The bishop's palace at Umana—Inroad of beggars—The grotto of
the slaves—The physician's political remarks—Approach to
Loretto—Bad reputation of its inhabitants—Invitation from the
Canonico.
An hour's quick walking brought us to Umana, where carriages were to
be in readiness to convey us across the country to Loretto. Formerly
of some importance as an episcopal see, Umana is now reduced to a mere
harbour for fishing-boats; still, however, containing some handsome
though half-ruined buildings, and having its grass-grown piazza, dingy
_caffè_, and aristocratic loungers. The bishopric has been merged
into that of Ancona, but the palace yet remains, in readiness for an
occasional pastoral visitation. We had been courteously promised we
should find it open for our reception; and dusty, tired, and hungry, we
were glad to cross its threshold. But before allowing us to sit down,
the old couple who had charge of the palazzo insisted on conducting us
through all the apartments, that we might see the best accommodation
they had to offer was placed at our disposal. Accordingly, we were
forced to perambulate long corridors and innumerable rooms full of
doors, opening one into the other, through which it seemed vain to
search for one that was not simply a passage to the rest. The brick
floors were sunken and uneven; and the furniture, which consisted
of tarnished mirrors, high-backed stamped-leather chairs, carved
worm-eaten tables, with discoloured gilding, all looked faded and
decaying. The beds, with their heavy brocaded quilts, canopies,
and hangings, did not look particularly inviting; but in the total
absence of sofas, they served for an hour or two of repose: after
which, refreshed by such ablutions as the scanty washing arrangements
permitted—nothing beyond the usual tripod containing a small basin
and jug being allotted to each chamber, or procurable throughout
the whole palace—we assembled for breakfast. Here one of the middies
narrowly missed upsetting the general harmony by relating his fruitless
attempts to obtain a tub, winding up his narrative by the remark,
“that these padres must be a queer set, decidedly not hydropathic.”
This observation being unfortunately overheard by the chevalier,
who perfectly understood English, was immediately interpreted into a
want of reverence for the priesthood. Turning very red, he said with
emphasis, “It was extremely unfair and narrow-minded to cast _that_ as
an imputation upon one class of the community, which was decidedly a
national characteristic;” and an awkward pause ensuing, we should have
felt very uncomfortable, if the entrance of several _bottegas_, waiters
from the _caffè_, bearing a number of little brass trays containing
each person's cup, tiny coffee-pot, milk-jug, and allowance of powdered
sugar, had not given a happy turn to the state of affairs. The price of
this collation, including a liberal supply of rolls and cakes, did not
exceed five _bajocchi_ a head (twopence-halfpenny). More substantial
fare was supplied by the remaining contents of the basket that had
furnished last night's supper; and being now completely recruited, we
all sallied out to see something of Umana.
Our appearance on the piazza created an immense sensation. It was
evident that the presence of strangers was no common occurrence to the
industrious citizens pursuing there the _dolce far niente_. Then, too,
in addition to the flattering notice of the out-door population—the
barber, the apothecary, the keeper of the lottery-office, the
tobacconist, besides whoever happened to be making _conversazione_ with
them at the moment, all stood at their respective doors to look at
us, and bowed with flattering urbanity. This tranquil demonstration,
however, was soon eclipsed by an inroad of beggars, who had at first
presented themselves in limited detachments; but as nothing could
restrain our sailor-friends from distributing small coins in profusion,
their numbers soon became astounding, and we ran the risk of being
pulled to pieces in their eagerness, or deafened by their clamour. At
this juncture, the consul and the three delinquents, forming themselves
into a body-guard, faced round and menaced the most importunate with
their sticks, while we availed ourselves of the opportunity to escape
further pursuit, and laughingly descended a steep stony path leading to
the beach.
