II
They had just told her a thing most strange--a secret that made herchildish heart stand still with wonder, then beat with a sort offrightened excitement, all unbefitting the new dignity to which she wascalled; for she was still enough a child to feel the glamour of itthrough all the strangeness, and she had stolen out upon the balcony,high over the Canal, to say over to herself the words that had beenconfided to her--the little maid Caterina.
She dropped the title softly down to the water below, and started at theecho of her own trembling voice.
_Caterina Queen of Cyprus_: Caterina--Regina!
A swaying figure in a passing gondola glanced up to the balcony of theold Palazzo Cornaro and the young girl hastily fled, not pausing untilshe had reached her own little chamber, looking on an inner court--theonly sanctuary that she could call her own, in all this great ancestralpalace, she, the future Queen of Cyprus.
Had any one heard her murmur those words? Would the Senate know thatsome one in a gondola had caught the new title from her own lips? Andso--perchance--to punish the indiscretion--for the Senate was masterful,never-to-be-disobeyed, and the matter was not to be known until itshould be declared by that solemn body of world-rulers. And if thegondoliero had carried her word to the Palazzo San Marco----? What ifhe had been sent there by the Senate itself to watch and see if she werealready woman enough to be trusted? Then there would be an end to thegolden dream--no coronation--no splendid ceremony of adoption. For therewas more. Before she should be made queen of that distant island she wasto be formally acknowledged "The Daughter of the Republic----" She wasto be made a real Princess of Venice!
What wonder that the heart of this young Venetian maid quivered with theexcitement of these visions of splendor, for by all the traditions ofher ancestors she measured the unwonted honor that was being decreed forher--no one had yet been adopted "Daughter to the Republic"--the titlewas to be created that she might wear a crown, to the further honor ofVenice! For her, who had never worn a jewel, nor a robe of state, nortaken part in any but the simplest fete, who had never left the walls ofher ancestral palace, save under closest veil and guard--this suddenvision of freedom and empire was intoxicating.
If she had known of those wonderful tales of the "Arabian Nights" thesethings that were happening to her would have seemed more wonderfulstill: but her young mind was free of similes--a sensitive blank whereonthe Senate might duly inscribe whatever tendencies seemed judicious; andafter the Betrothal there would be much time.
Caterina had taken courage again and stolen back to the balcony thatopened upon the Canal Grande from the vast upper salon, impelled by herlonging for freedom and light. The ripple of the water to the plash ofpassing gondolas took on the note of distance and soothed her like alullaby, as the charming maid yielded herself to the goldendaydream--the soft breezes lifting the bright rings of hair thatclustered about her dainty head, while the wonderful light of the skiesof Venice smiled down upon her like a caress. The strangeness slippedaway from the new facts she had been repeating to herself, for she hadalready begun to take pride in them; and the other questions that hadtroubled her for a moment, were forgotten. All kings were to heryouthful imagination great and noble when they were the friends of theRepublic, and Janus was the close ally of Venice. In this statelypatrician household she had suddenly risen to be first--not only as allmaids are wont to be on the eve of their betrothal, with muchcircumstance of laces and brocade and gifts and jewels--but she was tobring new honor to their ancient house--honor even upon Venice, for herfather had declared that the Senators, the Councillors, all the greatmen of the Republic--the Serenissimo himself--would bring her homage. Itwas a dizzying dream of glory--beautiful, child-hearted and fancy-free,she could dream of no more golden vision than the Signoria werepreparing for her.
So many generations of Cornari had gone forth from their palacesscattered through the great places of Venice, as ambassadors onmomentous missions, or as Senators or Savii, had instilled the lesson ofthe glory of service to Venice; and more than once the mighty Lion ofSan Marco had set his imperial seal above their portal, and she,Caterina, was to lead them all in the honor she was bringing upon hercountry! If her own estimate of the part she was to play was a foolishone, only a Venetian patrician maid could comprehend the glamour thatoverlay this vision of Caterina's--the royal delivery from bondage--theunknown delights it must open to her!
