94 
THE GARDENS OF ITALY. 
of her horse and the safety of her saddle, surrounding her with an atmosphere of love and 
tenderness, and, after long, animated conversations with her, showed himself coldly averse from the 
proposed marriage. On his return from this expedition he formally asked Mazarin for his 
niece’s hand, hlazarin, who had the interests of France sincerely at heart, was uncom- 
promising in his refusal ; but the King declared his devotion to Maria herself and his 
determination that she should be his wife and Queen of France. For her he purchased the 
famous string of pearls which had belonged to Henrietta Maria, the exiled Queen of England, 
from which she never parted during her life, and it may be seen to-day on the neck of her 
descendant. Princess Rospigliosi. 
The Queen and Cardinal were absolutely determined against such a politically undesirable 
marriage, and Maria and her youngest sister were exiled to a convent at Brouage. She parted 
from the King with the memorable words that Racine puts into the mouth of Berenice : “Ah, Sire, 
vous etes roi ; vous pleurez et je pars.” From Brouage she kept up a long and ardent corres- 
pondence with Louis, even after he had been persuaded into a betrothal with the Infanta of Spain. 
That Maria was his truest, purest love is not to be doubted. She had something proud, 
Jaroiiche, and chaste in her nature, which then and always preserved her from any less honourable 
connection. The King, urged on by public exigency, married the Infanta, and Maria suffered 
terribly from disappointed love and from the mortification of her position. She listened now 
to her uncle’s wish to arrange a marriage for her, and the young Prince Charles of Lorraine was 
first thought of. Fler enemies persuaded the King, on his return from Spain, that she had 
already transferred her affections to the Prince, and the unhappy girl was met by him with 
a cold contempt which aggravated her sorrow'. 
The King himself had left his dull, sandy-haired bride on the homew'ard journey from Spain 
in order to make a pilgrimage to Brouage, to sleep in that room which IVIaria had occupied so 
long, and to weep bitterly through the night over her loss. The Cardinal decided that it was too 
dangerous to let her remain in France, and a marriage was speedily arranged with the young 
and handsome Colonna, who was attracted by the account of her charms and the rich dowry 
given by her uncle. She had never seen him, but all fates seeming alike, she allowed herself 
to be married by proxy, and set out for Milan to meet him. Before departing, however, she had 
a violent and agitating interview' with the King, in which they poured out all their hearts, and 
Louis endeavoured to persuade her to throw aside all claims and to remain with him ; but tlie 
woman who had hoped to he his wife and Queen refused to accept such widely differing terms. 
'I'hereupon she left Paris, taking with her his promise of life-long protection, and thus was 
closed the first act of Maria Mancini’s stormy life. 
The second opens on her arrival at Palazzo Colonna. She had been attacked during her 
journey by brain fever, and had lain ill for some time at Loreto, and as she recovered she was 
brought by easy stages to her new home by the husband who had met her at Milan. The great 
reception prepared had had to be abandoned, but all the household was drawn up to welcome 
her. She confesses that her first feeling at sight of the palace was one of disappointment, the 
courtyard not being particularly imposing. When, how'ever, she passed into those spacious 
halls, so splendidly decorated by Pintoricchio, the Carracci and Guido Reni, cooled with fountains 
and hung with fine pictures, she was much struck, and, in spite of her weakness, w'as filled with 
admiration. She was so tired that she had to go at once to bed, but she sent to the Constable 
to beg him to share her meal ; so he dined by her bedside, and she seemed more kindly- 
disposed to him than she had yet show-n herself to be. 
As her health reasserted itself she received the visits of all the great Roman ladies. Her 
husband allowed her to live with the freedom of French society, much to the vexation of other 
Roman husbands, whose wives were accustomed to lead lives of almost cloistered seclusion. Prince 
Colonna surrounded her with care and attentions, and she has left a charming picture of their 
amusements. One hot evening he asked her to walk to see a lake. As they turned a corner, 
they found themselves in Piazza Navona, illuminated, flooded, and its mimic waters covered with 
gay boats, their flags flying and musicians on board. A larger bark with a bower of flowers and 
lights, awaited the princess ; a concert, fireworks and waterworks w-ere thus thoughtfully organ- 
ised to remind her of the gay fetes she had left behind at Fontainebleau. 