Here some fishermen at once gathered round, and assailed us with
inquiries as to whether we would not like to see the famous Grotta
de' Schiavi, distant half an hour's row along the coast. This had not
formed part of our projected itinerary; but the sea being exquisitely
calm, and the weather delightful, the majority of the party were
strongly inclined to follow the suggestion. While the point was
still in discussion, an unexpected ally in surmounting the opposing
side presented himself in the _Chiarissimo_ and _Dottissimo Signor
Dottore_——(most enlightened and most learned, thus he would be styled
officially), the most popular physician in Ancona, and an especial
favourite, as I have already mentioned, in my uncle's household.
Summoned the previous night to Umana for a consultation, he had
promised to remain till evening to await the result of the treatment he
enjoined, and not being a frequenter of _caffès_, was now beguiling the
time by a stroll on the sea-shore.
Assuring the _consolessa_, who had a vision of banditti before her
eyes, that even a delay of two hours would not hinder our reaching
Loretto before sunset, and offering his escort in lieu of Monsieur V——,
whose politeness was combated by his dislike to any marine expeditions,
we soon obtained the good pair's acquiescence. The consul went back
to the episcopal palace to take a second nap; his spouse, faithful to
her duties, cheerfully prepared to accompany us, too amiable to give
herself the satisfaction of looking victimized. Two boats were soon
selected from a host of applicants, who remained furiously wrangling
among themselves, and hurling imprecations at the head of their
successful comrades, long after we had pushed out to sea.
Although the men pulled vigorously, rather more than the stipulated
time elapsed before we descried a dark speck at the base of the white
cliffs which rose, without a strip of intervening shingle, abruptly
from the water's edge. As we approached, this proved to be an aperture
wide enough to admit the entrance of a boat, and crouching as we glided
under the low, dark passage, we found ourselves in a lofty circular
cavern, with no place for the foot to rest upon except a narrow
ledge of rock, two or three feet wide, that ran round it. A mournful
interest, derived from well-authenticated facts, is attached to the
Grotta de' Schiavi—that is, of the slaves—to which its name especially
bears reference. It was here, as the sailors told us, and the _dottore_
confirmed, that in those times when the Adriatic coast was ruthlessly
swept by the Algerine corsairs, they used temporarily to confine their
prisoners, and deposit the booty they had collected. Landing them upon
the narrow ledge within the grotto, they would leave them securely
bound while they went in quest of further plunder, confident that no
means of egress, or possibility of rescue, lay before the wretched
victims they had torn from their homes and kindred.
Upon this natural platform the party now landed; and while the
greater number, laughing and talking, made the circuit of the rocks,
the physician stood near my cousin Lucy and me, and dwelt upon the
associations to which such a spot naturally gave rise.
“I never come here,” he said, “without a host of mournful fancies
presenting themselves to my mind. What shrieks and wailings, what moans
of agony must have resounded within this gloomy cave!—How truly must
hope have died in the hearts of those who entered it!—How many forms
of beauty, and strength, and helpless childhood, have here writhed
and struggled, and swayed to and fro in impotent despair, waiting till
their pitiless captors should return with fresh companions in slavery
to greet them!”
“And I,” exclaimed Lucy, the wonderful English spirit which animated
those Italian-born girls causing the blood to mantle in her cheeks, “I,
in a scene like this, can never sufficiently thank God for having made
me of a nation to whom it is owing that such things have ceased to be!
It was my dear England which sent forth Lord Exmouth's fleet in 1816
to the bombardment of Algiers, the liberation of Christian captives,
and the suppression of piracy in all the Barbary States. Oh, Signor
Dottore, it is a noble privilege to be English!—I value it next to
being a Christian!”
He had known her from childhood, and smiled at her enthusiasm, while
he rejoined:—“Would to Heaven, Signora Lucia, that your country, great
and wonderful as she is, would not now-a-days content herself with
reminiscences of her past exertions in the cause of freedom.[7] You
say such things have ceased to be. What has ceased?... The inroads of
Algerine corsairs, I grant you—but not the tears of Italian captives.”
He looked round. Madame V—— and the others were still at some distance;
the boatmen were resting on their oars at the mouth of the cave.
