The Royal Pawn of Venice
V
Ser Gobbo Di Rialto bore on his broad breast announcements of intenseinterest concerning the ceremonies which would make the day of thedeparture of the Daughter of the Republic among the most splendid in theannals of Venice. A crowd of citizens who had not been advised byspecial invitation of the various banquetings and happenings, came andwent about the grotesque figure with much lively comment of delightedanticipation, intermingled with benedictions upon San Marco that it wasnot long to wait, since to-morrow would be there after the next AveMaria! For whatever of revelry was prepared for the nobles, broughtalways in Venice a corresponding pageant to delight the eyes of thepeople.
Here and there some gondolier from the islands, sheepishly conscious ofthe brilliant _fazzoletto_, or the string of beads he had just bought inthe tempting booths of the old, wooden Rialto, hung on the outskirts ofthe crowd before Ser Gobbo, to catch from the gossip of the morelettered ones about him the details of the morrow's _festa_ which hemight not read for himself; for the knowledge would make him the oracleof his little circle in Burano--or at least with Giovanna, when heshould bestow his silken trifle for the morrow's splendor. For, ofcourse all Venice would be there to see the queen set forth.
"Santa Maria!--the Serenissimo himself upon the Bucentoro will escortthe Regina. Heard one ever such splendor!"
"And at the Lido--hast heard, Tonio?--by favor of San Marco and SanNicolo, the gondolieri with their barchette may float in line to makeour part of the _festa_. Oh, the beautiful day!"
"And the Signoria, and all the nobili! and the court of the youngRegina--and all the banners and the _barca_--most beautiful tobehold--one might die of the splendor of it, Santissima Maria!"
"Aye, Giuseppe, and the music of all the fleets!--it will be likeheaven, if Messer San Marco doth but send the sunshine and the breeze."
"Nay, he could not fail his Venice for a _festa_ that doth him suchhonor; _Messer San Marco e galant uomo!_ But how then, Tonio, thou hasta _sposalizio_ of thine own--with thy string of coral and thy_fazzoletto_ fit for a Signorina: the bells will be chiming for theeto-morrow?"
"_Basta, basta!_" Tonio responded with commendable gruffness,considering his contentment at heart, as he hastily retreated to hisgondola under the Rialto for needed shelter from the banter whichfollowed him, until some other unwary victim became the centre of thewell-meant pleasantry.
"Wait then for a day, Tonio mio, and the Bucentoro will be ready forthee," cries one of the more daring as he vanishes; "hast thou alreadybespoken thy groomsman? I also am a Castellan."
Across the Piazza San Giacomo, under the famous colonnade of San Giacomodi Rialto, the talk turned chiefly on the great event which was toculminate on the morrow, and which for three years had consumed muchtime in Senate and State, as the patricians strolled to and fro inlively discussion.
It was here that for generations everything that affected the commerceof Venice was held up in the light of expression as free and candid asit was possible for opinion to be in this highly organized oligarchy;and here as elsewhere, Venice, like a faithful mother, watched over thewelfare of her sons, though they were grown to man's estate; and sinceher commerce was, in fact, the mainspring of her wealth and prestige--avery vital part of her--she kept before their eyes on the exterior ofthis ancient church in the market-place where her merchant-princes dailymet, her admonition to uphold them in righteous dealing. One mightdecipher it wrought into the wall of the apse under the stones of thefrieze, in quaint lettering that tempted to the perusal and endowed themastered motto with the impressiveness of a rite--for the legend assumeda quality of mystery, being much defaced from time.
"_Hoc circa templum sit jus mercatoribus aequm, pondera ne vergant necsit conventio prava._"
(Around the Temple let the merchant's law be just, his weights true, andhis covenant faithful.)
Among the frescoes on the walls under the colonnade was the famous_mappa mondo_, upon which were indicated the various routes of Venetiancommerce throughout the world.
Two dignified elderly men wearing the black silk robe of the merchantwith chains of heavy gold links were strolling to and fro in eagerconversation--their comrades showing signs of deference as they passed.
"Cyprus will seem nearer now," said one of them, pausing for a momentbefore the map to point out a speck in the Mediterranean with hisgold-topped staff.
"A century nearer than it was in the days of Comnenus," the otheranswered him, with a recollection of the attempted purchase andoccupancy of the island in those earlier times. "But now--praise be toSan Marco, the time is ripe."
