THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES

 
 LINK IN THE CIIAIN 
 
 APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION; 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE CRIMES 
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 
 
 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the 
 mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. And I saw the woman drunken 
 with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. * * * 
 * * * * I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that car- 
 rieth her. REVELATION xvn. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 E. W. HINKS & CO. 
 
 1854.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1854, by 
 
 E. W. HINKS & Co., 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts!.
 
 & J) t a CEJ o rfe, 
 
 A 
 EEVELATION OF THE BORGIA8, 
 
 IS DEDICATED TO 
 
 ARCHBISHOP HUQHES, 
 
 (Urnal Otumitg! 
 
 H THE HOPE THAT IT WILL BK INSTRUMENTAL IS AWAKENING AMERICANS 
 TO THEIR DUTY, AND IX . FORMING A BULWARK OF DEFENCE AGAINST 
 FOREIGN AND PAPAL AGGRE33ION AKODND THE RIGHTS OF ALL 
 
 PROTESTANT AMERICANS. 
 
 1608887
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 I WISH every reader of this book to know my purpose in 
 writing it. My object must not be misunderstood. I regard 
 the church of Rome as a thousand-headed hydra, each head 
 nurtured to its present fulness by a thousand crimes ! I look 
 upon it as a festering hell on earth, beneath whose seeming 
 piety and sanctimoniousness are enacted scenes of blood and 
 cruelty more revolting than any ever witnessed in the ORIGINAL 
 Pandemonium ! I regard it as a hideous reptile, that has at- 
 tained its present massive proportions through the sufferance 
 of those who should have crushed it in the germ, and only waits 
 for an auspicious hour to unmask in all its deformity, yet 
 with a vigor and power that shall shake worlds from their 
 foundations ! I look upon it as a terrible guillotine, whoae 
 blade is every moment growing wider and wider, sharper and 
 sharper, and is now only suspended in silence and darkness, 
 that it may grow large enough to destroy Liberty and Protest- 
 antism at one blow ! 
 
 And such a damnable compound of all that is hellish, atro- 
 cious, gigantic, and terribly significant of a bloody future^ is 
 the CHURCH OF ROME ! 
 
 The time has come when all Americans who love their coun- 
 try must awaken to the nature of the serpents they are nour- 
 ishing in their bosoms, or see the heritage secured by the blood 
 of their forefathers pass out of their hands forever ! As time 
 rolls on, the tide of Papal aggression sets higher and higher, 
 and wounded Liberty flies shrieking back to the borders !
 
 Standing thus upon the shores of the present, and looking 
 back to what have been the achievements of Jesuitical cunning 
 and power, the mind cannot grasp at anything that seems too 
 bold and hazardous for the emissaries of the church of Rome 
 to accomplish. Emerging from the gloom and desolation of 
 the dark ages, that period when a mental night seemed 
 about to enclose all mankind as in one living grave, the 
 principles of Catholicism have gone on spreading and increas- 
 ing for centuries, though always directly antagonistical to 
 civilization, enlightenment, the elevation of the masses, and 
 civil and political liberty. These principles find their vitality 
 in the cunning and steady perseverance of an overwhelming 
 priesthood, whose every action is governed by a desire to swell 
 the resources of " the church," and make all means subservient 
 to this single end. They have planted their banner upon 
 nearly every portion of the globe, always establishing it in 
 blood, and sustaining it in tyranny and oppression, and 
 wherever their sway predominates, there will the people be 
 found existing under a curse like that of Cain ! Spain, Mex- 
 ico, the greater portion of South America, and even Rome 
 itself, are all living examples of the deadly evils that are born 
 of Papal supremacy. Ignorance, superstition, and inertness, 
 are the leading characteristics of a people ruled by the priest- 
 hood ; and hence their value to themselves and their God is 
 lost in the bonds of servility that strip them of their man- 
 hood, and make them but automatons that are entirely sub- 
 ject to their master minds the Jesuits ! 
 
 But by such means the exercise of the assuming knowl- 
 edge of the few over the submissive ignorance of the many 
 has the church of Rome built up a mine that any instant 
 threatens to destroy all things antagonistic to itsjlf. It has 
 attained an influence as mighty and universal as it will one 
 day be deadly, should circumstances ever warrant it safety and 
 success in throwing off the mask of secretness and inertness
 
 PREFACE. VII 
 
 which hag rested upon its blood-begrimmed features so Ion 
 It has woven a net around the world that is gradually securin 
 all things, little and great, in its meshes, and slowly drawing 
 them into the dominion and beneath the authority of the 
 "Mother Church." It has caused millions and millions of 
 beings, of all ages and sexes, in all parts of the world, to have 
 one soul, one mind, one will, and that one subject to the 
 wishes of the Pope, as expressed through his bishops and 
 priests. It has originated and established the most elaborate 
 and extensive consolidation of mind to one object that ever 
 was or can be originated and established, unless upon the 
 foundation of AMERICANISM IN AMERICA ; and the result is, that 
 the Roman Catholic church is the most tremendous engine of 
 social and political power that has been brought into existence 
 since the world began an engine of the greatest magnitude 
 and of the most complex order, yet one whose every portion 
 is so carefully and systematically managed that centuries may 
 pass away before a single vibration can come unlocked for. 
 
 And yet Americans will sleep on, as if they knew not that 
 their rights and liberties, and privileges AS Americans, are 
 being daily and hourly encroached upon at a rate that threat- 
 ens to soon strip them of all ! 
 
 Since the commencement of the present century, an almost 
 total change has been wrought in the political condition of the 
 world, which is mostly attributable to the spread of Catholi- 
 cism over new grounds, and the strengthening of it in the old. 
 The greater portion of this vast change has been wrought in 
 the United States, during the last twenty-five years. The good 
 old principles of republicanism and Protestantism that animated 
 the heroes of the revolution have been gradually crushed out, 
 and their places usurped by those of a decidedly opposite na- 
 ture ; until no political movement can be made without its being 
 more or less influenced towards an evil end by the adherents of 
 the Romish church, who have, as before observed, in substance,
 
 Till PREFACE. 
 
 gained a sure footing and an enormous influence in the United 
 States, through the sufferance of Americans ! Not a day nor 
 an hour passes in which some example of the power and des- 
 potism of the Jesuitical leaders in America is not hurled in 
 the face of the descendants of the cotemporaries and fellow- 
 patriots of the immortal Washington ! Not a day passes 
 without beholding the shackles that now fetter American lib- 
 erty closer drawn around it, and bidding fair to soon become 
 riveted in a manner that will effectually prevent all attempts 
 to throw them off! Not a day passes that some new insult 
 and indignity is not offered to the noble few who dare to come 
 out and say, " WE ARE AMERICANS !" Not a day passes that 
 does not behold hundreds of emigrants, sunken in the lowest 
 depths of poverty, jgnorance and superstition, landing on our 
 shores from the Old World, knowing but one will, and seek- 
 ing the advancement of but one purpose, and that combined 
 will and purpose that of the disciples of Ignatius Loyola and 
 Alexander Borgia ! Not a day passes that is not marked by 
 the Papal powers in America with some new step towards the 
 general establishment of Papal rule in the United States, and 
 the complete demolition of patriotism, Protestantism and lib- 
 erty ! Not a day passes that is not polluted with plots and 
 daring schemes against the very existence of the Union ; not 
 an hour in which some new additions are not given to the re- 
 sources of the Catholic church ! 
 
 Such being the case, every American who is worthy of the 
 name cannot fail of seriously considering what is to be the 
 ending of this peculiar state of affairs. It will be blood, 
 sooner or later blood! In every portion of the world where 
 the Catholic church has gained a footing, it has not resigned 
 it without bloodshed ; nor will it forego its advancement by 
 the same means. To attain by blood, and retain by the same 
 means, is the greatest element of its success. Its power in 
 America has arrived at a point where it will neither yield
 
 PREFACE. IX 
 
 what it has, nor be content without grasping for more ; and 
 this feeling will prepare the way for a feud between two great 
 parties, which will lead to the subjugation of one or the other. 
 The disciples of the church of Rome, or the descendants of the 
 revolutionary patriots, must eventually rule the United States ; 
 and the time has come when it is a question for serious con- 
 sideration whether it shall be ruled by us or them. 
 
 I am not one who has a penchant for prophesying evil, nor 
 for creating an alarm when there is not any danger. I have 
 drawn my conclusions on this subject from a critical analyza- 
 tion of the motives and principles that have been the life of 
 the Romish church since the days of the Borgias. Wherever 
 it has acquired even a moderate degree of power, it has left a 
 track of blood. Wherever its supremacy has been such as to 
 warrant the experiment, it has been a harbinger of destruc- 
 tion, death and desolation, to all who have ventured to oppose 
 it by word or deed. And such it will ever be, such it will 
 finally be in America, should its strength ever be so over- 
 whelming as to make this end one easy of accomplishment, 
 which God forbid ! 
 
 It is believed that Americans are not sufficiently aware of 
 the nature of the church of Rome to treat its modern develop- 
 ments with a proper seriousness ; and hence this work is writ- 
 ten. It is believed that its claim to be considered the church, 
 and the only legitimate church of the Messiah, has not 
 been considered in a manner that does justice to its preten- 
 sions. It is br 'ieved that the mysteries and iniquities of ita 
 secret tribunals have not been explained as elaborately as is 
 desirable for the advancement of humanity and Protestantism. 
 It is also believed that the character of the men who. have 
 filled the Papal chair, and are now worshipped as saints, and 
 as the successors of St. Peter in the legitimate order of apos- 
 tolic succession, has never been revealed to the world in a style 
 as distinct and highly-colored as the subject is worthy of ; and
 
 hence I have taken one name, one career, from the list, for the 
 material of this story, that of the notorious and infamous 
 robber, assassin, seducer, incestuous libertine, AND POPE Alex- 
 ander Borgia ! 
 
 From his career of crime and infamy it is my purpose to 
 show what corruption and pollution lies festering at the heart 
 of the Catholic church. Alexander Borgia is boasted, by " all 
 good Catholics," as one of those it is their delight to consider 
 noble leaders of their church ; but never was earth polluted 
 by the existence of a more depraved and crime-stained monster 
 in the shape of man. His name was written iinperishably on 
 the age in which he lived, in characters of blood. History has 
 set him down as a mark for the execration and loathing of all 
 mankind ; and yet we are told, by the most sapient disciples 
 of the church of Rome, that this man ranks as one of the 
 apostolic successors of St. Peter ! 
 
 The chief object of this work will be to show his claims to 
 that honor, and to reveal the general evils that were then, and 
 are now, incorporated in the religion (? ?) of which he was, 
 and is, a loudly-vaunted representative ! If the reader finds 
 him painted, not as a man, but as a fiend in human semblance, 
 breeding vice and crime in a half-benighted world, they will 
 remember that this feature is a matter of history !
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 BOOK FIRST. 
 
 I. LUCHETIA BORGIA, 13 
 
 II. THE MASK OK ST. PETER'S, 18 
 
 HI. THE DEATH-WARRANT, 21 
 
 IV. THE REVEL AND DISCOVERY, 23 
 
 V. THE WARNING, 27 
 
 VI. THE MEETING OF THE CARDINALS, 30 
 
 VII. ALEXANDEK BORGIA, 83 
 
 VIII. FEARFUL REVELATIONS, 87 
 
 IX. THE OFFER AND REFUSAL, 39 
 
 X. THE TERRIBLE PROMISE, 42 
 
 BOOK SECOND. 
 
 I. C.SSAR BORGIA, 46 
 
 II. THE PLOT DEEPENS 48 
 
 HI. THE WEIRD 9I3TERS, 61 
 
 IV. THE RESOLUTION, 64 
 
 V. LUCRETIA BORGIA'S FIRST ASSASSINATION, 66 
 
 VI. THE ESCAPE 69 
 
 VII. LA BELLE FLORETTA, 62 
 
 VTII. THE PARTING, 65 
 
 IX. A DEED OF BLOOD, 67 
 
 X. THE MYSTERY DEEPENS, 69 
 
 XI. REVENGE THWARTED, 71 
 
 XII. TERRIBLE REVELATIONS, 73 
 
 BOOK THIRD. 
 
 I. A POPE'S OPINION OF HIMSELF AND ROMANISM, . . 76 
 
 IL NEW MYSTERIES AND DEEP PLOTTING 79
 
 XH CONTENTS. 
 
 III. THE FINAL RESOLVE, 81 
 
 IV. THE SECRET CONCLAVE, 84 
 
 V. THE FEARFUL DISCOVEEY, 87 
 
 VI. BORGIA'S CBUELTT 89 
 
 VII. DELANO, 91 
 
 VIII. RELEASE OF THE CAPTIVES 94 
 
 IX. FEARS AND HOPES, 97 
 
 X. THE ARREST, 100 
 
 XI. HORRORS OF THE INQUISITION, 103 
 
 XII. PUT TO THE TORTURE, 112 
 
 BOOK FOURTH. 
 
 L DARK PLOTTINGS, 118 
 
 II. THE APPROACHING MARRIAGE, 121 
 
 IIL THE ASSASSINATION, 123 
 
 IV. THE COUNCIL 129 
 
 V. THE MYSTERY OF THE MASK, 131 
 
 VL FURTHER PLOTTINGS, 136 
 
 VII. FATHER JANZEN, 137 
 
 VlIL THE SURPRISE, 139 
 
 BOOK FIFTH. 
 
 I. THE POISONED WINE, 143 
 
 II. THE MASK IN PERIL, 145 
 
 HI. ONLY ANOTHER VICTIM, 146 
 
 IV. THE MASK ARRESTED 150 
 
 V. THE DENOUEMENT, 151 
 
 VL A CATHOLIC PRIEST ON CELIBACY AND AURICULAR 
 
 CONFESSION 154 
 
 VII. THE TEMPTATION AND FALL, U,0 
 
 VIII. THE MARRIAGE, 163 
 
 IX. THE POISON 164 
 
 X. THE MADMAN'S MYSTERY, 167 
 
 XL CONCLUSION, . 169
 
 BOOK FIRST. 
 
 LUCRETIA BORGIA. 
 
 ROME ! A pleasant moonlight evening. The hour 
 nine. The scene a splendidly-furnished apartment, in 
 the palace of the Borgias. The only occupant of the 
 room was an almost gloriously beautiful maiden, of 
 seventeen summers, with hair as dark as night, and eyes 
 as bright as the peerless diadems of her own native clime ! 
 And she she was Lucretia Borgia ! 
 
 There were no shades of evil on her face no signs of 
 the seal always impressed by guilt upon its followers 
 nor had her heart become the abode of aught that was 
 foul and polluting. Her eyes were bright and sparkling, 
 yet full of the gentleness of love ; her face was wreathed 
 with a quiet expression of happiness ; and, as she reclined 
 upon a luxurious lounge, and gave way to the pleasing 
 fancies that had come in showers over her soul, there could 
 not have been a more perfect picture of female beauty and 
 innocence than she presented. 
 
 " ! what a pleasure it -is to live," she murmured, at 
 
 length, in a voice of the most exquisite sweetness, " while 
 
 life is bright and beautiful, and love is young ! It is a 
 
 glorious era in life to realize that the heart, perhaps all 
 
 2
 
 14 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 lonely and desolate before, is gradually entwining around 
 a cherished object, and drawing its purest happiness from a 
 kindred soul a glorious era, to have a consciousness, in 
 waking thoughts and in the fantasies of dreams, that there 
 is one mind, one heart, to share our joys and sorrows, and 
 roll back the clouds from the horizon of life ! And this 
 delightful era is now mine ! 0, Mercado, what bliss is 
 mine when my thoughts are on thee ! What raptures fill 
 my soul, as my fervent hopes paint the future as an end- 
 less heaven, reaching far away, through paths made lovely 
 and fragrant by the most gorgeous flowers all of which 
 shall be shared with me by thee, while our days glide 
 smoothly on, and naught but love and happiness shall pre- 
 side over the weaving of a single page in our book of 
 life ! " 
 
 As the lovely woman paused in her rhapsody, a liveried 
 servant entered. 
 
 " Donna Lucretia," he said, " there is an old woman, a 
 fortune-teller, in the reception-room, who desires to be ad- 
 mitted to your presence." 
 
 "Show her in," was the reply. "A fortune-teller! 
 She will read in my face that I am in love ; she will per- 
 ceive that my passion is reciprocated; and then she will 
 promise me long years of happiness with Mercado, and 
 crown the hopes of this hour " 
 
 She paused, for the fortune-teller had entered. She was 
 an old, very old woman, with wrinkled visage, and attenu- 
 ated form. She was clad in a flowing mantle, that added 
 to the wild ness of her appearance. Her eyes were deeply 
 sunken in their sockets, and gleamed out from beneath her 
 o'er-hanging brows, like funeral lights from some dark 
 cavern in the bowels of earth. Her dark features were
 
 ALEXANDEB BORGIA. 15 
 
 wreathed with a stern yet mournful expression, as she 
 paused before the young beauty, leaning upon a cane. 
 
 Lucretia Borgia started, and uttered an exclamation of 
 surprise, as she turned and beheld the countenance of her 
 visitor. 
 
 " Mud Seta here ! " she exclaimed, as a shudder crept 
 over her form. 
 
 " Ay, mad Seta ! " and the weird woman laughed, 
 " yet is not this very madness, that is so reviled, a glori- 
 ous gift, that does away with the narrow limits in which 
 the sane mind is confined ? The mad see strange sights, 
 and hear strange things, that are not known to the common 
 mind. The veil is removed, and they penetrate mysteries 
 at which the common herd cannot even grasp. Mad ! 
 Yes, yes, girl ; but I have seen sights worthy of a deeper 
 madness than mine. I 've seen a living hell, disgorging 
 fiends in showers upon a stricken world, and on a throne 
 that 's red with blood have seen the choicest of Satan's 
 master spirits ay, Alexander Borgia ! " 
 
 " Peace, woman ! This Alexander Borgia, whom thou 
 speakest so lightly of, is my father ! " 
 
 " And such a father ! Can a serpent father doves a 
 devil be a kin to angels ? I tell thee, girl, thou knowest 
 not what thou art saying. Thy father ! Thou hadst 
 better claim relationship to Satan himself! " 
 
 " Hold ! or he shall hear and resent thy words ! " 
 
 "Dost thou, too, threaten me? But go and call him. 
 Already has he warned me never to cross the threshold 
 of this palace but I am*here, and one word from you 
 will call those who do not hold his orders lightly. Will 
 you call ? "
 
 16 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " Not if thou wilt hold thy peace in reference to my 
 father." 
 
 " Enough. Now, thy fortune ! " and the old woman 
 raised the maiden's hand. Earnestly she looked at it, for 
 several minutes, without uttering a word ; yet a strange 
 flush appeared upon her face as she regarded it. The ob- 
 servation ended, she arose and turned upon her heel, and 
 was passing from the apartment without uttering a word, 
 when Donna Lucretia called her back. 
 
 " Stay, good Seta you have not told me the fate you 
 have read ! " 
 
 " Nor will I ! " and again the weird woman moved on. 
 Donna Lucretia detained her. 
 
 " I see by thy looks thou hast read something of import- 
 ance. Give me thy knowledge before you go." 
 
 " Thou hast told me not to speak it ! " 
 
 "How?" 
 
 " I speak of Alexander Borgia, or not at all ! " and 
 again the fortune-teller essayed to move on. 
 
 " Ah, this is some idle whim but I will humor it. 
 Be seated, good Seta, and tell me what thou readest from 
 my hand ; " and, despite her habitual self-possession, a look 
 of anxiety appeared on her face. 
 
 " I read a tale it were not well to speak in detail yet, 
 beware of Alexander Borgia ! '' 
 
 "Woman," exclaimed Donna Lucretia, sternly, "you 
 trifle with me. You presume upon my forbearance, or my 
 womanly weakness. If gold is thy object in visiting me, 
 take this, and trouble me with no more of this mum- 
 mery ! " 
 
 " No, no, I do not want thy gold. I came not here 
 for gain, but to warn thee of evils. A cloud is hanging
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 17 
 
 over thy head a storm will burst from it, and scatter 
 your hopes like chaff before the wind. Again, I say, 
 beware of Alexander Borgia ! " 
 
 Donna Lucretia subdued the resentment aroused by the 
 repetition of the disagreeable words, and listened atten- 
 tively as the old woman continued : 
 
 " You love a noble young man, and are beloved by him. 
 But there is one ay, your father, girl, as you are 
 pleased to call him who looks upon you both with feel- 
 ings that bode neither of you any good. When next thou 
 seest Mercado, warn him that danger is hovering in his 
 steps ; tell him to be on his guard, sleeping and waking, 
 if he would escape the machinations under foot against 
 him." 
 
 " What mean you ? " 
 
 "Hist! I hear the sound of voices in the street I 
 hear swords clashing in the air. Ah, ha ! go to yon case- 
 ment and gaze forth, if thou wouldst have thy answer." 
 
 Donna Lucretia instantly obeyed. 
 
 " I see a gathering of people I see two persons fight- 
 ing withdrawn swords! Strangers? No! One of them 
 is it is Mercado ! " 
 
 The weird woman laughed. 
 
 "My lover engaged in a street brawl a duel, per- 
 haps ! Ah, what is the meaning of this ? " 
 
 " It means that he has been attacked by a ruffian, in the 
 pay of your father. But do not fear; Mercado has a 
 brave heart, and a stout arm, and will come safely off! " 
 
 "Thou art right he does; but see, he has stricken 
 his enemy to the earth, and is now coming this way. I 
 shall see him ; Heaven grant that he may not have re- 
 ceived injury in the encounter ! "
 
 18 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " He must not come here. I will cross his path, and 
 warn him to shun the presence of the Borgias, as he would 
 a den of vipers ! But, if thou wouldst see him, he will be 
 in my humble home, half an hour hence. Wilt come?" 
 
 " I will." 
 
 " T is well ; " and, without another word, the old woman 
 hastened from the apartment. 
 
 " I must know the truth of these suspicions," soliloquized 
 Donna Lucretia, as soon as she was alone. "Heaven grant 
 that Mercado may not be harmed for all my hopes are 
 centred in him ; and, should they ever be crushed, eternal 
 night will be the inheritance of Lucretia Borgia ! " 
 
 II. 
 
 THE MASK OF ST. PETER'S. 
 
 THE steps of St. Peter's. Standing in the shadow of 
 one of the massive pillars was a broad-shouldered, power- 
 ful-looking man, wearing a large cloak around his form, 
 and a black mask over his countenance. There was 
 nothing particularly repulsive in the appearance of the 
 mask; but and it seemed singular all who gazed 
 thereon shuddered, and crept noiselessly away, looking 
 fearfully behind them, as if they had seen some horrid 
 vision. There must have been something horrible in the 
 character the possessor of that mask had acquired, to 
 make him so carefully shunned by all who chanced to pass 
 in that vicinity and, indeed, there was. 
 
 An elderly man, clad in a humble garb, passed up the 
 steps, at last, and paused before the mask. There was no 
 fear expressed in his face, as his eyes met those of that
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 19 
 
 dreaded being ; to the contrary, a look of gratification 
 appeared upon his flushed features, and he exclaimed, 
 
 " Thank God ! I have found you ! " 
 
 " Indeed ! And what may you want with the mask ? " 
 asked that personage, in a deep voice, while his eyes roved 
 like lightning flashes over the form before him. 
 
 " Your aid. Thou art a man whose power, for good or 
 evil, is greater than that possessed by all Rome." 
 
 " You forget the Pope ! " suggested the mask, with a 
 slight bow. 
 
 " No, I do not forget ; nor will I retract my words in 
 favor of the Pope God's curse be upon him ! " 
 
 " Ah ! " and the mask started. " Why speak so sternly 
 of him ? " 
 
 " Because he is a villain ! " 
 
 Again the mask started. 
 
 " It is not well for you to speak thus boldly. Walls 
 have ears, it is said, and Rome has spies more useful than 
 walls. You had better curb this bold spirit, or it may 
 lead you into difficulty." 
 
 "I care not. What is life to me? A curse, signor 
 a curse ! I have been most foully wronged, and have 
 come to secure thy aid for redress. Shall I have it? " 
 
 " Always, in a good cause. But tell me thy wrongs?" 
 
 " My daughter, signor, the idol of my heart, has 
 
 been seized by the minions of Pope Alexander VI.; and is 
 
 confined a prisoner in his private residence, as I h*ve 
 
 . learned from a note from her, written in her blood, which 
 
 she bribed a troubadour to bring to me ! " 
 
 The mask started more violently than before, and turned 
 towards the old man. 
 
 "And your daughter's name is "
 
 20 THE CRIMES OP 
 
 " She is called La Belle Floretta ! " 
 
 " And you " 
 
 " I am Michael Delano her father ! " 
 
 The mask uttered an involuntary exclamation of sur- 
 prise. 
 
 " By Heavens ! " he muttered, sotto voce, " it is singular 
 that he should"* come to me for redress he ! the very 
 father of my victim ! " 
 
 " What say you ? " 
 
 " That I would know how I can be of service to you." 
 
 " O, siguor, any movement of thine in my favor will be 
 of invaluable service to me. In all Rome, there is not a 
 man as dreaded as thou not one who has the liberty and 
 authority that is given to thee. Thou canst go every- 
 where, and do anything that it is your pleasure to do. 
 Thou hast the power to restore my child to me ; 0, have 
 mercy on a poor old father, and bring her back to, my 
 arms." 
 
 " And dost thou think that I can baulk the Pope him- 
 self, in his designs OH your daughter ? " 
 
 " I never thought of the danger of the greatness of 
 the attempt ^to regain my child. But, canst thou not do 
 something fq[r me ? canst thou not make one effort for 
 her escape fi|>m the monster who has torn her from me ? " 
 
 " Perhapsl the mask can do more for thee than thou 
 thinkest. Bat, hist ! There comes one who has business 
 of importance with me. Stand thou aside for a moment, 
 while I learn the object of this visit." 
 
 The old man obeyed, retiring to the shade cast by an- 
 other pillar. As he did so, a man, disguised with a huge 
 beard, and wearing a blood-red cloak, ascended the steps, 
 bowed three times, and Banded a packet of papers to the 
 
 Si
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 21 
 
 mask then hastened away in the direction from whence 
 he came, without speaking a word. 
 
 " This visit bodes no good work," soliloquized old De- 
 lano, coming forward, " for that personage in the red 
 cloak is the messenger of the cardinals ! " 
 
 III. 
 
 THE DEATH-WARRANT. 
 
 THE mask did not reply. He had broken the seal of the 
 packet, and moved out of the shadow of the pillar, so that 
 the rays of the moon fell upon the paper he held in his 
 hand, and enabled him to read it. For a moment he was 
 occupied in perusing the missive ; then he crushed 'it in 
 his hand, and muttered, as he turned toward Delano, 
 
 " Fool, fool ! " 
 
 " Why lookest thou so strange at me ? and why these 
 epithets ? " 
 
 " Art thou not a fool ? " asked the mask, with a fierce- 
 ness of emphasis that startled his listener. 
 
 " To the best of my belief, I am not." 
 
 " Then, why hast thou been here and there, like a bab- 
 bling school-boy, making known the loss of thy daughter, 
 and publicly charging the Pope with having been con- 
 cerned in her abduction? " 
 
 " Have I done so ? Then is the truth made known. 
 Alexander VI. has robbed me of my daughter I have 
 reported nothing but the truth." 
 
 " But has thy shallow brain never cautioned thee that 
 it is not always a course of safety, or policy, to tell the 
 truth ? It seems that it has not, or else you would not 

 
 22 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 have made such a foolish outcry, but held your peace, and 
 submitted as is always best to an evil that cannot 
 be remedied.!' 
 
 " But this wrong must be remedied, my child must 
 be rescued. Thou hast promised thy aid thou wilt not 
 withdraw it ? " 
 
 " 0, fool, fool ! You have b'een the deviser of your own 
 ruin. Know you not that your reports have been carried 
 to the Pope ; that your case has be_en examined by the 
 cardinals, by him convened; that it has been decided 
 that you are a dangerous man, a spreader of evil rumors 
 and seditions ; that sentence of death has been passed 
 upon you ; that the messenger of the cardinals has 
 brought me your death-warrant ; and that the mask of 
 St. Peter's is doomed to be your executioner ! " 
 
 Delano staggered beneath this accumulation of horrors, 
 and his face became deathly pale. 
 
 " I see," he gasped. " I was a fool to brave so terri- 
 ble a power as that of Alexander Borgia J But I will not 
 complain death will be a mercy. Do thy work when 
 and where thou wilt." 
 
 " And yet," muttered the mask, " I can hardly realize 
 that I hold the warrant for his death. The cardinals have 
 moved in this matter with greater haste than I expected. 
 I am sorry for it ; I do not desire Delano's death. Can 
 the warrant be set aside ? Not without making myself 
 known ; and that will not do never, never ! " 
 
 " I am ready for the sacrifice," continued the old man, 
 " yet before I die let me call down a curse upon the 
 one who "has wronged me so deeply, who has destroyed 
 my daughter. Thou, God, that seest all things, be thou 
 the avenger of one whose power for revenge is lost ! May 

 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 23 
 
 thy most terrible curse rest, now and forever, upon that 
 fiend in human guise, Alexander Borgia " , 
 
 " Hold ! " exclaimed the mask, with much agitation, as 
 he seized the arm of the old man. " Thou knowest not 
 what thou art saying. Though here I hold a warrant for 
 thy death, thy life shall not be taken. Go with me ; I 
 will find thee a place of concealment, where thou wilt be 
 safe. Come I would know something of thy history. 
 I have some' choice wine ; and over a bottle of it we will 
 pass an hour together in conversation. Wilt go ? I will 
 show thee the beauties and wonders of my palace, and thou 
 shalt sleep on down, and eat from plates of silver ! Wilt 
 go?" 
 
 " Ay, though death were lurking in the midst of such 
 enjoyments as thou hast alluded to, I would accompany 
 thee ! " 
 
 " Come on, then, and thou shalt know more of the mask 
 of St. Peter's." 
 
 IV. 
 
 THE REVEL AND DISCOVERY. 
 
 HALF an hour later. The mask of St. Peter's and 
 Michael Delano were seated in an apartment of luxurious 
 magnificence, with a bottle of wine before them, from 
 which the old man, from time to time, poured out deep 
 potations. The mask drank but little ; he was evidently 
 in no humor for the pleasures that were so new and fasci- 
 nating to his companion. 
 
 " You are a jolly 'un," muttered the old man. "Must 
 be a happy fellow to have such a nice place to live in, and
 
 24 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 such capital wine as this. I was never so happy in my 
 life. You were really very kind to invite me here I 
 shall always be very grateful. But do you live alone 
 here? I should think you would be lonesome sometimes 
 have a desire to see the ladies, eh ? " 
 
 " 0, I am never without means to make time pass 
 agreeably," said the mask, carelessly, " as you shall see." 
 
 As he spoke, he pressed his foot against a knob elevated 
 above the floor beneath the table. 
 
 The room was instantly filled with strains of delicious 
 music, which seemed to come from an adjoining apartment. 
 It rose higher and higher, filling every portion of the 
 room with a thrilling melody, that seemed to enchant the 
 old man, for he remained' aiotionless, scarcely seeming to 
 breathe. Anon, it rose to . ; a low plaintive strain, that 
 seemed like a dirge,., wintering of earthly sorrows, but 
 bearing consolation as 'sweet and soothing as the breath 
 of heaven ! Finally, ii .deased silence reigned as be- 
 fore. With a smile, ,thj& ^a$k turned towards his guest. 
 
