Summary of the Life of Count Federico Confalonieri
Ricarda Houx The
life of Count Federigo Confalonieri The
young count of Federigo Confalonieri is a recognized idol of the secular youth of Milan. He is listened to, he is imitated in clothes and habits, and his dexterity in fencing, dancing and riding is admirable. The count is clever, penetrating, ambitious, he has the imperious carriage and the proud elegance of the movements, and the brilliant gaze of his “unique” dark blue eyes does not leave any woman indifferent.
Recently, the Count is seized with a feeling of dissatisfaction and anxiety. Especially clearly he realizes this at the ball, which was honored by the presence of the Vice-King of Italy, Eugene Beauharnais, the stepson of Napoleon I. Federigo leaves the festival, unable to share the enthusiasm of his fellow countrymen, like him, arrogant arrogants who bowed to “young The Frenchman imposed on them in the sovereigns. ” The Italians, “the noblest of the cultural nations,”
At thirty the count heads the party, which aims to achieve the establishment of an independent national state. By this time, the fall of Napoleon. While the Milanese crushed the remnants of Napoleonic power, the Allies managed to divide Italy among themselves. Lombardy and Venice become Austrian provinces, ruled by Emperor Franz I.
Efforts Confalonieri are unsuccessful. He does not forgive himself for not being able to correctly assess the situation on time. In addition, rumors reach him that he is known as the instigator of the popular anti-French insurrection, the victim of which was the Minister of Finance. Federigo distributes an article where he refutes such speculation and simultaneously calls himself a man who has never been a slave to any government and will never become a slave. Gradually, the Count
Confalonieri leaves for London, where he meets the English political system. His fascination, a lively mind and restrained manners conquered all and opened to him access everywhere where enlightenment and freedom-loving reigned. The name Confalonieri has already become something in the liberal circles of Europe.
In Milan, among his supporters were almost all those who differed in intelligence and noble aspirations. Federigo and other patriots develop education and industry in Italy: they open folk schools, publish a magazine – the famous “Conchigliate”, organize a steamship movement along the Po River, introduce gas lighting in the streets.
In the years 1820-1821. in some parts of Italy anti-Austrian uprisings are flaring up. Federigo is conscious of his responsibility for the cause, for which the lives of young people are threatened. But he can not lead the leadership of the uprising, since with him happens the first severe nervous breakdown. After the defeat of the speeches, some participants fled, many were arrested and were under investigation. In Milan, believe that the emperor has decided only to intimidate the rebels, no one expects severe sentences. According to Federigo, he and his comrades have not committed anything illegal, “their hands touched the sword, but did not raise it.” For his ideas and intentions Federigo is ready to keep an answer.
More arrests are expected in the capital. Federigo advises his friends to leave the country, himself, despite police searches in the house, the persuasions of his wife, haughtily persists. He does not realize that he is especially dangerous to the government as the herald of the idea of national liberation. At the last night before the arrest, Federico And Therese’s wife secretly visits the wife of their friend, the Austrian Field Marshal, to immediately take them both in their carriage abroad. The Count’s “obstinate will” also opposed it, he postponed his departure for the morning. But the police, headed by the commissioner, come earlier.
In the prison of Confalonieri, the most depressing thing is that one of his friends, the Marquess of Pallavicino, has already testified against him. Treachery Federigo did not expect. During the interrogations, he holds on independently and with restraint, denying everything that can bring danger to him or others.
Federigo for the first time begins to reflect on the suffering that caused his beloved wife. He was the involuntary cause of the tragic death of their little child. The Count understands how difficult it was to transfer Teresa’s power, jealousy and indifference of her husband. To many women, Federigo showed his inclination and sympathy, and only from Therese he retreated and paid with cold gratitude for her unobtrusive devotion. Now, in prison, received secretly in the programs with linen letters of the wife become for him a comfort and consolation. Federigo is sure that they are destined to be together, and then he will devote himself wholeheartedly to her happiness.
During the interrogation, the judges try to get confession from Confalonieri, to convict him of high treason. This is what the emperor wants, having entrusted the investigation to the most experienced and ambitious Judge Salvotti.