Eagerly, as if catching at every moment, he went on:—
“Who can count the political prisoners rotting in loathsome dungeons in
various parts of Italy at this moment? Your countryman Gladstone has
laid bare the horrors of the Neapolitan state prisons; but he did not
tell you of Mantua, of Ferrara, of Pagliano! In the galleys of Ancona
many persons, guilty of no other crime than the unguarded expression of
their liberal opinions, are now wearing the felon's dress and chain. I
know of some young men now languishing there, who, for having let off
a few fireworks on the anniversary of the proclamation of the Roman
Republic, were sentenced by the restored Papal Government to twenty
years' companionship—daily and nightly companionship—with the foulest
murderers. I could relate to you such stories of our prisons,—of men
worn to premature dotage; of strong hearts crushed; of noble intellects
palsied,—as would make you own that a worse slavery than that of
Algiers exists for us!”
We would willingly have heard more, but the approach of Madame V——
checked the speaker. Good, amiable as she was, she was known to be
too completely under the control of her confessor, for any liberal to
venture to speak unreservedly on politics before her. The conversation
was at once turned into a new channel; and in a few instants more,
the bright sunshine, the sparkling waters, the ineffable beauty of
the cloudless sky, as we emerged from the grotto, proved irresistible
spells to chase away the gloomy impression of what the doctor had just
related.
Duly drawn up on the piazza, we found, on regaining the shore, the two
_vetture_ previously bespoken, surpassing specimens of that delectable
style of equipage—each with three spectral horses, whose mean bodily
appearance was supposed to be atoned for by an extra supply of jingling
bells and scarlet worsted tufts; the drivers fierce and bravo-like; and
the interiors painfully redolent of musty straw. There were six places
in each, two in the _cabriolet_, and four inside; and the consul and
Madame V—— respectively taking the command of a division, with many
expressions of thanks and good-will to the _dottore_, whose presence
had formed a very agreeable interlude to some amongst the party, we
set forth in great style. The whole mendicant population, at least
half apparently of the inhabitants of Umana, escorted us, like a guard
of honour, as a tribute to the largesses of our good-humoured tars,
and filled the air with their benedictions; while a number of boys and
girls, even after the horses had been urged into a feeble trot, pursued
us indefatigably for at least a mile, the former making wheels of
themselves, and bowling along after the most approved fashion; and the
latter springing up to the windows to offer their bunches of flowers,
and obtain a farewell token of English liberality.
After a drive of four hours or thereabouts, through country equally
fertile and diversified, we drew near Loretto, situated on the brow of
a very steep hill, crowned by the church of the Santa Casa. As we wound
slowly up the ascent, we met the peasants in large numbers returning
from some neighbouring fair, and were struck by the scowling looks
with which they eyed us, and a general air of menace and defiance.
Singularly enough, it is notorious that the population in the vicinity
of this venerated shrine is the worst throughout the whole pontifical
dominions. This is a perplexing fact to persons who, like the V——
family, were perfectly sincere in their belief of the legend of the
holy house's miraculous transportation by angels from Nazareth; and
who naturally would infer that the immediate presence of such a relic
ought to have produced a salutary effect upon public morals. Their
explanation of this inconsistency was briefly, that the town having
been for centuries the resort of pilgrims of all ranks and from every
clime, the Loretani had become corrupted by ever-changing intercourse
with these strangers: an hypothesis we unquestioningly accepted, for
it must not be forgotten we were now on delicate ground, and many an
observation that might have jarred on our foreign companions, had to be
altogether suppressed or carefully kept amongst ourselves. The sinister
aspects of the groups we encountered gave a clue to the numerous
robberies perpetrated in the neighbourhood; to say nothing of the
darker tales of murder and revenge, of which the way-side crosses, so
frequent during the last few miles, were ominously suggestive.
