The Betrothed: I Promessi Sposi

Don Rodrigo hears what has happened. He decides to travel to Milan while Cardinal Borromeo travels to Lucia’s hometown. The Cardinal’s reputation precedes him, and he is received with joy by the local people. He seeks refuge in the local church, where he talks with Don Abbondio. They speak about Renzo and the failed marriage. While Don Abbondio praises Renzo’s character, he makes excuses for why he “refused to celebrate” (421) the marriage between Renzo and Lucia. The Cardinal criticizes him and arranges for Lucia to stay with a woman named Donna Prassede, who owns a property near Lucia’s house with her husband, Don Ferrante.

When Don Abbondio discusses his failures with Cardinal Borromeo, he is unable to justify his cowardice. He blames Renzo and Lucia, as they tried to spring a surprise wedding on him. This, the Cardinal suggests, is only evidence of how much Don Abbondio failed in his duties to marry two young people who were in love. The following day, Lucia travels with Donna Prassede to her temporary new home. She parts with Agnese, who chooses to remain in their hometown. The Nameless One, as part of his redemption, has sent money to Lucia and Agnese, hoping that it will be a “dowry” (432) so that Lucia to set up a new life with Renzo. He promises that they can come to him at any time for help. Lucia reveals to her mother that she has taken a vow of chastity. As they escaped from their perilous situation, she believes that she must honor her vow and “can no longer be that poor boy’s wife” (434). She asks her mother to split the dowry in two and find some way to send Renzo his half of the money with her apologies. During this time, Renzo is living under the false name of Antonio Rivolta. He is no longer working with Bertolo at the silk-spinning mill in Bergamo.

The narrator describes the complicated political situation in Milan during this era. The duchies of Mantua and Monferrato are battling amidst a “war for succession” (441) for the control of the city. As promised, Agnese writes to Renzo with the news of Lucia’s vow. Renzo returns her letter, though this exchange is complicated by their struggles with literacy and finding a person they can trust to pass the letters along. When Renzo hears about Lucia’s vow, he refuses to believe it. He declares that he will find some way to marry her. Lucia, living with Donna Prassede, does her best to forget about Renzo. When Donna Prassede learns about Renzo’s association with the riot in Milan, however, she believes that she has a duty to steer Lucia away from the wayward Renzo. Lucia defends Renzo. The narrator takes a moment to describe the “considerable” (451) library and scholarship of Don Ferrante.

At this time, Renzo and Lucia are kept apart by events in Milan. The riots caused by the price of bread and the famine, as well as the wars of succession, are part of a broader tapestry of civil unrest during 1629. During this time, more and more people are dying in an “endless parade of misery” (461). Businesses are beginning to close, as Cardinal Federigo does his best to maintain whatever peace he can. He struggles to control the intervention of the state in these civil affairs. A hospital is opened for the many sick people “at public expense” (468), housing those who are afflicted by the famine and various diseases. The local health authorities advise against bringing together so many sick people in one place, but they are overruled until a sickness breaks out in the hospital, or the lazaretto. The sickness is likely brought to the city by the invading armies, in addition to the “beatings, injuries, and rapes” (477).

Don Abbondio recognizes the “terrifying dangers” (479) of the armies. He fears that they will loot the town and kill him, as the soldiers have done across Europe in their bloody and lawless pursuit of treasure. Though he would like to take refuge, he does not know where to go. He frets as Perpetua packs up the household valuables and buries them in the garden. Even the villagers ignore Don Abbondio’s pleas for help, as they are too busy preparing their own escapes. Agnese arrives at the priest’s house and suggests they find refuge in the castle of the now-reformed Nameless One, who has promised to help them. They travel to the castle but, during the trip, Don Abbondio frets. They meet the tailor and his wife along the road, sharing a meal with them so as to “pool their resources” (486). They finally arrive at the well-fortified castle, where they discover that many people are seeking refuge.

The invading army passes by the castle of the Nameless One. The people spend “twenty-three or twenty-four days” (498) sheltering inside. While Perpetua and Agnese do what they can to help, Don Abbondio is consumed by a “vague, general terror” (500). Finally, the army leaves. As they prepare to depart, the reformed host makes another gift to Agnese. He is concerned that her home may have been destroyed, so he gives her money and fresh linen so that she can rebuild her life. Agnese returns to her hometown with Don Abbondio and Perpetua. There, they discover that the army has passed through and looted everything. They begin to rebuild their ransacked lives. Don Abbondio is horrified to discover that his valuables have been dug up from the garden, where there is now only an “empty grave” (504). Later, however, he sees many of his possessions in the houses of the local people. Despite Perpetua’s advice to say something, he keeps quiet.

The army departs the region, leaving behind a terrible plague. Soon, victims appear across Lecco and Bellano. In Milan, however, they continue to blame the deaths on the famine. The plague arrives in the city nevertheless, whereupon provisions are made to quarantine the residents. The soldier who brings the plague to the city dies, and his family and associates are sent to the lazaretto. When more people are packed into the lazaretto, however, the deaths skyrocket. The plague spreads through the city; the friars who have sworn to take care of the sick also become ill. In spite of the spread of the plague, many people refuse to believe that it can be real. They invent wild conspiracies to explain the deaths, blaming the French, “dark arts, diabolic rituals, and plots” (520). In response, the authorities parade the dead through the streets to force the local population to confront the truth.