Chapter IV

106

Rhone overflowed—Baths of Louëche—Tourtemagne—Visp—Ravages of the
Rhone—Madonnas placed to stop its further rise—Glys—Brieg—Ascent
of Simplon—Ganther—Gallery of Schalbet—The toll-gate—Hospice—The
Barons of Stockalper—Village of the Simplon—Broken
road—Algaby—Gorge of Gondo—Fanny too near the edge—Gap in the
road—Part of gallery carried away—Opportune aid—Arrival at
Gondo—Broken road near Isella—Accident during the storm—Remnant of
a carriage—The douanier’s aid—An auberge—The military post—My
consolation—An amiable hostess—Good company in a quiet kitchen—A
French gentleman expecting murder—An Italian vetturino—The Juge de
paix and his interested verdict—Torrent or bedchamber—Our hostess’s
supper—Departure—First difficulty—Road completely swept
away—Impossibility of advancing—A lady and her guide killed—Way
over the Trasquiera—Fanny aiding her conductor—A painful path—A
draught of water—Top of the mountain—Inhabitants—Milk and
apples—Fanny’s leap—Danger of Grizzle—Descent—Bridge
gone—Torrent forded—Gallery of Crevola—The broken
column—Arrival—Our friend’s welcome—Domo d’Ossola

CHAPTER V.

156

Vogogna—Country overflowed—The ferry—Isola
Madre—Baveno—Innkeeper—Isola Bella—Ground made in
1670—Arona—Castle of St. Charles of Borromeo—Castle of
Angera—Frescoes in its ruined halls—History of St. Charles of
Borromeo—Early habits—Resides in his diocese at Milan—Strives to
reform the church—Attempt to murder him—A miracle—His conduct
during the plague—Life of St. Anthony—Who cured the young pig—St.
Christopher, who was twelve feet high—The Ticino—Amusement on board
the ferry—The commissary—Sesto Calende—A charge—Somma and Julius
Cæsar’s cypress—Castle of the Visconti—Birthplace of
Teobaldo—Elected Pope when in the Holy Land with Edward the First of
England—Otho Visconti founder of his family’s grandeur—Gallerate—A
threatened beating—The Lord’s Supper on the auberge wall—The
robber’s seven towers—Battle between the Visconti—Unwarranted
preference shown by a ghost—Murder in the castle at Milan—The
murderer poisoned by his wife—Rhò—Milan

CHAPTER VI.

185

The Duomo—Our host’s advice—Joseph the Second—Tombs—That to the
memory of Giovanni and Gabrielle de’ Medici, designed by Michael
Angelo—Chapel of St. John—St. Bartholomew—Tomb of Otho, archbishop
of Milan—Crucifix carried by St. Charles of Borromeo—Antique
altar—Burial-place of St. Charles—La Scala—Opera ballet—The
Brera, once monastery of the Umiliati—Paintings—The old
castle—Arms of the Visconti—Prerogative preserved to himself by
Giovanni—The parricide—Filippo Mario—His innocent wife
executed—Carmagnuola Filippo’s general—Forced by his injustice to
change of party—Suspicions of his new masters—His
execution—Francis Sforza—His youth—His name’s origin—Jane of
Naples—Imprisoned by her husband—Set free—King James a monk of St.
Francis—Forte Braccio—Sforza’s death—Arena—Roman ruin

CHAPTER VII.

211

Leaving Milan—La Bicocca—Francis the First—Francis Sforza—Black
Bands of Giovanni de’ Medici—Lautrec—An intrigue—Samblançay—The
king prisoner—Samblançay falsely accused—Condemned to be hanged at
Montfaucon—His death deferred till dark, in expectation of the
king’s relenting—His last words resembling Wolsey’s—Lodi—The
Austrians—Imprecations—The serenade—Doubts as to the
road—Piacenza—A thirsty douanier—The cathedral—Alberoni—A
bell-ringer—The Farnese—Pier Luigi’s murder—Statues on the
piazza—Alessandro—His son Ranuccio—His danger in youth—His
escape—His cruelty—His treatment of his son—Borgo St.
Donnino—Maria Louisa—Castel Guelfo—Origin of names of Guelph and
Gibelline—Parma—Madonna in the stable—A lamp serving two
purposes—A procession seeking a criminal—Cambacérès—Ariosto—A
robber’s love of poetry—Correggio—Modena—The countess Matilda—The
Emperor Henry the Fourth—Canossa—Three days unsheltered in the
court-yard—Rubiera—Modena

CHAPTER VIII.

243

Pic de la Mirandole—Castel Franco—Bologna—A bad inn left for La
Pace—Its mistress—Statue of Pope Julius the Second—St.
Petronio—Mistake of a learned man—Charles the Fifth—Here crowned
King of Lombardy—King Enzio—His peasant-love—His twenty years’
captivity—The origin of a name—The towers—Accademmia—St.
Cecilia—The cathedral—Temple dedicated to Isis—Papal troops—A
capitulation—Cholera—An Italian hospital—French soldiers—The
procession barefoot—The well-attested miracle—The
Appennines—Lojano—The Pellegrino—Filigare—Pietra Mala—Strange
properties of its fire and cold spring—Fruit—Montecarelli—St.
Antonio’s grapes—Palazzo Borghese—Hôtel du Nord—Jerome Bonaparte’s
cook—Piazza della Santa Trinità—Spot occupied by the Palazzo degl’
Uberti left vacant—Recording escutcheons—The Saviour, king of
Florence—The Loggia—Galleria de’ Medici—Piazza del Duomo—The
Baptistery—Work of Ghiberti at twenty years old—Chains of the gates
of Pisa—A funeral