Equally unfavourable were our first impressions of the town, as we
drove through a narrow street, lined on each side with booths, where
every description of medals, chaplets, rosaries, and other objects
of devotion lay exposed for sale, which we were loudly called upon
to purchase. Slipshod women, their black hair escaping, matted and
disordered, from the coloured handkerchiefs bound about their heads;
beggars in every stage and form of human misery—blind, palsied, maimed;
squalid children; lean, fighting dogs; portly priests; dirty pilgrims
with staff and scallop-shell: such is the appearance of the crowd that
greets the traveller on entering Loretto.
On reaching the inn, we found a fresh assemblage of mendicants drawn
up in array in the courtyard; objects so dirty and revolting, that
one involuntarily shrunk from contact with them: and clamorous, even
peremptory, in their demands, which are in general liberally complied
with. Their trade is supposed to be a thriving one, since the majority
of persons repairing to the town, do so from religious motives, and
esteem this promiscuous alms-giving a stringent duty. Besides these,
we encountered upon the unswept stairs several women with baskets of
rosaries and medals, which they kept importuning us to buy, that we
might have them blessed at the Santa Casa; and lastly, two or three
tottering old men waylaid us on the landing, and pressingly offered
themselves as our _ciceroni_ to the shrine. But it was too late, or
rather we were too weary for any more sight-seeing that day; and as
soon as dinner was concluded, we were glad enough to betake ourselves
to repose.
Recruited by a night of well-earned sleep, the next morning found us
assembled in the general sala of the inn, waiting for breakfast and the
return of the V—— family, who, the servants told us, had gone out soon
after dawn. They speedily came in with cheerful faces, having fulfilled
all the devotional exercises prescribed to devout Roman Catholics
on their first visit to the Santa Casa, and were now ready to enter
cordially into the survey of the church and all the curiosities it
contained.
While we were still at table, we heard a voice in rich oily tones,
accompanied by a boisterous laugh, inquiring for the _Signorine
Inglesi_. Presently a short, stout, very stout, priest entered the
room, and, apostrophized as _il Signor Canonico_, was greeted by my
cousins with unfeigned friendliness. It appeared he had known the
family some years before, having been the curate of their parish in
Ancona. The exercise of his duties used occasionally to lead him to my
uncle's house—at such times, for instance, as blessing it at Easter, or
distributing the tickets for confession to the servants—opportunities
which he never failed to improve in a little attempt at converting the
signorine. Now it would be the present of a life of Santa Filomena,
or some other saintly legend, which they were implored to substitute
for other reading; or again, a medal or relic to be suspended round
their necks, and win them to the fold. These simple devices invariably
proving abortive, the poor padre would shake his head, look at them
with tears in his eyes, and plunging his hand into a capacious pocket,
draw thence a goodly packet of sugar-plums, in the discussion whereof
all controversial bitterness was soon forgotten.
These amicable relations had for some time been suspended, owing to
his prospering in the world, and having been translated to a canon's
stall at Loretto—evidently an easy and thriving post. As soon as
the first expressions of pleasure at this unexpected meeting were
over, the canonico was introduced in form to the V——s, the officers,
and the _cugina forestiera_, and had a varied compliment for each
member of the party; after which, without the slightest modulation of
voice, but rather, if possible, pitching it in a higher key, and with
an indescribable play of feature and vivacity of gesture, he began
inveighing against his young friends for not giving him timely notice
that they were coming to Loretto, when they might have eaten _due
bocconi_ (two mouthfuls) at his house. Precisely for this reason, they
replied, had they determined not to apprize him beforehand, knowing his
hospitality would have led to the commission of some _pazzia_ or folly
upon their account. At this pleasantry he laughed and wheezed till he
was nearly black in the face; but on recovering his breath, insisted
that, although it was certainly too late to think of preparing a
dinner, they should not be let off so easily as they expected, and must
therefore, with all the honourable company—making a circular movement
with his hands—come at noon and take _la cioccolata_ under his poor
roof.
The good man was clearly so much in earnest, that it would have been
ungracious to decline, and an appointment was accordingly made for that
hour. This important business being satisfactorily adjusted, he took
his leave, and we set forth to visit the fane where pilgrim-kings have
worshipped.