 "It is heavenly," he' ibitfrmured. "With such music, 
 you cannot be Jonesome." 
 
 " Listen ! yoU ! liave not seen all," was the response, and 
 again the mask/p'ressed upon the sacred knob. 
 
 The foldingkloors that formed one side of the room 
 were drawn apart, disclosing a brilliantly-lighted and 
 magnificently-furnished apartment, in which were twelve 
 or fifteen young and exceedingly beautiful girls, dressed in 
 fairy-like garments, that revealed the peerless contour of 
 their exquisitely voluptuous forms in such.; a fascinating 
 manner that it would have maddened the gaze of even an 
 anchorite. For an instant, all was hushed ; then the en- 
 chanting strains of music were renewed, and those sylph-
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 25 
 
 like forms glided almost imperceptibly over the gorgeous 
 carpet, with waving, undulating motion, with each look 
 and gesture attuned to the emotions of love and languish- 
 ing voluptuousness. Round and round in the giddy waltz 
 sped those fairy forms, while the excited Delano watched 
 their every movement, and passed his eyes with longing 
 and admiration over the glowing beauties that were so be- 
 witchingly revealed to his bewildered gaze. The wine he 
 had imbibed, together with the music and the enchanting 
 sight before him, rendered him half delirious with deli- 
 cious intoxication. He could not move or speak ; his 
 senses seemed to be completely under the influence of the 
 strange and startling scene ; and he gazed upon it like one 
 in a dream. 
 
 The spell was broken by the gruff voice of the mask. 
 
 " You seem to be pleased with my means of killing 
 time," he observed, with a singular smile. 
 
 " It is glorious. It were easy to imagine, when gazing 
 on such a scene as this, that the portals of death were 
 passed, and heaven revealed ! " 
 
 " Like you the appearance of the ladies ? " 
 
 " Very much." 
 
 " Chttase. One of them shall be subject "to your wishes 
 any one of the number you may choose I " 
 
 The old man looked upon them with an expression of 
 bewilderment. 
 
 "There's the tall beauty, to the left she is very 
 pretty," muttered the old man, with flushed face, and 
 sparkling eyes. " There 's the blonde immediately in front 
 of her she 's also very lovely. Then there 's her com- 
 panion, the graceful and pretty Ha ! my God ! what do 
 I behold?"
 
 26 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 As the old man uttered the startling exclamation, he 
 sprang to his feet, and stood before his companion per- 
 fectly sobered, but with features as pale as death, while his 
 limbs trembled beneath him. 
 
 " God of mercy ! what do I behold ? La Belle Floretta ! 
 My child, O, my daughter ! " 
 
 He would have rushed towards her, but the strong arm 
 of the mask detained him, and that personage quietly re- 
 marked, 
 
 " Be seated, signer ! It were not well for you to enter 
 there, among them all ; but you can have your choice ! " 
 
 " Devil ! The girl I would have clasped was my own 
 child my lost Floretta ! I will see her." 
 
 "Nay that is impossible," replied the mask, as he 
 again pressed the knob ; and as quick as thought the fold- 
 ing-doors were closed upon the bewildering scene. 
 
 " Lost, lost ! " gasped the old man, as he threw himself 
 frantically against the doors. " Demon ' bid them be 
 parted again. My daughter is kept here against her will 
 bid the doors open, or I will break them down ! " 
 
 At this moment, the reaction of the excitement over- 
 came the old man, and he sank down in a fainting-fit. 
 The mask rang a bell. It was instantly answereefby the 
 appearance of a servant. 
 
 " Bear the old man to the inner chambers, and see that 
 he is well attended. Call Pireto to help you remove 
 him." 
 
 The apartment was soon cleared the mask was left 
 alone. 
 
 " The old man shall die," he muttered, " but not yet. 
 A thought has struck me he shall be the means of my 
 vengeance on Floretta, if she still refuses compliance to
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 21. 
 
 my wishes. I have gained some knowledge of his charac- 
 ter. He can be influenced by wine and women ; and by 
 this means shall he be moulded to my will ! Ha, ha ! 
 a noble thought a glorious thought ! Now, proud La 
 Belle Floretta ! beware how you trifle with me ! " 
 
 The ringing of a bell suspended in the corner of the 
 apartment announced a visitor, as the mask paused. Ho 
 moved to a side-door, and opened it. A paper was handed 
 him, which he speedily read. 
 
 " The cardinals," he muttered, " to the meeting of 
 the cardinals ! There 's more blood to be shed ; I am he 
 whose province it is to do their bidding ; and yet how 
 those proud potentates of the church would start did they 
 but know who the man is that thus seems subject to their 
 wishes ! O, did they but know me as I know myself " 
 
 The mask resumed his cloak and dagger, and passed 
 from the apartment, leaving the sentence unfinished. 
 
 V. 
 
 THE WARNING. 
 
 THE 'home of mad Seta a humble, but cleanly and 
 well-ordered abode. The old woman was not alone. 
 Lucrctia Borgia and her lover, the gallant Mercado, were 
 present. 
 
 " I must leave you, my children, for a while," said mad 
 Seta, arising ; " but I will soon return." 
 
 " But why need you leave us? " 
 
 "Because I have business," was the reply, "be- 
 cause," she added, in a lower voice, " lovers do not desire
 
 28 THE CHIMES OF 
 
 the presence of a third party at their interviews, espe- 
 cially if that party be children or old women ! " 
 
 With this, the old woman hobbled from the room. 
 
 " O, Mercado, what can mad Seta's warning mean? 
 Surely, she would not distress me with these fears, if there 
 were no occasion for them. I cannot give her credence 
 cannot believe that my father meditates ill against you. 
 Why should he ? " 
 
 " I hardly know. But he is the head of the church, 
 which my death would so much benefit. The immense 
 property, which is mine by inheritance, was so willed that 
 if I die before attaining my twenty-first year the whole 
 of it will go to the revenues of the church of Rome. Now, 
 were the Holy Fathers, and His Eminence, your father, to 
 be unscrupulous in their designs, and meditate the posses- 
 sion of this wealth, I am well aware that it would be . an 
 easy matter to prevent me from reaching my twenty-first 
 birthday. You understand ? " 
 
 " But I cannot believe that my father would conspire 
 against your life. He surely cannot desire to plunge his 
 child into the misery such a deed would give her." 
 
 " Does he know of our love ? " 
 
 " I think not. I have never talked but once with him 
 on the subject of a connection of this nature between us, 
 and then I did not let him know how much I think of 
 you." 
 
 " Not by words, perhaps ; but such love as thine is 
 readable in every look and every motion ! 0, dearest 
 Lucretia, if there should be a conspiracy against us, and 
 by the all-powerful pillars of the church, we shall fall ! " 
 
 The form of the lovely woman heaved with emotion at 
 the thought.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 29 
 
 " But not unavenged," she murmured, and her usual 
 silvery voice was husky. " If wrong is nieted out to thee, 
 if this love, so like that of the angels, is made the har- 
 binger of a curse, if these hopes are blasted, this brain 
 seared, and the aspirations of this heart blotted out for- 
 ever, let each and all who are concerned look well to 
 their souls ; for, by the soul of a sainted mother in heaven, 
 terrible shall be the atonement of him who thus wrongs 
 Lucretia Borgia ! " 
 
 " Hush, hush, girl ! " said a voice close to her side. 
 Mad Seta had returned, and entered noiselessly, and now 
 stood beside her. " It is not well for thee to talk of 
 vengeance on such men ; they are too powerful ! " 
 
 "Were they gods, and do this wrong, heaven itself 
 could not shield them ! " As long as there are brains to 
 plot and hands to execute, let no one cross my path and 
 blight my hopes ! " 
 
 " But they will do it. I know it ; I read it in the 
 stars, long years ago ; and still I nightly read it, when 
 the sky is not palled with clouds. They will scatter death 
 and desolation around them, and make thy life a curse, as 
 they have done to others." 
 
 " You speak wildly to-night, good Seta." 
 
 "Wildly? Ha, ha! Have I not had a cause for 
 speaking so ? I 've seen such sights as few have seen, and 
 live to weave their horrors in forms of speech. I saw thy 
 mother, child, the night before she died. I knew her 
 veins were full of poison that she was doomed ; and .well 
 I knew but thou shalt not know it. The tale is not for 
 ears like thine. I '11 go and breathe it to the air, or howl 
 it to the fiends ! Ha, ha ! 't is not for such as thee not 
 for such as thee ! " 
 3*
 
 80 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 Donna Lucrctia would have questioned her, but she was 
 gone. 
 
 And there was a shade of sadness upon the minds of 
 the lovers, that could not be banished. They knew that 
 terrible deeds had been done, when there was less incentive 
 than now ; and could not help but feel that there was a 
 dark and dangerous future before them. 
 
 Yet, even in such an hour, there was one star that 
 shone upon them from the stormy heavens 
 
 The star of Hope ! 
 
 Who has not seen it who has not looked to it with 
 eagerness and fervent expectation ; and who has not seen 
 it blotted out, and mental night and desolation reigning in 
 its stead ? 
 
 " Well, if the worst is to come,*Ve will meet it calmly," 
 said Mercado, with a kind of forced calmness, as they pre- 
 pared to leave the room. " But if I am indeed to become 
 the victim of these bloodhounds if I am lost to thee, 
 dear Lucretia, forever " 
 
 " My soul will be changed to that of a fiend, and ter- 
 rible will be the hell that fiend will prepare for those who 
 wrong Lucretia Borgia ! " 
 
 VI. 
 
 THE MEETING OF THE CARDINALS. 
 
 A VAULTED room in the basement of the Inquisition. 
 A marble table in the centre, several lighted candles 
 thereon, and half a dozen men seated around it. They 
 were the cardinals. 
 
 In one corner of the apartment stood the messenger
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 31 
 
 who had given the mask the death-warrant of Delano 
 when he stood upon the steps of St. Peter. His red cloak 
 had been thrown aside ; but still all of his garments were 
 of a blood-red hue. 
 
 " Hugi, has he the mask arrived ? " asked Cardi- 
 nal Corneto,* of the messenger. 
 
 " He has." 
 
 " Then retire, and bid him to our presence." 
 
 The order was obeyed. An instant later, the mask of 
 St. Peter's stood before the cardinals. 
 
 " Mask," said Corneto, " there 's work for thee." 
 
 " I await your orders." 
 
 " There they are," handing a paper. " The document 
 refers to Mercado. See that you execute its every precept. 
 His death is desired by His EMINENCE ; he must be num- 
 bered among those who HAVE lived, before two days have 
 passed." 
 
 The mask ran his eye eagerly over the paper. " Ha, 
 ha ! thus do I succeed," he muttered, in a low tone. "The 
 lover of Lucretia Borgia is doomed ! " 
 
 And then he turned to depart. 
 
 " Stay," commanded Corneto. " There 's another war- 
 rant for thee to serve. Its tenor, death ! " 
 
 " To whose concern ? " 
 
 " Signora Fortello's ! " 
 
 * Cardinal Corneto is not a fictitious character. He was an 
 inunensely wealthy man, and from all accounts extremely 
 avaricious. For the circumstances attending his death, the reader 
 is referred to " Bowling's History of Romanism," a work of the 
 most sterling charactc^. My account of it, near the close of this 
 work, will be found historically correct.
 
 32 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 The mask started violently, and recoiled from the war- 
 rant extended towards him. 
 
 " Why do you start ? Take the paper, and hasten to 
 execute it." 
 
 Still the mask hesitated. 
 
 A frown overspread Corneto's brow. 
 
 " You seem surprised," he remarked. " It is possible 
 that you may have some objections to the death of this 
 good lady ? " 
 
 " I have but well know that I may spare myself the 
 useless trouble of stating them, if you have decided. Yet 
 it seems a very strange affair, the Pope has not been 
 informed of your intentions." 
 
 " How know you that ? But no matter I acknowl- 
 edge that you speak the truth. The Pope has not been 
 consulted on the subject. But think you that we cannot 
 move in matters concerning the welfare of the church 
 without consulting his opinions ? " 
 
 The mask remained silent, but his manner of doing so 
 plainly expressed dislike. 
 
 " Signer mask," said Corneto, sternly, " you trifle with 
 us ! Must I remind you of the terms on which you serve 
 this council of the fearful contract, conceived and ma- 
 tured in blood, that makes your life security for the fulfil- 
 ment of our every order ? " 
 
 Still the mask did not move or reply. 
 
 " Then I will refresh your memory," continued Cor- 
 neto, with increased sternness. " At the dead of night, 
 many years ago, you were found by two officers of this 
 very council, in a dark and retired street, rifling the pock- 
 ets of a man you had just slain. The fatal dagger was in 
 your grasp, the blood of the murdered man was on your
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 66 
 
 clothes ; and therefore you could not have escaped, had 
 those two officers chosen to denounce you. But they did 
 not do it . and why ? Because they had that very night, 
 in council with their fellows, been considering where they 
 could find an executioner. The thought occurred to them 
 that, as your life was forfeited, you would purchase it by 
 becoming the required officer, and assuming the dagger 
 and black mask of your predecessor. They made the pro- 
 posal you accepted and now I ask you to remember 
 its conditions." 
 
 " I do, your Eminence. The conditions were that my 
 life should be spared as long as I served you faithfully, 
 and executed your orders. I have done so, and still 
 intend to ; and therefore you can spare yourself the 
 trouble of recalling the disagreeable nature of our bond to 
 mind. I am not treacherous or unwilling ; I was only 
 surprised." 
 
 " Very well. You have your orders ; see that they are 
 executed; and remember that you are serving us, the 
 church and the Pope, and you will never hesitate." 
 
 With this, the cardinals retired from the vault, one by 
 one. 
 
 " The church and the Pope ! " muttered the mask, gaz- 
 ing after them. " 0, fools ! fools ! " 
 
 VII. 
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA, Pope Alexander VI. ; one link in 
 the chain of apostolic succession one head of the hydra 
 called the Church of Home.
 
 34 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 He sat alone in an apartment of regal splendor and 
 magnificence, in the palace of the Borgias. He was an 
 elderly man, upon whose visage there was no look of man- 
 hood, upon whose heart there was nothing written but a 
 damning record of crime. 
 
 " Well, let it be so," he muttered, arousing from his 
 musings. " The cardinals have decided that Signora For- 
 tello's life belongs to them, and let the deed be done. It 
 is all for the good of the church ; her wealth will swell our 
 coffers greatly ; ay, let her die. And yet she was the 
 only friend I had when first I came to Rome, a poor 
 Spanish adventurer. It was her influence that made me 
 a cardinal, and that placed me in a position to make my- 
 self a Pope. Never mind ; her death will add much to 
 my riches ; therefore she must die ! " 
 
 For a moment he was silent ; then he raised his hand, 
 and rang a bell that stood upon the table. 
 
 A servant entered. 
 
 " If Donna Lucretia is in the palace, inform her that I 
 desire to have her visit me at once," said the Pope. " I 
 will discover whether she loves this Mercado or not," he 
 soliloquized, after the man had gone. " If she does, as I 
 Buspect, both shall feel my vengeance ! Poor fool ! she 
 knows not that I consider myself her lover, rather than 
 her father. But we shall see we shall see ! " 
 
 As the Pope paused, Donna Lucretia entered. There 
 was a slight shade of anxiety upon her face, but yet she 
 seemed firm and composed. 
 
 " Ruflo said you had sent for me. It is very kind of 
 you, dear father ! " And she threw her arms around his 
 neck and kissed him. 
 
 " Be seated here beside me," said the Pope, with all
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 35 
 
 the kindness he could assume. " I desire a few moments? 
 conversation with you." 
 
 " Proceed I listen dutifully." 
 
 "Allow me, as a first question, to ask if you love a 
 young nobleman, who has sometimes visited the palace, 
 and is known as Mefcado ? " 
 
 " I cannot inform you that I do/" was the hesitatingly 
 uttered reply. 
 
 " I am glad of that very glad ; for he is doomed to 
 die. I have his death-warrant." 
 
 Donna Lucretia started up and stood before her father, 
 pale as death, and quivering in every limb. 
 
 " What do I hear ? " she shrieked. " Mercado doomed 
 to death ! The death-warrant of my lover ! O, what 
 means this horrid revelation ? " 
 
 " Ah, he is your lover, then ? " asked Alexander 
 Borgia, with an involuntary expression of irony in his 
 voice. 
 
 " Since it has come to this, I swear it ! Mercado is my 
 lover ; / am his betrothed ! " 
 
 " Your frankness wins my approbation ; it does, in- 
 deed ! " 
 
 " No jeering, sir, unless you forget that I, too, am a 
 Borgia ! " and her dark eyes flashed fearfully upon him 
 as she spoke. " If my lover is under sentence of death, 
 show me, a way" to save him, or I will kneel and curse 
 you! O, do it! do it, if you love earth, or fear the 
 pangs of hell ! " 
 
 " Peace, peace, my daughter ! It is true that I have 
 a warrant for Morcado's death ; but the difficulty may 
 not be so great as you imagine. I think I can point out 
 a way by which you can save him. Now that he is in
 
 36 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 such deadly peril, it will be noble, gracious, if you can 
 prove his salvation, his guardian angel ! " 
 
 Donna Lucretia smiled, and her features were flushed 
 with enthusiasm. 
 
 " It will, it will," she murmured. " Show me the way ! " 
 and, again kissing her companion, she seated herself lov- 
 ingly by his side. 
 
 " You will understand that this is not my work," and he 
 drew forth the warrant. " You will not think that I have 
 been plotting against so noble and worthy a man as Mer- 
 cado ? It is the work of the cardinals." 
 
 " I understand; but the way to save him show me the 
 way." 
 
 " Which I will do, if you will but listen to my story. 
 Many years ago, a young Spanish nobleman, or rather 
 a priest, who had then been several years in Home, fell 
 violently in love with a noble Italian lady, who was a 
 widow, and the mother of one child, a daughter. He 
 loved her with a fondness and devotion that amounted to 
 adoration ; but, strange to say, the lady did not return 
 his passion. To the contrary, she repulsed his advances, 
 and bade him bestow his love where it would meet with a 
 return. Still he pressed his suit ; and there is no know- 
 ing how it would have ended, had not the lady suddenly 
 died " 
 
 " I have heard something like this before," interrupted 
 Donna Lucretia, much agitated ; " but go on. The lady 
 died " 
 
 " And the child was adopted by the priest, who reared 
 her as tenderly as father ever reared a daughter. He 
 saw her budding into girlhood, and felt that her love and 
 artless words of endearment repaid him for all his trouble,
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 37 
 
 and made him much the debtor. He saw her lovely form 
 ripening into womanhood, and bearing an almost exact 
 resemblance to the form of her he had loved so well, but 
 fatally, years before ! He listened to her words, so sweet 
 and winning, and every tone seemed but the echo of the 
 voice of the mother, she who had so completely won his 
 heart. Days sped on, years rolled away ; and at last he 
 found that his adopted daughter was so much like the first 
 object of his passion, that the love which had once raged 
 so violently in his heart was transferred to her. He loved 
 her adored her; and, see! that lover is kneeling at 
 the feet of the one he loves ! " 
 
 And Pope Alexander VI. sank down upon his knees 
 before Lucretia Borgia ! 
 
 VIII. 
 
 FEARFUL REVELATION'S. 
 
 DOXNA LUCRETIA started to her feet, and for full thirty 
 seconds she stood before the libertine Pope, trembling, and 
 deathly pale, without moving or uttering a word. 
 
 " Then you are the priest, and not my father," she ex- 
 claimed, at last. " My mother was the object of your 
 
 love ; and now I 0, God ! what is the meaning of 
 
 this frightful revelation?" 
 
 " It means, dear Lucretia, that I love you ! For years 
 I have cherished a hope that you would one day be mine ; 
 for years I have looked upon your expanding beauties with 
 the longing eyes of love and admiration ! Though we may 
 not wed, yet thou canst be to me all, wife, daughter, 
 
 EVERYTHING ! " 
 
 4
 
 38 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 And the passionate man, still kneeling, pressed the fair, 
 lily hand he held to his lips ; but it was quickly with- 
 drawn. 
 
 " Monster ! " cried Lucretia Borgia, and her features 
 eeemed as sternly rigid as marble. " Arise, or I will call 
 on God to curse you where you kneel ! Think not to 
 make me an easy prey, or I will teach thee that the blood 
 in my veins is no less passionate because it is not drawn 
 from thy veins. I know thee well! Thy story is not 
 new to me ; I had its outlines from mad Seta, long ago, 
 but did not know that I was that child. Up, devil in 
 human shape, or from this hour I shall be thy deadly 
 enemy ! " 
 
 " Beware, Lucretia ! It were not well for thee to force 
 me from my wonted calmness and good feeling towards 
 thee. The love of Pope Alexander VI. is not to be light- 
 ly scorned ! " 
 
 " Your love ! If there were aught in hell more pollut- 
 ing, the fiends themselves would be incapable of enduring 
 it, and it would drive them hence ! " 
 
 " Fool ! poor, beautiful fool ! " muttered Borgia, with a 
 mocking laugh. "Thou lookest on me, by my soul, just 
 as thy mother did some seventeen years ago, as vainly, 
 too ! She crossed my wishes and died ! Not the first 
 or last who might have claimed a similar epitaph ! " 
 
 "Ay, jeer on ! mock me with a rehearsal of your deeds, 
 even to the murder of my mother ! O that I were a man, 
 and thou not a coward ! I 'd soon rid the world of a mon- 
 ster, a fiend in human shape, that 's already more than 
 doubly damned ! " 
 
 " Peace, girl, peace ! or I shall forget myself, and fore- 
 go all mercy ! " and he seized her violently by the arm.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGLA. 3U 
 
 " You should remember Mercado ; 't was of his salvation 
 we were about to speak ! " 
 
 " You cannot harm him ; already has he been warned 
 of your machinations against him, and will ever be on his 
 guard ! " 
 
 " Silly girl ! how little do you realize the power of 
 Alexander Borgia! Know you that you met Mercado 
 half an hour since at mad Seta's " 
 
 " I know this already." 
 
 "And also know that in less than five minutes after you 
 left him he was arrested by my orders, and is now a close 
 prisoner in the Inquisition ! " 
 
 Donna Lucretia reeled, and sunk, nearly fainting, into 
 a chair. 
 
 " Perhaps you doubt my words," continued the Pope. 
 " You shall go with me and see him, and then you shall 
 know the terms of his release." 
 
 " Mevcado here ! let us fly to him at once ! " murmured 
 the fair Italian, at last. 
 
 " As you will, dear, DEAR Lucretia ! " responded Borgia, 
 with the glance of a basilisk, as he extended his arm. 
 
 The lady took it, fearfully, shudderingly, and both passed 
 from the room. 
 
 IX. 
 
 TUB OFFER AND REFUSAL. 
 
 AN underground hall in the Inquisition. It was of 
 oblong shape, and dimly lighted by a single lamp suspend- 
 ed in the centre of it. Each end of it was enshrouded in 
 darkness ; both were as silent as the grave.
 
 40 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 Silent ? No. There was a dark form in one corner, 
 and when it moved the clanking of chains was heard. 
 'T was there that Mercado was confined. 
 
 " My doom is sealed," he soliloquized, in a low voice. 
 " Death is my portion ; eternal misery the inheritance of 
 her I love, the noble and gentle Lucretia ! 0, that we 
 could have died together, or that I could have told thou 
 that I was going on a far journey, so that thou wouldst 
 have hoped and waited for my return, until I had partially 
 faded from thy remembrance, and thou had thus been pn - 
 pared for the final blow ! If this is thy father's work, 
 fearfully will he repent the wrong he is doing his child ! " 
 
 A door behind the young noble was noiselessly opened ; 
 a familiar * entered. 
 
 " Signor Mercado," he said, " I come from Alexander 
 Borgia. One of the chief elements of my business is 
 briefness ; so I shall not trouble you long. My master 
 has learned that you are in love with his daughter which 
 he dislikes. You are condemned to death, and only one 
 course can save you. If you will leave Home forever, 
 and within the hour, and swear never to have any further 
 acquaintance with Donna Lucretia, either by word or 
 deed, you will be set at liberty. What is your reply ? " 
 
 " This : Go to your master, and tell him that I scorn 
 him and his infamous proposal ! " 
 
 * Familiars were the most detestable of all the officers of Cathol- 
 icism. They were employed hy the leading officers of the church 
 to visit prisoners, worm themselves into their confidence, and, under 
 the guise of friendship, gain all their secrets, and then betray them 
 to the Inquisition ! They have even been known to show prisoners 
 a pretended way of escape, that they might have the pleasure of 
 arresting them at the moment when they thought themselves free, 
 and thus feast the Holy Fathers on their agony !
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 41 
 
 " You had better take time for reflection not rush on 
 certain death, which your words " 
 
 " Leave me ! you have your answer, as briefly as even 
 you could have desired. I am a free man, and, being free, 
 have a right to love Donna Lucretia, which no man shall 
 destroy, save but with my death. You are answered; 
 go at once." 
 
 The familiar was already gone, but the mask of St. 
 Peter's was standing in his place. 
 
 " You had better reconsider your decision," he mut- 
 tered, in a sepulchral voice. " It is altogether too hasty. 
 Perhaps you think you are not doomed. If so, read your 
 death-warrant ! " and he thrust the paper before his face, 
 and opened a dark lantern he had brought, that the pris- 
 oner might read it. 
 
 " I see," said Mercado. " It is signed by the cardinals, 
 and bears their seal. Death is indeed my lot ! " and he 
 threw himself moodily into one corner of the apartment. 
 
 " Is your resolution fixed ? " 
 
 " As the decrees of destiny ! " 
 
 The mask uttered a curse of vindictiveness. and turned 
 to depart. The familiar was standing at the door. 
 
 " Pireto," said the mask to him, " see that my orders 
 are executed to the letter. If the bell rings three times, 
 behead your prisoner, in conformity to the orders already 
 given. But should it ring but twice, you must not harm 
 a hair of his head ! " 
 
 The familiar bowed assent, and the mask departed. And 
 here we change the scene. 
 4*
 
 42 
 
 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 THE TERRIBLE PROMISE. 
 
 THE inner office of the Inquisition. Pope Alexander 
 VI. and Donna Lucretia entered, wearing black cloaks. 
 
 " Now show me Mercado," said the lovely woman, in a 
 voice that trembled with commingled tenderness and anxi- 
 ety for the loved one. " Then show me a way to avert 
 the impending doom." 
 
 " Your wishes shall be gratified. Do you observe that 
 glass socket in the wall yonder ? " 
 
 " I do. It seems to be firmly set in the solid masonry. 
 What is its object ? " 
 
 " The keepers look through it, and are thus enabled to 
 see what is going on in the cells within. Imitate their 
 use of it, and tell me what thou seest." 
 
 The maiden obeyed, but instantly darted back with a 
 shudder and exclamation of surprise. 
 
 " I gazed up and down the whole length of the corridor, 
 and saw the cells upon either hand," she exclaimeJ. 
 
 " Look again. The foot of the corridor opens into a 
 large room. Look at the lower end of that room, and tell 
 me what thou seest." 
 
 Donna Lucretia obeyed. 
 
 " A figure chained to the wall, a prisoner. Who can 
 it bo? Ha! a door opens; a man enters with a dark 
 lantern ; he turns it toward the captive's face. Can it 
 be ? Yes ; great Heavens ! the prisoner is Mercado ! " 
 
 The fair Italian would have fallen to the floor, had Bor- 
 gia's strong arm not been thrown around her waist.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 43 
 
 " It is Mercado," he quietly remarked. " Observe him 
 well ! " 
 
 " The bearer of the lantern is followed by two more 
 men ; they are followed by the fourth ; and he my God ! 
 the fourth bears a block and an axe ! " 
 
 " The fourth does bear a block and an axe," chimed in 
 Borgia. " Again observe ! " 
 
 " He sets the block down ; he speaks to Mercado, who 
 has arisen ; Mercado kneels, and seems resigning himself 
 to his fate; now he rises, and now 0, heavens! he lays 
 his neck upon the block ! " 
 
 " He does, he does, dear Lucretia ! " hissed Borgia, in 
 the ears of the fair girl. " And now listen to what I have 
 to say. You behold this bell-cord, at my right hand. It 
 connects with a bell in the vicinity of your lover's dungeon. 
 If I ring it three times, the executioner will immediately 
 behead him ; for such is the signal agreed upon, and thus 
 is a third of it' given ! " 
 
 As he spoke, he jerked the bell-cord. 
 
 " Father Pope Alexander Borgia ! What do you 
 intend to do ? Would you murder my lover in cold blood ? " 
 and again she looked through the glass socket. "Ha ! the 
 executioner has seized his bloody axe, at the sound of the 
 bell, and approaches Mercado ! O, fiend, devil ! prevent 
 this hellish work from going on, or I will strike you dead 
 at my feet ! " 
 
 Borgia laughed. 
 
 " Think you that I should not have time to ring the 
 bell twice more before I die ? " he asked, with an undis- 
 guised sneer. " You do not seem to realize the power of 
 the man you are trifling with." 
 
 "I do I do!"
 
 44 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " Do you not know that my word is law, my anger, 
 death ! Have you never reflected that the terrible Black 
 Mask, whose career of blood cannot be spoken of without 
 a shudder, seconds my designs, and seems as intimately 
 connected with me as if he were my shadow ? Have you 
 never paused to think that there are hosts and hosts all 
 around us who have no desire or duty but to execute my 
 wishes? As you have doubtless discovered, I execute 
 many of my plans in a mystical manner, for the gratifica- 
 tion of astonishing the every-day fools around us ; but you 
 know that I am not the less deadly when I have a deadly 
 purpose to fulfil " 
 
 " But, Mercado ! Speak of him. Even now the exe- 
 cutioner may be suspending the fatal axe over his head ! " 
 
 " Do not be alarmed ; your lover will not be beheaded 
 until I have rung the bell twice more, twice more, my 
 dear Lucre tia ! " 
 
 " Demon ! what would you do ? " 
 
 " Spare your epithets, and listen. Time flies ; this 
 business must be settled. Now mark me, and mark well. 
 There is only one way to save the life of Mercado : your 
 promise to be mine is the only medium of his salvation ! 
 I love you, have loved you for years, and have sworn to 
 make you mine. You have scorned me ; you have dared 
 to cross my wishes ; but let that pass. You now under- 
 stand that I have a way to gain my wishes. Decide, and 
 at once ! Swear, by your mother's soul, to be mine, or in 
 less than sixty seconds your lover will have ceased to 
 exist ! " 
 
 " 0, God ! what an alternative ! " cried Donna Lucre- 
 tia, as pale as death, and trembling in every limb. She
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 45 
 
 leaned against the wall, and glared wildly through the 
 socket. 
 
 " What ! do you hesitate ? Then I will ring again ; 
 your lover dies ! " And again he jerked the bell-cord ! 
 
 " Stay stay ! I will promise I will ! " 
 
 " Swear it," said Borgia, fiercely, with his hand upon 
 the cord. " Swear to be wholly mine at an early day, or 
 I ring for the third and last time." 
 
 " By my mother's soul, I swear it!" came, in a low 
 whisper, from the ashy-pale lips of Donna Lucretia, and 
 she sank backwards into his arms, in a fainting-fit. 
 
