[If the Romans remember the vices of their princely families, they
are proud of storing up the memory of their virtues too; and the
following narrative was told me with great enthusiasm.]
Liberality is a distinguishing characteristic of the Borghese
family. It was always a matter of emulation who should get taken into
their service, and no one who was once placed there ever let himself
be sent away again, it was too good a thing to lose.
There was a man-servant, however, once who gave the Prince, I think it
was the father of this one, an insolent answer, and he turned him off.
No one would take that man. Wherever he applied, when they asked him,
'Where have you lived?' and he answered, 'in casa Borghese,' everyone
answered, 'Oh, if you couldn't live with Borghese, I'm sure I've
nothing better to offer you!' and the door was shut in his face. It
wasn't in one place or two, but everywhere, Borghese's character is
so well known in Rome. As he couldn't get a place, however, he was
reduced to near starvation, and he had a wife and six children, all
with nothing to eat. Every article of furniture went to the Monte di
Pietà, and almost every article of clothing; and yet hunger stared
them in the face.
Then the man got desperate, and he went out one night and waited for
Borghese in a lonely street in the dark, with a knife in his hand,
and said, 'Your purse!'
Borghese thought he had a gang behind him, round the corner, and handed
him his purse. But the man only took out three pauls and gave it back,
and he looked so thin and haggard that Borghese could not but notice
it, dark as it was, though he had forgotten his face.
'That is not a thief, he is some poor fellow who wants relief,'
said Borghese to his servant. 'Go after him and see what he does,
but take care not to be seen,' and he walked home alone. In less
than half an hour the servant came back. He had seen him spend the
three pauls in food; had seen him take it home to his family; had
seen them scarcely covered with rags; had seen the room denuded of
furniture; had heard the man say, as he put the food on the table,
'Here is wherewith to keep you alive another day, and to-morrow I
die in sin, for I had to steal it.'
Then Borghese called up the steward (Maestro di Casa), and told him
to go to the house and find out who the man was, and leave them what
was wanted for the night.
The steward did as he was told, and left a scudo that the man might
get a supper without eating stolen food, but without saying who sent
him, for he had learnt by his inquiries that he was the servant whom
Borghese had sent away.
The next day Borghese sent and clothed all the family; furnished
their place again for them; put the children to schools, and gave
the parents ten scudi a month. He wouldn't take the man back, having
once had to send him away--for that was his rule--but he gave him a
pension for the rest of his life.
'POPE JOAN.'
'You know, of course, that there was once a Papessa? They have put
that in the books, I suppose?'
'I know there is such a story, but learned writers have proved it
was a mere invention.'
'Well, I daresay it isn't true; but there's no one in Rome who has not
heard of it. And what makes them believe it is this. [283] Outside of
St. Peter's somewhere there's a statue of her all among the apostles
and saints; and they say it's because a Pope must have a statue,
and they didn't dare to put hers inside the church, so they put it
up outside. And if it isn't a Papessa, what is a woman's statue doing
there, for it wasn't the Madonna, that's certain?'
'Oh! that's a statue of Religion, or the Church. [284] There never
was a woman-pope.'
'Ah, well! you read books. I dare say you know best; but, anyhow,
that's what they say. And, after all, who knows!'