It was very amusing to play the queen in the garden with her friends and with a tree trunk for a throne and a wisp of paper for a crown; but this solemn ceremony, carried on without a smile, was merely a thing of dread5. She had always been “Claudine” or “Claudinetta” to her companions when they played with her, chased her about and pinched her; but now they bent6 their heads when she stepped on the lawn and called her “Madam” and “Your Highness.” She had to learn that her youth had vanished at the age of twelve and one can imagine her, when a function was over, throwing off her robes and rushing to the arms of her old nurse to cry until her tears were spent.
She had a worse trouble to face than to be dressed up like a puppet and stared at. She was rich. She had what she was told were “prospects,” with the result that she became infested7 by a crowd of people of whom she had never dreamed—a crowd of would-be lovers and suitors for her hand. They pestered8 her with languishing9 letters and with sickly sonnets10. They were all anxious to die for her. They sent her presents. They remembered her birthday. They followed her to Mass. They played lutes under her window and awoke her in the morning by singing unseasonable ballads11. She had to listen to insidious12 lords and ladies who gurgled in her ear the praises of their sons, their grandsons and their nephews. Before she was fourteen she must have been as sick of the name “husband” as a tired man would be of the yelping13 of a locked-out dog or the whine14 of a persistent15 hawker.
The more impetuous of her suitors seem to have proceeded to actual excess in their efforts; for the faithful historian states that “they endeavoured to secure her person by ruse16 or force.”[38] It may be trying to be adored by one irrepressible young man, but to receive declarations of love and offers of marriage from a hustling17 mob must have been alarming. A love-sick man, as an individual, may be simply depressing, but a crowd of love-sick men reproduces the nauseous features of an out-patient room at a hospital.
In the end Claudine married her cousin, Lambert Grimaldi the son of Nicolas, the Lord of Antibes, on the excellent grounds that both her father and her grandfather had named this gentleman as a suitable husband in their last wills and testaments18.
Claudine and Lambert had children and among them two sons, Jean and Lucien. Jean succeeded his mother as the ruling prince, but was unfortunately murdered by his younger brother Lucien. This was a regrettable episode in Lucien’s life; but he did something to repair it. In 1506 Monaco was once more besieged19 by the Genoese. It was a great and desperate assault, but Lucien defended the rock with such consummate20 skill that the attack failed. The siege was memorable21 since it represented the last occasion on which this much tried citadel22 was beleaguered23 and it exalted24 Lucien to the position of a great military leader.
Now Lucien had a nephew, Bartolomeo Doria by name, to whom he was much attached and to whom he had shown great kindness. On a certain day in August 1524 Bartolomeo was about to proceed from Ventimiglia to Lyons. Lucien, wishing to do his nephew honour, placed a fine ship at his disposal and begged him to stay at Monaco on his way westwards. Doria accepted both the ship and the invitation with effusion for it occurred to him that it afforded an excellent opportunity to murder his genial25 old uncle.
In due course Bartolomeo landed at Monaco where he was given a hearty26 welcome and was received by the prince with demonstrations27 of affection. He was attended by an exceptionally large suite28 and this the indulgent uncle ascribed to the natural swagger of youth. On reaching the palace Lucien begged young Doria to accompany him to Mass. He declined; so the prince went alone. During Lucien’s absence at the church it was noticed that Bartolomeo was engaged for long in a whispered conference with those who had accompanied him.
MONACO: THE CLIFF GARDEN.
As soon as the heat of the day was over (it may be about six o’clock) the party met at supper. Bartolomeo, who sat next to his uncle, was very silent during the meal and—as it was remembered afterwards—was much preoccupied29 and unnaturally30 pale. Lucien tried to rally him; made jokes; dug him in the ribs31; chaffed him and suggested that he was in love or had lost heavily at cards. Bartolomeo could only reply with a faint mechanical smile and a hollow effort to be jovial32.
A moment came when a dignified33 chamberlain stood up and, with his goblet34 raised, proposed “Health and long life to the Prince.” As Bartolomeo responded to this toast it was observed that he became as livid as a dead man and that the cup chattered35 against his teeth. It was with a throttled36 gasp37 that he muttered the words “Long life to the Prince.” Lucien acknowledged this kindly38 expression with a grateful smile and pressed his own warm hand on that of his nephew.