 And as the dark eyes of Alexander Borgia roved over 
 that insensible, but strangely, wildly beautiful form, a 
 laugh of exultation escaped him, and he cried, with the 
 joy of a fiend rejoicing over a damned soul, 
 
 "Ha, ha ! she 's mine, mine forever, body and soul ! "
 
 BOOK SECOND. 
 
 CJESAK BOBGIA. 
 
 A WEEK later. The scene Alexander Borgia's pri- 
 vate apartment. The old man was seated by a table, 
 evidently musing. His thoughts at last found utterance. 
 
 " All goes well," he soliloquized. " There 's not a day 
 that passes but that I add to the wealth and influence of 
 the church, and consequently to my own. My private 
 affairs are also in the most prospering and flattering state. 
 The fair Lucretia is mine ; her lover safely confined in a 
 dungeon, where he will never see her or trouble me j and 
 thus have I gratified my revenge on the child of the proud 
 beauty who scorned me years ago. O, Lucretia Borgia, 
 poor, vain fool ! little are you aware of the hate, the long- 
 meditated revenge, that instigated me to the deed ! " 
 
 A door opened as the Pope paused, and his son, Caesar 
 Borgia, reeled into the room, in a state of intoxication. 
 
 " How are you, most respectable old Gripus ? " he ex- 
 claimed; " and how are the funds? " 
 
 " Caesar," said the Pope, in a stern voice, " do not 
 address me in this brutal way. Where have you been, 
 that you have lost the little sense nature endowed you 
 with? Among a crowd of gallants, drinking and carous-
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 47 
 
 ing all day, I '11 be sworn. As for the funas, you have 
 squandered them. Where are the thousand maravedis I 
 gave you two days since ? " 
 
 " Applied to spiritual uses ; and now I want as much 
 more, for the same laudable purpose." 
 
 " You will not have it. Your demands on my purse are 
 beyond all forbearance, and I am heartily tired of listen- 
 ing to the evil reports that are in circulation concerning 
 your shameful debauchery and dissipation. But come to 
 me to-morrow morning, when you have recovered from 
 the potations of to-day, and I will see what can be done 
 for you." 
 
 " Thank you. You are quite an amiable old cut-throat, 
 only when you are in pursuit of a jugular under diffi- 
 culties. But farewell ; I 'm going. I shall see you iu 
 the morning. Farewell; I'm going." 
 
 " "Well, why in the devil's name don't you go ? I have 
 no patience to talk with you now ; but in the morning I '11 
 attend to you, if you are sober." 
 
 " I tell you I am going. I have an appointment with 
 the fair the fair and lovely the fair and lovely 
 
 what-do-you-call her? D d if I can remember what 
 
 her name is. But I am going. I see you are disgusted 
 with me, as I am with you, vesa varcy. Farewell ! I 
 shall see you in the morning." 
 
 And Caesar departed, going out of one door as Lucre- 
 tia entered by another.
 
 48 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 II. 
 
 THE PLOT DEEPENS. 
 
 A GREAT change had been wrought in the appearance 
 of Donna Lucretia in one short week. Her cheeks were 
 very pale. A wild, reckless light had taken the place of 
 the gentle, loving expression that had formerly rested in 
 her eyes, like a gem on an ocean of pearl ; and there was 
 an unusual look of resolution upon her features, as she 
 paused before the Pope. 
 
 " I have kept my promise," she commenced, in a voice 
 that quivered with emotion; "I now ask you to keep 
 yours." 
 
 "Well, well; we will talk of this to-morrow. I am 
 wearied with the business of the day, and would fain re- 
 tire to rest with thee. To-morrow, dearest Lucretia, your 
 requests shall be attended to." 
 
 " Ah, this to-morrow, with which we ward off the evils 
 of the present, and banish subjects we would fain elude ! 
 But I am weaned with these repeated delays. I urge the 
 fulfilment of your promise now, this very hour." 
 
 " And what if I refuse ? " asked Borgia, with assumed 
 carelessness, as an evil look appeared in his dark eyes. 
 
 "Refuse! You dare not; nor is it wise in you to 
 trifle longer with me. Mercado is still in a loathsome dun- 
 geon " 
 
 " Where he will remain till he becomes food for 
 worms," interrupted the Pope, with a look of infernal tri- 
 umph. " Dare not ! There 's not a heaven I dare not 
 defy, a hell I dare not brave, when, by so doing, I can 
 avenge the injuries I received at the hands of your 
 mother."
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 49 
 
 " She never injured you ; or, if she did, the wrong was 
 unintentionally given." 
 
 " 'T is false ! " cried Borgia, passionately. " Did she 
 not scorn me, despise my love, and drive me from her 
 presence ? But I had a glorious revenge. Ha ! ha ! 
 They who brave the vengeance of Alexander Borgia should 
 have a myriad of lives ! " 
 
 " And my mother she, too, was fearfully wronged by 
 this demon," said Lucretia, musingly, as her hand in- 
 voluntarily sought the hilt of a dagger. 
 
 " Wronged ! You can call it what you choose. She 
 scorned, defied me, as queenly as thou hast done ; but I 
 had my pay for it. I made her life her hell ; I put upon 
 her a curse like that of Cain, and would have worn her 
 life away by inches, had she not taken poison and died, to 
 escape me. Do you hear, girl ? Was I not fully re- 
 venged ? " 
 
 "0, God! my poor, murdered mother!" exclaimed 
 Donna Lucretia, in anguish, as she bowed her head upon 
 her hands. 
 
 " Ay, grieve on ! By my soul, I never knew what 
 gratified hate and revenge was until this hour. Not with 
 your mother's death, poor fool, did I feel satisfied. 0, 
 no ; I had sworn to have my choicest feast in the destruc- 
 tion of her child. You, Lucretia Borgia, you, ha, 
 ha ! and fearfully have I kept my oath. Listen. 
 Know you that it was I that called the cardinal's atten- 
 tion to Mercado ! know you that I was instrumental in 
 getting his death-warrant, that I might terrify you into 
 compliance with my wishes ! I have done so, and am con- 
 tent." 
 
 0, monster ! " 
 5
 
 50 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " But, think you, that I would now free your lover ? 
 No. The cardinals think him already dead, agreeably to 
 the orders they gave the mask. It would be dangerous 
 for me were they informed to the contrary. Dead your 
 lover is to all intents and purposes ; for, by the vengeance 
 of a Borgia, he shall never leave his dungeon alive ! Dost 
 hear?" 
 
 Donna Lucretia was wrought up to a terrible state of 
 excitement. She saw the whole damning plot, of which 
 she had been the victim. She saw how Mercado had 
 been denounced and doomed, how she had been inveigled 
 in the hope of saving him, and now she realized that 
 Borgia was still determined on his death. Her excite- 
 ment amounted to a species of madness, and, drawing a 
 dagger, with the quickness of thought, she aimed a power- 
 ful blow at his heart. 
 
 v The steel struck against a concealed corslet, and was 
 
 shivered to the hilt. 
 
 " You can save yourself further trouble," said Borgia, 
 quietly, as he rang a bell. 
 
 Two servants entered. 
 
 " Conduct Donna Lucretia to her rooms ; she is faint." 
 
 They proceeded to obey the order, receiving no opposi- 
 tion from her. She turned but once, once only, as 
 she passed from the apartment; but it was a look in 
 which the hate and revenge of a lifetime seemed concen- 
 trated. 
 
 " Were she not Iwr child, and there were few of her 
 sex to command my admiration, I would not carry my 
 vindictiveness so far," soliloquized Borgia. " As it is, I 
 am determined. She has not the place in my heart that 
 is possessed by La Belle Florctta ; therefore she shall not
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 51 
 
 receive any mercy. But, speaking of La Belle Floretta, 
 I must see how thrives my suit with her, and how Delano 
 is passing his time. I '11 away at once." 
 
 III. 
 
 THE WEIRD SISTERS. 
 
 THE scene a cave high up on one of the seven hilla 
 on which the " eternal city " is built. It was a dark, 
 gloomy-looking spot, possessing an exterior that would 
 have deterred a person of ordinary nerve from entering ; 
 yet we will pass in, and see what new phase of mystery is 
 revealed. 
 
 Upon a rude couch, in the corner of that cave, lay a 
 female form, that of an old woman, with thin, atten- 
 uated features, deeply-sunken eyes, which gleamed like 
 funeral torches in their sockets, and a figure that seemed 
 strangely wasted by age and disease. She was the sister 
 of mad Seta ; and mad Seta herself was kneeling beside 
 her. 
 
 " I am going to my long home, Seta," said the dying 
 woman, in a low, tremulous voice. " There is something 
 in my heart that tells me I shall not behold another day ; 
 and, therefore, I must now reveal a secret I have cher- 
 ished so long and guardedly, or see it lost forever." 
 
 " Speak on ; I listen." 
 
 " Nineteen years have passed since first I made the 
 acquaintance of Alexander Borgia, the present head of 
 the Catholic church. He was then a young man of pleas- 
 ing appearance, with a smooth tongue and agreeable man-
 
 52 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 ners. I was a young woman, considered good-looking, 
 and possessed all the passionate qualities that mark the 
 daughters of Italy. I loved this young soldier and priest, 
 this Spanish adventurer, if it pleases you to call him so, 
 and was beloved by him ; at least, he so professed. Under 
 a sacredly-uttered promise, he triumphed over my weak 
 opposition to his wishes, and I, in time, became a mother 
 by Alexander Borgia." t 
 
 " Sister, you astonish me ; I never knew aught of this 
 before." 
 
 " But, ere the child was born, I became well convinced 
 that its father had ceased to feel for me the love he first 
 professed, and had become smitten with the many charms 
 of a noble Italian lady. I watched him, and saw circum- 
 stances quite sufficient to satisfy/iny jealous eyes and em- 
 bittered heart. I also learned J^at the object of his love 
 was with child ; and, as token after token of his coldness 
 and neglect was given me, strange thoughts of revenge 
 arose in my mind. Knowing that both children would be 
 born at about the same time, feeling assured that I 
 would be cast off and left to poverty and disgrace, in 
 which to rear my babe, I determined " 
 
 " Hold ! " exclaimed Seta, wildly, clasping her hand to 
 her brow. " Do not say that you changed the babes ! 
 that she the Italian mother reared your child ! " 
 
 The dying woman smiled grimly. The paleness of 
 death was on her features. 
 
 " That was the very course I took to accomplish my 
 revenge," she continued, in a low voice. " But here are 
 the papers ; my confessions relative to the affair. Read, 
 read ! they will tell you that my object was fully accom- 
 plished. Though I was cast off by the father of my child, 

 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 63 
 
 that child found a home where it was tenderly cared for ; 
 and when the noble Italian lady died, the little girl was 
 adopted by a wealthy man. By whom, do you think? " 
 
 " I do not know." 
 
 " By Alexander Borgia, her father " 
 
 Mad Seta started wildly to her feet, and a hot flush ap- 
 peared on her features, as she shrieked, 
 
 "And the real child of this Italian lady, what became 
 of her?" 
 
 " She still lives, though in humble circumstances. She, 
 she " The weird woman paused, gasping for breath. 
 It was evident that she was failing fast. 
 
 " Speak ! " exclaimed mad Seta, " speak, and give me 
 the name by which she is known, and tell me where she 
 
 " She she is called La " Again the dying woman 
 paused, and closed her eyes, even as if life were departing. 
 Then she rallied, making a desperate effort to reveal the 
 secret she had sacredly guarded so long ; but she was too 
 much exhausted. Clutching Seta by the arm, and staring 
 into her face, with a terrible expression of anxiety, she 
 essayed once, twice, thrice, to speak ; but in vain. She 
 could only hold up the papers, motion her sister to read 
 them, and point at three names upon one of them ; then 
 she sank back and died. 
 
 And, deadly pale, and trembling in every limb, tho 
 weird woman read those three names from the paper : 
 
 " Floretta Delano Lucretia Borgia." 
 5*
 
 54 THE CRIMES Off 
 
 IV. 
 
 THE RESOLUTION. 
 
 DONNA LUCRETIA had taken but a few steps in the hall, 
 after leaving the Pope, when she dismissed her attendants, 
 telling them that she had quite recovered from her sudden 
 indisposition. Th6n she threw herself into a chair, and 
 seemed musing, abstractedly uttering her thoughts. 
 
 " Hell has been masked ere now with the semblance of 
 heaven," she murmured, " and angels have been lured 
 within its borders, ere the deceit was discovered. And as 
 deeply, fatally, have I been deceived and cheated. The 
 land has disappeared, the wind is driving me far from the 
 shore on which the beacon-light of hope was gleaming, and 
 henceforth I wander over stormy waters. All is lost, ex- 
 cept a wretched existence ; and if I still endure that, 
 still struggle on amid the sorrows by which I am sur- 
 rounded, it is only to claim the great and terrible re- 
 venge I have bought at such a fearful price." 
 
 For a brief instant she was silent, while a deep fount 
 of emotion seemed raging in her heart ; then she continued 
 in the low, deep voice which bespeaks a strong resolution 
 and a deadly purpose : 
 
 " Alexander Borgia has taught me that I am not his 
 daughter, and would now teach me that I am his slave, his 
 mistress, his dupe ! " and the words were hissed with the 
 venom of a fiend. "But let him look well to himself; 
 let him watch me, and let him guard his prisoner ! Mer- 
 cado, if Heaven approves the deed, and woman's wit 
 and woman's courage can avail aught, thou shalt soon 
 be as free as the air we breathe. I '11 get a priestly cloak
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 55 
 
 and cowl, and see if I cannot gain admittance to Mer- 
 cado's dungeon." 
 
 With this, she passed into her room. In a moment, she 
 came out into the hall again, disguised as a priest. Plac- 
 ing an unsheathed dagger in her bosom, she murmured, 
 
 "Now for a deed that 'shall free Mercado, and convince 
 even Alexander Borgia that man's power for wrong is not 
 always equal to his will." 
 
 As she was passing from the hall, a servant placed him- 
 self on her path. " Well, sirrah, what do you want ? " 
 demanded Lucretia, angrily. 
 
 " Excuse me ; but it is the Pope's order that you do 
 not leave the palace. I dare not permit you to pass." 
 
 " Nor need you permit me," said Donna Lucretia, scorn- 
 fully, " for I shall go and come without your permission, 
 or that of your most worthy master ! " and she essayed to 
 move on. 
 
 The servant seized her by the arm. 
 
 " My orders are strict," he exclaimed ; " I must answer 
 with my life for their fulfilment." 
 
 " Ay, you must," responded Lucretia, bitterly ; and, 
 drawing her dagger, she added, " I will give your master 
 a proof of your services, one that will convince him that 
 you endeavored to obey his orders ; " and, quick as 
 thought, the weapon was buried in the servant's bosom, 
 and he sank bleeding to the floor. 
 
 " Thus is my career of blood begun," shrieked the pas- 
 sionate Italian, laughing hysterically; "but I am ab- 
 solved, nobly absolved, Mercado, for it is for thee ! " 
 
 And then she passed quickly from the hall, even at 
 the moment that Alexander Borgia entered it.
 
 56 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " "What is this ? " he exclaimed. " My faithful Prato 
 wounded ! Whose hand has dared to do this deed ? " 
 
 " Donna Lucretia, your Eminence " 
 
 " Ha ! then there is some dare-devil purpose in her 
 brain. I must see to this at once. Perhaps she means to 
 free her lover." 
 
 " 'T is the very mission on which she is gone," groaned 
 the wounded man. 
 
 " Then I must be up and doing. Remain quiet, my 
 faithful Prato. I will send those who will attend to 
 thee." 
 
 And the Pope hurried from the hall, muttering, as he 
 passed through the door, 
 
 " If, by chance, she succeeds in freeing Mercado, the 
 mask of St. Peter's shall execute the warrant he has for 
 his death. As a prisoner, he might live ; but, the hour 
 he becomes a free man, the self-same hour he dies." 
 
 V. 
 
 LUCRETIA BORGIA'S FIRST ASSASSINATION. 
 
 A CORRIDOR in the Inquisition. Donna Lucretia and a 
 jailer entered, the former still wearing the cowl and cloak. 
 
 " You say that you are a priest, and have a message 
 for Mercado ? " asked the officer, as he eyed her sus- 
 piciously. 
 
 Donna Lucretia bowed. 
 
 " But I have very good authority for thinking other- 
 wise," said the jailer. " Priests don't wear satin slippers, 
 and I can swear that you had on a very elegant specimen 
 of that style of goods as you came down stairs."
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 57 
 
 " Give me the key to Mercado's cell, and allow me to 
 pass, or else lead the way yourself," commanded Donna 
 Lucretia. " You can divine my purpose from my dress, 
 and have no authority to prevent one of the ' Holy 
 Fathers ' from seeing a prisoner ; therefore lead on." 
 
 " No, no, Donna Lucretia. Ha ! you start at the 
 name. I thought I was right in my conjectures. You 
 are the daughter of the Pope ! " 
 
 The fair Italian turned her face away, and a look of 
 unutterable anguish appeared on her features, while she 
 trembled from head to foot. 
 
 " Must I kill this man ? " she murmured. " 0, why is 
 it that such opposition meets me at every step ? It is the 
 fatality that ever hovers over the victims of Alexander 
 Borgia ! Sir," she added, aloud, " you have, indeed, 
 penetrated my disguise ; but allow me to pass, and a for- 
 tune shall be yours." 
 
 " I cannot, lady. Your father bade me to prevent and 
 forbid all admittance to -Mercado ; and you you, Donna 
 Lucretia were specially excepted by name." 
 
 " Ay, I must kill him ! " murmured the agonized 
 woman, again turning away, and her hand clutched the 
 hilt of a dagger. " He must not baulk my purpose ; my 
 lover dies unless this man is removed at once. Thou, God, 
 who seest all things, look down upon me in this extremity, 
 and judge of the deed by the motive ! " 
 
 Then she threw herself upon her knees before the jailer, 
 and exclaimed, 
 
 " Grant me permission to see the prisoner for a few 
 moments only, and I will never ask a favor of you again. 
 Do this, if you are a man. Have you no sister or mother, 
 the memory of whom can plead for me ? "
 
 58 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " I have a sister and a mother " 
 
 " Then show me the favor I ask. I conjure you, by 
 your love for them," cried Donna Lucretia, wildly. " I 
 will make them rich, powerful ; they shall have as high 
 a position as any in the land " 
 
 " Hold ! I must not listen to these words. I tell thee, 
 once for all, I cannot admit thee to Mercado's cell." 
 
 Donna Lucretia started to her feefy and cast her eyes 
 wildly toward heaven. 
 
 " God forgive the deed ! " she murmured, with quiver- 
 ing lips and deathly-pale cheeks. Then she drew her 
 dagger, already stained with blood, and, with the quick- 
 ness of electricity, drove it deep, deep into the jailer's 
 breast, through and through his very vitals. 
 
 " You have slain me," he gasped, as he sank to the cold 
 stone floor. " My mother sister " 
 
 " They shall be cared for," cried Donna Lucretia, kneel- 
 ing beside him. " I '11 make them rich, and do all I can 
 to atone for this crime." 
 
 " God bless you ! " was the reply. 
 
 The miserable woman stared wildly upon the face 
 before her. 
 
 " What do I hear ? A blessing on your murderess ! 
 No, no, no ! " 
 
 " I do not blame you. Had I been in your place, I 
 had done as much, or more." 
 
 " Heaven bless thee forever for the words ! And you 
 will not curse me ? You will not appear against me in a 
 future world ? " 
 
 " No, no ! I am glad to die for thee. Save Mercado. 
 He too is noble and good, and has spoken kindly to poor 
 Marco. I am dying ! I feel the dews of death on my
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 59 
 
 brow, and its icy fingers at my heart. Give me your 
 hand, dear lady ! let me kiss it thus and " 
 
 His voice ceased ; his nerves relaxed, and he sank back 
 upon the floor. His soul had gone to its God. 
 
 VI. 
 
 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 TUB scene changes to Mercado's dungeon. The young 
 noble stood by the grated door ; his hands were clasped 
 around the iron bars, that kept him from the enjoyment 
 of liberty. His face was very pale, yet it wore a stern 
 and resolute expression; and his eyes gleamed with the 
 light of a noble purpose and a high resolve. 
 
 "Dear Lucretia," he murmured, "by the Heaven 
 which alone has heard our mutual vows, I swear that they 
 shall be kept, if not here, in that great hereafter, to which 
 every human being, savage or civilized, looks with rever- 
 ence. They may take my life, but they cannot take away 
 the cheering consciousness of being beloved by thee ; nor 
 can they make me false to thee, a traitor to myself, an 
 apostate to my God ! " 
 
 A door leading into the corridor, a short distance from 
 him, was opened, and the rays of a light dissevered a por- 
 tion of the darkness that reigned around. 
 
 " Ha, what do I see ? A priest ? He comes this way, 
 doubtless to offer me the consolation of the ' holy church.' 
 I will not see him, or speak to him." 
 
 With this, Mercudo retired to the rear of his cell, and' 
 seated himself upon a rude stool. The person be had seen 
 enter soon paused before the door of his dungeon. He
 
 60 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 saw the rays of the light flashing into his cell, but deter- 
 mined not to raise his head. He heard a key placed in 
 the massive lock ; he heard the creaking noise it made, as 
 it was turned ; and then he heard the ponderous door swing 
 back on its rusty hinges ; but still he remained with his 
 head bowed upon his hand?, even after his visitor paused 
 before him. 
 
 " Mercado, dear Mercado ! " whispered Donna Lucre- 
 tia, in a low tone. 
 
 The effect was instantaneous. The prisoner sprang to 
 his feet. For a moment he stared wildly upon the pale 
 face before him ; then he murmured " Dear Lucretia ! " and 
 clasped her in a warm embrace. 
 
 " But how did you gain admittance t " was his first 
 interrogation. 
 
 The fair Italian woman shuddered. " Do not ask me," 
 she responded. " It is enough that I have the keys, and 
 that I am here to save you. Come." 
 
 " I must not. It would be known that yon were instru- 
 mental in my escape, and vengeance would fall upon you. 
 No, dear Lucretia, I cannot go." 
 
 " Have no fears for me. Believe me, all will be well 
 for us both, if you will only improve the opportunity now 
 given you." 
 
 " 0, noblest, best of women ! " cried Mercado, enthusi- 
 astically, as he pressed her to his heart. " Thou art the 
 light of my soul, the altar on which my offerings of love 
 and affection are laid, the idol around which my hopes 
 and aspirations cluster ! Thou art " 
 
 " A murderess ! " and Donna Lucretia held up her 
 bloody hand, and pointed to the stains upon her dress. 
 " To gain admittance, I have slain the jailer."
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 61 
 
 " Then be thou " 
 
 " Hold, Mercado ! Not one word of reproach from you 
 is needed, to make my heart and bosom the abode of 
 living torments. My love, your life, everything called for 
 the sacrifice ; and poor Marco himself was glad that I had 
 taken it, and blessed me for the deed. Murder, as in this 
 case, is often committed against the wishes of those who do 
 the deed. They may be intoxicated, or self-preservation 
 may enjoin the blow ; but is it the less regretted by them, 
 and should they be held accountable and punished as 
 murderers ? Religion, man and God, alike say No ! " 
 
 " You are right, dearest. I was wrong to think ill of 
 you, even for one brief moment. Poor Marco was the 
 victim, you the executioner, and both made so 
 against your wishes." 
 
 " God only knows how much his death was against my 
 wishes. Had I possessed a thousand lives, I would have 
 yielded up them all to gain the end secured by the jailer's 
 death, before I would have harmed him. But let it all 
 pass. Only one course remains : to fly this spot ; to gain 
 security, and revenge ourselves and him" 
 
 " It shall be so, if we can only gain our liberty " 
 
 " Which we can readily do, if you will trust to my 
 guidance. The way by which I passed within these walls 
 shall guide me back with thee to liberty. Come, let us 
 away, silently, but with all possible despatch." 
 6
 
 62 THE CRIMES 
 
 VII. 
 
 LA BELLE FLORETTA. 
 
 SLUMBER is never more beautiful than when it rests 
 upon beauty and innocence. 
 
 La Belle Floretta was sleeping on a luxurious couch in 
 a room of queenly splendor. Her beautiful features were 
 wreathed with a sweet smile, even as if she were convers- 
 ing with angels in her dreams ; her hair was scattered in 
 bewitching confusion over a neck and bosom as white and 
 smooth as Parian marble ; and never was there a more 
 perfect picture of a sleeping beauty than could have been 
 drawn by a skilful artist from that she presented. 
 
 Nor was her loveliness destined to be unobserved. A 
 secret door at one side of the apartment was drawn aside, 
 and Alexander Borgia entered. He moved forward until 
 he stood beside the couch of the sleeping maiden, keeping 
 his attention riveted upon the many charms that met his 
 gaze. 
 
 " She is, indeed, a prize worth possessing," soliloquized 
 the priestly libertine, as his gloating eyes feasted upon the 
 exquisite outlines of that voluptuous form, rendered all the 
 more fascinating by the slight drapery that rested o'er 
 them. " A prize of beauty, indeed ; and I will move 
 heaven and earth but that she shall be mine." 
 
 He bent down and pressed his hot, burning lips to those 
 of the sleeper, once, twice, again, and yet again, as if he 
 were mad with passion. 
 
 The maiden moved uneasily ; a flush appeared on her 
 cheeks, as she murmured,
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 63 
 
 " Do not kiss me so often now, dear Hernaldo ; wait 
 till we are married." 
 
 The Pope started as if an adder had stung him, and a 
 frown appeared upon his brow. 
 
 " Ah, this accounts for her refusal to hearken to my 
 wishes, as expressed through the mask of St. Peter's. She 
 has a lover ; his name, Hernaldo. Hernaldo what ? I 
 must find out. Some ignorant, poverty-stricken bumpkin, 
 I '11 be sworn." 
 
 He paused ; for La Belle Floretta moved, as if about 
 to awaken from her slumbers. 
 
 "She to love one of the low herd, the ignorant 
 rabble ! By my soul, she is worthy of being the wife of 
 an emperor, well worthy of being the mistress of Pope 
 Alexander VI." 
 
 And again he bent down and kissed her. The maiden 
 started up, with an exclamation of alarm, and stared 
 wildly upon the form before her. 
 
 " You are not that fearful mask," she murmured ; " but 
 is he not here, is not this his palace ? " 
 
 " No, dear Floretta. A drug was administered to you, 
 and while you were under its influence you were re- 
 moved from the mask's mansion, and brought here, 
 here, where true love and happiness awaits thee." 
 
 " Love, happiness ! " responded the maiden. " 0, sir, 
 do not speak of these ; for they are like funeral pyres in 
 my memory. But who are you, who visit me at this un- 
 timely hour; and why do you gaze so earnestly upon 
 me ? " 
 
 " Because I love you, dear Floretta. Eyes can never 
 tire of gazing on the object loved by their possessor. I 
 could gaze on thee till time has given all it here controls
 
 64 THE CRIMES 0* 
 
 to dark eternity. I love thee, maiden. I have brought 
 thee here to bless me with thy charms, and cheer me with 
 thy smiles." 
 
 "You?" cried La Belle Floretta, recoiling from him; 
 " who dares to utter language such as this to me ? " 
 
 " One who dares do all things that can add to his 
 wealth, or promote his happiness. La Belle Floretta, you 
 are now in the palace of the Borgias " 
 
 A cry of alarm interrupted him. 
 
 " And in the power of one who has sworn to make you 
 all his own, ay, in the very arms of Alexander Borgia, 
 Pope of Rome ! " 
 
 As he spoke, he threw his arms around the maiden's 
 waist, and drew her to his heart. 
 
 " Mine, mine ! " he exclaimed ; but even as he spoke 
 three hasty raps were given on the door. 
 
 " Ila ! that signal cannot be disregarded. Something 
 of vital importance has occurred," soliloquized Borgia ; 
 and he moved hurriedly forward and opened the door, dis- 
 covering a servant. 
 
 " Mercado has escaped," said the man, excitedly, " and 
 the jailer has been slain." 
 
 The Pope did not start or look surprised, nor desire the 
 servant to reiterate his statement. He knew that it was 
 true, for he had taught his servants that a false report 
 would cost the one who uttered it his life. 
 
 " Enough. We understand you," was all the reply he 
 made ; and the man departed. 
 
 " Farewell, Floretta," continued Borgia, with a smile, 
 as he bestowed an admiring glance upon the maiden. " I 
 have business of importance to attend to, but shall soon 
 see you again. Farewell ! "
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 65 
 
 And then he passed from the room. 
 
 But the smile was gone from his features the instant he 
 found himself alone, and in its place was a fierce and vin- 
 dictive look, as he muttered, 
 
 " This is the work of that she-devil, Lucretia ; but, by 
 the Papal crown, her lover shall atone for it with his life ! 
 The mask of St. Peter's never fails in his duty." 
 
 VIII. 
 
 THE PARTING. 
 
 THE bridge of St. Angelo's. Near one end of it Mer- 
 cado and Lucretia Borgia were standing. They had 
 passed safely from the dungeons of the Inquisition, and 
 were now uttering their parting adieus. 
 
 " We shall meet again, dear Lucretia," said the young 
 noble, with the gentle accents of love, as he gazed with a 
 look of undying affection upon the lovely woman, and 
 pressed his lips to her pale cheeks. " For a while I must 
 bid adieu to Rome, as the blood-hounds are on my track, 
 but it will not always be so. The time will come when I 
 can claim you as mine when we shall be happy." 
 
 " Heaven grant it ! God knows I should have died, 
 had this bold effort for your freedom not been successful. 
 But you must hasten away. .Already may the minions of 
 the church, or the officers of the Inquisition, be on your 
 track. Take my blessing,-*- this farewell kiss, and go ; 
 and may Heaven watch over thee now and forever, and 
 grant that we may soon meet again, iu peace and happi- 
 ness ! " 
 
 6*
 
 W> THE CRIMES OF 
 
 And then they parted, with what feelings we shall not 
 attempt to describe. 
 
 Scarcely had Mercado moved away towards the opposite 
 end of the bridge, often looking behind, when a look of 
 agony passed over her features, and she murmured, 
 
 " 0, dear, noble Mercado ! If thou but knew that I 
 have already sold myself to Alexander Borgia, to buy thy 
 life, and failed even at that fearful price, what misery 
 would be thine ! " 
 
 The fair being was silent for a brief instant ; then she 
 continued, 
 
 " A thought strikes me. I will follow Mercado, keep- 
 ing at a distance behind him, until he is out of danger ; 
 for now a chilling remembrance sweeps across my mind 
 with prophetic earnestness. I remember how a young 
 nobleman, who had fallen under the displeasure of the 
 church, and been confined some time, received his liberty, 
 only to be struck down the following night by the hand of 
 the mask of St. Peter's. Though Mercado has escaped 
 from his dungeon, he may be watched by that terrible 
 being, may be doomed to be his victim ! At any rate, 
 right or wrong, I will follow him." 
 
 And Donna Lucretia moved hastily away in the direc- 
 tion taken by Mercado. 
 
 " Ha, ha ! " laughed a hoarse voice, in tones of infernal 
 triumph, from behind a pillar near where the lovers had 
 been standing ; and a pair of dark eyes were fixed intently 
 upon the retreating form of the woman. 
 
 It was the exulting laugh of the mask of St. Peter's.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 67 
 
 IX. 
 
 A DEED OF BLOOD. 
 
 MERCADO had crossed the bridge, and was passing along 
 the street. 
 
 " Once more I breathe the air of liberty," he solilo- 
 quized, " and soon shall be beyond the reach of those who 
 would, at one blow, rob me of love, life and fortune. Still 
 I am in danger, and must be prepared to sell my life as 
 dearly as possible, should I be discovered." 
 