"Thou art sent for, _carina_, to the crimson salon; thy Father wouldspeak with thee."
It was the Lady Fiorenza, who seemed always a little sad toCaterina--too sad for all the state that surrounded her; too grave tosuit the splendor of her silken robes and gleaming jewels; too weak tocope with the masterful ways of her lord, the Senator Marco Cornaro. Hermother's hand almost crushed hers in the strenuous clasp which,strangely to Caterina, seemed to convey a passionate message ofsympathy; yet surely, at this radiant moment, there was nothing toregret! She met the love in her mother's eyes with the smile of asatisfied child, though she would have liked them all to rejoice withher.
The curtain that hung before the door of the crimson salon was raised bythe page who stood in waiting. Her stately father rose to greether--which he had never done before in all her little life. She feltwith a sudden vague discomfort, that the world was changing for her.
"My daughter," he said, with a gravity of demeanor that befitted theimportance of his message, "thou bringest honor, not alone to the CasaCornaro, but also to the Republic. I have this day received from theisland of Cyprus--of which thou shalt be Queen--" and he bent his knee,in courtly fashion before his child, as though he would be first tobring her homage, "by the hand of the ambassador Mastachelli, thisportrait of thy Lord, Janus, the King; and these Eastern pearls--a royalgift."
He kissed the little hand which Caterina eagerly stretched out for thecasket; but her mother covered her face with her hands, almost in anattitude of prayer.
The miniature was blazing with diamonds, and the pearls were morelustrous than any that had ever been seen in Venice--for Cyprus was evenbeyond Venetia in luxury; and Caterina called to her mother, with a noteof triumph, to clasp them about her childish throat.
"I must learn to _look_ a Queen!" she said with a little, playful, regalair: and then she dropped her eyes upon the beautiful, laughing face ofthe royal lover who was to open paradise to her. Her father watched herfurtively; while her mother, over her child's shoulder, studied thepicture closely, feeling that it was too beautiful to trust.
"He is charming!" the girl cried in pleased surprise. She had not knownwhat his face would be like; she had scarcely had time to think of itsince the strange news had been brought her, a few hours before.
"He will be kind to thee," the mother said at length with conviction,yet with a sigh, as if dissatisfied.
Caterina meanwhile, in the simple straight blue robe of a young Venetianmaiden, her dimpled throat encircled with the pearls that had been theransom of a kingdom, stood turning her miniature from side to side,catching the sunlight on the jewels and the face, with the pleasure of achild in a new and splendid toy--for it was all beautiful together. "Heis charming--charming, my King!" she repeated.
But a shadow had crept into her mother's eyes. "It is a face that anartist might paint for his pleasure," she said with hesitation, as ifseeking expression for some vague fear that haunted her; "I pray that hemay make thee happy, _carina_; that he may be good and--and--noble."
"'Noble!'" cried Marco Cornaro, scornfully; "what seekest more? IsCyprus not enough for thy nobility? Is there another mother in Venicewho doth not envy thee thy fortune! Go to thy tire-women and consultwith them, for the Betrothal will be soon, by order of the Senate, andthere is small time to waste in regrets that somewhat more to thy likinghath not befallen thee. See to it that the robing of Caterina be fit forthat other kingdom thou wouldst, perchance, have chosen for her."
"If he be noble--truly noble," the Lady Fiorenza said with unwontedpersistence--for something moved her to assert herself, "I
ask no more."
But the Senator permitted her the questionable honor of unansweredspeech, as he turned with a scowl and left her. For her word hadrankled: since it was known, in the innermost circle of the Council andthere discussed in strictest secrecy, that had Janus been born inVenice, the law would have excluded him from its _Libro d'Oro_, and nopatrician father would have sought him for his daughter. But Cyprus layfar away beyond the sea which washed the borders of Venetia, and many ofOriental race had peopled its shores--the ideals of Venice might be nolaw for Cyprus.
The Royal Pawn of Venice Page 2