After a three-year trial, the Supreme Court confirms the death sentence of Confalonieri, it remains only to send a verdict for signature to the sovereign. Salvotti advises the count to show obedience and ask for pardon, this can soften the “just anger” of the monarch. Federigo writes the petition with a single request – to order to execute his sword. The emperor responds with a refusal – the rebel has no rights, including the kind of execution.
The count is overcome by the fear of dying without seeing his wife, without repenting of his guilt in front of her. He acts against his rules, turning to Salvotgi with a request to allow him the last meeting. A harsh judge experiences the “captivating power” of Federico’s voice and glance. He also violates the rules, informing the Earl that Theresa, along with Federigo’s brother and father, went to Vienna to the emperor with a request for pardon.
The Austrian monarch replaces for Federigo execution with a life-long strict imprisonment. Other patriots are doomed to less severe conditions. Franz did not want to make his enemies martyrs and heroes of Italy, it was more profitable for him to show mercy.
The condemned are sent to the provincial fortress of Spielberg in Moravia. After a farewell meeting with Theresa and Father Federico, he loses consciousness.
On the way to the fortress in Vienna, Confalonieri was given the unexpected honor of meeting with Prince Metternich, whom he had met before in society. The powerful minister waited from Federigo for certain confessions, testimonies against other conspirators. But in the courteous speeches of the graph there is a categorical intransigence, although he realizes that he thereby deprives himself of freedom. He would have received a pardon from the emperor, if he was willing to pay for it with his honor.
Federigo is the oldest and most famous prisoner. He divides the camera with a young Frenchman, Andrian, a member of the Italian movement. He idolizes Federigo and learns from him to educate in himself the “virtues of a mature husband,” to rule himself, to neglect adversity. Tapping into the walls, and most importantly, thanks to the jailers who sympathize with him, Federigo is establishing contact with his comrades. Among them, a participant in the military conspiracy Silvio Moretti, writer Silvio Pellico, Carbonari Piero Maronchelli. Federigo organizes the release of a prison magazine for which friends write dramas, write music. At the behest of the emperor, a priest is sent to prison, who must find out the innermost thoughts of the prisoners. When Federigo decides to go to him for the sacrament, this is preceded by a great hidden work of his soul. Until now, he was always convinced not only of rightness, but even of the necessity of his actions. He still believes that Italy needs a full update, but I’m not sure that I chose the right funds. Was he entitled to risk the lives of many people? Federigo realized the cruelty of his attitude towards his relatives. He imagined the life of him and Teresa, if he “gave himself the trouble to see her beautiful heart.” When the priest immediately demands from the count to recall his political mistakes, to please the emperor, Federigo refuses the sacrament. He is sad, and not because it will cause even greater displeasure of the sovereign, but because favorite Theresa will be disappointed when the news of his atheism comes to her in a distorted way. that Italy needs a full update, but I’m not sure that I have chosen the right funds. Was he entitled to risk the lives of many people? Federigo realized the cruelty of his attitude towards his relatives. He imagined the life of him and Teresa, if he “gave himself the trouble to see her beautiful heart.” When the priest immediately demands from the count to recall his political mistakes, to please the emperor, Federigo refuses the sacrament. He is sad, and not because it will cause even greater displeasure of the sovereign, but because favorite Theresa will be disappointed when the news of his atheism comes to her in a distorted way. that Italy needs a full update, but I’m not sure that I have chosen the right funds. Was he entitled to risk the lives of many people? Federigo realized the cruelty of his attitude towards his relatives. He imagined the life of him and Teresa, if he “gave himself the trouble to see her beautiful heart.” When the priest immediately demands from the count to recall his political mistakes, to please the emperor, Federigo refuses the sacrament. He is sad, and not because it will cause even greater displeasure of the sovereign, but because favorite Theresa will be disappointed when the news of his atheism comes to her in a distorted way. how his life and Teresa would have formed if he had “given himself the trouble to discern her beautiful heart.” When the priest immediately demands from the count to recall his political mistakes, to please the emperor, Federigo refuses the sacrament. He is sad, and not because it will cause even greater displeasure of the sovereign, but because favorite Theresa will be disappointed when the news of his atheism comes to her in a distorted way. how his life and Teresa would have formed if he had “given himself the trouble to discern her beautiful heart.” When the priest immediately demands from the count to recall his political mistakes, to please the emperor, Federigo refuses the sacrament. He is sad, and not because it will cause even greater displeasure of the sovereign, but because favorite Theresa will be disappointed when the news of his atheism comes to her in a distorted way.