 " Mercado," said a voice close to his side, " you are 
 free ; but do not linger." 
 
 He turned, and beheld mad Seta. Her thin features 
 were wreathed with a look of terrible anxiety, and in 
 her hand she held the papers she had received from her 
 sister ere she died. 
 
 " I do not question how you gained your freedom," con- 
 tinued the old woman, " for I can readily understand that 
 Donna Lucretia had no small share in your fortunate 
 escape. But go go at once. You may think that your 
 flight is not discovered, because there is not a great hue 
 and cry raised ; but you should bear in mind that the 
 church works secretly and silently, and its officers would 
 not make a stir sufficient to attract the attention of the 
 rabble, were half a dozen prisoners, instead of one, to 
 escape. Away, at once." 
 
 " I will do so, good Seta. If you see Donna Lucretia, 
 bear her my blessing ; and so, farewell ! " 
 
 Mercado moved hastily away as he spoke ; but had not 
 gone half a dozen steps before a dark figure threw itself 
 in his path.
 
 08 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 "The mask of St. Peter's!" cried the young noble, 
 wildly, as he made an effort to draw the dagger Lucretia 
 Borgia had given him ; but he was too late. 
 
 For the mask's dagger was already drawn ; and, before 
 the victim could move or speak, it was driven home to the 
 hilt in his vitals ! 
 
 " They have triumphed," gasped the fated nobleman, as 
 he sank to the ground in death. Then he murmured 
 " Dear Lucretia ! " and died. 
 
 " Thus do I add another link to my chain of revenge ! " 
 
 A terrible cry succeeded, a shriek of terror that 
 seemed to freeze upon the still air of the night, and 
 Lucretia Borgia darted forward, and sank down insensible 
 by the side of her murdered lover. 
 
 " Ha, ha ! " laughed the assassin, exultingly. " Thus 
 do I add another link to my chain of revenge. But the 
 ** body that must be thrown into the Tiber ! He was to 
 have been slain a week ago, so read the orders of the 
 oardinals, and I do not desire to have it known to them 
 that I have neglected their orders until now." 
 
 With this, he raised Mercado's body in his strong arms, 
 and flung it into the river. As it fell splashing into the 
 rushing waters beneath him, he bestowed an earnest look 
 upon the insensible form of Donna Lucretia, then adjusted 
 his mask, sheathed his bloody weapon, and walked rapidly 
 away, muttering, 
 
 ' Thus are fulfilled the wishes of a Borgia ! "
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. O9 
 
 X. 
 
 THE MYSTERY DEEPENS. 
 
 " I FEARED he would be slain ! " cried mad Seta, as the 
 mask disappeared. She had observed the whole scene 
 with the most agonizing emotions. She now darted for- 
 ward, and bent over the form of Donna Lucretia, and 
 applied herself to an effort to restore her exhausted facul- 
 ties. 
 
 Lucretia soon recovered, and arose to her feet, with the 
 assistance of the weird woman, and gazed wildly around. 
 Her eyes finally rested upon her companion. 
 
 "Woman !" she cried, sternly, seizing her arm, "where 
 is the body of Mercado ? " 
 
 " Ask the Tiber, or the mask of St. Peter's ; both can 
 give ye a true account of it," was the reply. " 0, Donna 
 Lucretia, I would that I had died ere this misery was 
 meted out to you ! Ere these tears of pity " 
 
 " Hush ! do not speak of pity to me," and there was a 
 ghastly smile of desperation upon the woman's features, 
 and her eyes glittered fearfully as she spoke. " Ha, ha ! 
 Who shall dare to speak of pity to Lucretia Borgia ? 
 List you, mad Seta, and judge if I am not a fiend in the 
 shape of a woman, and one already damned ! Know you 
 that I sold my honor to the Pope for his false and treach- 
 erous promise to save Mercado " 
 
 " No, no ! " shrieked the weird woman, starting back 
 with a wild exclamation of horror. 
 
 " 'T is true ; and then, after finding that I had been 
 deceived, I slew the jailer to gain admission to Mer- 
 cado's dungeon "
 
 70 TIIE CRIMES OF 
 
 " 'T is false ; you could not have done the fearful 
 deed ! " exclaimed mad Seta, with another cry of horror. 
 
 " I have the proof of it, as you can see," and she held 
 her hand before the old woman's face, while the nickering 
 rays of a neighboring lamp shone dimly on the stains of 
 blood. " Nor is that all I 've done. I tell you, Seta, I 
 have damned myself eternally, body and soul, in the hope 
 of saving Mercado's life ; and yet he has been murdered in 
 cold blood." 
 
 " Hush, Donna Lucretia, do not speak so wildly " 
 
 " But I will have revenge a vengeance dark and 
 bloody full and terrible as has been the measure of my 
 wrongs. This night, this very hour, I '11 hasten to the 
 palace ; and the first work of my hand, the first stroke of 
 revenge, shall be the death of Alexander Borgia. I '11 
 avenge my shame and infamy " 
 
 " Ha, ha ! a noble vengeance." 
 
 " I '11 avenge my mother's wrongs ; the miseries that 
 have been heaped upon me ; the curses woven with my 
 destiny ; the sufferings of Mercado ; his death ; his dying 
 agonies ! Ha, ha ! I '11 have a feast of blood ; I '11 be 
 the mightiest monster in this sea of human gore. I '11 
 slay, kill, destroy " 
 
 " 0, God ! could I but tell thee all, the mystery of 
 thy father, mother " 
 
 "All, all? I have heard already more than I can 
 bear. My brain and heart are changed to living hells, 
 they burn, they burn, and fiends are warring there. 
 Farewell, hope, and love, and happiness, gone, all gone 
 forever ! Come night, come desolation, bloodshed and 
 vengeance now are wooing thee ! No more peace ; no
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 71 
 
 more rest ! On, on ! To the palace of the Borgias ! 
 Blood, ha, ha ! Vengeance ! death ! " 
 
 And, with wildly-gleaming eyes, deathly-pale features, 
 dishevelled hair, and garments disarranged, the wretched 
 woman drew her dagger, twice stained with- blood since 
 evening came, and rushed wildly from the spot, followed 
 by mad Seta, who wept and prayed and cursed by turns, 
 and said, at last, 
 
 " 0, God ! how deeply cursed, how surely damned, are 
 both the infamous father and his fated child ! " 
 
 XL 
 
 REVENGE THWARTED. 
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA was seated in his private apart- 
 ment. A bottle of wine was before him ; a glass, which 
 he had drained several times, was in his hand. 
 
 The expression that rested upon his countenance was a 
 singular one. It spoke of gratified hate, and revenge yet 
 to be accomplished. 
 
 " 'T is done, and well done," he observed, in a musing 
 manner. " The whole of the immense wealth of Mercado 
 now belongs to the church, and will soon be in its treas- 
 ury, from whence no small portion of it will find its way 
 to my hands. 'T was I that led the cardinals to believ*- 
 that Mercado was a heretic, and a dangerous man to oup 
 cause ; 't was I that made such dupes of them that the^ 
 determined on his death, agreeably to my wishes and the 
 plans I had formed ; and yet none of them have discov- 
 ered my hand in the affair ; none of them have suspected
 
 72 THE CRIMES 0* 
 
 the truth, that I have made tools of them for the gratifica- 
 tion of the feelings I bear my reputed daughter." 
 
 A frown appeared upon his brow as he made this allu- 
 sion to Donna Lucretia, and he added : 
 
 " Speaking of Lucretia, I must be on my guard against 
 her, or her vengeance will fall upon me." 
 
 . A secret door behind him was opened at this juncture, 
 and Lucretia Borgia entered. Her face was still pale, 
 her appearance wild and haggard, but she had evidently 
 striven to subdue the emotions which had been aroused in 
 her heart. 
 
 " The girl has a dare-devil spirit," continued the Pope, 
 " and, being conscious of her wrongs, and having seen her 
 lover slain, she will doubtless form some plan of revenge. 
 I must be prepared, ever be on my guard against her." 
 
 Donna Lucretia now stood close behind the Pope's 
 chair, deathly pale, but with resolution stamped upon 
 every feature. She had already drawn her dagger, and 
 her hands trembled nervously upon its hilt. 
 
 And, at this critical moment, a new feature was added 
 to the exciting scene. A servant entered at the secret 
 door, and stole cautiously up behind the woman, unseen 
 by her or Borgia. 
 
 " Poor Lucretia ! " added the Pope, after remaining 
 silent a moment. " Little is she aware that I was the 
 cause of her lover's death ; that I have drawn her into a 
 cunningly-woven web ; that I have ruined, polluted her, 
 with the intention of casting her off " 
 
 The sentence was unfinished. There was a shout, a 
 hasty noise behind him, a terrible cry, and the Pope 
 started to his feet and turned. Donna Lucretia had 
 aimed a blow at his heart, but her hand had been stayed
 
 ALEXANDER BORCIIA. 73 
 
 by the servant; and he was struggling to confine her. 
 He finally succeeded in wresting the weapon from her 
 frenzied grasp. 
 
 " What, another attempt to murder me ! " cried Borgia. 
 " By Heavens, this outrage shall not pass unpunished ! 
 What, ho ! my guards ! " 
 
 Two or three armed servants soon entered the room. 
 
 " Seize that woman ! " commanded the infuriated man, 
 pointing to Lucretia ; "seize her, and bear her to the 
 dungeons of the Inquisition ! She is a wanton and a 
 murderess ! " 
 
 The men moved forward ; but, ere they laid hands upon 
 Donna Lucretia, a dark figure darted before her, and a 
 shrill voice exclaimed, 
 
 " Hold, as ye love life ! I forbid you to approach ! " 
 
 XII. 
 
 TERRIBLE REVELATIONS. 
 
 THE intruder was mad Seta. 
 
 " Harm not a hair of this poor girl's head," she cried, 
 as she shook her long, bony finger menacingly at the Pope 
 and his minions ; " for she is your daughter ! " 
 
 " Liar ! " shouted Borgia, as he seized her fiercely by 
 the arm. " Say those words again, and, by the demons in 
 hell, that moment shall be your last ! Hag, witch, devil ! 
 Why do you come here at this time, with your infernal 
 croakings ? " 
 
 " Bid these men leave us, and I will tell you all." 
 
 Borgia waved his hand ; the servants all left the room, 
 and the door was closed. 
 7
 
 74 THE CRIMES OT 
 
 " 0, fool, fool ! " exclaimed the weird woman, as sho 
 bestowed a look of scorn, hate and detestation, upon the 
 man before her. " Would you murder one of your own 
 flesh ? "Would you slay your own daughter ? Listen to me, 
 Alexander Borgia ; I have a tale to tell thee that will 
 freeze thy soul with nameless horror. Many years ago, 
 thou didst woo and win the love of a fair Italian girl, 
 named Donna Zuella. She was my sister. You won her 
 confidence, and, by means of that confidence, as swayed by 
 her affection, .effected her ruin. The fruit of your connec- 
 tion was a child, a daughter " 
 
 " True, most true," muttered Borgia. 
 
 " At about the same time, you made the acquaintance 
 of a noble Italian lady, named Senorita Caselli, whom you 
 professed to love, but who did not regard you with a 
 single feeling of affection. You deserted my sister, and 
 she swore revenge. Learning that her rival, the object 
 of your love, the noble Lady Caselli, would become a 
 mother at about the same time her own child was born, 
 she determined to change the children in their cradles " 
 
 " 'T is false ! " cried Borgia, passionately, as a hot flush 
 appeared upon his face, and his form fairly quivered with 
 excitement. " False as hell ! " 
 
 " I pledge my life to its truth. The children ivere 
 changed by the nurse in the employ of my sister. The 
 noble lady's child grew up in poverty, while my sister's 
 child your child, Alexander Borgia was tenderly 
 cared for by the Senorita Caselli, who deemed it her 
 own." 
 
 " Liar ! This be thy passport to hell, where you can 
 tell the story to the fiends ! " cried the madly-excited man, 
 as he drew his dagger and plunged it to the hilt in mad
 
 ALEXANDEB BORGL1. 75 
 
 Seta's bosoin, who instantly fell to the floor in the agonies 
 of death. 
 
 " I spoke the truth," she gasped, " and here is the 
 proof," and she drew forth the papers that had been given 
 her by her sister. " Take these papers ; they will tell 
 you all, how the child of which I have spoken, your 
 child, lived with the Lady Caselli until that estimable 
 woman died ; how the girl was then adopted by you ; 
 how you reared her ; how she grew up in the belief that 
 you were her father. Ay, and that child now stands 
 before you in the person of Lucretia Borgia ! " 
 
 " 'T is false ! " again cried Borgia, with an agony it was 
 terrible to behold. 
 
 " They are my dying words ; and, by my hope of 
 heaven, I swear that they are true, as these papers will 
 convince you. Pope Alexander VI., you have committed 
 incest, you have seduced your own daughter .' " 
 
 They were the last words she uttered. They had 
 scarcely left her lips when life departed. 
 
 A wild, fearful cry of horror and excitement rang 
 throughout the room, and Lucretia Borgia sank down in a 
 fainting-fit. 
 
 And he, the incestuous father, the priestly libertine, 
 turned deathly pale, and raised his hands to his eyes as if 
 to shut out a horrid vision^ as he shrieked, in a husky 
 voice : 
 
 " Damned, doubly damned ! "
 
 BOOK THIRD. 
 
 I. 
 
 A POPE'S OPINION OF HIMSELF AND ROMANISM. 
 
 ANOTHER week had passed. It was early in the even- 
 ing. The sky was radiant with the orbs of night, which 
 made it a jewelled veil of heaven. 
 
 Pope Alexander VI. sat alone in his richly-furnished 
 apartment, but in no pleasant mood. An evil gleam was 
 in his eyes, a look of anger on his brow. 
 
 " This affair with my daughter Lucretia has added the 
 finishing-stroke to ' Satan's masterpiece,' as I have been 
 termed," he muttered. " Henceforth, no particle of man- 
 hood, no quality of mercy, shall have a place in my nature ; 
 but all that is infernal, treacherous, and infamous, shall 
 be enacted in both my public and private life. I '11 make 
 my name and character themes for universal scorn and 
 execration ; so that those who come after me will look 
 upon the record of my deeds with more loathing and ab- 
 horrence than ever was felt for Satan himself ! I '11 be a 
 monster in every species of depravity; I'll plunge into 
 every order of dissipation and licentiousness ; I '11 be the 
 chief of assassins, the vilest of criminals, and the most in- 
 famous of priestly libertines ! " 
 
 He arose to his feet, and began to walk to and fro.
 
 ALEXANDER BOKGIA. 77 
 
 " And yet," he added, with a look of scorn and mockery 
 that would have done honor to a fiend, " and yet, though 
 I make the name of Alexander Borgia the synonyme of all 
 that ia infamous and abhorred, will I not still be ' His 
 Holiness ! TIIE MOST HOLY POPE ALEXANDER VI.'? How 
 the fools of the present day, the mass, the ignorant rab- 
 ble, will prostrate themselves in the dust before me ; kiss 
 my toe ; adore me as a God on the altar of St. Peter's ; 
 and regard me as the possessor of the keys of heaven ! 
 And how the modern Catholic church, which pretends to be 
 so holy and infallible, will claim and acknowledge me as 
 one of the legitima^|^cessors of St. Peter, and as a ne- 
 cessary link in th^nroasted chain of apostolic succession, 
 while there shall not be one of the priests of Romanism, at 
 any period of the future, but that will know my character, 
 and thoroughly loathe and execrate me in his heart, though 
 he will hold me up as a head of the Catholic church to the 
 poor ignorant fools he wishes to dupe ! ! There is not one 
 of the ' HOLY FATIIEUS' but that knows and believes that 
 the religious mummery in which he is employed is the 
 most infamous and pernicious of humbugs and impositions. 
 They do not believe in the infallibility of the Pope, nor in 
 any of the doctrines and ceremonies they preach and enact 
 under the name of religion. They know that full one-half 
 of the Popes have been the most notorious of villains, lib- 
 ertines and assassins ; and would declare, if they spoke the 
 real sentiments of their hearts, that a large portion of 
 them as richly deserved hanging as did Judas Iscariot ! 
 Ay, the very men, who include me ?ne, Alexander Bor- 
 gia as a link in their elaborate chain of apostolic suc- 
 cession, know very well that I am as base, corrupt, 
 polluted, and as infamous a monster in the semblance of 
 7*
 
 78 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 man as the world ever produced : but yet they address me 
 as ' His Holiness ! ' ' The Most Holy ! ! ' and rank me as 
 a successor of St. Peter ! ! What inconsistency, what 
 cant and hypocrisy, what living infamy, is the whole 
 system of Catholicism J " 
 
 Borgia was alone ; so it need not seem strange that he 
 spoke his real opinions, and spoke the truth. 
 -N " Romanism," continued the Pope, " is founded on the 
 / ignorance of the many, and the impudent and blasphemous 
 J assumption of the few. Its gorgeous and magnificent cer- 
 J emonies are not instituted to render religion solemn and 
 I impressive, for it is not religion ; nordoes the religion of 
 \ Jesjis Christ and his followers recjurre any such impres- 
 \ siveness as is gained from the pageants and mummeries 
 I that characterize Catholicism. The ceremonies of Roman- 
 I ism are intended, not to edify and solemnize religion, 
 but to blind and mystify the masses, and glorify the Pope, 
 his cardinals, bishops, and priests ! And yet these fools, 
 the people, these blind, servile masses, do not see the im- 
 positions that are put upon them, though they are as 
 glaring as the light of day; and, if they will be such 
 despicable fools, let them reap the reward of a fool's folly. 
 If the people, whether in Rome, or France, or any other 
 country, will be priest-ridden, will be subjugated, morally 
 and mentally, physically and politically, by an impudent 
 priesthood, a prison and chains are too good for such mis- 
 used bodies and such ignoble souls ! " 
 
 Such were the thoughts of Alexander Borgia, Pope of 
 Rome ; such are the thoughts of the Catholic priesthood 
 of the nineteenth century, from Archbishop Hughes down 
 to the lowest and most fallen specimen of manhood that 
 exists as a priest of Romanism.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 79 
 
 There was a knock .upon the door, as Borgia concluded 
 his soliloquy. He opened it, and beheld a servant, who 
 passed him several letters, and retired. The Pope was 
 soon busy in opening and reading them. 
 
 II. 
 
 NEW MYSTERIES AND DEEP PLOTTING. 
 
 ""So, Cardinal Guillani is dead," soliloquized the Pope, 
 after he had read the first letter. " How much richer is 
 our treasury by his sudden departure ? Let me see ; the 
 secretary must have made some allusion to it. Ah ! here 
 it is." 
 
 And, as he glanced at some figuring on the corner of the 
 page, he added in a low tone, " Fifteen thousand maravedi ; 
 that 's not so small a sum as it might have been. 'T will 
 prove very acceptable to the funds of the church at this 
 moment." 
 
 Pie now opened the second letter. A frown appeared 
 upon his face as he read the commencement, and it deep- 
 ened to a look of fierce passion as he read on. 
 
 " By Heavens ! " he exclaimed, " what is this ? The 
 cardinals complaining of the mask of St. Peter's. And 
 this charge that the mask does not execute their decrees. 
 Who has dared to breathe a word to that effect ? Ha ! 
 what is the meaning of this statement? 'Rumor has 
 reached us that Michael Delano is yet alive, and that the 
 mask has abducted the daughter of the old man to further 
 his own particular ends ! ' Some one has gained a little 
 knowledge, and made a great noise about it. I must see 
 to this at once. Delano is not dead that is true ; but I
 
 OU THE CRIMES OF 
 
 have kept him so closely and securely confined, that none 
 could have gained any actual information in reference to 
 him. Yet his name is before the cardinals ! There is a 
 mystery here, which I must unravel." 
 
 The Pope remained in thought a moment ; then opened 
 the third letter. It bore the private seal of the cardinals, 
 and was from the pen of their private secretary. Borgia 
 read the commencement of it aloud : 
 
 " It has been brought to our notice that a certain young 
 citizen, whose name is Hernaldo Zinna " 
 
 The Pope sprang to his feet suddenly, and gazed long 
 and attentively upon the name. 
 
 " Hernaldo Zinna !" he exclaimecl, at length; "Her- 
 naldo is the name of La Belle Floretta's. lover ! Is he the 
 person alluded to in this note ? But let me read on, and 
 see what the Council says in reference to him." 
 
 " has been secretly establishing an anti-Papal so- 
 ciety, and taking other measures that tend to the injury 
 of our most holy Catholic religion. The society is said to 
 already number a large portion of the laboring classes, and 
 holds its regular meetings, but where is a source of mys- 
 tery. These things having been duly considered, we have 
 deemed it our duty to lay them before your Holiness, with 
 the hope of having your advice on the matter." 
 
 " Hernaldo ! " repeated Alexander VI. again, as a sig- 
 nificant gleam appeared in his dark eyes. " If this youth 
 should prove to be the lover of La Belle Floretta, what a 
 weapon I shall have placed in my hands against her, and 
 how mercilessly I will use it to win her over to my 
 wishes ! Ah, I must see to this. Her father is already 
 in my power, and if I can but get her lover in my clutches,
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 81 
 
 I shall bo doubly armed against her silly resistance to my 
 wishes, and will soon force her to compliance ! " 
 
 There was something in the current his thoughts had 
 now taken that added to the fierce and vindictive look 
 upon his features. 
 
 44 Ay, she shall be mine," he continued. " I have used 
 gentle means during the past week, but she has scorned 
 and despised to be won by them. I '11 now try something 
 more serious. If the poor fool but knew how I have been 
 duped, how my own daughter became the victim of the 
 revenge that was meant for her, ay, if she but knew that 
 she is the daughter of Lady Caselli, she would not care to 
 oppose a purpose I have cherished with such deadly reso- 
 lution. I ? 11 see her once more, and learn her final decis- 
 ion. Once more ; only once more ! " 
 
 Borgia threw the letters he had received into the grate, 
 and prepared to leave the room. A new thought seemed 
 to rise up in his heart. 
 
 44 Now that Guillani is dead," he muttered, 44 why 
 should my son Caesar not be chosen to fill his place ? 'T is 
 a good idea ; he shall be. Cardinal Caesar Borgia ! Tho 
 name has a pleasing sound. He is a sadly-dissipated 
 dog, but I will see what can be done to effect a change : 
 firstly, in his condition ; secondly, in his principles. But 
 enough of Caesar," he* added, as he passed from the room. 
 " Now for a final essay at fair means in conquering La 
 Belle Floretta ! " 
 
 III. 
 
 THE FINAL RESOLVE. 
 
 LA BELLE FLORETTA was seated alone in her apart- 
 ment. A look of the deepest anxiety was on her features.
 
 82 THE CRIMES 01* 
 
 " O, that death would decide for me ! " she murmured. 
 " The Pope has given me but one choice, to become his 
 mistress, or see my father slain by the tortures of the In- 
 quisition. He told me to decide by nine o'clock, when he 
 will return to hear my decision " 
 
 She glanced at the horologue upon the table ; she saw 
 that the hour of nine had just arrived. 
 
 And even as she uttered an exclamation of fear and 
 anxiety, and started to her feet, a door behind her opened, 
 and Borgia entered. 
 
 " I have come, dear Floretta, as per-agreement, to know 
 your decision," he quietly observed, with a mocking smile. 
 " Will you be my mistress, or not ? " 
 
 The captive's face was deathly pale ; but there was no 
 fear expressed thereon, nor did her voice tremble, as she 
 replied : 
 
 " You have already heard my answer. I have told thee 
 that I would rather die than consent to your base purpose, 
 though you are the Pope of Rome, and a Borgia ! " 
 
 The form ^>f the listener fairly quivered with passion, 
 but he endeavored to appear calm. 
 
 " You are very brave," he muttered, with a forced smilo 
 that made him appear more fiendish and brutal than when 
 in his stormiest mood " as brave as you are beautiful ! " 
 
 La Belle Floretta made no reply, but turned away 
 and seated herself in a chair, while a look of scorn and 
 contempt appeared on her features. 
 
 " I see you are in no mood for conversation," observed 
 Borgia, and the expression of his face became still more 
 devilish and menacing. " I will leave you, and send your 
 father to comfort you." 
 
 " My father ! " cried Floretta, starting to her feet.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 83 
 
 " Will you indeed allow my father to come and see 
 me?" 
 
 " I will, indeed ! " 
 
 " 0, thanks thanks ! Do this, and I will bless you." 
 
 " Save your thanks, dear Floretta," he added, with bit- 
 ter sarcasm, " until you know my object in sending your 
 father to* your presence ! " 
 
 The look that mantled Borgia's face, as he said this, 
 would have wrung an exclamation of horror from the girl 
 had she observed it, it was so diabolical and menacing. 
 
 " And if you are not satisfied with your father's society, 
 I will send another, a friend of yours I should say, 
 your lover, whose name is Hernaldo Zinna ! " 
 
 Floretta recoiled from him, uttering a shriek of terror, 
 and sank back upon a sofa, almost in a state of insensi- 
 bility. 
 
 " I thought there was a cause for your refusal to accept 
 of my proposition," observed Borgia, as his dark eyes 
 emitted a vengeful gleam. " You love this Hernaldo 
 Zinna very much, I suppose ! " 
 
 " Monster ! is he, too, in your power ? " exclaimed 
 Floretta. 
 
 " Not exactly," was the reply, " but I presume he soon 
 will be, if the visit I shall now allow your father to make 
 you does not prove satisfactory to all concerned, and espe- 
 cially so to myself. But farewell for the present. Ex- 
 pect your father in the course of half an hour ; and so 
 I have the pleasure of bidding you adieu ! " 
 
 It was no common look that flitted over the features of 
 the Pope as he passed from the apartment. It spoke of 
 long-cherished hate, and a fearfully-planned revenge !
 
 84 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 THE SECRET CONCLAVE. 
 
 A VAST hall, under ground, and near the Tiber. It was 
 dimly lighted. In the centre a number of men were 
 seated around a table. Their dusky features, half re- 
 vealed by the rays that fell upon them, wore a calm look 
 of determination, such as bespeak noble qualities and dar- 
 ing souls. 
 
 " We are all here," muttered a member of the party, 
 who sat at the head of the table ; " ten of us in all ! " 
 
 " Ay," was the response of a person at one end of the 
 hall, as he closed and barred the door by which all had 
 gained admittance. He then came forward, and, throwing 
 off a cloak and mask he had worn for the purpose of dis- 
 guise, seated himself in the midst of the group. 
 
 There was that in his actions and appearance that would 
 have proclaimed him the leader of the men in whose 
 presence he was seated. We may add that he was no 
 other than Hernaldo Zinna, the lover of La Belle Floretta. 
 He was young evidently not more than two-and-twcnty 
 years of age, of prepossessing appearance, and with a 
 countenance that evinced courage and manliness. 
 
 " Brothers," he observed, in a clear, ringing tone, " I 
 need not speak of what we are, nor dwell upon the aims 
 of this organization. You all know that we are Italian 
 artisans, met together for the attainment of mental and 
 political supremacy, and for the protection of our rights. 
 Our numbers are few, but are every day increasing. Our 
 chief object is the redemption of our own class from the 
 grasp of Popery, and the establishment of the true religion.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 85 
 
 Down with Popery ! down with the Inquisition ! and 
 down with oppressors of the poor ! Such are the thoughts 
 that shall be sacredly and secretly guarded in our hearts, 
 until we have become strong enough to wrest the chains 
 that bind us. Is it not so ? " 
 
 A murmur of approbation went round the table. 
 
 " Perhaps I have had greater cause to take the position 
 I have," continued Zinna, " than most of you. One who 
 was very dear to me a young lady has, as near as I 
 can learn, been abducted by Alexander Borgia, and is 
 now confined in his palace. God only knows what her 
 fate has been, or what it may be ; I should go mad were I 
 to think upon the subject. I have made every possible 
 exertion to learn something in reference to her, but have 
 failed." 
 
 " If she is alive, she shall be saved, if we have to tear 
 down the Pontifical palace ! " said the secretary of the 
 " Leaguers," in a low, resolute tone. 
 
 " In addition to this, my dearest friend, Mercado, 
 was arrested by the officers of the Inquisition. Two long, 
 dreary weeks have passed by since that time, and yet I 
 have not gained any tidings relative to his fate. It is my 
 belief that he has been slain by the accursed emissaries 
 of the church, or been incarcerated in a loathsome dun- 
 geon." 
 
 " Your wrongs are indeed great," said the secretary ; 
 " but I do not believe that a heart now beats in this room 
 that is not pledged to avenge you." 
 
 " Thanks, my friends, my brothers ! But while the 
 cases I have mentioned show how insecure are the meagre 
 rights possessed by the artisans, the laboring people, both 
 male and female, there may be others brought personally
 
 86 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 home to more than one of you, to urge you more surely 
 and determinedly to vengeance ! Brothers ! let the good 
 work to which we have pledged our lives go on. Years 
 may pass away before we can attain a force sufficient to 
 warrant us in taking a stand of open hostility to the 
 church; thousands and thousands of the poor may be 
 slain and tortured to death in the mean time ; but let their 
 sacred memory be cherished j let their tears and groans 
 be registered on earth as well as in heaven, and we will 
 eventually have a great and glorious revenge ! " 
 
 Hernaldo Zinna arose to his feet as he spoke, and re- 
 sumed his cloak and mask. 
 
 " Brothers," he proceeded, " let all whom you have 
 prepared to join the league be proposed to the secret con- 
 clave to-morrow evening. Beware of traitors ; and speak 
 not of our order to any one, until you have learned that 
 they will gladly join it, and forever remain true ! " 
 
 The men all arose, and uttered their assent. Hernaldo 
 moved forward and opened the massive door by which 
 they had entered, and they passed out into a dark passage, 
 one by one. When all were gone, Hernaldo followed them, 
 closing the door securely behind him. The passage-way 
 branched off in several directions, all of which led to the 
 bank of the river. The commander of the Leaguers took 
 the centre passage, and was soon by the water's edge, 
 where a small boat was lying. Springing into it, he cast 
 off, and was soon floating silently down the river.
 
 ALEXANDER BOKGIA. 87 
 
 V. 
 
 THE FEARFUL DISCOVERY. 
 
 ON the Tiber! The night was serenely beautiful. 
 Above, the stars were shining with their greatest splendor ; 
 below, many a light gleamed o'er the rippling waters, and 
 many a fairy-like boat was floating down the tide, freighted 
 with brave men and lovely women, who were rapt in the 
 enjoyment of the scene. 
 
 Zinna did not labor at the oars, but gave himself up 
 to the thoughts that arose in his heart, and allowed the 
 boat to float wherever the current chose to carry it. More 
 than once did he come into collision with the boats of oth- 
 ers, and many a curse did he receive for his negligence ; 
 but all were unheeded. 
 
 " There is a great and glorious project within my soul," 
 he murmured ; " one to enchain my waking thoughts and 
 rule my dreams. God only knows whether I shall live to 
 execute it ; but there is a secret consciousness in my 
 heart of my having been born for greatness. Men might 
 call me wild or boyish, if they knew what great enter- 
 prises have sprung up in my heart ; if they but knew how 
 sternly I have determined to leave a name upon the scroll 
 of fame that time nor change can ever efface ! " 
 
 He paused, and relapsed'into a sullen revery. 
 