Now hanging about his father’s chair was Lucien’s little boy. Bartolomeo had often played with the child and was curiously39 attached to him. Lucien, knowing the affection with which he regarded the lad, took him up and placed him in Doria’s arms. The boy was delighted and began to prattle40 of the doings of his little world and spoke41, with breathless rapture42, of to-morrow when his father was going to take him, as a great treat, to the shady beach at Cap d’Ail where they would build a hut, light a fire and cook their own meal.
This talk was more than Bartolomeo could endure; for he knew that to-morrow the boy would be fatherless and sobbing43 his heart out in a darkened room. Bartolomeo, as he held the chattering44 little fellow in his arms, shook to such an extent that even the child’s talk was stilled and he began—moved by some subtle instinct—to be frightened. His father lifted him from Doria’s lap and told him to run away. Lucien could not understand his nephew this evening and ascribed his tremor45 to a touch of ague.
After supper Lucien invited Bartolomeo to come into his private room. As they walked along the corridor, with Lucien’s hand upon his nephew’s shoulder, Doria—looking through the window—saw four galleys46 approaching. He pointed47 them out to his uncle as the convoy48 of his cousin Andrea and begged the prince to convey an important message to him and to do his cousin the honour of sending an escort with it. Lucien was only too pleased to gratify his guest and at once ordered some fourteen men of his own bodyguard49 to welcome the on-coming fleet. In this way Bartolomeo rid the palace of fourteen formidable armed men, of nearly all, in fact, who were on duty that night. Andrea—it may be explained—was aware of the purpose of Bartolomeo’s visit to Monaco and was coming to his assistance.
Lucien and his nephew passed along the corridor, entered the prince’s room and closed the door after them. Outside the door was stationed, according to the routine of the palace, a page, a faithful negro, who was devoted50 to his master. Hardly had the door closed than the page heard the prince scream out “Ah! you traitor51!” He burst into the room to find his master felled to the ground and Bartolomeo bending over him, stabbing him with a dagger52.
He rushed back along the corridor to give the alarm; but the bodyguard were already on their way to the harbour and when the page, with the few men he could muster53, returned to the prince’s room they found it already filled with Doria’s friends armed to the teeth, and the prince dead.
The alarm soon spread to the town. From every door in the narrow streets men poured forth54 and, armed with whatever weapon they could pick up, rushed in a furious body to the palace. Bartolomeo—who had hoped to seize the citadel—soon saw that his case was hopeless and his party outnumbered. He and his friends escaped by a back stair, made their way to the harbour and gained Andrea’s galleys which were now nearing the beach. In this way Bartolomeo fled safely to France, leaving the little town buzzing with disorder55 like a ravaged56 beehive and, in a silent room, a sobbing boy lying prostrate57 on the body of his dead father.
[38]
“Monaco et ses Princes,” by H. Métivier, 1862.
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1
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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2
romped
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| v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜 | |
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3
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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4
obeisance
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| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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6
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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7
infested
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| adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于 | |
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pestered
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| 使烦恼，纠缠( pester的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
languishing
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| a. 衰弱下去的 | |
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10
sonnets
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| n.十四行诗( sonnet的名词复数 ) | |
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11
ballads
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| 民歌，民谣，特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 )； 讴 | |
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12
insidious
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| adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧 | |
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13
yelping
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
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14
whine
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| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
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15
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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16
ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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17
hustling
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| 催促（hustle的现在分词形式） | |
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18
testaments
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| n.遗嘱( testament的名词复数 )；实际的证明 | |
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19
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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21
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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22
citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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23
beleaguered
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| adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰 | |
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24
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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25
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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26
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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27
demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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28
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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29
preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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30
unnaturally
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| adv.违反习俗地；不自然地；勉强地；不近人情地 | |
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31
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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32
jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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33
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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34
goblet
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| n.高脚酒杯 | |
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35
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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36
throttled
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| v.扼杀( throttle的过去式和过去分词 )；勒死；使窒息；压制 | |
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37
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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38
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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39
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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40
prattle
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| n.闲谈；v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话；发出连续而无意义的声音 | |
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41
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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42
rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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43
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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44
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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45
tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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46
galleys
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| n.平底大船，战舰( galley的名词复数 )；（船上或航空器上的）厨房 | |
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47
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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48
convoy
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| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
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49
bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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50
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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51
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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52
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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53
muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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54
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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55
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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56
ravaged
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| 毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫 | |
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57
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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