n, any good works; but, on the contrary,
luxurious living, avarice, greed, fraud, envy, pride, and even worse, if
there is worse; all the machine seemed to be set in motion by an impulse
less divine than diabolical. After what I saw, it is my firm conviction
that your pope, and of course the others as well, are using all their
talents, art, endeavours, to banish the Christian religion from the face
of the earth, though they ought to be its foundation and support; and
since, in spite of all the care and trouble they expend to arrive at this
end, I see that your religion is spreading every day and becoming more
brilliant and more pure, it is borne in upon me that the Holy Spirit
Himself protects it as the only true and the most holy religion; this is
why, deaf as you found me to your counsel and rebellious to your wish, I
am now, ever since I returned from this Sodom, firmly resolved on
becoming a Christian. So let us go at once to the church, for I am quite
ready to be baptized."

There is no need to say if Jean de Civigny, who expected a refusal, was
pleased at this consent. Without delay he went with his godson to Notre
Dame de Paris, where he prayed the first priest he met to administer
baptism to his friend, and this was speedily done; and the new convert
changed his Jewish name of Abraham into the Christian name of Jean; and
as the neophyte, thanks to his journey to Rome, had gained a profound
belief, his natural good qualities increased so greatly in the practice
of our holy religion, that after leading an exemplary life he died in the
full odour of sanctity.

This tale of Boccaccio's gives so admirable an answer to the charge of
irreligion which some might make against us if they mistook our
intentions, that as we shall not offer any other reply, we have not
hesitated to present it entire as it stands to the eyes of our readers.

And let us never forget that if the papacy has had an Innocent VIII and
an Alexander VI who are its shame, it has also had a Pius VII and a
Gregory XVI who are its honour and glory.

THE CENCI--1598

Should you ever go to Rome and visit the villa Pamphili, no doubt, after
having sought under its tall pines and along its canals the shade and
freshness so rare in the capital of the Christian world, you will descend
towards the Janiculum Hill by a charming road, in the middle of which you
will find the Pauline fountain. Having passed this monument, and having
lingered a moment