 The boat floated silently on for the space of half an 
 hour, when Zinna roused himself up, and saw that he was 
 near the lower part of the city, and nearly opposite his 
 own residence. He therefore seized the oars and rowed 
 the boat towards its usual landing-place, which he soon 
 reached.
 
 88 THE CRIMES OP 
 
 Springing ashore, the young man proceeded to secure 
 his boat to the rude wharf, and then turned to walk tow- 
 ards the cottage where he resided ; but ere he had taken 
 two steps in that direction, he recoiled with an exclama- 
 tion of horror. 
 
 For there, upon the edge of the wharf, where it had 
 been cast by the waters of the Tiber, lay a ghastly 
 corpse ! 
 
 It was the body of Mercado ! 
 
 The ghastly features of the dead were rendered still 
 more white and unearthly in appearance by the pale rays 
 of the moon and stars that shone upon them ! 
 
 " O, God, it is Mercado!" cried Zinna, as he knelt 
 beside the body. "Dead! stabbed to the heart ; and 
 many days ago, if I may judge from appearances. Who 
 has done this work ? " 
 
 " The mask of St. Peter's ! " was the reply, in a sharp, 
 clear voice, that seemed to come from close beside him. 
 
 Zinna started, and looked carefully around. 
 
 " It might have been my over-excited fancy," he solilo- 
 quized. " Ha, what is here ? A paper, written upon and 
 tucked beneath his belt. What can it be ? " 
 
 Hernaldo drew forth the paper he had discovered, hand- 
 ling it very carefully, for it was still wet, and the writing 
 was almost blotted out. Enough was left, however, to 
 convince him of the nature of the document, and a groan 
 escaped him as he realized the truth. 
 
 For he held the death-warrant of Mercado, signed by 
 the secretary of the cardinals, and addressed to the mask 
 of St. Peter's ! 
 
 The youth spoke not uttered no sound. His tongue 
 seemed to have lost its power of speech ; his heart seemed
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 89 
 
 like a weight of iron within his bosom. But he knelt beside 
 the body of his murdered friend, and, raising his pale and 
 rigid face towards heaven, he clasped his hands and 
 breathed a silent oath of vengeance! Then he arose; 
 cast a single look upon the form of Mercado, and rushed 
 wildly from the spot. 
 
 A wild laugh followed him, and ere he had vanished 
 from view a dusky form came forth from the little cabin 
 in the bow of the boat the very boat that belonged to 
 Hernaldo ! 
 
 " Ha, ha ! " laughed this personage, in a voice of devil- 
 ish exultation, as he drew up his form and gazed towards 
 Zinna's house. 
 
 The laugh was echoed in hell ; for the one who uttered 
 it was a familiar of the Inquisition ! 
 
 VI. 
 
 BORGIA'S CRUELTY. 
 
 A ROOM in the palace occupied by the mask of St. Pe- 
 ter's. Enter the mask, and an Inquisitor. 
 
 The face of the latter, though thin and emaciated, wore 
 an expression that characterizes a wily, cunning Jesuit 
 of modern times. His small gray eyes seemed formed to 
 read all things that were transpiring around him. He 
 wore the black cloak and cowl that is always worn by 
 those of his profession. 
 
 " Father Janzen," said the mask, " I have sent for you 
 that I might make arrangements for the admission of an 
 old man and his daughter into the Inquisition, within the 
 hour." 
 
 8*
 
 90 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 "'Tis weft," replied the Inquisitor, in a sepulchral 
 tone. 
 
 " Who they are, and what they are, is immaterial to 
 you. I hold the seal of {he Pope for what I do, and 
 pledge my life to the honor and justness of my actions." 
 
 " Your word is law," was all the reply the Inquisitor 
 made. 
 
 The mask seized his companion by the arm. 
 
 " Dare you receive a secret," he said, " that it would 
 cost you your life to betray ? " 
 
 The Inquisitor nodded assent. 
 
 " Then know you that this young lady is one whom the 
 Pope wishes to become his mistress. He will put her to 
 the torture to obtain her consent to his wishes. That 
 beauteous form will be stretched upon the rack ; those ex- 
 quisitely-moulded limbs will be bound with heavy cords ; 
 that fair skin will be marred with many an instrument of 
 torture. Ha, ha ! I '11 feast upon her sufferings ; I '11 
 gloat over her agony ! But, list you ; not one word to 
 others from your lips on this subject, if you value your 
 life ! " and he laid his hand significantly upon his dagger. 
 
 " I understand," muttered the Inquisitor, with profes- 
 sional calmness. 
 
 " This lady," continued the mask, " is now in the pal- 
 ace of the Borgias. She will be freed, as will her father ; 
 and both will be at liberty to depart for their homes, as 
 soon as they can meet and get ready say an hour 
 hence." 
 
 " Then what have I to do with torturing either of 
 them ? " asked the Inquisitor. 
 
 "Do you not see the refinement of my cruelty ? They 
 will hasten home; they will congratulate themselves that
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 91 
 
 they have been mercifully released from the surveillance 
 of the church ; then, the very moment when they seem at 
 the height of their freedom and happiness, you you, 
 Father Janzen, and a party of your officers, shall wake 
 them from their momentary dream, and drag them to the 
 Inquisition, where I will meet you, and then shall they 
 know what it is to defy a Borgia ! " 
 
 " I understand your plan. Have you any further 
 orders ? " 
 
 " None at present. I will send a messenger when you 
 are required." 
 
 The Inquisitor bowed assent, and retired from the apart- 
 ment, while the mask rang a bell, and threw himself into 
 a chair. 
 
 VII. 
 
 THE ring was answered by the appearance of a ser- 
 vant. 
 
 " Go to Delano," commanded the mask, ' and inform 
 him that I wish to see him here immediately. Tell him 
 that I have pleasant news, and show him the way." 
 
 The man bowed and retired. 
 
 " I will send him to La Belle Floretta," soliloquized 
 the mask, "and may she reap much joy from the visit! " 
 
 There was a sinister look upon his face, and a sullen 
 gleam of anticipated triumph in his eyes, as ne uttered the 
 words. 
 
 The door opened, and Delano entered. The face of the
 
 U2 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 old man was somewhat paler than when we last saw him ; 
 but he endeavored to appear calm and assume a smile. 
 
 " The servant said that you had pleasant news for me," 
 he observed, as he seated himself in the chair placed for 
 him. " If you have, you will speak in reference to my 
 daughter, and tell me " 
 
 " That she is well, and that it is decided that you pay 
 her a visit at once." 
 
 " 0, thanks ! thanks for this most unexpected kind- 
 ness ! " 
 
 " You have doubtless suspected what the intentions 
 were that I entertained in reference to your daughter at 
 the time you first beheld her in my palace. I had been 
 smitten by her beauty, and had formed a resolve to make 
 her mine, by fair means or foul ; but it is a source of pleas- 
 ure for me to give you the gratifying assurance that I have 
 concluded to forego that evil design " 
 
 " 0, noble man ! how shall I ever repay you for this 
 generous act ? " 
 
 " The cause of this somewhat strange proceeding was a 
 desire to add to your daughter's happiness. Listen to me, 
 Delano. Your daughter has been seen by the Pope. He 
 has offered to make her his mistress " 
 
 The old man groaned aloud, and covered his face with 
 his hands. 
 
 " Nuy, he has resolved that she shall be his mistress," 
 continued the mask. " Think of this, Delano. Smile and 
 be happy at the honor that is conferred on you and her. 
 Your daughter the mistress of a Pope ! Think of that, and 
 let us hear no more of those silly harpings on virtue and 
 womanly purity, and kindred shallow subjects. Drink, fill 
 up your glass ; be as merry as the merriest. There are
 
 ALEXANDER BOKQIA. 9o 
 
 glorious times in store for you. Floretta has touched the 
 right chord in the Pope's heart. He will make her noble, 
 wealthy. She will live in the midst of every luxury and 
 splendor, and time shall pass on in a continual round of 
 gayety and enjoyment. A palace will open its portals to 
 her ; troops of servants will be in readiness to obey her 
 slightest wish ; and' you, Delano, shall live like a lord 
 and feast like a king; ay, even with the Pope himself! " 
 
 " I ? " muttered Delano, confused and bewildered by the 
 words of his companion. 
 
 " Ay, you ! As the father of the beauteous Floretta, 
 you will be treated with every respect and attention by 
 the Pope, if you but use your influence towards gaining 
 her consent to his wishes." 
 
 " I would ! I would !" responded Delano, dazzled by 
 the picture that had been presented ; " but she is engaged 
 to be married to a poor but worthy young man, Hernaldo 
 Zinna." 
 
 " Never mind him," and the mask frowned at this allu- 
 sion. " Would you see your daughter wedded to a beg- 
 gar ? Fie, fie, Delano ! Have you no more regard for 
 her happiness than to think of such a thing ? She is a 
 queen. in beauty, in heart, in everything that makes a 
 queen, save rank and wealth ; and neither of these quali- 
 fications will be long wanting, if she will but consent to 
 Borgia's wishes. He will make you and her respected 
 and happy ; he will be the sincere friend of both. Then 
 why will you hesitate ? Go to her at once ; tell her to 
 accept the offer that is made her " 
 
 " I will do so ! " cried Delano, starting to his feet. 
 
 The mask took hold of his arm, and bent his dark eye 
 Eteriily upon his face.
 
 94 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " Let there be no treachery in this business," he re- 
 marked, in a significant tone. " The Pope has set his 
 heart upon this design ; and if you refuse to second him 
 by interceding with Floretta, or if she will not consent, 
 death and torture are before you both ! Do you under- 
 stand ? " 
 
 " I do, but " 
 
 " No hesitation," said the mask, sternly. " Away at 
 once. In the next saloon you will find those who are to 
 attend you to the palace. They will first blindfold you, 
 as a precautionary measure ; but do not be alarmed ; they 
 will conduct you in safety." 
 
 But 
 
 " You have your final orders. See that they are exe- 
 cuted ! " and he conducted him almost fainting from the 
 apartment. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 BELEASE OF THE CAPTIVES. 
 
 THE meeting between La Belle Floretta and her father 
 was most affecting. The old man clasped her to his heart, 
 and she wept like a child upon his bosom. 
 
 But Delano was sad and gloomy. The first delight of 
 reunion having passed away, a look of terrible anxiety 
 appeared on his features. 
 
 " We have met, my child, but for a terrible purpose has 
 this meeting been designed ; " and then he went on to tell 
 her all that had passed between the mask and himself, 
 even to the pledging of his influence for her consent to the 
 wishes of the Pope. At this point, Floretta's excitement,
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 95 
 
 which had been gradually increasing as he proceeded in 
 his revelations, became so great that she could remain 
 silent no longer. 
 
 " What ! " she exclaimed, as she recoiled from her 
 father with an exclamation of horror, " have you been 
 won over to the infamous designs of the Po^e ? Has he 
 indeed influenced you to counsel me to this most inhuman 
 deed ? " 
 
 " Forgive me, my child," cried the old man, sinking 
 into a chair. " I was weak, and he painted a picture of 
 luxury and happiness that dazzled me for the moment." 
 
 " Happiness ! " repeated Floretta, with a vehemence 
 that startled her listener. " Would you sell your child to 
 such a monster as Alexander Borgia for gold ? If so, 
 know you that I will never consent to his wishes. He 
 may kill, but he cannot enslave me. Do you not know 
 that I am betrothed to Hernaldo Zinna ? " 
 
 "I do I do!" 
 
 " Then you should have more respect for him than to 
 counsel me to such a course, a course I would not adopt 
 were the penalty of my refusal ten thousand deaths ! " 
 
 " Nor need you, fair Floretta ! " said the voice of Bor- 
 gia. He hud entered unperceived, and now stood beside 
 them. 
 
 " I see that you are surprised," he continued, " as you 
 may well be, at this sudden change in my demeanor. But 
 you have yet to learn that there is no man, however bad, 
 but that has his moments of calm and rational reflection, 
 when he sees the deformity of his nature in its true light. 
 I have thought of the relative position in which we .stand 
 to each other, and sincerely regret that I have been urged 
 to such an evil course by my impulsive nature. Floretta
 
 Ub THE CRIMES 01 
 
 Delano I have wronged you both ; but as far as I 
 can make reparation, I am determined to do so. You are 
 both free this moment free, to return to your home ! " 
 
 The listeners could scarcely credit their senses, but 
 stared vacantly from one to the other. 
 
 " I repeat," continued Borgia, " the doors of the palace 
 are open before you ; you are as free as air to depart ; 
 all I ask is that, when you hear curses and execrations 
 showered upon my name, you will remember me as one 
 whose heart was not entirely dead to the qualities and 
 attributes of manhood ! " 
 
 Delano reeled and staggered back into a chair, while 
 Floretta sank down before the Pope. Both were entirely 
 overcome by this unexpected conduct. 
 
 "Nay, not a word," said Borgia, with a smile. " Your 
 thanks are not needed ; I have only done that which it 
 V* was my duty as a man to do. Hasten home, and be 
 happy ! " 
 
 He turned suddenly as he spoke, and retired from the 
 apartment, while Floretta clasped her father in a fond 
 embrace, and exclaimed, 
 
 " Saved saved, my father ! " 
 
 " Yes, thank Heaven ! But let us hasten from this gild- 
 ed abode of crime and infamy ! " responded Delano, as 
 they arose and passed from the room. 
 
 " Ha, ha ! " laughed Borgia, entering the apartment as 
 they departed, and there was Satanic joy in every look, 
 and word, and action, as he gazed after them. " Thus 
 have I planned my revenge, and now for the Inquisition ! "
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 97 
 
 IX. 
 
 FEARS AND HOPES. 
 
 AN hour had elapsed. The scene a room in Delano's 
 cottage. It stood iu an obscure portion of the city, but 
 was neat in appearance, and comfortable. 
 
 Delano, his daughter, and Hernaldo Zinna, were seated 
 therein. The old man had just been revealing the partic- 
 ulars of the release of himself and daughter from the 
 pontifical palace. Hernaldo pondered over the informa- 
 tion several moments before he made any reply. 
 
 " There 's a deep mystery in this affair," he observed, at 
 last. " After Borgia had taken so much trouble to obtain 
 possession of Floretta, and given her proof of his dishon- 
 orable intentions in such base proposals as he has made, 
 it is really strange that he should have released you both 
 in this unexpected manner." 
 
 " It is, indeed." 
 
 " So strange, and so much at variance with his known 
 character," continued Zinna, " that I cannot help but think 
 that he is influenced by some questionable motive. I fear 
 that the danger now escaped will overtake you in a more 
 deadly form at some future time. Did you not say that 
 the mask of St. Peter's holds a warrant from the cardinals 
 for your death? " 
 
 " I did." 
 
 " Are you sure that he has such a document in his pos- 
 session ? " 
 
 " Quite sure, for I have seen it." 
 
 " The mystery deepens," muttered Zinna, with a still 
 more serious look. " If the mask has indeed a warrant 
 9
 
 98 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 for your death, he should be aware that it will cost him 
 his life, must the cardinals be informed that he has thus 
 spared and freed one whom they have condemned. Ha ! 
 A terrible thought takes possession of me : it is possible 
 that the cardinals have doomed us all to death, and that 
 the mask of St. Peter's intends to perform his dread task 
 this very night. Good or evil is most certainly intended 
 to grow out of this strange affair ; but I cannot cannot 
 believe that Borgia intends any good." 
 
 " There is cause for fear, that is undeniable ; but let 
 us all hope for the best," said Delano, as he arose, took a 
 light from the table, and retired, adding, as he reached the 
 door, " Good-night, my children ; I am fatigued somewhat 
 more than usual, and must to bed." 
 
 " Good-night," responded each of the lovers, and the 
 old man left them alone. 
 
 "Thank Heaven, that you are both restored to me," 
 said Zinna. " You do not know what terrible anxiety I 
 have endured during the last two weeks. I had almost 
 given you up for dead ! " 
 
 " Do not speak of it ; the remembrance of what I have 
 undergone makes me shudder, even now ! " 
 
 The youth gazed still more earnestly upon her. A 
 slight blush heightened the color of her cheeks. 
 
 " I understand your thought, dear Hernaldo," she mur- 
 mured ; " but I assure you that Borgia did not execute 
 his most foul and unholy intention." 
 
 Zinna clasped her to his heart, and pressed his lips to 
 her own with all the fondness of ardent love and admira- 
 tion. And she returned his caresses, not with the bashful- 
 ness of untold love, not with the freedom of guilty passion, 
 but with the gentle and modest trust and devotion that
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 99 
 
 ever characterizes the affection of a true woman. She 
 did not blush as she reclined in his arms, and rested upon 
 his manly breast, looking up into his eyes with a look of 
 unutterable love, did not start as he drew her close to 
 his warmly-beating heart, kissed her again and again, and 
 whispered, in the low tones of love, " Mine all mine 
 own ! " Why should she blush or tremble ? Were they 
 not united in heart, and by the bonds of an affection so 
 sacred that no sin could have passed between them ? 
 
 And they were happy, the loving and the beloved, 
 happy in the treasures of a pure, fervent first affection, 
 whose holy blessings were scattered over their hearts like 
 pearls over seas of gold ! In that glad hour, life seemed 
 like a heaven, in which no storms could arise, above which 
 no clouds could arise, and beneath which no hell could 
 exist : yet fatality was at work ! 
 
 They thought not of the dangers yet to come, nor of 
 those that were passed. Their senses seemed absorbed in 
 a heavenly delight ; they were under the influence of the 
 blissful spell that accompanies the first waking hours of 
 " young love's dream." What to them was hate, envy, 
 or even death, as they thus held each other in that fond 
 embrace ? 
 
 O, love, love ! Why does the soul of the stern and 
 cold misanthrope fly back to the joys that have been, to 
 those heavenly delights ? The gentle touch the fond 
 embrace protracted kiss the sweetly sensuous smile 
 of consummated bliss the glowing form the swelling 
 bosom the love-lit eyes, now timidly cast down, then 
 more timidly raised ! 0, what a picture could that same 
 misanthrope paint from memory ! But how such pleasures 
 fade how quickly do they pass; and then, in after
 
 100 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 years, how like a hollow mockery of present woe does the 
 remembrance of them come up to mental view, and make 
 us curse the changes that have robbed us of such happi- 
 ness ! 
 
 0, as I sit here in the loneliness and silence of this 
 midnight hour, and remember how the fairest flower that 
 ever sprung from heaven grew up beside me and blessed 
 me with its riches, then was gathered by the icy hand of 
 Death, a sense of sickening desolation sweeps over my 
 every thought and feeling, and I realize that on the portals 
 of my cold and reckless heart the demon hands of change 
 and disappointment have written, " Accursed accursed 
 forevermore ! " * * 
 
 THE ARREST. 
 
 " IT is getting late, dearest," observed Zinna, at last. 
 " I must bid you adieu for the present, but with the as- 
 surance that we shall soon meet again." 
 
 " And may the day hasten when we are to wed, for I 
 would be with thee always. These partings are the bane 
 of our happiness, the time that intervenes, its death ! " 
 
 And then they parted, as lovers always part with 
 lingering regrets, fond kisses, and assurances of fidelity. 
 Zinna was finally gone. Floretta threw herself into a 
 chair, and gave herself up to the emotions of sadness that 
 swept over her soul. 
 
 " 0, noble, good Hernaldo," she murmured. " No 
 blessing earth can afford can be compared with thy love, it- 
 is so pure and holy ! "
 
 ALEXANDER BOKGIA. 101 
 
 Then she knelt and prayed, not as one who feels despair, 
 not as one who feels the need of heavenly consolation, but 
 as one whose gentle spirit feels the sweet assurance of its 
 own innocence and purity, and the consciousness of having 
 a treasure laid up in heaven. When such an one can 
 thus pray, prayer is sublimely beautiful. 
 
 A few moments were thus passed ; then the maiden 
 arose, with a look of radiant happiness on her features, 
 and slowly moved towards her room. As she did so, a 
 noise was heard without that caused her to pause and 
 listen. 
 
 " It is nothing but the sound of footsteps," she mur- 
 mured ; " yet why should it have such a strange efiect 
 upon me, even as if they conveyed a warning of some 
 menacing danger ? " 
 
 Delano came out of the adjoining room at this moment. 
 His face was paler than usual, and a look of deep anxiety 
 rested thereon. 
 
 "Ah, it's you, father," said Floretta, starting. "I 
 thought you were asleep." 
 
 " I have been abed, but found it impossible to compose 
 myself to slumber. Do you not hear the sound of foot- 
 steps ? " 
 
 " It was that that startled me. Who can it be ? " 
 
 The steps had been gradually approaching nearer and 
 nearer, and as Floretta asked the question there was a 
 knock upon the door. The listeners both started, became 
 a shade paler, and looked inquiringly at each other. 
 
 " Who can it be that seeks admittance here at this late 
 hour? " said Delano, in a low voice. 
 
 The- knock was repeated. 
 
 " And there are a number of them," continued the old 
 9*
 
 102 THE CRIMES Off 
 
 man, as their footsteps plainly intimate. A foreboding of 
 evil takes possession of me ; I fear that this visit bodes 
 us uo good ; I have hardly courage enough to open the 
 door ! " 
 
 Again the knock was repeated. 
 
 And then the old man became deathly pale, and his 
 limbs trembled beneath him, for the truth flashed upon his 
 mind with almost stunning power and quickness, banishing 
 every joy from his heart, and filling it with the most chill- 
 ing fear. " 0, my daughter," he gasped, as he sank into 
 a chair, " we are lost ! Our visitors are officers of the 
 Inquisition ! " . 
 
 " Open open, Delano ! " said a gruff voice without. 
 
 " O, God ! why are we thus pursued ? " cried Ploretta, 
 as she tottered towards the door with the intention of 
 opening it, then recoiled, and sank into a chair. 
 
 " Who is there? " asked Delano, rousing himself up. 
 
 " The Holy Inquisition ! " was the reply, and the door 
 was noiselessly opened. 
 
 Delano and Floretta both uttered a cry of horror. 
 
 And well they might ; for it was a chilling sight to see 
 those dark-featured, scowling men, four in number, includ- 
 ing Father Janzen, habited in black cloaks, and wearing 
 cowls, enter the room, one after the other, as noiselessly 
 as so many phantoms. 
 
 " Michael Delano," said Father Janzen, in a sepulchral 
 voice, " you are summoned before the Inquisition, as is 
 your daughter Floretta. We have come to conduct you 
 thither." 
 
 " I ? " gasped Delano. " Myself and daughter ? " 
 
 There was no reply, nor any movement in the- party,
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 103 
 
 save on the part of two of the officers, who moved silently 
 forward, and assisted Delano to, rise. 
 
 " What is our crime ? " he demanded. " Of what do 
 we stand accused ? " 
 
 No reply was given. Father Janzen only waved his 
 hand towards the door, and the two officers assisted Del- 
 ano towards it. 
 
 " Speak, if you are men, and tell me the cause of this 
 arrest." 
 
 Still there was no reply. The spectre-like figures did 
 not seem to be conscious of a word that had been spoken. 
 Father Janzen and the third official now approached Flo- 
 retta, one on each side, and took hold of her arms, as if to 
 lead her away. 
 
 " Hold ! " exclaimed Delano, who had now neared the 
 door; and he checked his progress as if determined to 
 make a desperate resistance. " I will not obey these sum- 
 mons until I have seen your authority, written and sealed ! " 
 
 " Here it is," cried a stern voice at the door, as some 
 papers wore thrust before the face of the unhappy man. 
 " Come along, Delano ; you are wanted by the Inquisition, 
 and also by the mask of St. Peter's. Come come ! " 
 
 And father and daughter both started back with a cry 
 of terror, for it was the mask of St. Peter's that stood 
 before them ! 
 
 XI. 
 
 HORRORS OF THE INQUISITION. 
 
 THE infamous scheme of Pope Alexander VI. against 
 La Belle Floretta and her father having been thus far
 
 104 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 executed, his minions proceeded to the final stroke of their 
 damning work. The victims were before them, and pow- 
 erless ; and the executors of Papal infamy had the author- 
 ity and power, no less than the determination, to fulfil their 
 orders. 
 
 Delano and his daughter were dragged from their cot- 
 tage, despite their protestations of innocence. They were 
 hurried through the streets to the Inquisition, by the 
 officers of that tribunal of blood and agony. They were 
 not allowed to call for help, supplicate pity, or lament 
 their fate. The repetition of a question on the part of 
 Delano caused one of the Inquisitors to produce a gag, as 
 an intimation that he would soon be silenced in a manner 
 far from agreeable, if he did not hold his peace. Those 
 grim and silent men appeared to know no mercy. Man- 
 hood seemed to have left them forever. They stalked 
 sternly forward, in darkness and silence, like demons con- 
 ducting damned humanity to the shades of hell. 
 
 And thus they passed to the Inquisition. The walls 
 that contained and concealed so much misery were at 
 length before them. They passed up the steps to the 
 massive door. It was opened by unseen hands at a signal 
 from Father Janzen, and the party passed in. The door 
 swung back to its place with a dull and heavy sound, and 
 it seemed to the wretched captives as if they had bidden 
 adieu to the world forever. Dim lights were hanging here 
 and there, but they were not sufficient to banish the dark- 
 ness, though strong enough to show how ghastly was the color 
 and expression of the faces of the victims, and how cold 
 and pitiless was the expression that rested upon the coun- 
 tenance of each of the officers. They passed along the 
 hall, their footsteps echoing through the lofty vaults with
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 105 
 
 a hollow sound. Down broad stone steps, through damp 
 passage-ways, along damp corridors, were the victims con- 
 ducted, until they were far beneath the surface of the 
 earth, down where the glorious light of heaven had 
 never cast a single ray! A massive iron door was then 
 before them ; upon it was inscribed, in letters of blood, 
 " Confess, or die ! " Above it was inscribed, in the same 
 ominous colors, " The gate to Death ! " and on the thresh- 
 old stone was engraven, " Death for heretics, but salva- 
 tion for those who repent and confess ! " The captives 
 shuddered as they beheld these inscriptions, and started 
 back, but strong hands urged them forward. Father Jan- 
 zen turned the key in the door ; it flew open with a sullen 
 clank, that reverberated far and near in those vaults of 
 misery and death. Delano was forced through, followed 
 by his daughter. He gazed around quickly and fearfully, 
 then a wild cry of despair welled up to his lips, though he 
 was no coward. He could have braved sudden death in 
 any form, could have met the fell destroyer on the 
 ocean, on a field of battle, where shot were glancing, and 
 swords gleaming in the air ; could have met death in all 
 these forms without betraying a fear ; but the sight that 
 was now before him was more terrible ; it froze his very 
 soul with horror ; it seemed to clog up the channels of his 
 blood, blind his eyes, sear his brain, and freeze his every 
 thought and feeling. And this terrible sight, this living 
 evil, this waking incubus, was revealed in the ocular as- 
 surance that he stood in 
 
 THE HALL OF TORTURE ! 
 
 It was far down in the shadows of earth, where gnomes 
 alone should have dwelt, vampires feasted and fattened, 
 and ghouls held their horrid revels! Down amidst chains
 
 106 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 and dungeons, groans and shrieks, despairing prayers and 
 frenzied curses ! Down amidst the grave-like dampness, 
 the death-like coldness, and vaporish air, where tortured 
 men were cursing, women dying, and glassy eyes were glar- 
 ing on the massive walls ! 
 
 Delano gazed fearfully around, upon being introduced 
 into this frightful place. His face was deathly paie ; his 
 limbs tottered beneath him. His daughter was no less 
 pale and agitated ; but she endeavored to appear calm. 
 
 The mask of St. Peter's touched her arm. She started 
 as if a poisonous viper had bitten her. 
 
 " Coine," said he, with a cold and mocking smile, " let 
 me call your attention to the various modes of torture, and 
 to the instruments employed ! " 
 
 Floretta appeared to be fainting ; but the mask passed 
 his arm around her waist and sustained her, and assisted 
 her to move towards the other side of the hall. 
 
 " The Pope loves you," he whispered. " Will you con- 
 sent to be his mistress ? ' ' 
 
 " Never, never ! " gasped Floretta, firmly ; but she 
 leaned more heavily upon her companion's arm as she 
 spoke. He suddenly checked her progress. 
 
 " Here we are," he observed, " before one of our instru- 
 ments of torture, the rack. It was formerly much used, 
 but we are now becoming more refined in our proceedings, 
 and know how to inflict greater anguish without as much 
 seeming brutality. You probably know how it is used. 
 The victim is bound between those pulleys, a rope is 
 fastened to each of his limbs, and each rope is drawn 
 tighter and tighter, until he confesses, faints, or is drawn 
 asunder ! " 
 
 " 0, horror ! " murmured Floretta.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 107 
 
 " But the Pope loves you, and would spare you these 
 cruelties, if you would consent to his wishes ! " said the 
 mask, as they moved on a few steps. Then they paused 
 again. A wooden horse or bench was before them. 
 
 " This," continued the mask, " is called the torture of 
 tightened ropes and suffocation by water, and is generally 
 used for the benefit of females. The victim is placed in 
 this groove, which is made in the proper shape to receive 
 her form, and then she is bound firmly in that position, 
 from head to foot, by ropes that are drawn over pulleys, 
 and tightened to such an extent that she cannot even 
 writhe. Then a tunnel above her head is filled with water, 
 which drips slowly on a cloth that is drawn through the 
 funnel, and falls into the victim's mouth, which is kept 
 forced open ; and thus it keeps dropping and dropping, 
 sometimes many hours in succession, until she is nearly or 
 quite drowned ! " 
 
 " 0, agony ! " groaned the maiden. 
 
 " But the Pope loves you," said the mask, with a hell- 
 ish leer, " and would fain spare you these recitals ! " 
 
 They had now moved forward until they stood before a 
 set of stocks. 
 
 " Here is where we execute what is called the torture 
 of the stocks. The feet of one who is condemned to this 
 punishment are placed in these stocks, and covered with 
 grease and combustible liquids; after which a fire is 
 kindled under them, which, being fed by such materials, 
 burns and sears the flesh and muscles, and causes the most 
 agonizing torments! " 
 
 " Just Heaven," cried Floretta, " I shall go mad at 
 these revelations ! " 
 
 " Remember that the Pope bears you great affection,
 
 108 TUB CRIMES OF 
 
 and would not have you suffer such agonies as these in- 
 struments cause." 
 
 They now stood in front of some ropes and pulleys that 
 were suspended from a huge staple fastened in the solid 
 masonry of the arch above them. 
 
 " Here is executed," proceeded the mask, "what is called 
 the torture of ropes and, weights. The victim is stripped, 
 then ropes are fastened to her wrists, by which she is 
 drawn up to the ceiling, and left suspended for some time. 
 Then she is lowered, and heavy weights fastened to her 
 feet, when she is again drawn up. After remaining thus an 
 hour, if she still refuses to repent and confess, she is 
 quickly lowered several feet, and suddenly checked in her 
 descent, by which means her wrists, elbows, shoulders, 
 thighs, knees and ankles, are often dislocated in an instant, 
 causing the most excruciating pain ! " 
 
 " 0, God of mercy," gasped Floretta, " am I indeed 
 deserted ? " 
 
 " Whether you are or not, you are beloved by the Pope, 
 who would be very much pained to see you endure these 
 tortures ! " and the eyes of the mask grew more devilish 
 and malignant in their expression of anticipated revenge 
 and triumph. 
 
 He had now conducted his almost fainting companion to 
 the most distant corner of the hall, where the tapers were 
 faint and flickering, and the darkness scarcely half dissi- 
 pated. Floretta started at an object that met her view. 
 
