by killing
Gentle and his two sons, And the feud
continues, kinsman against kinsman-
torture and knife and betrayal. The
more fortunate fell in war. But it re-
manned for one, as a Venetian phraSed
1t, to put on the cap Of Judas 1scariot
himself 1t was Malatesta Baglioni-
and he was the son and brother of
assassins. He was captain OF Florence
in 1880. He betrayed the republic that
had hired him as its leader-that was
making its desperate last stand for
1iberty-corrupted its troops, cheated II
with smooth words, undermined its de-
lenses, and sold 1t into Anal slavery.
Then he crept back to Perugia with his