After the departure of the priest, the conditions of prisoners become much stricter, even forbidden to read, Federigo proposes to obtain permission for physical labor, for example, to work on the ground. It is important to retain the habit of useful activity, which makes a person a “god-like creature”. Everyone enthusiastically supports this idea, although they do not believe that the emperor will meet them.
At this time, his wife and friends are preparing to escape for Federigo. Together with the count, one of the jailers and Andrian must flee. The time of escape has already been fixed, and Federigo feels more and more internal resistance. He can not leave his comrades who remain in prison and make merry with Theresa. Federigo refuses to escape. Andrian understands the reason for the refusal, he sees this as one of the manifestations of the greatness of Federigo’s soul, but the jailer does not conceal contempt.
The news comes of the “benevolent” permission of the emperor to work for prisoners. They are supposed to pinch the lintel from the canvas according to strictly established norms. This is perceived as a mockery, many resist. Federigo encourages his comrades to voluntarily agree to the inevitable evil and this is how to rise above him. The Marquis of Pallavicino declares that from now on he renounces Confalonieri. He overthrows the idol of his youth, listing all the humiliation of the count before the Austrian tyrant, beginning with the adoption of a pardon. Pallavicino asked to be transferred to another prison. Federigo understands it. Of course, he could remain in the memory of young fighters a martyr and a hero if he died “with proud words on his lips.” Instead, “his enslaved hands” knit woolen yarn. In the heart of Federigo, protest and hope flare up, he will still be free and will fight! His experiences end in a heart attack.
Gradually release the freedom of Federigo’s comrades. After unsuccessful attempts to move closer to Spielberg, Teresa dies. Federigo learns about this after a year and a half. It becomes clear to him that hope and joy will not come to life in him. As a dream, he recalls his plans to “make mankind happy” when he started by rebelling against the emperor, whom, perhaps, “God himself put it on this place.”
A new political prisoner is brought to the next cell. He expresses his respect to Federigo, says that all noble people in Italy Remember Confalonieri as the first who put forward the ideals of unity and liberation of the country and suffered for them. The young man does not accept Federigo’s regrets that his actions have made many people unhappy: the great is achieved only by sacrifices. In Federigo’s discourse, he notices a kind of “old wisdom”, the wisdom of long suffering.
The Emperor Franz is dying, and the new monarch replaces Federigo and his associates with a deportation to America. While Confalonieri can not appear at home. After eleven years of imprisonment and Shpilberge Federigo meets with relatives. Do not immediately recognize the emaciated man of the former Federigo. Not immediately return to the column “proud posture and regal courtesy,” only already deprived of the former freedom.
In America, Federigo becomes the center of general attention, it is taken in well-known homes. But businesslike fuss and the pursuit of profit in this country are pushing him away. Federico leaves for Europe, visits his friends. Everywhere Behind him as a dangerous state criminal follows Austrian spies. And in his soul and body, life energy is barely burning. At friends in Paris he gets acquainted with the young Irish Sophia and marries her. After the expiration of the amnesty, he settles with her in Milan, in his father’s house. He feels alienated about society, he reluctantly speaks about politics, and if circumstances force him, unambiguously calls himself an Austrian subject, Federigo realizes that he “lives without living,” and this is painful for him. But from time to time a desire to “fan the fading flame” flares up, participate in the struggle, and help the youth ideologically.
At the funeral was the entire high society of Milan. The police were hiding in the crowd. At parting, Carlo D’Adda, connected with Federigo with kinship and spiritual ties, rallied around him youth with patriotic ideals. A young speaker stated that the noble and immortal heart of Confalonieri ignited the whole of Italy with a fire of retribution.
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