 " What ! " she shrieked, " a woman ! Do I indeed 
 behold one of my own sex here ? " 
 
 " Only a semblance of one," replied the mask. " You 
 are now gazing on ' the Skeleton Venus,'' As you per- 
 ceive, it looks like a beautiful woman, with a fascinating
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 109 
 
 countenance, voluptuous form, and elegant apparel ; but it 
 is but a mockery, a hollow semblance. The instant a 
 victim is pressed into her arms, secret springs are touched, 
 the painted semblance of a Venus is hurled aside, and 
 he is clasped in the arras of a ghastly skeleton ! He may 
 shriek in terror ; but his cries and frantic struggles can 
 avail him nothing. Those bony arms will press closer and 
 closer around him, closer and closer, until the life is 
 completely crushed out of his body, and he is finally re- 
 leased, but to fall a corpse at the feet of the Skeleton 
 Venus ! " 
 
 " Horror ! horror ! " 
 
 - " But the Pope loves you, and hopes you will not ever lay 
 yourself liable to such a doom ! " remarked the mask of 
 St. Peter's, in sneering tones, and with a mocking smile. 
 
 Both had now reached a figure that was similar iu 
 appearance to the one they had last gazed upon. 
 
 " Here," said the mask, " is the 'Virgin which the con- 
 demned criminals of the Inquisition are sometimes forced 
 to embrace. You see that it looks like a woman, with 
 arms extended as if for an embrace ; but to venture within 
 reach of those arms is sure death. Once within the 
 radius of th% circle they cover, and the victim is firmly 
 clasped, while an almost countless myriad of knives are 
 revealed, which immediately cut him to pieces ! " 
 
 " I shall go mad if I observe more ! " came from the 
 pale lips of Floretta. 
 
 " There is no occasion for alarm, if you take proper cog- 
 nizance of the fact that the Pope loves you ! " was the 
 reply. " But, behold, you have not yet seen all. Ob- 
 serve the well *= before you ! " 
 
 * " The well or pit beneath had been built in the ordinary cylin- 
 10
 
 110 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 Floretta started back, for a black pit was before her. 
 It was about five feet in diameter, and built in the usual 
 form of a well. Prompted by a horrible curiosity, the 
 maiden moved forward until she stood close beside it, still 
 leaning on the arm of the mask, when she peered down 
 into its black and silent depths. It appeared to descend 
 full a hundred feet. Far, far below, there was a number 
 of arches, on which the foundations of this singular well 
 appeared to be laid ; and through these arches a few 
 faint rays of light stole in. The maiden recoiled from the 
 fearful sight, and covered her face with her hands. 
 
 " Look again," whispered the mask ; " you have not yet 
 seen all the horrors of this well. Do you not see that 
 sharp knives, gleaming swords, and huge sabres, are 
 fastened, here and there, in the masonry, upon which any 
 person who is condemned to be hurled into this well must 
 fall, and be thus cut in pieces ? Many and many a victim 
 of the Inquisition has been plunged into this pit, and, 
 before reaching the bottom, been mangled so horribly that 
 not a single feature, or even the outlines of his form, could 
 have been recognized by his most intimate friend ! " 
 
 A wild wail of agony escaped the lips of Floretta, and 
 she sunk down at the feet of the mask. Her s?nses seemed 
 to be leaving her. 
 
 " Show me no more," she gasped, faintly, " or I shall 
 die!" 
 
 An infernal gleam of triumph appeared in the eyes of 
 the mask, as he raised her to her feet. 
 
 drical form, and was at least eighty feet deep, and so ingeniously 
 provided with projecting knives and cutlasses, that the bodies of 
 the victims must have been dreadfully mangled in the descent." 
 Dowling' > i History of Romanism, p. 693.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. Ill 
 
 " I am glad you are satisfied," he muttered. " Now, 
 Floretta, listen to me. I have shown you these sights, 
 that you might feel well assured of the punishment that 
 will be yours if you persist in your non-compliance with 
 the wishes of the Pope. He has doomed you to the tor- 
 ture unless you promise me, at once, to be his mistress, 
 now and forever ! What is your answer ? " 
 
 But the question was not heeded. Floretta had again 
 sunk down at his feet, and was insensible. Strong as was 
 her nature, the accumulation of horrors* she had wit- 
 nessed had overpowered her. The mask gazed triumph- 
 antly upon her pale and haggard features, they seemed 
 like the features of the dead ! 
 
 " Father Janzen," said the mask, after a momentary 
 pause, " you may retire, with your men, all save two." 
 
 The order was obeyed, only two of the Inquisitors 
 remained. 
 
 " Bring Delano here," was the next order of the mask. 
 
 The trembling wretch was brought forward, and, as the 
 officers released their hold of him, he sunk down almost 
 insensible beside the well. 
 
 Floretta now began to give tokens of recovery. A 
 groan of anguish escaped her, a shudder swept over her 
 form ; and then she opened her eyes. 
 
 " Remember, Floretta, what I have told you," said the 
 mask, in a tone that expressed the most terrible vindic- 
 tiveness and determination. " The Pope loves you, he 
 
 * The different modes of torture alluded to in this chapter are, 
 with many more, described at length in Bowling's celebrated 
 "History of Romanism," to which I would especially refer the 
 reader, as authority for the truthfulness and FIDELITY TO REALITY 
 with which I have drawn the horrors of " The Hall of Torture ! "
 
 112 THB CRIMES O9 
 
 will make you rich and happy, if you will consent io 
 his wishes. Consider his proposal well, and spurn it not, 
 for the tortures of the Inquisition are before you ! " 
 
 " I cannot consent, I am bound to another. I will 
 not be his mistress, never, never ! " was all Floretta had 
 strength to utter. 
 
 " Then, take the reward of your obstinacy ! " exclaimed 
 the mask. " Men, seize this woman ; put her to the tor- 
 ture ! The torture of the ropes and weights ! " 
 
 XII. 
 
 PUT TO THE TOETCBE. 
 
 THE fearful order was obeyed. Like fiends incarnate, 
 those grim and silent men commenced their hellish work. 
 Vain were the struggles of Delano ; unheeded were his 
 cries for mercy. The strong arm of the mask thrust him 
 aside, and Floretta was seized by the officers. She 
 struggled, but what could she do? She implored mercy, 
 
 but of whom ? Not men, but of devils ! She shrieked 
 for help, but who could hear her ? All availed nothing. 
 The officers overpowered her ; she W*B helpless in their 
 grasp. They tore the garments from her trembling body,* 
 
 her snow-white neck, whiter bosom and beauteous form, 
 were all exposed to the polluting gaze of the unfeeling 
 minions of the Inquisition. "What to them was her 
 
 * Sec DOTVLIXG'S " History of Romanism," page 671, or the 
 "Inquisition Unmasked," translated from the Spanish of D. An- 
 tonio Puigblanch, London edition, published in 1816. It was a 
 general practice of the Inquisitors to disrobe their victims before 
 putting them to the torture, revolting as it may seem.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 113 
 
 anguish, her outraged modesty, her delicacy of mind and 
 body ? They heeded it not. Their only office was to exe- 
 cute their orders. The maiden was soon stripped entirely 
 naked ; and her shrieks now became so piercing that the 
 Inquisitors deemed it expedient to gag her. The rope 
 that descended from the pulley was then fastened tightly to 
 her wrists. Two iron weights, each weighing a hundred 
 pounds, were tied to her ankles. The mask then waved 
 his hand, and the men drew her up to the arched ceiling. 
 She was suspended by the wrists, thus sustaining her own 
 weight, and that of those masses of iron ! The muscles of 
 her arms and limbs seemed drawn to their utmost tension ; 
 her joints cracked as if parting asunder ; her flesh quivered 
 as if she were in convulsions ; and yet those hardened men 
 gazed coolly on. 
 
 " Will you consent to the Pope's wishes ? " asked the 
 mask, who had quietly seated himself in a chair, as if in- 
 differently awaiting an indifferent event. 
 
 Floretta shook her head. A gleam of infernal ferocity 
 appeared in the eyes of the mask, as he realized that she 
 was still obstinate. He sprang to his feet, uttering a 
 curse, and made a significant motion to his two instru- 
 ments, the officers. It was understood. They drew their 
 victim up as near to the wall as possible, then let her drop 
 suddenly to within a few inches of the floor, checking her 
 descent by means of a stout staple around which the rope 
 was coiled. The shock was such that the shoulders and 
 thighs and wrists of the sufferer were dislocated ! Her 
 agony was so great, and her struggles so fearful, that .she 
 removed the gag from her mouth. She essayed to speak, 
 but could only utter a low moan of suffering. A look of 
 more than mortal anguish flitted over her deathly-pale 
 10*
 
 114 THE CRIMES OP 
 
 features ; then her brain reeled, her head sunk forward on 
 her breast : she had fainted ! 
 
 Again the mask moved his hand. The Inquisitors in- 
 stantly lowered their victim, and untied the ropes then 
 bore her to a bed of straw in the corner of the hall, and 
 applied themselves to her restoration. 
 
 " Will she bear the torture again? " asked the mask, as 
 he glanced towards them, and struck down Delano, who 
 had darted towards his daughter. 
 
 " She might, but I would not advise it at present. Her 
 limbs are much dislocated ! " 
 
 " 0, let me go to her ! " cried Delano. " She will die 
 without my attendance ! " 
 
 "Peace, fool! We do not let our patients die we 
 save their lives, that we may mould their minds to our 
 will ! Your daughter will yet repent of her refusal ; in- 
 deed, she will ! " 
 
 Then he turned towards the officers, and inquired, 
 
 " Gives she any token of recovery yet ? " t 
 
 " Ay, her usual consciousness will soon return," was the 
 reply. 
 
 " You hear," said the mask to Delano, " there is no 
 danger of her dying ! " 
 
 The maiden opened her eyes, and stared wildly around. 
 For a moment she seemed incapable of realizing where she 
 was, or what she had undergone ; then a flush appeared 
 upon her pale cheeks, and she drew a cloak which one of 
 the Inquisitors had thrown off over her form, in every por- 
 tion of which the sharpest pains were now rankling. 
 
 " Raise me up," she whispered ; " let me behold my 
 father." 
 
 The men complied with her request. She gazed tear-
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 115 
 
 fully upon him. The eyes of the doting old man could not 
 gaze upon the fearful picture his daughter presented ; he 
 turned his face away and groaned aloud, while scalding 
 tears coursed down his wrinkled cheeks. 
 
 " Do not weep for your child, dear father ; you have 
 nothing to reproach yourself for," murmured Floretta, 
 " nor have I. Firm in the consciousness of duty, I can 
 endure all the tortures these men can wreak upon my frail 
 body, while the spirit defies them still ! " 
 
 " Not yet conquered," muttered the mask, in a voice 
 fairly husky with rage ; " then I will make Delano an 
 example ! " 
 
 He seized him by the arm as he spoke, and dragged him 
 close to the side of the Well, or as it was called the 
 pit of death, when he turned towards Floretta, who had 
 started up at this ominous movement with a cry of horror. 
 
 " Now, proud Floretta, hear my last proposal," said the 
 mask, in the low, calm tone of determination that betrays 
 a deadly purpose. " You see this weak old man he is 
 your father. As such, he should be worthy of any sacri- 
 fice from you. You may make the required sacrifice 
 or not, consulting your own views on the subject ; but I 
 swear by everything holy and sacred, that if you do not 
 instantly give your consent to the proposal I have made, 
 you will see your father hurled down upon the deadly 
 blades within this well ! " 
 
 "Hold hold! Do not doom him to such a terrible 
 death he is my father ! " 
 
 " Your promise, then your promise ! " cried the mask, 
 fiercely. " Give it to me at once, or I swear " 
 
 " What do you swear ? " exclaimed a stern voice, as a
 
 116 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 door swung back on its creaking hinges, and Cardinal 
 Corneto appeared upon the threshold. 
 
 The mask started, and pressed his hand to his brow, as 
 if appalled by the appearance of his visitor. It flashed 
 like lightning upon his brain that the cardinal would recog- 
 nize Delano, whom he and the other cardinals in council 
 had condemned to death, and that his non-compliance 
 with their orders would be thus discovered ; but the danger 
 was not great enough to appal ^and unman him ; only 
 sufficient to call forth his greatest powers of decision and 
 action. As quick as thought, he seized Delano in his vice- 
 like grasp, and dragged him towards the pit, from which 
 he had retired a few steps at the interruption. 
 
 " Mercy mercy ! " he gasped. 
 
 " Stop, villain ! " shouted the cardinal, with great ex- 
 citement ; " 't is Cardinal Corneto commands you ! " 
 
 Nearer and nearer drew the mask to the fatal pit, and 
 more evident became his determination. 
 
 " Hold ! " cried La Belle Floretta, making a superhu- 
 man effort to seize upon the mask. " Save save him ! 
 Spare my father, and I will become the mistress of the 
 Pope ! " 
 
 The mask did not seem to heed the words. He saw 
 only the danger of discovery, and that Corneto was near. 
 He neared the pit, his victim still pleading for mercy ; the 
 cardinal ordering him to desist ; and Floretta repeating 
 her . promise, her consent. All were alike unheeded. 
 Closer to the pit closer, closer ! so that he could look 
 down into its black and yawning depths, in which, here 
 and there, sharp blades were glistening in the rays from 
 lamps below ; and then, with one single effort, while a
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 117 
 
 terrible cry of horror rang through the hall, he hurled 
 the shrieking Delano into the frightful abyss ! 
 
 " Monster ! " cried Corneto, vehemently, as he drew his 
 sword, " you shall die for this. That man was Delano, 
 whom I came to seek ! " 
 
 " Seek him in hell, then ! " replied the mask, now terri- 
 bly excited, and he stamped his foot angrily upon the 
 floor, while his form quivered with passion. " Know you, 
 Cardinal Corneto, that my word is law here, and any in- 
 terference will cost you your life ! Men ! bear that woman 
 to a dungeon, and give her the attendance of a surgeon ! " 
 
 " Stir not, on your lives ; he has 110 authority to com- 
 mand you ! " exclaimed Corneto. 
 
 " Liar ! " hissed the mask, as he struck him to the floor, 
 and exhibited a massive seal-ring upon his finger ; " I 
 have authority! Behold the signet-ring of Alexander 
 Borgia ! " 
 
 ' The cardinal bowed his head in token of submission ; 
 the men proceeded to remove the insensible Floretta ; the 
 mask uttered a scornful laugh of triumph ; and here ends 
 the horrors of half an hour in the " Hall of Torture ! "
 
 BOOK FOURTH. 
 
 DARK PLOTTINGS. 
 
 IT was two weeks later. Among the events of this pe- 
 riod, Caesar Borgia had become a cardinal. He was 
 seated alone in his room, engaged in earnest thoughts. 
 
 " Some means must be employed, and speedily, to re- 
 plenish the treasury of the church and the pockets of the 
 Borgias," he observed, in a musing manner. " My troops 
 are clamorous for money, and many of the late expenses 
 they have incurred remain unliquidated. From whence is 
 this money to come ? This is the question to be seriously 
 asked and quickly answered ; from whence is the required 
 amount to come ? " 
 
 He rested his elbows upon his knees, and his chin upon 
 his hands, and gave himself up to reflection. He was soon 
 disturbed, however; for a door of the apartment was 
 opened, and Alexander Borgia entered. 
 
 " Ah," said Caesar, as he beheld his father, " I am 
 devilish glad to see you." 
 
 The Pope did not reply. He was evidently in no pleas- 
 ant mood. A sullen, half-angry look was upon his 
 features. He threw himself dejectedly into a chair, and
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 119 
 
 gave himself up to the stormy emotions that raged in his 
 heart. 
 
 " Bah." exclaimed Caesar, contemptuously, as he ob- 
 served these signs of the old man's moodiness. " You are 
 in one of your ill humors again. Don't make such a fool 
 of yourself! Be a little more the Pope, and a little less 
 the man ! Drive your cares and troubles to the devil, as 
 I do. ^Jere is some excellent wine, which will expedite 
 the departure of all such gloomy feelings most wonderfully. 
 Won't you try a glass with me ? Do, and banish this 
 cursed ill-nature, if you have any pity for me, or regard 
 for yourself. But I suppose you are still meditating on 
 that affair with Lucretia." 
 
 " Caesar," said the Pope, sternly, starting to his feet, 
 and giving his companion a most commanding look, 
 " don't you ever allude to that circumstance again. Let 
 the past be forgotten, all save that portion of it which can 
 be remembered with pleasurable emotions. It is worse 
 than the mouthings of a fool, or the ravings of a madman, 
 to call up such reminiscences. Speak of the present, it' at 
 all ; you will find that subject quite disagreeable enough." 
 
 " Ay, too much so," said Caosar, with a moody look. 
 " The present is not a very agreeable subject to either of 
 us. The treasury is empty the church is impoverished ; 
 and both of us have urgent need for money* Under these 
 circumstances, it becomes an urgent, a serious question for 
 us to decide, where the money is to come from. Have 
 you any plans or prospects on the subject? " 
 
 " None," was the brief and gloomily-uttered reply. 
 
 "Then allow me to advance mine. I have plans on 
 that subject plans that have just been decided upon in 
 my mind. Listen, and you shall know what they are.
 
 
 120 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 You are aware that Cardinal Corneto is a very rich man, 
 and you are quite as well aware that the whole of his 
 property, in the event of his decease, comes to the treasury 
 of the Catholic church. Such being the case, I propose 
 that Cardinal Corneto obliges us by departing from mun- 
 dane affairs at a very short notice." 
 
 " What, would you have him assassinated ? " 
 
 " I did not say that ; I simply insinuated that I should 
 be happy to hear that he was happy and doing well in a 
 better world than ours happens to be. If this man, this 
 wealthy cardinal, were to die suddenly about this time, he 
 would do us both a great favor, as a portion of his money 
 would come into our possession." 
 
 " You are right," said the Pope, with emphasis. " How 
 do you propose to assassinate him ? " 
 
 " Assassinate ? That is a hard word. Did I say as- 
 sassinate ? I merely intended to suggest that it is possible 
 for him to drink a glass of poisoned wine." 
 
 " I understand ; you would have him die by poison. It 
 is a good .idea ; we will act upon it. Come to my private 
 apartment, and we will have some further consideration 
 on this subject. Poison! It will be our salvation it 
 shall be used ; and Cardinal Corneto shall make us his 
 heirs, nnilens volens heirs by circumstances ! Come 
 on the thought is right ; it has only to be matured ! " 
 
 Each hastily drank a glass of wine, and then both re- 
 tired from the room.
 
 ALEXANDER BOUGIA. 
 
 121 
 
 THE APPROACHING MARRIAGE. 
 
 LUCRETIA BORGIA was seated alone in her room. 
 Change terrible change was written in every glance 
 of her eyes, and in every expression that mantled her 
 face. She appeared but a shadow of the beautiful and 
 gay-hearted being she had been but a few short months 
 previous. Her face was very pale and haggard ; her eyea 
 gleamed restlessly in their sockets ; and her whole appear- 
 ance proclaimed the misery that was rankling in her 
 heart, and wasting her life away. Yet, despite all this 
 change, despite all she had suffered, Lucretia Borgia was 
 strangely fascinating gloriously beaatiful! 
 
 " It is hard to live thus," she murmured, as she clasped 
 her hands to her feverish brow ; " to live under the con- 
 viction that I am cursed for this life, and damned for that 
 to come. No mortal knows the agony that is given me by 
 this thought ; none can comprehend the terrible nature of 
 my sufferings. It is a terrible thing a thousand times 
 more terrible than death for one to live until all his hopes 
 have been destroyed, brain seared, heart blighted, name 
 disgraced, and life's pleasures all wasted away, and naught 
 is left but the sickening consciousness, the dread realiza- 
 tion, that grief and despair are his heritage for all com- 
 ing time ! A terrible thing to feel that everything that 
 made life desirable has been buried in the events of the 
 past, and nothing left to cheer the present save the mock- 
 ing memories of long, long ago! A terrible thing to 
 stand upon the shores of time, and gaze forth upon the 
 dreary sea that stretches far away into eternity, and real- 
 ize that demon hands are driving one's frail bark of life 
 11
 
 122 THE CRIMES <W 
 
 over its billows, hurrying it on and on, in darkness and 
 gloom ! A terrible thing <o feel that the heart has become 
 a sepulchre ; a yawning grave of bright hopes, noble aspir- 
 ations, lofty resolves, and waking dreams of glory and 
 renown ; a living tomb, in which is buried everything that 
 is good, and in which everything that is bad, polluting and 
 unholy, shall live and live forever. 
 
 " But I will be avenged," continued the woman, after 
 pausing a brief instant ; and her face wore a look of deter- 
 mination that could not have been mistaken. " Those who 
 have embittered my happiness, and made me the miserable 
 object I am, shall feel the deadliest revenge that woman's 
 brain can plan or her hand execute ! " 
 
 A door opened as Donna Lucretia ceased speaking, and 
 a portly, commanding-looking gentleman, whose age could 
 not have varied much from forty-five, entered hastily, 
 threw himself at the woman's feet, took her hand, and ex- 
 claimed : 
 
 " Still sad and desponding, dear Lucretia ! I feared as 
 much, and have come to cheer up your spirits and make 
 you happy." 
 
 " You are very kind, Count Lunaza," responded Lucre- 
 tia, with a faint smile. " I am glad you have come, for 
 I have been gloomy all the afternoon." 
 
 " What, gloomy so near your wedding-day ! This is 
 not in character. To-morrow evening we are to be united 
 in the bonds of matrimony ; and the thought of this should 
 bring joy to your heart, and a glow of enthusiasm and 
 expected happiness to your cheeks." 
 
 " So it should, my lord, but I am a strange and per- 
 verse being, you know.' Sometimes I think I am not 
 worthy of becoming the wife of one so kind and attentive
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 123 
 
 as you have proved yourself since our acquaintance begun ; 
 and if you ever have such a thought, I shall not hesitate 
 to release you from the promises made " 
 
 " Do not speak of it, dear Lucretia. Were I a hun- 
 dred times more wealthy, respected and influential, I 
 should deem you well worthy of being my wife. I am 
 impatient for the hour to arrive that is to unite us in mar- 
 riage. With thee I shall be happy. With thee the 
 world will be a heaven, and life a continual round of the 
 deepest joys and pleasures the soul can feel." 
 
 " Heaven grant it ! " was the response of Lucretia, as a 
 look of agony flitted over her face, tears dimmed her 
 eyes, a tremor of emotion swept over her form, and her 
 head sunk forward upon the count's bosom. 
 
 III. 
 
 THE ASSASSINATION. 
 
 IT was an hour later. The mask of St. Peter's was 
 standing in the shadow cast by one of the mighty arches 
 of the bridge of St. Anglo's, and gazing forth upon the 
 turbid waters of the Tiber. Near him, behind a pillar of 
 the bridge, stood a man that presented a similar appear- 
 ance, as he wore a mask and a black cloak. 
 
 The stranger was observing the mask very attentively, 
 and signified by his actions a desire to address him. Their 
 eyes met at last, and the stranger beckoned the man of 
 crime and mystery to the shade in which he stood con- 
 cealed. 
 
 " You are the mask of St. Peter's," was the first Balu-
 
 124 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 tation of the unknown, after that personage had crossed 
 over to him. 
 
 " I am, as you very well know, without my assurance. 
 The black cloak, my blacker mask, and the good dagger I 
 wear at my belt, have long since rendered it needless for 
 any dweller in Rome to question who I am." 
 
 " True ; but we must have our preliminaries, in convers- 
 ing with strangers, you know," rejoined the unknown, with 
 a smile. " I am very well aware that you are the mask 
 of St. Peter's, and it is this knowledge that has led me to 
 call upon you at the present time. I have some urgent 
 business with you " 
 
 " Excuse me, sir, but no man has any business with me 
 who comes with his face disguised. You cannot command 
 my attention until you have removed that mask frraa your 
 countenance." 
 
 "But, consider that there are certain circumstances 
 under which a man does not care to become known to the 
 agents he employs." 
 
 " 0, very well ; I do not intend to exchange any words 
 on the subject. I have only to say that I meant what I 
 said, and bid you a very good-evening; " and the mask 
 turned upon his heel, as if about to depart. 
 
 " Stay," said the other, seizing his arm. " I will un- 
 mask, if you pledge your word of honor that you will 
 never make use against me of whatever knowledge you 
 may gain by the transaction. Do you promise ? " 
 
 " Seiior, I do not promise anything. Were there any 
 occasion for such a pledge on my part, it should be given ; 
 but you very well know it is not required. I do as I 
 please. If I have a motive sufficient to warrant me in 
 denouncing a man, I do it. If I choose to do a 'good
 
 ALEXANDER BOBGIA. 125 
 
 deed, I do it ; and if I choose to do a bad one, it is need- 
 less for any one to offer opposition. If I have cause to 
 be a man's friend, I am so ; if I have a motive and a 
 reason for being his enemy, I am generally a deadly one. 
 Neither love or hate can ever sour in my breast. You 
 now know a few of my views ; and if you choose to trust 
 me, you can do so. If not, you are at liberty to keep your 
 secrets in your own heart." 
 
 " I must trust you must have your aid ; and there- 
 fore I will not offer any further objections to your desire," 
 was the reply of the unknown, as he removed the mask 
 from his visage. 
 
 The mask of St. Peter's started at the face that met his 
 vie\% and there was a significant gleam in his eye as he 
 observed, 
 
 " I know you very well. You are Cardinal Montelli. 
 You have sought the mask of St. Peter's. Thus far I 
 understand you. Now, sir, your business." 
 
 " Is of a peculiar nature. You already know that I 
 am rich and powerful, and that I have a desire to become 
 Pope. All I have now to do is, to secure your aid, and 
 inform you that I have thought of a method for placing 
 myself in the pontifical chair ! " 
 
 " Indeed ! " and the mask started. " I shall be pleased 
 to hear your plans for the execution of such a project." . 
 
 " But I can trust you? " 
 
 " Certainly. If you feel even the shadow of a sus- 
 picion on the subject, reflect for a moment upon the feel- 
 ings I must necessarily bear those who made me the odious 
 monster I am, a thing for general.abhorrence. Does it 
 eeem likely that one who has been forced, under penalty 
 of death, to fill the position I have done for the last fif-
 
 126 THE CRIMES OP 
 
 teen years or more, would be capable of betraying any one 
 to those who forced him to such a revolting step, the Pope 
 and the cardinals?" 
 
 " Say no more. I am convinced that I can confide in 
 you ; and so, to the business that called me hither. As I 
 before observed, I have matured a plan for becoming Pope. 
 I have contrived to make myself the most powerful man 
 in Rome, not excepting Pope Alexander VI. " 
 
 " True most true ! " muttered the mask, with a 
 slight intonation of bitterness. 
 
 " I have made myself alike popular with the cardinals, 
 the priests and the people. Were Borgia to die, I should 
 undoubtedly be called to fill his place. Such being the 
 state of affairs, you can readily understand that fcdo not 
 pray that his life may be unusually lengthy." 
 
 " I understand you ; the project bears the evidence of 
 a master mind on its front. But how do you propose to 
 remove the Pope ? " 
 
 Cardinal Montelli gazed upon the form before him for a 
 moment, as if he would fain read his thoughts ; then he 
 replied, laconically, 
 
 " By employing your dagger ! " 
 
 Again the mask started, in a manner that would have 
 struck an observer as being somewhat peculiar. 
 
 " What reward have you concluded to offer as an equiv- 
 alent for my friendly offices in this matter ? " he asked, 
 at length. 
 
 "Enough to make it an object for you to aid me. 
 What do you say to five thousand maravedi ? " 
 
 " Just half enough^" was the decisive response. 
 
 " I see you are determined to name the price, and make 
 no words about it. Well, I will not complain. Levers
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 127 
 
 must rest upon a substantial fulcrum. Do the deed, slay 
 Alexander Borgia, and you shall have the ten thousand 
 maravedi ! " 
 
 " You are generous ! " observed the mask, as his dark 
 eyes flashed vengefully, his form trembled, and his hand 
 toyed nervously with the hilt of his dagger. " Most 
 generous ! I shall accept your offer. But when must the 
 deed be done, and the money be paid ? " 
 
 " The sooner your part of the contract is fulfilled, the 
 better. As for mine, you can have the money now, if you 
 choose, as I brought it with me ; " and he produced a 
 heavy bag of gold. 
 
 " You are quite thoughtful and considerate ! " said the 
 mask, as he received it ; and the expression of his eyes 
 grew Aore malignant as he spoke. His excitement had 
 now become so evident that his companion noticed it. 
 
 " What means this agitation?" he demanded. " Haa 
 any one been witnessing what we have done, or listening 
 to our words? You tremble; you clutch your weapon 
 nervously. Are you ill ? " 
 
 The mask did not reply in words, his answer was a 
 terrible deed. He turned with the quickness of thought, 
 and buried his dagger in Montelli's bosom ! 
 
 " Treachery ! Help ! " exclaimed the fated man, as he 
 sank down in the agonies of death. 
 
 The mask uttered a hoarse laugh, as he dragged him 
 where the shade lay deeper on the bridge, and knelt 
 beside him. 
 
 " Treachery ! help ! " he repeated, mockingly. " It 
 ill becomes a traitor of your stamp to use such words. 
 List you, Cardinal Montelli ; I would have you under- 
 stand the cause of this conduct, which to you appears BO
 
 128 TIP CRIMES OF 
 
 singular. Know you that I am a friend of Alexander 
 Borgia his particular friend ; ay, one so much bound 
 up in his interest that, had passion not got the better of 
 reason, and caused me to take summary justice, I would 
 have hung you on a gallows higher than Hainan's ! It is 
 well that you came to me ; I thank you for this judicious 
 selection of a tool for this purpose." 
 
 The mask ceased speaking, for he saw that his victim 
 was dead. A moment he gazed upon the pale, distorted 
 features that were upturned to his view ; then he clutched 
 the bag of gold with a tighter grasp, and a low chuckle of - 
 satisfaction escaped him. 
 
 " All goes well," he muttered. " The most dangerous 
 enemy the Pope has had for years is dead. I have taken 
 his life, and now possess a portion of his money, which 
 comes, just at this time, as a godsend. Ten thousand 
 maravedi ! There 's quite enough to celebrate Donna Lu- 
 cretia's wedding in grand style, and it shall be applied for 
 that purpose. As for this self-deluded fool, he is justly 
 punished. I knew he was ambitious, but did not suspect 
 him of such boldness. He may have had backers ; indeed, 
 I am led to believe that he did, as he alluded to his popu- 
 larity with his fellow-cardinals. I must see to this at 
 once. There may be many concerned in this conspiracy. 
 But let them beware ! Those who offend Alexander Bor- 
 gia, or plot against him, are treading on a volcano that 
 may destroy them at any moment. I will pay the council 
 of cardinals a visit at their next sitting, and see if I can 
 gain any new insight into their sentiments." 
 
 The mask now wiped the blade of his weapon on the 
 garments of the murdered man ; replaced it in its sheath, 
 and walked musingly away in the direction of the palaco 
 of the Borgias.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. . 129 
 
 IV. 
 
 THE COUNCII* 
 
 THE scene was a room in the Inquisition. A number 
 of cardinals were seated therein, among them Corneto. 
 
 " Where is Caesar Borgia and Cardinal Montelli ? " he 
 asked. " It appears that they have absented themselves 
 from this meeting. Well, so much the better. Fasten 
 the door, Hugi, and admit no one without my orders." 
 
