The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome, Complete. Emile Zola

4

Formerly the residence of the Papal Vice-Chancellors.

5

It is as well to point out at once that a palazzo is not a palace as we understand the term, but rather a mansion. – Trans.

6

St. Paul-beyond-the-walls.

7

In England we call the press the fourth estate, but in France and elsewhere the term is applied to the working classes, and in that sense must be taken here. – Trans.

8

The Corso was so called on account of the horse races held in it at carnival time. – Trans.

9

St. Agnes-without-the-walls, N.E. of Rome.

10

The “blacks” are the supporters of the papacy, the “whites” those of the King of Italy. – Trans.

11

The Vatican suburb of Rome, called the Civitas Leonina, because Leo IV, to protect it from the Saracens and Arabs, enclosed it with walls in the ninth century. – Trans.

12

Many readers will doubtless remember that the situation as here described is somewhat akin to that of the earlier part of M. George Ohnet’s Ironmaster, which, in its form as a novel, I translated into English many years ago. However, all resemblance between Rome and the Ironmaster is confined to this one point. – Trans.

13

400,000 pounds.

14

1,800 pounds.

15

Bridge of St. Angelo.

16

The meadows around the Castle of St. Angelo. The district, now covered with buildings, is quite flat and was formerly greatly subject to floods. It is known as the Quartiere dei Prati. – Trans.

17

Otherwise the Inquisition.

18

1,200 pounds.

19

880 pounds.

20

Cardinals York and Howard were Bishops of Frascati. – Trans.

21

About 36 pounds. One is reminded of Goldsmith’s line: “And passing rich with forty pounds a year.” – Trans.

22

Since the occupation of Rome by the Italian authorities, the supporters of the Church, obedient to the prohibition of the Vatican, have abstained from taking part in the political elections, this being their protest against the new order of things which they do not recognise. Various attempts have been made, however, to induce the Pope to give them permission to vote, many members of the Roman aristocracy considering the present course impolitic and even harmful to the interests of the Church. – Trans.

23

The allusion is to a statue representing St. Theresa in ecstasy, with the Angel of Death descending to transfix her with his dart.

It stands in a transept of Sta. Maria della Vittoria. – Trans.

24

It was on November 24, 1848, that the Pope fled to Gaeta, consequent upon the insurrection which had broken out nine days previously. – Trans.

25

M. Zola’s brief but glowing account of Garibaldi’s glorious achievements has stirred many memories in my mind. My uncle, Frank Vizetelly, the war artist of the Illustrated London News, whose bones lie bleaching somewhere in the Soudan, was one of Garibaldi’s constant companions throughout the memorable campaign of the Two Sicilies, and afterwards he went with him to Caprera. Later, in 1870, my brother, Edward Vizetelly, acted as orderly-officer to the general when he offered the help of his sword to France. – Trans.

26

The name – Twentieth September Street – was given to the thoroughfare to commemorate the date of the occupation of Rome by Victor Emmanuel’s army. – Trans.

27

40,000,000 pounds.

28

Personally I should have thought the example of Berlin a great deterrent. The enlargement and embellishment of the Prussian capital, after the war of 1870, was attended by far greater roguery and wholesale swindling than even the previous transformation of Paris. Thousands of people too were ruined, and instead of an increase of prosperity the result was the very reverse. – Trans.

29

The examination for the degree of bachelor, which degree is the necessary passport to all the liberal professions in France.

M. Zola, by the way, failed to secure it, being ploughed for “insufficiency in literature”! – Trans.

30

See ante note on castle meadows.