按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Seems possible。〃
〃It's a decent interpretation；〃 Paul agrees； patting his hand on the underside of his desk； searching for something。 〃Just not the right one。 Vincent refused to accept that the acrostic rule was the key。 He would never believe that the first of those images was the important one。 He could only see things his way。
〃The point is； when the Medici were expelled； the other leading families met to discuss a new government in Florence。 The only problem was； no one trusted anyone else。 In the end they agreed to let Savonarola take a place of authority。 He was the one man everyone knew was incorruptible。
〃So Savonarola's popularity grows even more。 People begin to take his sermons to heart。 Shopkeepers start reading the Bible in their spare time。 Gamblers aren't as open about their card games。 Drinking and disorder seem to be on the decline。 But Savonarola sees that the evils persist。 So he steps up his program for civic and spiritual improvement。〃
Paul reaches even farther beneath his desk。 With the sound of tape peeling； he produces a single manila envelope。 Inside is a calendar he has drawn up in his own hand。 When he flips through the pages； I can see unfamiliar religious holidays marked in red pen…saint's days； feast days…and in black a series of notes I can't make out。
〃It's February of 1497；〃 he says； pointing at that month； 〃two years before the Hypnerotomachia is published； and Lent is approaching。 Now； the tradition was this： since Lent was a period of fasting and self…denial； the days leading up to it were a period of celebration； a huge festival； so people could enjoy themselves before Lent started。 Just like today； that period was called Carnival。 Since the forty days of Lent always start on Ash Wednesday； Carnival always culminates the day before…on Fat Tuesday； or Mardi Gras。〃
Flashes of what he's telling me seem familiar。 My father must have told me some of this once； before he gave up on me； or I gave up on him。 Or maybe it's just what little I learned in church； before I was old enough to choose how I spent my Sunday mornings。
Paul unearths another diagram。 The title reads FLORENCE； 1500。
〃Carnival in Florence was a period of huge disorder； drunkenness； debauchery。 Gangs of young men would bar street entrances and force people to pay a toll for safe passage。 Then they would spend the money on alcohol and gambling。〃
He points at a large space in the middle of the drawing。
〃When they were all pletely drunk； they would camp out around fires in the main square and finish the night in a huge brawl； each group throwing stones at the other。 Every year people were hurt； even killed。
〃Savonarola； of course； is Carnival's most vocal opponent。 In his eyes； a challenge has risen against Christianity； leading the people of Florence into temptation。 And he recognizes that there's one force； more powerful than the others； contributing to the city's corruption。 It teaches men that pagan authorities can rival the Bible； that wisdom and beauty should be worshiped in unchristian things。 It leads men to believe that human life is a quest for earthly knowledge and satisfaction； distracting them from the only object that matters： salvation。 The force is humanism。 And its greatest advocates are the leading intellectuals of the city； the humanists。
〃That's when Savonarola es up with the idea that's probably his greatest legacy to history。 He decides that on Shrove Tuesday； the culminating day of Carnival； he will stage a huge event…something that will show the progress and transformation of the city； but at the same time remind the Florentines of their sinfulness。 He lets the gangs of young men roam the city； but now he gives them a purpose。 He tells them to collect unchristian objects from every neighborhood and bring them back to the main square。 He puts all of the objects in a huge pyramid。 And on that day； Shrove Tuesday； when the street gangs would usually be sitting around fires and fighting each other with stones； Savonarola has them building another kind of fire。〃 Paul looks at his map； then fixes his eyes on me。
〃The bonfire of the vanities；〃 I say。
〃Right。 The gangs returned with cart after cart。 They came back with cards and dice。 Chessboards。 Eye shadow； rouge pots； perfume； hair nets； jewelry。 Carnival masks and costumes。 But most importantly； pagan books。 Manuscripts by Greek and Roman writers。 Classical sculptures and paintings。〃
Paul returns his drawing to the manila envelope。 His voice is somber。
〃On Shrove Tuesday； the seventh of February； 1497； the city came out to watch。 Records say the pyramid was sixty feet high； two hundred and seventy feet around at its base。 And all of it went up in flames。
〃The bonfire of the vanities bees an unforgettable moment in Renaissance history。〃 He pauses； looking past me at the scraps of paper on the wall。 They heave faintly when the vent puffs air into the carrel。 〃Savonarola bees famous。 Before long he's known throughout Italy and beyond。 His sermons are printed and read in half a dozen countries。 He's admired and hated。 Michelangelo was captivated by him。 Machiavelli thought he was a fake。 But everyone had an opinion； and everyone admitted his power。 Everyone。〃
I see where he's leading me。 〃Including Francesco Colonna。〃
〃And that's where the Hypnerotomachia es in。〃
〃So it's a manifesto？〃
〃Of sorts。 Francesco couldn't stand Savonarola。 To him； Savonarola represented the worst kind of fanaticism； everything that was wrong with Christianity。 He was destructive。 Vengeful。 He refused to let men use the gifts God gave them。 Francesco was a humanist； a lover of antiquity。 He and his cousins spent their early years studying with the great instructors of ancient prose and poetry。 By the time he was thirty； he had amassed one of the most important collections of original manuscripts in Rome。
〃Long before the first bonfire； he had been gathering art and books； employing merchants in Florence to buy up what they could and ship it to one of his family estates in Rome。 It put a major rift between Francesco and his family； because they believed he was squandering his money on Florentine trinkets。 But as Savonarola gained power； Francesco became more resolute： he couldn't bear to think of the pyramid going up in smoke； no matter what the cost to him or his fortune。 Marble busts； Botticelli paintings； hundreds of priceless objects。 And most of all； the books。 The rare； irreplaceable books。 He stood at the other end of the intellectual universe from Savonarola。 To him； the greatest violence in the world was against art； against knowledge。
〃In the summer of 1497； Francesco travels to Florence； to see for himself。 And what everyone else admires about Savonarola…his holiness； his ability to think about nothing but salvation…makes Francesco feel the deepest kind of hatred and fear。 He sees what Savonarola is capable of doing： destroying the greatest artifacts of the first resurgence in classical learning since the fall of ancient Rome。 He sees the death of art； the death of knowledge； the death of the classical spirit。 And the death of humanism： the end of the quest to overstep boundaries and exceed limitations； to see the f