 The messenger obeyed. Corneto then turned to his 
 companions, and thus addressed them : 
 
 " Probably you are all anxious to know why I have 
 called you together to-night. I will tell you. Dangers 
 unseen and deadly are menacing us, especially myself. 
 The Pope and his son have been plotting against my life, 
 perhaps against the life of each of you ! " 
 
 " How learned you this ? " asked one of the cardinals. 
 
 " By accident on the part of Hugi, our messenger. I 
 sent him to Borgia's palace last evening, on business. The 
 Pope was not in his room, but the servants said he was 
 doubtless in the palace. The messenger went in search of 
 him, and soon found him in his son's room. They two 
 were conversing together ; and there was something so 
 peculiar in their manners, at the moment Hugi pushed the 
 door ajar and looked in upon. them, that he could not resist 
 his inclination to listen. Listen he did, and heard them 
 decide upon poisoning me ; which knowledge had so much 
 influence upon him, that he hastened to me, without waiting 
 to make known his business." 
 
 " But are you sure that this twain have thus plotted 
 against you ? Can you depend upon Hugi's word 7 "
 
 130 
 
 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " Most implicitly, and could not be more firmly con- 
 vinced of the plot against me had I heard it with my own 
 ears. I have long been suspicious of the Pope, have 
 long thought that there is no crime too revolting for him 
 to execute ; and you can all rest assured that I shall be on 
 my guard against him." 
 
 A door at the further end of the apartment opened at 
 this juncture, and the mask of St. Peter's entered, unseen 
 and unheard by any person in the group. 
 
 " And there 's the mask," continued Corneto. " He 
 seems to have changed for the worse of late. It may be 
 that he has not really turned traitor to us, but he is most 
 wofully careless lately in the execution of his orders. I 
 told you at our last meeting of his affair with Delano, 
 how he allowed him to live more than two weeks after we 
 condemned him, and finally slew him in the most barbar- 
 ous manner. Such things are far from being satisfactory 
 to me, as a member of this council ; and I motion that 
 we establish a secret espionage over Borgia, and take 
 measures to punish the mask ! " 
 
 " Agreed ; the proposition is a good one, and should be 
 acted upon at once," said the cardinal on the immediate 
 left of Corneto. " For my part, I am satisfied that there 
 is an urgent necessity for us to be on our guard against 
 both of the persons to whom you have alluded, the 
 Pope and the mask. They - both work together ; both 
 seem to have a terrible understanding between themselves, 
 and both may be even now plotting against the life of 
 every one of us ! " 
 
 " Ay, and it is more than likely that they are," added 
 another of the group. " You may all think what you 
 please, but I am convinced that the mask has plotted
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 131 
 
 against others, and may against us. To speak more plain- 
 ly, I am satisfied that the mask could explain the absence 
 of Montelli from this meeting. It has been rumored to- 
 day that a man, who might have been Montelli, was as- 
 sassinated on the bridge of St. Anglos last evening, and 
 his body sunk by two servants in the Tiber. The story 
 may be but a rumor, and the object of our suspicion may 
 have had nothing to do with the deed, if it has really been 
 committed ; but still, I second the words of Corneto let 
 Borgia be watched, and the mask punished for his past 
 neglect of our orders ! " 
 
 " Agreed ! " was the response, coming from an unex- 
 pected quarter ; and, as the cardinals started to their feet, 
 the mask of St. Peter's moved forward and stood before 
 them. 
 
 V. 
 
 THE MYSTERY OF THE MASK. 
 
 FOR the space of a minute the cardinals all gazed upon 
 the mask without moving or speaking, while anger and 
 confusion were written upon their features. 
 
 " You here ! " cried Corneto, at length. " Devil ! how 
 dare you thus intrude upon us ? " 
 
 "Cardinal Corneto forgets the character of the mask 
 when he insinuates that there is anything evil the mask 
 dare not do," was the sneering response. " When I have 
 been painted in as black and revolting colors as certain 
 persons now present have used in speaking of me, there ia 
 no occasion to wonder at anything I may do, at least, I 
 should so judge," and again the mocking sneer curled his 
 lips, though it was unseen.
 
 132 TIIE CRIMES OP 
 
 " You have heard no good of yourself by listening," 
 continued Corneto. " To the contrary, you have heard, as 
 listeners always do of themselves, much that is ill ; and 
 I, for one, am glad that you have presented yourself thus, 
 unasked and unexpected, in our midst. We now have an 
 opportunity of questioning you, perhaps a chance to 
 learn whether you are as guilty as report bespeaks you, or 
 not." 
 
 " Very well, sir ; question me, if such is your desire," 
 was the reply, indifferently uttered. 
 
 " In the first place, I would ask you why you came 
 here without a summons from our Council ? " 
 
 " Because it pleased me to do so." 
 
 " And so you have become so self-willed, and a person 
 of such importance in your own estimation, that you con- 
 sult no one's will but your own, eh ? Matters have reached 
 a pretty crisis, indeed, when a mere hireling of the Coun- 
 cil ventures to assume the privileges you are taking to 
 yourself. If we submit to such insults as these from a 
 man whose very life is not his own, but held through our 
 clemency, then are we the most despicable of men. For 
 one, I will not longer brook your insolent conduct and 
 your neglect of our orders ; and I now summons you, in 
 the name of the Council, to lay aside your cloak, mask, 
 and dagger, and surrender yourself a prisoner." 
 
 The mask received the words with a sneering laugh. 
 
 "Indeed, my lord," was the calm reply, "you are 
 quite moderate in your requests ; but I beg leave to 
 ipform you that I cannot comply with your wishes at 
 present." 
 
 " But you shall comply with them, even if force has to 
 be used to effect that purpose. You are a traitor, a spy,
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 133 
 
 and a renegade. The pledges under which you held your 
 life have all been broken ; and I shall be much mistaken 
 if the death you have merited by your late deportment is 
 not speedily yours. Do you understand me ? Surrender 
 at once, or we shall resort to force." 
 
 " Try it, if you dare ! " said the mask, coolly, though 
 it was evident that strong excitement was raging in his 
 breast. " The first man that lays hands upon me will be 
 the first to die. If any one of your number is ambitious 
 of such distinction, let him come on ! " 
 
 There was no reply. The very audacity of the mask's 
 words, no less than his position, seemed sufficient to keep 
 them silent. 
 
 " Now, senors," said the mask, quietly, after a short 
 pause, " if you are ready to hear an explanation, I am 
 ready to give it ; but I wish you to distinctly understand 
 that I do not come here to be bullied or frightened. You, 
 Cardinal Corneto, have alluded to the circumstances under 
 which I hold my life, as you flatter yourself, from your 
 august body j but allow me to observe that you are all 
 mistaken." 
 
 " That is net possible. Were you not found guilty of 
 assassinating a man in one of the streets of Rome, and 
 condemned to death, and only released on your promise 
 of becoming the executioner of our victims, which charac- 
 ter you assumed something like fifteen years ago " 
 
 " Fifteen years ago," interrupted the mask, " a man 
 was discovered standing beside the body of a person he 
 had slain, discovered by members of this Council. The 
 assassin was condemned, as you have just stated, but was 
 spared on the conditions you have mentioned, and of which 
 12
 
 134 THE CHIMES 0* 
 
 you have often taken occasion to remind me, under the 
 belief that I am that assassin." 
 
 " Under the belief ? What do you mean ? Do you 
 intend to say that you are not the man whose life was thus 
 spared ? " 
 
 " That is just wha^I wish you to understand, for I am 
 not that person. It matters not who or what I was at 
 that time ; it is sufficient for me to say that I envied the 
 security, and coveted the power, the assumption of this 
 cloak and mask gave the possessor. My mind was deter- 
 mined on a deed that should win me both ; my hand was 
 strong to execute that determination. I laid in wait for 
 this assassin, on the bridge of St. Angelo, and was emi- 
 nently successful in the design. The assassin was in his 
 turn assassinated ; and I /, my lord cardinals, became 
 the executioner of your wishes, the mask of St. Peter's ! " 
 
 All started back in the greatest surprise at this an- 
 nouncement. 
 
 " And who are you?" asked Corneto, as soon as his 
 astonishment would permit him. 
 
 The mask moved forward, and laid his hand impress- 
 ively upon the questioner's arm ; and when he spoke his 
 voice was sterner than ever. 
 
 " Who am I ? Listen, and you shall know. I am one 
 who knows each and every one of you better than you 
 know yourselves. I know your thoughts, your motives, 
 and your intentions ; and when they are of an order it is 
 not my pleasure to countenance, I know very well how to 
 thwart them. Some one of your number has intimated 
 his belief that I know something in reference to the dis- 
 appearance of Cardinal Montelli. He is right; I have 
 that knowledge. 'T was my dagger, my hand, that let out
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 
 
 135 
 
 the miscreant's traitorous blood ; and," he added, with a 
 fierce look, " there are more than one of this assemblage 
 who will be similarly dealt with, if there is not a speedy 
 change in their deportment ! " 
 
 " Ha ! do you threaten us ? " exclaimed Corneto, draw- 
 ing his sword. " What, ho ! Hugi ! ftll the guard ! " 
 
 " Call away till doomsday, if it please you ! " said the 
 mask, with a sneer. " No one hears you save my friends, 
 your enemies. Would you know who they are ? Be- 
 hold them ! " and he stamped his foot heavily upon the 
 floor. 
 
 A door opened, and admitted half a dozen masked men, 
 wearing black cloaks, and each carrying a blood-stained 
 dagger in his right hand. They gazed silently upon the 
 cardinals for a moment ; then the mask waved his hand, 
 and they retired as they came. 
 
 " In Heaven's name, what means this mystery, and who 
 are you ? " cried Corneto, excitedly. 
 
 " I am simply the mask of St. Peter's," was the reply. 
 " If you have become convinced that I am not so much 
 the tool but that I can, if necessary, be the master, my 
 business is settled, and I will take my leave. But allow 
 me to caution you all against plotting to injure me, for 
 such attempts will be very likely to recoil on your own 
 heads. Remember this, and govern yourselves according- 
 ly. Farewell, and a pleasant night to each of you ! " 
 
 And turning, with an air of contempt, the mask strode 
 from the room, leaving the cardinals in a state of stupe- 
 faction.
 
 136 THE CHIMES OJ 
 
 VI. 
 
 FURTHER PLOTTINGS. 
 
 THE surprise of the cardinals kept them silent for sev- 
 eral moments. Coraeto was the first to speak. 
 
 " Cardinals," said he, " there goes a dangerous man ! 
 One whom we must crush, or who will crush us ; a man 
 of mystery, whom none of us understand. He has been 
 the most humble of servants ; you see that he can be the 
 most stern and powerful of masters. He must be re- 
 moved, or from this hour we hold our lives only by his 
 permission. But, how can we dispose of him? Send 
 priests among the people, to incite them to vengeance 
 against the mask, for the many assassinations from which 
 they have suffered at his hands ? No, that will not do ; 
 he would hear of the plot, and thwart it. We must con- 
 trive something that will prove speedily sure. But what 
 shall it be ? Let me think. What shall it be ? " 
 
 " A summary arrest and instant execution," was the 
 reply of an old, gray-headed cardinal, who sat opposite 
 Corneto. " The emergency is one that will admit of no 
 child's play; we must strike boldly and at once. My 
 advice is to send a strong detachment of officers from the 
 Inquisition to arrest the mask at his residence, the palace 
 that was built for him by the church, in consideration of 
 his services as public executioner. Let us drag him forth 
 to a dungeon, try him by our right as the secret council 
 of cardinals, condemn him by our authority, and gibbet 
 him by our power. This is the only way in which he can 
 be placed beyond the power to do us harm." 
 
 " You have spoken very sensibly, and to the point,"
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 137 
 
 said Corneto. " I most strongly advocate the course you 
 have advanced. We have all been insulted, again and 
 again, by the mask. He has neglected our orders, and 
 despised all our intimations of punishment. Even in our 
 very presence, within the hour, he has dared to boast that 
 it was his hand that assassinated Montelli, one of the 
 most worthy and respected members of our Council. In 
 view of such outrages as these, there is but one course to 
 adopt towards him, death ! " 
 
 The cardinals severally expressed their approval of the 
 plan, and the result of a few moments' deliberation was, 
 that a body of Inquisitorial officers should arrest the mask 
 as soon as arrangements could be made for that purpose. 
 The council then adjourned. 
 
 VII. 
 
 FATHER JANZEN. 
 
 IT was later still. The Count Luanza stood in a 
 lonely hall, gazing forth upon the sullen waters of the 
 Tiber. 
 
 " The lady does not confess ; never visits a confessional, 
 or receives the visits of a priest. Why is it ? There is a 
 mystery here which I must unravel. She has secrets 
 which I must gain. Only one person has power to draw 
 them forth, Father Janzen. I will see him at once ! " 
 
 He had only to ring a bell, give his orders to a servant, 
 and wait a few moments, at the end of which time Father 
 Janzen was ushered into his presence. 
 
 " Leave us," commanded the count, and the servant 
 obeyed. 
 
 12*
 
 138 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " Now to business. Be seated, Father Janzen, and join 
 me in a glass of wine." 
 
 The priest obeyed, drinking it with an apparent relish 
 that proclaimed he was not a total stranger to its good 
 qualities. 
 
 "So much for the wine. Now, good Father Janzen, 
 I '11 proceed to make known the purpose of this interview. 
 You know that I am engaged to be married to Donna 
 Lucretia. Indeed, the ceremony was to have taken place 
 this evening, but she has desired me to postpone it a day 
 or two, as she was this morning taken suddenly and seri- 
 ously ill. She is now in her room at the palace." 
 
 " Well," muttered the priest, who seemed to have an 
 intuitive perception of what was required of him. 
 
 " I wish you to see Donna Lucretia, and make an 
 attempt to gain possession of the secrets that weigh so 
 heavily upon her mind and body. You have doubtless 
 marked the change that has lately taken place in her 
 appearance. I hardly know what to attribute it to ; but 
 I have come to the conclusion that there has been a terri- 
 ble cause, which she conceals in her own breast. You 
 must see her, and learn whether my suspicions are true or 
 not." 
 
 " I will gladly do so," was the reply. 
 
 " Then do so at once. She will probably be at home 
 to-night. I have an engagement with her ; but you shall 
 bear my apologies for not keeping it, and do the service I 
 require of you." 
 
 Again the priest muttered his acquiescence. 
 
 " And while she is revealing her secrets, should she 
 favor us by doing so, you need not be surprised if you 
 should see me enter your presence, by a secret door, a
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 139 
 
 hidden panel, or an open window. I have a peculiar 
 method for making calls when I desire to be invisible ; 
 and I possess a sufficient knowledge of the mysteries of 
 the Borgia palace to make it the scene of an exploit of 
 this kind. To sum up all, bring about this interview, 
 to which I shall make it an especial point of my conduct 
 to listen." 
 
 " I understand you, and will do all I can to execute 
 your wishes. If it is possible for me to wring the secret 
 from her, I will do so." 
 
 " Thanks. This is not the first time you have made me 
 your debtor." 
 
 A few words more passed between them relative to 
 preliminary arrangements, and then Father Janzen de- 
 parted. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 THE SURPRISE. 
 
 STERN, pale, and trembling with excitement, Hernaldo 
 Zinna stood in the midst of the " Leaguers," the body of 
 men that looked up to him as their leader. They were in 
 the underground hall, where they had met on previous 
 occasions. The young man had been addressing them, 
 he had spoken of their own wrongs, and of those that he 
 feared had befallen La Belle Floretta. 
 
 ' If not dead," were his concluding remarks, " she is 
 confined in the palace of the Borgias, or in the dungeon 
 of the Inquisition. How many are there in this assem- 
 blage that will go with me to the rescue ? " 
 
 " All, all ! " came up from the lips of each, like a 
 mighty echo of his will.
 
 140 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " And you will go with me now, this very hour ? " 
 
 " Ay, the sooner the better for our purpose, the bet- 
 ter for the gratification of our own wishes. Death to the 
 Borgias ! death to the cardinals ! death to the mask of St. 
 Peter's ! death to the church of Rome ! " 
 
 A mocking laugh succeeded, coming from the man who 
 guarded the door. It was not loud, nor hoarse ; but it 
 came so unexpectedly, and under such circumstances, that 
 it seemed truly infernal, a demoniac laugh of exultation. 
 
 And it was not one laugh alone that fell upon their 
 ears ; it was caught up, it was echoed by many voices, 
 until the very walls around them rang with a chorus of 
 infernal laughter. 
 
 " In the name of Heaven, what mean these sounds ? 
 Have fiends taken possession of our hall ? " 
 
 " Ha, ha ! " laughed those malignant and exultant voices 
 in reply. " Ha, ha ! " 
 
 And then those strong men cowered down, and trembled 
 with horror, while their faces became deathly pale ; for it 
 flashed upon their minds that they were beset by the 
 Inquisition. 
 
 " Fiend ! " cried Zinna, darting toward the door-keeper, 
 who had commenced the mocking laughter that now as- 
 sailed his ears. " Why this laugh ? Art thou a demon 
 in the guise of man ? Speak, and tell me who thou art ! " 
 
 Then he recoiled with a terrible cry, for the cloak had 
 fallen from the form of the man before him, a mask 
 that concealed a mask was torn from his face, and Zinna 
 saw that the mask of St. Peter's stood before him. 
 
 " Ha, ha ! " he laughed, in tones of hellish glee. 
 
 And those mocking voices echoed it, echoed it
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 141 
 
 throughout the hall, until the sense of hearing on the part 
 of the " Leaguers " seemed benumbed. 
 
 Zinna drew his weapon, as did one of his followers ; but 
 the mask stepped calmly towards them, as calmly spoke. 
 
 " Gentlemen, you are all the prisoners of the mask of 
 St. Peter's. If you doubt my word?, behold the proof! " 
 
 The door by which all had entered opened as he ceased 
 speaking. Then another was discovered, another, the 
 fourth, the fifth ; and now they were thrown open in such 
 numbers around them, that the walls seemed full of them. 
 
 In breathless silence the Leaguers waited the denoue- 
 ment. Nor waited long. A host of silent men, wearing 
 the cowl and cloak that characterized them as officers of 
 the Inquisition, made their appearance, entering quietly 
 one after the other, and all well armed. Their numbers 
 soon exceeded those of the " Leaguers ; " and still they 
 continued coming. The hall was crowded with them, the 
 doorways were guarded by them, and every avenue of 
 escape cut off. t 
 
 " Lost, lost ! " cried Zinna. " Hell is reigning on earth ; 
 its demons all before me ! " 
 
 In the course of two minutes every one of the " Leag- 
 uers " were seized and ironed by the Inquisitors. They 
 made no resistance ; they knew it was useless to contend 
 against such odds. Zinna alone remained free. He 
 noticed the omission, and thought he had been reserved 
 for some additional insult. With a sneer upon his lips, a 
 look of defiance on his face, he held out his hands to be 
 bound. 
 
 11 No, no ! " and the mask shook his head. " We do 
 not want you ; we give you your liberty ; you are free 
 to go."
 
 142 THE CRIMES OP ALEXANDER BORGIA. 
 
 " But I will not stir one step. I desire to die with my 
 comrades ! " 
 
 " Then, if you are so obstinate, we will depart with 
 your friends here, and you may remain alone in these 
 vaults," was the reply, and the intimation was acted upon 
 as soon as possible. The hall waa soon cleared, Zinna 
 was left alone. 
 
 " Alone ! " He uttered the word, and it rang through- 
 out the hall like a knell. " Alone ! " Again he repeated 
 it, as he thought of La Belle Floretta ; and he threw 
 himself upon his knees beside the table, weeping and 
 praying. 
 
 It was midnight ere he arose and went forth, and when 
 he finally sought the open air he was still frenziedly mut- 
 tering that word, " Alone, alone ! " 
 
 For the light of reason had left his soul forever. Her- 
 naldo Zinna was a maniac ! 
 
 And not the first or the last that has been driven insane 
 iy the horrors of the church of Home !
 
 BOOK FIFTH. 
 
 THE POISONID WINE. 
 
 YES, the Cardinal Corneto shall dio by poisone 
 wine ! " 
 
 The speaker was Alexander Borgia. He was pacing to 
 and fro in his apartment, in the centre of which, by a 
 table, Caesar, his son, was seated. 
 
 " Yes, that is the way to remove him, and secure his 
 money ; the only way," replied Caesar. " You see that I 
 am prepared to follow it. Here 's the wine, well mixed 
 with our most deadly poison," and he drew forth a black 
 earthen bottle from a secret drawer in the table, and held 
 it up to the light. 
 
 The liquid sparkled strangely, not more strangely, 
 not more brightly, than the dark eyes of the Pope, as he 
 muttered, 
 
 " A few drops of that will remove Corneto from my 
 path. That he must die is certain, even if we did not 
 desire to use his wealth. He is too dangerous to be tol- 
 erated. Already has he sown the seeds of sedition 
 gainst me. But let him look well to himself. This 
 night Lucretia is to wed the Count Luanza ; this night 
 Corneto will be at the palace ; and I mistake myself very
 
 144 THE CRIMES 0* 
 
 much, if he leaves it until he has poured a goodly portion 
 of the poisoned wine down his throat." 
 
 A secret door at one side of the room had opened and 
 closed while the Pope had been speaking. A head had 
 V<>n thrust in, and a pair of dark eyes marked the bottle of 
 wine, while quick ears had listened to every word that 
 was uttered. And this spy was Lucretia Borgia. 
 
 " But how do you propose to fill his glass from this 
 bottle, and avoid doing the same by any of the others ? " 
 asked Caesar. 
 
 " That 's easily enough managed. I shall have a ser- 
 vant in my confidence, who will watch for and improve the 
 opportunity when the cardinal is deeply interested in 
 something that is being done or said." 
 
 " The plan is then decided upon. Let us make the final 
 arrangements, for the hour appointed for the marriage 
 ceremony and the poisoning of Corneto will soon arrive." 
 
 " Agreed ! We will see about it at once. This busi- 
 ness settled, I must visit the Inquisition, and see how fares 
 my captive, La Belle Floretta." And the Pope, with his 
 son, departed from the room. 
 
 It was entered a moment later by Donna Lucretia. 
 Her face was flushed ; her eyes glittering in their expres- 
 sion ; and her features wore a look of deadly resolution. 
 She proceeded at once to the drawer in which the wine 
 had been left. She took the bottle and secreted it in the 
 folds of her dress. 
 
 " If there is a heaven," she murmured, " let it ever be 
 praised for the occurrences of this hour ! They have 
 shown me a method of revenge ; they have placed a ter- 
 rible avengement at my disposal, and it shall be mine. I 
 will take this bottle, and leave one that does not contain
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 145 
 
 poison in its place. 0, Alexander Borgia ! you may plot 
 against the cardinal, but I will show you how fatally your 
 machinations will be meted out to yourself. You will 
 meet Corneto, eat, drink, and make merry with him, 
 and order your servant to bring this poisoned wine for 
 him; but he shall receive another, and this shall be 
 poured into your own glass." 
 
 And thus were the plottings of the Pope likely to be 
 counterplotted. 
 
 H. 
 
 THE MASK IN PERIL. 
 
 WE will now enter the office of the Inquisition. Two 
 persons were seated therein, conversing in a low tone. 
 The entrance of Hugi, the messenger of the cardinals, 
 interrupted them. 
 
 " I bear you a message from the council," said he, as he 
 placed a paper in the hand of the eldest keeper, who was 
 evidently one of the head officers of the Inquisition. 
 
 The messenger then departed without a reply. He well 
 knew that none was needed, save in the instant fulfilment 
 of the orders he had brought. 
 
 " What is this ? " muttered the officer, as he cast his 
 eye over the paper. " The council here orders us to send a 
 strong force to arrest the mask of St. Peter's." 
 
 " That 's just what I have all along thought it would 
 come to," responded his companion, endeavoring to look 
 philosophical. " Villains are as likely to fall out between 
 themselves as with their pious neighbors ; and I have long 
 felt convinced that the mask was doing that which would, 
 13 
 
 t
 
 146 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 sooner or later, render him obnoxious to the council he haa 
 served so many years." 
 
 " The order speaks very explicitly," continued the other. 
 " We are to arrest him and commit him to a dungeon of 
 the Inquisition ; after which we are to await further or- 
 ders. What will those further orders be? If I am not 
 much mistaken, he will soon^ enjoy the death he has meted 
 out to so many others." 
 
 "Things do look rather ominous, that's certain," was 
 the reply. " But the arrest that 's what we are ordered 
 to consider. Now let me give you a few ideas on the sub- 
 ject. The order tells us to arrest the mask at his house. 
 But there is a better way, we can arrest him here. You 
 know that he intends to visit one of the prisoners this 
 evening La Belle Floretta, whom he was the chief in- 
 strument of bringing before the Inquisition. He will 
 enter her cell ; he will be alone ; one man against a hun- 
 dred we can bring against him. In this way, as desperate 
 a man as he is, we can secure him without much danger 
 of difficulty. How do you like my plan ? " 
 
 " It is excellent. We will act upon it." 
 
 III. 
 
 ONLY ANOTHER VICTIM. 
 
 O, CHURCH of Rome ! Hell of religious bloodhounds ! 
 Of thee might Byron have written, " There have been 
 tears and breaking hearts for thee ! " 
 
 The scene ! the scene ! O, I am weary of this mon- 
 ster of cruelty, this " Mother of Harlots," this Babel of 
 human gore, this record of human agony ! Weary,
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 147 
 
 0, how weary ! But a new phase must be added to its 
 horrors. 
 
 G-O with me. The scene is a dungeon, down deep in 
 the shadows of the Inquisition. There was darkness, and 
 chains, and iron grates, and massive stone walls. And 
 there, too, like an angel in the lowest depths of hell, was a 
 woman was La Belle Floretta! Gaze not upon her 
 with indifference ; it would peril a man's eternal salvation 
 to see her, and realize her wrongs, her agony, and not 
 swear an oath of vengeance ! 0, is it not a sight to chill 
 the hardest heart? You see how deathly pale she is; you 
 behold the long, bony fingers that are clutching at the bars 
 of the cell-door ; you mark the wildly dishevelled hair, the 
 glittering eyes, the look of hopeless misery that shrouds 
 her features ; and shudder as you think how much she is 
 changed. 
 
 In the dungeon to which she had been remanded from 
 the hall of torture sat the poor girl ; not weeping, not 
 praying, yet perchance her thoughts were of heaven ! A 
 pearly drop had trickled from each eye, and now stood upon 
 her cheeks, like frozen drops of rain upon a marble image ; 
 but those once glorious orbs were tearless now. The time 
 for tears had been, the time for tears was past } Their 
 fountain was dried up forever! A feverish heat was in 
 her brain, and agony was in her heart. She saw not the 
 bars she had grasped so frenziedly, felt not her chains ! 
 
 O, come, darkest night ! blow, fiercest wind ; there is 
 one who will heed ye not ! The " Holy Catholic Church " 
 has nearly done its hellish work. It is only one more vic- 
 tim ; one more added to the list of millions ; one more 
 gentle, trusting, almost angelic soul, added to the numbers 

 
 148 THE CEIMES OF 
 
 they have sent home as witnesses against them to an cut- 
 raged God ! 
 
 A dark form appears at the entrance of the maiden's 
 cell ; the door is opened, and the mask of St. Peter's 
 enters. Their eyes meet, his all burning with hate and 
 with vindictive passion; but she does not start, does not 
 shudder, does not tremble. Once she would have done so, 
 but that hour is past. She does not even express a con- 
 sciousness of his presence. A moment she stares vacantly 
 upon him ; then she looks towards heaven, clasps her thin 
 hands, and, while her lips move in prayer, a faint smile 
 breaks over her features, like sunshine over a waste of 
 stormy waters. 
 
 0, what a picture ! what a scene ! and what eyes to 
 behold it ! A fiend of hell is gazing on an angel-victim. 
 
 The mask moves forward and touches her snow-white 
 shoulder. She looks up into his face and smiles, so 
 sweetly, so trustingly ; yet it is the suiile of a maniac. 
 
 The eyes of the maiden are then cast down ; they rest 
 upon a dagger in her visitor's belt ; and strangely do they 
 sparkle at the sight. 
 
 " It is very beautiful ! " she murmurs. " Why should 
 its power not be employed? It can clear away these 
 clouds; it can open the way to heaven." 
 
 Emboldened by his reception, and not realizing its 
 cause, the mask seats himself beside Floretta, and passes 
 his arm around her waist. Again she looks up into his 
 face and smiles. Her head is resting upon his bosom ; her 
 features are upturned to his own, and the smile that rests 
 upon her lips seems such is the delusion of his passion 
 to invite his kisses. He bends forward, is about to 
 bestow these unholy evidences of the feelings that are
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 149 
 
 reigning in his heart, when he feels the dagger drawn with 
 a quick but steady hand from his belt. 
 
 " Woman ! Floretta ! " he cries, starting back, with 
 terror depicted upon his countenance, and fearing some 
 personal violence. 
 
 But he need not start, need not fear for his safety. 
 Floretta has indeed secured the weapon ; but not to 
 injure or even menace its owner. She smiles again, as she 
 presses the bright blade to her lips, and looks more trust- 
 ingly, more hopefully, towards heaven. There 's not a flush 
 upon her cheeks, not a breath of excitement in her looks 
 or movements ; an expression of unwavering resolution, 
 strange, unnatural calmness, and the placing of the dag- 
 ger's point against her breast, are all the signs that evince 
 her deadly purpose. Again she kisses the dagger, smiles 
 and looks prayerfully upwards, then murmurs, " Father, 
 Ilernaldo, I come ! " and drives the weapon home to the 
 hilt in her snow-white bosom. 
 
 The warm life-blood of his victim spirts freely forth, 
 drenching the garments of the mask, and almost blinding 
 him ; then he shudders, then utters a cry of terror, for he 
 is gazing upon the ghastly features of the dead. 
 
 But it is not long that he gives way to these emotions ; 
 his stern nature soon resumes its sway ; and, as he pro- 
 ceeds to wipe the stains from his cloak, he spurns the 
 body with his foot, and mutters, 
 
 " It 's only another victim ! " 
 13*
 
 150 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 IV. 
 
 THE MASK ARRESTED. 
 
 THE mask then stooped down and picked up the dagger 
 that had consummated the fatal deed wiped off the blood 
 that had dimmed its lustre, and placed it in its sheath. As 
 he turned away, a number of armed soldiers, under the 
 command of one of the Inquisitor-generals, appeared be- 
 fore the door of the dungeon. They gazed in upon him, 
 and he, in turn, looked to them for an explanation of their 
 sudden appearance. It was soon given. 
 