"And Venice hath never ceased to covet that 'Island of Delights!' Butnow her fleets may lie at anchor in the splendid port of Famagosta whileshe taketh her leisure in dealing with the merchants of the East; forthe King of Cyprus must aye keep faith with the Republic."
"Yet let Venice beware," the other answered, lowering his voice to aconfidential tone. "It is not over-easy to hold His Majesty to any faithor compact, by what one may guess from the talk of the Senate: but thefavor of Venice is needful to him."
"And none the less that there be those who favor him not. Genoa is wrothat him for having chased them from Famagosta--the most marvellousstronghold in the world, if one may credit Messer Andrea Cornaro, thefriend of the King."
"He spake truly, from what I myself should have guessed thereof--gettingno closer to the Fortress than any Cyprian might have done six yearsago, when I had gone with my fleet to the Syrian Coast for a marvellouscargo of spices, and Cyprus tempted me to a voyage of pleasure, beingnot so far--the sail of a day with a fair galley. The Genoese held thegreat Fortress and the splendid city of Famagosta and the country formiles around; an enemy entrenched in the very heart of a kingdom! Smallwonder that King Janus, being of a most laudable prowess, should claimhis own again--which won him laurels, for the Cyprians had been soreover the matter. Aye; Cyprus is good for the commerce of Venice, and itwould be a hard day when the ships of the Republic might not harbor inher waters. And if the good of Venice be the good of Cyprus,--the amityis the more like to last!"
"Aye, for the commerce it is well--most truly well. But there will betoo many of our patrician daughters in the suite of the young queen whenshe shall sail on the morrow. I could more easily have spared fewer."
"They are but charming childish faces; and they have left their sistersbehind them--they and the little Caterina; it is well that the brideshould make a brave showing at the court of Cyprus--which is held for amarvel of splendor."
"Thou knowest it, Messer Querini, having been there?"
"Nay--not at court--it is Messer Andrea Cornaro who will tell of it. ButI passed some days at Nikosia, on my way back from Alexandria, andverily the cities were twins for richness. The beauty of thechurches--one for each day of the year through,--we of Venice may not atall equal, save in our Basilica of San Marco;--the precious altarsinlaid with gold and jewels,--like our Pala d'Oro that cometh not forthof our treasury save on days of _festa_; finest statues of ivory andsilver; great carven columns wrought like our columns of Acre--butvaster and of that same fineness of workmanship: and such broideries ofgolden thread and great pearls for draperies and altar-cloths, as onemay scarce dream of! And in their market-places, strewn with the spoilsof the East are faces and voices of every clime and a very babel oftongues; more--far more than on our own Rialto; with schools for everylanguage. And I saw a thing in Nikosia that in all my journeyings I havenot met with before."
"Thy tales are more piquant than the tales of Marco Polo," his friendsaid rallying him.
"All is marvellous of which thou hast not hitherto known, though it besimpler than thou art wont to behold. So I found strange and noble, agreat building already a century and a half old, in the heart of thissumptuous city, whereon it was signified by a writing cut into thestone, that all men of every clime who but confess the name of Christus,being ill or needy, should receive therein, freely given, rest andentertainment."
"If the entertainment were of the win
es of Cyprus it would be verily agift: for these one may even taste who hath not been in her greatcities."
"Truth is truth." the other assented. "And that wine of theCommanderie"--the dignified speaker interrupted himself with slowunmistakable signs of approval--"I will make it known to thee to-morrowat the banquet. And her ortolans!--It is a rich land: the Senate hathdone well."
"How sayest thou, 'the Senate hath done well?' Is it not that we arelosing too many of our own patricians, rather than coming into favor ofCyprus?"
"How 'losing them'--to win relations that be wise for Venice? AndreaCornaro hath never been one to keep himself at rest in his palace at SanCassiano, and through his wandering hath come this royal alliance forVenice; and to-morrow he goeth again to Cyprus as auditor to the youngqueen, his niece. The Contarini, the Giustiniani--as thou knowestwell--have already vast holdings on those Mediterranean shores."
"What sayest thou of the Senator Aluisi Bernardini--that _he_ is no lossto Venice?"
"Nay, nay: he is one that Venice may not too well spare: a man after herbest traditions--one for an embassy or any place of power--a man to dous honor--overgrave and quiet, perchance, for his youth, yet of acourtesy and judgment!--and never leaving the thing undone! It is hisfather again."
