[Footnote 208:  This touch shows what were then considered the accomplishments of a noble woman.]

At this point, the narrator seems to sacrifice historical accuracy for the sake of combining his chief characters in one intrigue.[209]

[Footnote 209:  It was a street-brawl, in which the Cardinal Monte played an indecent part, that finally aroused the anger of Paul IV.  De Stendhal’s MS. shifts the chief blame on to the shoulders of Cardinal Caraffa, who indeed appears to have been in the habit of keeping bad company.]

Though he assumes the tone of a novelist rather than a chronicler, there has hitherto been nothing but what corresponds to fact in his description of the Caraffa Cabal.  He now explains their downfall; and opens the subject after this fashion.  At the beginning of the year 1559, the Pope’s confessor ventured to bring before his notice the scandalous behavior of the Papal nephews.  Paul at first refused to credit this report.  But an incident happened which convinced him of its truth.  On the feast of the Circumcision—­a circumstance which aggravated matters in the eyes of a strictly pious Pontiff—­Andrea Lanfranchi, secretary to the Duke of Palliano, invited the Cardinal Caraffa to a banquet.  One of the loveliest and most notorious courtesans of Rome, Martuccia, was also present; and it so happened that Marcello Capecce at this epoch believed he had more right to her favors than any other man in the capital.  That night he sought her in her lodgings, pursued her up and down, and learned at last that she was supping with Lanfranchi and the Cardinal.  Attended by armed men, he made his way to Lanfranchi’s house, entered the banquet room, and ordered Martuccia to come away with him at once.  The Cardinal, who was dressed in secular habit, rose, and, drawing his sword, protested against this high-handed proceeding.  Martuccia, by favor of their host, was his partner that evening.  Upon this, Marcello called his men; but when they recognized the Cardinal nephew, they refused to employ violence.  In the course of the quarrel, Martuccia made her escape, followed by Marcello, Caraffa, and the company.  There ensued a street-brawl between the young man and the Cardinal; but no blood was spilt, and the incident need have had but slight importance, if the Duke of Palliano had not thought it necessary to place Lanfranchi and Marcello under arrest.  They were soon released, because it became evident that the chief scandal would fall upon the Cardinal, who had clearly been scuffling and crossing swords in a dispute about a common prostitute.  The three Caraffa brothers resolved on hushing the affair up.  But it was too late.  The Pope heard something, which sufficed to confirm his confessor’s warnings; and on January 27, he pronounced the famous sentence on his nephews.  The Cardinal was banished to Civita Lavinia, the Duke to Soriano, the Marquis to Montebello.  The Duchess took up her abode with her court in the little village of Gallese.  It was here that the episode of her love and tragic end ensued.