 " Mask of St. Peter's," said the Inquisitor, in a stern 
 and commanding voice, " I arrest you in the name of the 
 Holy Inquisition ! " 
 
 The mask could scarcely credit his senses, but the truth 
 soon burst upon him in all its vivid reality. He saw that 
 he was caught in a trap from which there was but little 
 possibility of escape. He glanced hastily around, and 
 darted this way and that, in the hope of discovering some 
 outlet by which he could fly ; but he soon saw that his 
 efforts were all fruitless. As a last resort, he drew his 
 bloody weapon, placed himself upon the defensive, and 
 replied : 
 
 " I know not your authority, nor your means for execut- 
 ing it ; but this I do know, the first man that approaches 
 me, or attempts to use violence, shall die \" 
 
 The Inquisitor seemed to have expected such a reply, 
 and to have prepared for it ; for he simply waved his hand 
 to his followers, and they filed into the cell, holding their 
 drawn swords guardedly before them. The mask was com- 
 pletely surrounded hemmed in on all sides.
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 151 
 
 " You see how vain resistance will be," said the In- 
 quisitor, with a quiet smile. " We have come prepared ! 
 You know who I am, and from whence my orders come ; 
 and you very well know that I have but to say the word, 
 and these men will cut you to pieces in a moment. That 
 word will be given, and quickly, too, unless you surrender 
 at once ! " 
 
 The mask knew that the resolution of the officer could 
 not be shaken or disregarded. With a curse upon his lips, 
 he dashed his dagger to the floor, and gave himself up to 
 the hands that were ready to pinion him, and bear him 
 before the council of cardinals. 
 
 V. 
 
 THE DENOUEMENT. 
 
 HALF an hour later. The mask of St. Peter's was 
 standing in the midst of the council of cardinals. Corneto 
 was there, stern, and determined on the death of the man 
 who bad shown how dangerous he was how deadly he 
 might be. Each and all were unanimous ; the mask was 
 condemned to be broken alive on the wheel. 
 
 After receiving his sentence, he was asked if he had 
 anything to say in reference to his crimes or his fate. 
 
 " A few words ; a few words only," and the expression 
 of his dark eyes became more malignant as he spoke. " I 
 have listened to your deliberations ; not with fear, for I 
 tell you plainly, my lord cardinals, that the time has not 
 come, never will come, when either of you will have 
 authority for harming a hair of my head ! " 
 
 A sullen gleam was in his eyes, as he folded his arms
 
 152 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 upon his breast and gazed calmly around him, to mark the 
 effect of his words. 
 
 " I see you are surprised," he continued, " but you 
 need not long remain in doubt as to whether my words are 
 true or not. I stand here condemned, and it now becomes 
 me to speak. You shall know what I know ; that ye have 
 been dupes, fools, slaves of an indomitable will, that none 
 of you possess or can understand. I will show you how 
 you have been ruled ; how you have been made mere tools 
 in the hands of your master ! " 
 
 " We will not listen to your vain boastings," said Cor- 
 neto, sternly. " You have been found guilty and con- 
 demned, and shall die within the hour. If you have any 
 last requests to make, now is your time to speak ! " 
 
 The mask uttered a hoarse laugh, that expressed the 
 most insulting contempt. 
 
 " It is strange," observed Corneto, with a puzzled ex- 
 pression of countenance, and speaking to a companion 
 " very strange that a man who knows certain death is to 
 soon be his lot can be so indifferent to it. How deeply 
 sunken in crime must this man be, how dead to all the 
 common feelings of humanity, when he can stand here, in 
 the presence of our august council, and laugh at us as we 
 pronounce his doom ! " 
 
 " But you should not wonder at his conduct," was the 
 reply. " He has become perfectly hardened. There is 
 scarce a particle of human feeling in his heart. Think 
 how many assassinations he has committed how long he 
 has gone on in his career of crime and bloodshed. Think 
 of those he has murdered, Delano, La Belle Floretta, 
 Montelli " 
 
 " Yes, think of Montelli ! " interrupted the mask, as he
 
 ALBXANDKE BOKOIA. 153 
 
 darted forward and seized the speaker by the arm, and 
 bent his flashing eyes upon his features. " Think of Mon- 
 telli, the doom of the traitor, and tremble ! I slew him ; I 
 have slain others who have plotted against me ; and you 
 may each and all have an example of my power before we 
 have parted company. Bethink ye, my lord cardinals, 
 how long is it since you were plotting in secret conclave 
 against the Pope ? How long since you determined to 
 establish a system of espionage over him ? Ha, ha ! " and 
 the mask laughed gleefully. " Ye should all be careful 
 what you do, for you are as open books to Alexander 
 Borgia ! " 
 
 " Away with him ! " shouted Corneto, fiercely. " Listen 
 no longer to his ravings. Away to the wheel ! " 
 
 The officers darted towards their intended victim. 
 Swords gleamed around him ; again he seemed about to be 
 taken prisoner, when he stamped his foot heavily upon the 
 floor ; many a door around him was opened, and many au 
 armed soldier entered and rallied before and behind him ! 
 
 " Back, every one of ye ! " exclaimed the mask, to the 
 cardinals and their followers ; " back, if you value your 
 lives ! Mark me well ; behold my men ; and know that I 
 am master still ! " 
 
 " And who, in the name of Heaven," cried the aston- 
 ished Corneto " who is the mask of St. Peter's ? " 
 
 The black mask was torn from the features it had so 
 long concealed; the cloak dropped from his form; and 
 as every eye was fixed upon the face revealed, the lips of 
 each exclaimed : 
 
 " T is Alexander Borgia ! "
 
 154 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 VI. 
 
 A CATHOLIC PRIEST ON CELIBACY AND AURICULAR CONFES- 
 SION. 
 
 FATHER JANZEN again stood in the presence of Count 
 Luanza. 
 
 " Well," said the latter, moodily, " I do not see as we 
 are likely to gain possession of Donna Lucretia's secret. 
 Twice have you called upon her at her residence twice 
 have I secreted myself to listen to the expected revela- 
 tions ; but not a word has she uttered towards the eluci- 
 dation of the mystery. How unfortunate it is that she 
 does not have a father-confessor ! " 
 
 " Do you, then, look upon auricular confession as a 
 blessing? " asked Father Janzen, quietly. 
 
 " Most certainly." 
 
 The priest shrugged his shoulders, and uttered a dry, 
 mocking laugh. 
 
 " Count Luanza," said, he, in reply, " you have made 
 me a particular friend of yours, and I shall so far presume 
 upon this fact as to have a little plain conversation with 
 you on the system of auricular confession ; premising, at 
 the start, that I believe it to be one of the greatest so- 
 cial and moral evils there is in existence ! " 
 
 " What do I hear ? " cried the astonished count. " You 
 you, a father-confessor, speaking ill of the confes- 
 sional ! " 
 
 " I can do no less, after having had such opportunities 
 of witnessing*hs efiects. My very position has given me 
 cause for hating and detesting it. If you would know a
 
 ALEXANDER BOKGIA. 155 
 
 few of the peculiarities of this institution, allow me the 
 pleasure of pointing them out to you. 
 
 " 1st. The Father -confessor. He is forbidden to 
 marry, under the pain of excommunication. As a general 
 thing, he is a robust, passionate man, with an eye to ad- 
 mire beauty, and is possessed of all the desires that are 
 inherent to man's nature. He has taken a solemn vow 
 of celibacy; but is he less a man less susceptible to the 
 influences of beautiful women ? For my part, I can im- 
 agine no greater hell than the life of a man doomed to 
 perpetual celibacy, if he must still endure the temptations 
 that arouse the desires, the longings, the feelings of admi- 
 ration, which the sexes are forced to bear each other by 
 the first, the fundamental principle of human nature. 
 Such a life must be to the possessor like the existence of 
 the sinner in the flames of hell, who lifted up his eyes and 
 saw Lazarus afar off, in Abraham's bosom. He is daily 
 tempted to pluck forbidden fruit. Many of those who con- 
 fess to him are young, lovely, and fascinating. He sees 
 them kneeling before him ; he hears them pour forth their 
 little weaknesses, their hopes, their fears, their desires, or 
 the foibles of which they have been guilty; and aH this 
 is often told to a young priest, who is not more than five- 
 and-twenty. He beholds their voluptuous forms, their 
 swelling bosoms, their half-inviting blushes, their gentle 
 smiles, and looks of trusting innocence. He feels the soft 
 breath of a lovely young being of seventeen summers on 
 his cheek ; he gazes into her eyes ; he reads her very 
 soul ; and can he withstand all these appeals and invita- 
 tions for nature to assume its sway? Ne^aa, never! I 
 tell you that there is no man living who could be subjected 
 to the temptations of the confessional, for a period of
 
 156 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 years, and not yield. Any priest who should attempt 
 fidelity to his vow of celibacy would be in the same posi- 
 tion mentally that a man is bodily on the rack. The more 
 beauteous his penitents, the greater would be his proclivity 
 to sin. His mind would be in a continual war between a 
 temptation to partake of the pleasures that invited him 
 and a resolution to abstain. He would be tortured by 
 both in concert. He would become restless and nervous ; 
 and in time, if this inhuman war was persisted in, he 
 would become a monomaniac or a madman. No less re- 
 sults could be expected from such an outrage on nature as 
 a life of celibacy. Such a life is antagonistical to the 
 very commands of the Bible; and if you question the 
 morality of this principle, you question alike the wisdom 
 and morality of God ! 
 
 " 2nd. The Penitent. As is very often the case, the 
 penitent is a young and beautiful woman. Accustomed 
 from childhood to the occasional society of the confessor, 
 and taught to believe him the holiest and most worthy of 
 men, her feelings cling to him as naturally as the young 
 ivy to the oak that has sheltered it from the blasts. She 
 does not believe it possible for him to sin, but has implicit 
 faith in his power to pardon every sin she may commit. 
 "When she first seeks him in the confessional, she looks up 
 to him as something more than man. . She has no secrets 
 that are not revealed to him. He knows her heart, her 
 nature, better than she knows it herself. He has her com- 
 plete confidence, and often no small share of her love. 
 Insensibly to herself, she is moulded to his wishes. The 
 very questions he asks her in the confessional are such as 
 most readily poison the mind of a young lady. Under tlfe 
 pretence of satisfying himself that she is innocent, he
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 157 
 
 makes inquiries that are of themselves enough to lead her 
 into guilt. Her heart is filled with new and exciting 
 emotions ; and though her womanly pride and self-com- 
 mand may prevent her from giving way to her flwn incli- 
 nation, she is readily won by a request from her confessor, 
 and the assurance that compliance with his wishes is not a 
 sin. 
 
 " 3. The Security of the Confessional. No believer in 
 the Catholic faith would cross a threshold, knowing that a 
 priest was confessing a lady within. Such a proceeding 
 would be deemed sacrilege, or something worse. If a 
 woman is sick, and the priest calls upon her to receive her 
 confession, he has but to leave bis sandals before the door 
 of her chamber, and even her husband dare not open it while 
 the holy padre is engaged with the wife. In the confes- 
 sional there is the utmost security, not for female pur- 
 ity, but for its destruction. Everything there is made sub- 
 servient to the wishes of the confessor ; and when you have 
 viewed the subject in its true light, you will be convinced 
 that confessionals might justly be designated as a species 
 of houses of ill-fame, for the special accommodation of 
 saintly libertines, yclept Catholic priests ! f 
 
 " Such are a few of the facts in reference to celibacy 
 and auricular confessions ! " 
 
 " Perhaps it is better, then, that Donna Lucretia does 
 not attend the confessional," muttered the count, musingly. 
 
 " Far better, I assure you. If you would know what 
 influence a priest possesses over a penitent, listen to me. 
 Not long since, a young lady, who had always been gay 
 and sprightly, became subject to strange fits of melancholy, 
 by which she was so much affected that all of her friends 
 were seriously alarmed for her health and happiness " 
 14
 
 158 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 " From your description, one might readily imagine that 
 the lady was Donna Lucretia ! But go on ! " 
 
 " The lady was engaged to be married to a wealthy 
 count, wMl was rendered very sensitive by the peculiar- 
 ities of his betrothed. He could not believe her really 
 guilty ; but he felt as if he would give half of his fortune 
 to know who and what he was about to marry." 
 
 " Exactly my case in reference to Lucretia ! " muttered 
 Count Luanza. 
 
 "Under the influences of these feelings, the count 
 determined to gain possession of the fair one's secret, if 
 there was any possibility of doing so. With this inten- 
 tion, he employed a father-confessor to visit the lady, hop- 
 ing that he would be instrumental in wringing the desired 
 information from her " 
 
 " By heavens ! those parties were Donna Lucretia and 
 yourself! that is, they might have been. But proceed." 
 
 " There were some secret motives, however, in the con- 
 duct of the priest, which the jealous lover did not under- 
 stand. It so happened that the confessor who was 
 employed to gain possession of the lady's secret had long 
 looked upon this same lady with feelings of the most 
 intense and burning passion ! He had seen so much of 
 her beauty and grace, that his admiration ripened into 
 love. He loved her as devotedly, my lord count, as ever 
 you could have done. Loved but how vainly, hopelessly, 
 despairingly ! His very profession prevented him from 
 revealing the thoughts that were consuming him. What 
 could he do? Where could he look for relief? The' 
 more he beheld the object of his passion, the stronger did 
 it become. He felt that he was treading on the verge of 
 a frightful abyss ; but he could not pause. He was driven
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 159 
 
 on by all that could drive a man to perdition, unrequited 
 love. He knew that the lady would scorn him from her 
 presence, if he dared to reveal his passion ; he felt assured 
 that the count would deem him traitorous, and a "betrayer 
 of the trust reposed in him ; but he was in a position 
 where death itself could not have forced him to pause. 
 All barriers were broken down, all reserve was thrown 
 aside, and that gray-haired priest sank down upon his 
 knees before the one he loved so hopelessly, and confessed 
 the passion that had made his life a hell ! " 
 
 The Count Luanza sprang to his feet, and seized the 
 confessor fiercely by the throat, while he exclaimed, 
 
 " And you you were that dog of a confessor, traitor 
 and renegade ; and she, the object of your unholy passion, 
 was Lucretia Borgia ! " 
 
 " You mistake my meaning," gasped Father Janzen. 
 " I was only speaking of a circumstance that had come to 
 my knowledge." 
 
 " Forgive me," said the count, releasing his hold. 
 " This jealousy has set me beside myself. I hardly know 
 where I am, or what I am about. My brain grows dizzy, 
 I am sick at heart. I will seek the open air, until I 
 have recovered from this sudden indisposition ! " and, as 
 he spoke, he quickly passed from the apartment. 
 
 The priest gazed after him with a look of almost infer- 
 nal subtlety and exultation, as he muttered, 
 
 " How easy it is for one who is master of his own mind 
 to play upon the feelings of others ! A few words of mine 
 have brought the count under the influence of feelings he 
 will not be able to banish to-night. But, let me see ; the 
 hour has arrived in which I am to meet Donna Lucretia. 
 I must away to the confessional ! "
 
 160 THE CRIMES OP 
 
 VII. 
 
 THE TEMPTATION AND FALL. 
 
 STILL stranger than the concluding words of the priest 
 was the fact that in ten minutes from the moment of their 
 utterance he stood in the confessional of the church of 
 San Benito. 
 
 " It is strange how deeply I love that woman," he 
 soliloquized, as he threw himself into a chair. " The 
 feelings I bear her have been so restricted, so influenced 
 by circumstances, that they rule me with all the power of 
 a monomania. But, hist ! Agreeably to her promise, the 
 lady is here ! " 
 
 As he ceased speaking, Lucretia Borgia crossed the 
 threshold of the confessional. There was an anxious look 
 upon her features, one that gave them an almost stern 
 expression. 
 
 " Father Janzen," said she, as she seated herself beside 
 him, " you doubtless know that the purpose of this visit is 
 to speak of your love." 
 
 " Then I shall be so happy ! " murmured Father Janzen, 
 as a flush swept over his features. The dark eyes of his 
 visitor were instantly bent upon him. 
 
 " Father Janzen," she observed, with a strange sternness 
 of manner, " have I not told you that these expressions of 
 your passion are disagreeable to me ? " 
 
 " I know it, I know it," replied the wretched man, with 
 a look of hopeless despair and misery ; " but how can I 
 command myself when in your presence ? How can I 
 gaze upon your beauteous features, your sparkling eyes, 
 your lovely form, and not feel swayed by the power of the 
 passion that has taken complete possession of my heart ? "
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 161 
 
 " Are you sure that you love me so deeply, so devot- 
 edly ? " asked Donna Lucretia, as a singular smile passed 
 over her face. 
 
 " Love ? Lady, priest though I am, anchorite though 
 I should be, I love you better than I do my God ! There 
 is nothing I would not do to prove my affection " 
 
 The hand of the lady was on his arm ; her eyes were 
 bent sternly on his own, as she repeated, inquiringly, 
 
 " Nothing ? " 
 
 " Again I affirm it ! For thee I would forego the joys 
 of the brightest heaven mortal ever dreamed of, for 
 thee I would consign myself to an eternal hell ! 0, lady, 
 you do not know how deeply every thought and faculty of 
 my soul is swayed by the love I bear you ! " 
 
 " And you will obey my greatest request ; you will 
 fulfil the most difficult conditions I can propose to you, as 
 the price of the love and the pleasures you would enjoy 
 with me ? " 
 
 " I will ! " 
 
 " Dare you swear it? " 
 
 " By the sacredness of all things pure and holy, I swear 
 to do your bidding ! But let the pledge be mutual. 
 Swear to me that if I obey you in all things you will be 
 wholly mine ! " 
 
 And quickly, sternly came the reply, 
 
 " By all I have lost, and by all the revenge I hope for, 
 I swear to be yours, yours alone, and wholly yours, body 
 and soul, now and forever ! " 
 
 The priest clasped her in his arms as she spoke, his 
 eyes meeting her own with a look of burning passion. 
 
 " A kiss," he cried, " a kiss to seal our agreement ! " 
 
 " Here it is, another, ay, a dozen," was the reply
 
 162 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 of the woman, as she kissed him with a strange fervency 
 of manner, again and again. 
 
 " There is nothing I will not do for thee, if you will 
 only do my bidding ! " 
 
 " Speak, command me as you will. I am ready to 
 obey ! " 
 
 " Then, attend my wedding at the palace of the Bor- 
 gias ! " exclaimed the excited woman, as a gleam of infer- 
 nal exultation appeared in her eyes. " Go at once ! You 
 have said that you would obey rny commands, I have 
 but one command to give ; and that is, attend this wed- 
 ding, join in the revelry, drink and make merry with the 
 other guests, and poison Alexander Borgia ! " , 
 
 The priest started as if he had trodden on a deadly 
 reptile. 
 
 " Poison the Pope ! " he gasped. " It is asking too 
 much of me ! " 
 
 " But think of your love, your promise. You have 
 sworn to obey my orders. Break not that oath, as you 
 hope for happiness here or hereafter ! " 
 
 " It is too fearful, too dangerous a deed " 
 
 " Think of her whom you will serve ; think of the arms 
 that are now thrown around your neck ; think of the kisses 
 that are now rained in showers on your cheeks ; think of 
 the joys unutterable that await you in my warm embrace, 
 and dare and do!" 
 
 " No more, no more ! " cried the passion-tortured con- 
 fessor, as he strained the temptress to his heart. " My 
 word is pledged, it shall not be broken. Show me the 
 means, point out the course I am to take ; I 'II do the 
 deed!"
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 163 
 
 vni. 
 
 THE MARRIAGE. 
 
 FROM the arms of Father Janzen to the bridal altar, 
 it was a fitting change for Lucretia Borgia ! 
 
 The palace of the Borgias was brilliantly lighted. 
 Thrilling strains of music, merry voices, silvery laughter, 
 and sparkling jests, were all commingled in the richly-per- 
 fumed halls. The gorgeous parlors were thronged with 
 guests, among them Corneto and the cardinals, and 
 many of the other dignitaries of the church. 
 
 The hour for the performance of the marriage ceremony 
 had arrived. All present were eager to witness it, for 
 they knew it was no common occurrence that had thus 
 called them together, and as well knew that it would be 
 succeeded by no common revel. 
 
 The Pope was there, clad in his richest robes, and sur- 
 rounded by his friends. He had given orders for the most 
 extensive preparations for the supper. Most of the deli- 
 cacies of the land and the sea were to be served up in the 
 choicest style of the culinary art, and with an accompani- 
 ment of the richest wines and liquors the Old World could 
 produce. As was usual on such occasions, it was Borgia's 
 intention, and the entertainment was so understood by 
 most of the guests, that the proceedings of the evening 
 should be concluded by a perfect pandemonium of the 
 most reckless licentiousness and beastly debauchery ; arid 
 heuce they were not surprised to see that a large number 
 of the most beautiful courtesans of Home had been invited, 
 and were present, freely mingling with the richest and 
 most respectable ladies in the land, for such was one of 
 the characteristics of the age of the Borgias. They were
 
 164 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 dressed in a manner that was calculated to heighten the 
 fascinations of their persons, and many an admiring glance 
 and many a whisper of commendation was bestowed upon 
 them by the saintly fathers of the church who had honored 
 the occasion with their presence. 
 
 We shall not speak at length of the marriage ceremony, 
 how Donna Lucretia stood before the priest, pale and 
 anxious, while he pronounced the words that made her the 
 wife of Count Luanza. We shall not pause upon her 
 appearance, or the thoughts that reigned in her heart, 
 nor shall we dwell upon the hopes and fears of the count 
 himself, as he uttered the vows that made him the husband 
 of Lucretia Borgia. We leave all this to the imagination 
 of the reader, pass over the greetings and congratula- 
 tions that succeeded the announcement of their being man 
 and wife, and change the scene to the supper-table of the 
 bridal party. 
 
 IX. 
 
 THE POISON. 
 
 " FILL up, fill to the brim ! " cried Alexander Borgia, 
 in his happiest voice, from the head of the table that stood 
 in the centre of the magnificent dining-hall. " Let pleas- 
 ure reign in every heart, and the sparkling wine go 
 round." 
 
 " Ay, ay," responded Corneto, who was seated by the 
 side of the Pope, and whose glass had already been several 
 times filled and drained. " Behold the rich color of our 
 wine, the beauty of our many charmers, and let the sight 
 be as an exorcist for every ill the human mind can feel."
 
 ALEXANDER BOROIA. 165 
 
 " Right, Cardinal Corneto," rejoined Borgia, as he filled 
 his glass. " I '11 pledge you for that sentiment ; " and, after 
 touching glasses, both drank. 
 
 " It is nearly time to administer the poison," added the 
 Pope, sotto coce, as he observed the flush upon the cardi- 
 nal's features. " But, first more wine more excite- 
 ment! What, ho! Prato, bring more wine the wine ! " 
 
 The servant understood the significant look with which 
 the words were accompanied. In a moment, the bottlo 
 of wine which was supposed by Borgia to contain poison 
 was placed in his hand. 
 
 " Here, Corneto ; here is wine of a glorious brand," 
 said the Pope, " the quality of which we will discuss 
 together. Fill the cardinal's glass, Prato; fill to the 
 brim." 
 
 The order was obeyed. The servant filled Corneto's 
 glass from the wine that was supposed to be poisoned, then N .-,.- 
 dexterously set the bottle aside, and filled his master's 
 glass from one that resembled it. 
 
 " Your health," cried the Pope, and the glasses were 
 drained. 
 
 " Ha, ha ! " laughed Borgia, as he started to his feet, 
 " I have him in my toils." 
 
 " What ! does your eminence leave us so suddenly ? " 
 asked Father Janzen. " Will you not pledge me in a 
 single glass before you go ? " 
 
 " Willingly ! " was the reply, as the Pope again took 
 his seat at the table. " Name the wine you will drink ; 
 I will join you." 
 
 The priest nodded to a servant whom he had employed 
 and instmcted to wait upon him on this occasion. That
 
 166 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 personage immediately produced a bottle of wine bearing 
 an antique seal, drew the cork, and poured out two glasses. 
 
 " You are sure that it does not contain poison ? " observed 
 Borgia, with a careless laugh. . 
 
 " So sure, that I am not afraid of it myself," replied 
 the priest, as he glanced a short distance down the table, 
 and exchanged a significant look with Donna Lucretia. 
 
 " Then, here goes ! " The parties touched glasses, and 
 the Pope drained the one he held at a single draught ; but 
 Father Janzen shuddered as the wine touched his lips. 
 And well he might ; he knew that it contained a deadly 
 poison. 
 
 " Why do you wait? " muttered the Pope, suspiciously. 
 " You start as if it were a potion of poison instead of 
 rich and rosy wine." 
 
 " Do I ? " said the priest. A glance from Donna Lu- 
 cretia assured him. He saw her clutch a small vial be- 
 tween her fingers, beheld her lips move, and fancied that 
 he heard them whisper, in a voice that seemed unearthly, 
 it was so low and ominous, 
 
 The antidote ! " 
 
 " Ay, the antidote ; that will save me," was the thought 
 that took possession of his heart ; and he drained his 
 glass. 
 
 At this moment sounds of confusion were heard at the 
 door of the hall. A person was endeavoring to effect his 
 entrance ; the servants were endeavoring to oppose him. 
 But the intruder was not to be stayed ; his strong arms 
 hurled all aside who ventured to stand in his path ; and, 
 a moment later, Borgia started to his feet, uttering a cry 
 of alarm, and unsheathing a sword he wore. 
 
 For Hernaldo Zinna stood before him !
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 167 
 
 X. 
 
 THE MADMAN'S MYSTERY. 
 
 HERNALDO ZINNA, the madman ! 
 
 Well might the Pope shudder at beholding his victim, 
 for he presented a terrible appearance. His features were 
 pale and haggard, and rendered still more wild in their 
 expression by the long, dark hair that was matted around 
 them in repulsive disorder. His eyes gleamed restlessly 
 in their sockets, like beacon-lights swinging to and fro in 
 gloomy caverns ; and they were now fixed earnestly upon 
 the face of Borgia, while a smile of exultation flitted over 
 the countenance of their possessor. 
 
 " Pope of Rome," said Zinna, "I have come to tell ye 
 that I am fearfully avenged! I have come to tell ye 
 that ye are standing on the verge of a mighty cataract, 
 from the brow of which the waters of life are^stretching 
 away to eternal darkness and oblivion ! I have looked 
 beyond this hour to the future, and seen such sights as 
 mortal eyes have seldom seen. This fearful gift of mad- 
 MS lifted the sable veil that is drawn across the bor- 
 ders that separate the things of the present from those 
 hat are to come; and I have read a tale that none of 
 \rth shall read without a shudder. I have seen a father 
 
 ying plans to ruin his own daughter ; I have seen as 
 
 ely a being as ever was shone upon by the sunlight of 
 en made the victim of a father's unholy passion ; and 
 ^ve seen that woman achieve a terrible revenge, by 
 poisoning her sire." 
 
 There were three persons in the group who were ren- 
 dered terribly excited by the words of the madman,
 
 168 THE CKIMES OF 
 
 Borgia, Count Luanza, and Lucretia Borgia. They all 
 surrounded him. 
 
 The madman turned to the count. 
 
 " To you," said he, as he laid his hand upon his arm, 
 " I can only express my regrets that you have been so 
 fearfully deceived. The woman you have married iias 
 been the mistress of her own father." 
 
 " Liar ! " and the count struck him to the floor as he 
 spoke. " One word more against my wife, and you shall 
 die ! " 
 
 "My words are true. Nor have I told thee all her 
 crimes. Even now, this very hour, she has administered 
 poisoned wine to Alexander Borgia." 
 
 The Pope turned deathly pale at this announcement, 
 and his limbs trembled beneath him. It was no ordinary 
 fear that now took possession of his mind. He felt as- 
 sured, by the almost devilish look of triumph that rested 
 upon the features of Zinna, that he had told the truth ; 
 but yet he did not know how he had become cognizant of 
 it ; it was a madman's mystery. 
 
 " Fiend devil in the guise of woman ! " he cried, 
 " has this man spoken the truth ? " 
 
 " Ay, as truly as that you are now alive ! Alexander 
 Borgia, Pope of Rome, you have taken the most deadly 
 poison of the Borgias ay, the very wine you so care- 
 fully prepared for Cardinal Corneto ! "
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 169 
 
 XI. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 THE madman had gone as suddenly as he came no 
 one knew when or where; but it was evident that the 
 words he had uttered were words of truth, terrible truth. 
 
 It was a singular tableau, that formed by the principal 
 characters he left behind him, the Pope, on whose mind 
 was just beginning to flash, like lightning over a stormy 
 waste of waters, the terrible consciousness that he had 
 been poisoned ; Count Luanza, upon whose jealous mind 
 was just dawning the conviction that the woman he had 
 wed, and the one he loved so devotedly, was entirely un- 
 worthy of his affection ; Donna Lucretia, whose pale 
 face was wreathed with a smile of triumph ; and Father 
 Janzcn, who had arisen from the table, and came forward 
 to her side, and was secretl}' endeavoring to remind her, 
 by means of glances and pautomimical gestures, that he 
 desired the antidote to th$ poison he had taken. 
 
 " Beautiful devil ! She has spoken the truth. I am 
 indeed poisoned ; I can feel it in every vein. But the 
 antidote the antidote " 
 
 " Is here ! " cried Donna Lucretia, as she drew a vial 
 from her bosom and held it up to the light. " Here it is ; 
 but it is not for thee. There is only enough for one ! " 
 
 " Give it to me ! " cried Father Janzen, as he darted 
 towards her. "You said that you would save my life, 
 that you would not let me die ! " 
 
 " Nor will I. Lucretia Borgia never will forget a 
 wrong, or break a promise. Here drink and be saved ! " 
 
 Borgia darted hastily forward to secure the antidote for 
 15
 
 170 THE CRIMES OF 
 
 himself; but he was too late. Lucretia drew her dagger, 
 and placed herself before him, while Father Janzen drained 
 the vial of its contents. 
 
 " I see how it is ! " cried Borgia, furiously. " Both of 
 you have plotted against me, and it was through Father 
 Janzen that the poison was given me. Dog ! you shall die 
 for this ! " 
 
 The infuriated man was endowed with an almost super- 
 human strength by the desperation of the moment. He 
 hurled Donna Lucretia from his path as if she had been a 
 mere child, and, an instant later, stood face to face with 
 Father Janzen, with his dagger in his grasp. 
 
 The struggle that ensued was short, but terrible. The 
 priest had seen his antagonist approaching, and saw that 
 there was no resource for him but to draw and defend him- 
 self. He drew a heavy knife, one he had carried for 
 many years, and warded off the furious blow that was 
 aimed at his heart ; and then the struggle of life and 
 death was fairly begun. 
 
 And finished almost as soon as begun, and fatally ! 
 
 For each had sheathed his weapon in the other's bosom : 
 
 " I die," cried Borgia, as he sank back in death, with 
 the warm blood gushing in torrents from the wound, " I 
 die, but not alone. The traitor is with me, and I am con- 
 tent ! " 
 
 They were the last words of Alexander Borgia ; for 
 even as they were finished his spirit left its earthly tene- 
 ment forever. 
 
 "Dead?" gasped Father Janzen, inquiringly, as he 
 turned over on his side, and gazed towards his late enemy 
 with a look that seemed to have lost none of its philosoph-
 
 ALEXANDER BORGIA. 171 
 
 .^feal calmness. " Dead ? Then I have no cause to com- 
 plain of fate, even if I do not survive this wound ! " 
 
 " Your hand," cried Donna Lucretia to her husband, 
 vrho now stood beside her. "You now know what my 
 crimes are and have been ; and if you are ready to accept 
 me as I am, I swear to be to you all you could ask a wife 
 to be ! Your hand ! and even here, while I can gaze 
 upon the features of the dead, and say that I am avenged. 
 Your hand shall I have it here, alike for the present 
 moment and all coming time ? " 
 
 Slowly, moodily, and with an evident effort of his mind, 
 the count extended his hand. 
 
 " 0, thanks," cried the woman, as she seized it, and 
 covered it with her kisses. " Now that you have received 
 me as your wife, I shall indeed be happy, for here are 
 ended ' THE CHIMES OF ALEXANDER BORGIA.' "
 
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