"Might not some other man, less finely tempered, have served in Cyprus?"
"Aye--if the Bernardini himself were not so finely-tempered! I was inthe Senate the day they put the choice before him--it was no secret, andit proved the man. To do him honor the Senate gave him choice--and theSenate doth more easily command. And this they laid before him. AnEmbassy to France, of which he should be chief--his father held itbefore him, and the Lady of the Bernardini hath been eager that her sonshould bear his father's honors: that, measured with this mission toCyprus--to attend the charming little cousin, as private Chamberlain tothe Queen, forsooth,--a man twice her years and already of anacknowledged dignity!"
"It seemeth not easy to translate his choice. What sayeth the proud Ladyof the Bernardini? For it is less honor."
"One knoweth not; she being of Casa Cornaro, of the elder branch, and,like her son, of few words and great discretion. But she had latelyspoken with me of this embassy to France, wishing that her son mighthold it, thinking him well fitted for the place. Ah, well--she giveth nosign; and to-morrow she also setteth sail for Cyprus,--being createdchief lady in waiting to her fair, young cousin."
"The Lady of the Bernardini in the court of the Caterina! Impossible!She, in whose salons one might not think one's own thoughts!"
"By San Tadoro! one might think them, at one's ease, so only they wereof a quality to please her."
"And the Lady of the Bernardini to leave her splendid palace! Venicewithout the Lady of the Bernardini!"
"Where hast thou been that thou knowest it not? It is even so!"
"Thou dost verily flatter the vanity of a man, Querini, to forget that Iam but two days returned with my cargoes from Flanders."
"Nay--thy pardon, friend. I mind it well enough and shall mind it betterwhen thou hast a chance to make us envious of the wares thou wiltunburden from thy cumbrous, carven chests, for there is much talk oftheir richness. But the ear of Venice is so attuned to thesewedding-chimes that it hath no chance to vibrate to another theme untilthe rejoicings of the morrow be past."
"And the great estates of the Bernardini? I remember some rumor in theBroglio, before this matter of Cyprus came uppermost, that the houseswould have been allied--a marriage between the little Caterina and thecousin Aluisi--a dispensation to be gotten from His Holiness. It wouldhave been well for the estates and the Casa Cornaro."
"Aye, it would have been well for the Casa Cornaro: better perchancethan this dazzling foreign marriage, and more fortune in it for theCornari. For the estates of the Bernardini are princely; and it is wellknown in the Senate, though it be uttered in decorous whispers, that thedower of the charming bride hath left small remainder to her nobleuncle. And Messer Andrea also, is large lender to a king--for war-debtsand the like--Janus having nothing until he had regained his kingdom.But as well buy a King as a vast estate for one's toy, if one hath the_zecchini_."
"Thou art verily more a merchant than I had esteemed thee, MesserQuerini, if thou hast no thought in this marriage but for the_zecchini_--as well those of her uncle Andrea for the maid Caterina, asthose of the Bernardini."
The Signor Querini gave a long, contemptuous sniffle.
"May gold buy a man like our young Senator Bernardini! Nay:--but it isthe fuss and manner of this marriage that turneth me somewhat againstit: and because the father of the Bernardini was in truth my friend.But Caterina was still a child when a king appeared as suitor, and thequestion of the Bernardini was never made; and Marco Cornaro--Marco is adelighted _magnifico_. _Ebbene_--San Marco might see many of us wise,old fools choosing a king for a son-in-law, if one came our way to begthe favor. And Messer Andrea hath it that King Janus is full winsome.One should not be hard upon Marco Cornaro--it is not the first alliancethat his noble house hath made with royalty. May happy fortune befallthe maid--who is verily charming and of a consummate dignity."
"The King hath sent an embassy, that doeth honor to any royal house, tobring his bride to Cyprus. His Excellency the Ambassador, Messer FilippoPodacatharo, is a princely escort; and yesterday when he gave banquet tothe merchants of Venice, all were in admiration at the sumptuousness ofthe fleet of Cyprus."
"I would have been there, but some matters of moment for the Bernardiniheld me. It is not easy for him to leave Venice, with his vast holdings.And his father was my friend. I command his galleys to-morrow, whichfollow the Bucentoro to the fleet of Cyprus, outside our harbor--SanMarco favor the day!"