[...]... him the sex of the child, and that he had forgotten to ask bvB MADONNA OF THE SEVEN HILLS The baby was 11 brought to the Cardinal who touched its brow and blessed it The women fell back; they looked shame-faced as though they were to be blamed for the sex of the child It was a beautiful baby; there was a soft down of fair hair on the little head, and Roderigo believed that Vannozza had given him another... study canon law at the universities of Perugia and Pisa For the time being he was with Lucrezia but they were soon to leave their mother’s house for that of a kinswoman of their father’s; therein they would be brought up as fitted their father’s children MADONNA OF THE SEVEN HILLS 29 It was a staggering blow to Lucrezia All that had been home to her for six years would be home no longer The blow was swift... Lucrezia—watching behind the barricades saw strange sights in the city of Rome They saw the fierce Orsinis coming out in force from Monte Giordano to attack the equally fierce and bloodthirsty Colonnas They watched men cut each other to pieces in the piazza immediately before their eyes; they saw the way of lewd soldiery with the girls and women; they smelled the hideous smells of war, of burning buildings, of blood... were friends and allies of the Neopolitans, and this gave them an excuse for rising against the city They put Rome almost into a state of siege and their old enemies, the Colonnas, lost no time in going into battle against them Therefore, the streets of Rome, during that period which followed the death of Sixtus and the election of Innocent were the scenes of many a fierce battle The children—Cesare, Giovanni... have the best father in the world I would rather they had never been born than that they should have had another.” “You say delightful things delightfully,” said Roderigo “These are my children and dearly I love them Never shall I forget the great service you have done me in giving them to me, my dearest love.” “My lord .” The tears had come to her eyes and she dashed them MADONNA OF THE SEVEN HILLS. .. day in the nursery Now they were ready to talk to their little sister about the new baby, to strut before her and boast of all that they knew concerning the great events which went on outside their nursery MADONNA OF THE SEVEN HILLS 19 bvB Vannozza lay waiting for the Cardinal to visit her A boy this time, but she was uneasy She had good reason to be The Cardinal had continued his visits during the two... was enchanted by the child, who was turning out to be in every way as beautiful as his elder brothers and sister Roderigo, having need of sons and being susceptible to beautiful children, was more often than not inclined to give Goffredo the benefit of the doubt, and the attention he bestowed on the others was then shared by the little boy Poor little Ottaviano was an outsider, ignored by Roderigo, though... best part of the day—when they supped in her lovely vineyard in the Suburra, when they had talked and grown drowsy and afterward gone into the house, each feeling stimulated by the presence of the other After all, they were married, and Roderigo’s visits were so infrequent It was to be expected, of course, even though the rule had been laid down that Giorgio was merely to share the public rooms of her... turbulent by the two boys, Lucrezia was regarded as a blessing She was very pretty, and the women never tired of combing or MADONNA OF THE SEVEN HILLS 17 adorning that long hair of the yellow-gold color which was so rarely seen in Rome Lucrezia was already, at two—like her brothers she was precocious—aware of her charm, but she accepted this in quiet contentment as she accepted most things Today there... pleased?” bvB There was a period in Lucrezia’s life which she would remember until the day of her death She was only four years old, yet so vivid was the memory that it was imprinted forever on her mind For one thing it was the beginning of change Before that time she had lived the nursery life, secure in the love of her mother, looking forward to the visits of Uncle Roderigo, delighting in the battle of her . MADONNA OF THE SEVEN HILLS 3 abounded there. It was favored by the most notorious and prosperous of the courtesans, and dominated by the noble family of Orsini. there was added to this the of ce of Vice- Chancellor of the Church of Rome. Indeed, the Lanzols had no need to regret the adop- tion of their sons by