The Lens and the Looker (Book #1 of The Verona Trilogy)

by Lory Kaufman

  "Before I leave. . ." the Podesta continued. He took out a leather case and opened it. There was a pair of bone spectacle frames with shards from the lenses still stuck to it. "I had an unfortunate accident the other week. I would ask for a pair of discs for the eyes. For myself."

  "When do you wish them, Excellency?"

  "When? Now!" He looked at Agistino as if he really were an idiot.

  "I'm so sorry, Excellency. I have none to give."

  Both the Podesta and his secretary looked thoroughly miffed.

  "You traipse around Verona with your discs for the eyes," da Pontremoli asked aghast, "priests and butchers everywhere are wearing them, but you have none for our Podesta?"

  "Had I known . . . We are so busy that I even sold my samples but an hour ago. Why, we've been grinding and polishing even on the Sabbath and through the nights. That is why I look such a wreck."

  "Signori," Hansum said then paused. "Verona has blessed my Master's house with much business." He paused again. "And his discs for the eyes are so perfect and so needed that we've been . . . over blessed by requests for them." Pause. "May I suggest that the Master can make a pair of discs for the eyes this very night? Our vendor, Ugilino, will deliver them to you tomorrow." Pause. "As well, we shall have the prototype of the new looker for your approval then. In parchment, of course, but you will see how it improves the device's performance." Pause. "A week later we shall have some half dozen for you in tin, the balance of the hundred within a month."

  "And, and these discs for the eyes will be a gift for His Excellency," the Master added hastily. "No charge, from me to you." He put his ham-like red hands to his bosom and extended them in a gesture of both offering and supplication.

  The Podesta took a deep breath and smiled faintly.

  "Very well. But do not send your vendor, send him," Mastino said, pointing at Hansum.

  "Excellency?"

  "And her as well," he said pointing to Shamira.

  "But why . . ." Master della Cappa began, then, "As you wish, Excellency," he said, bowing.

  "Let us leave, Nicademo," the Podesta said to his secretary, and he walked to the door. The Master genuflected repeatedly as he exited, and motioned for the others to do the same.

  The household followed the nobles out. A noisy crowd of neighbors had assembled around the fine carriage, but fell silent when they saw the Podesta. At the carriage, the Podesta turned and faced Hansum and Shamira. He handed Hansum a card with his crest on it.

  "Show this to the guard. And girl, bring your drawing." As Mastino looked at Shamira, a small light shone into his eyes from somewhere unseen. The nobleman blinked, rubbed his eyes, then turned to climb into the carriage.

  "Thank you, Excellency. God bless you, Excellency," Agistino said, still genuflecting.

  ***

  Hansum gave Shamira a curious look as the carriage left, seeming to say, 'That was different.' With the noble gone, the crowd became louder again, laughing and patting the Master on the back in congratulations.

  "We're starting to mix with elegant company," he said aloud.

  Just then the Signora came bolting down the street, her bulk heaving like a mold of aspic.

  "My chamber pot, I need my chamber pot," the Signora cried as she ran into the house. Guilietta and Shamira ran in after her. The neighbors broke out into laughter.

  "In the house, all of you," the Master commanded to his apprentices.

  As they moved back to the house, Hansum's eyes met Ugilino's, who was giving him a very dirty look.

  "Hey, it wasn't my idea for me to do the delivery," Hansum said.

  Once in the house, the Master got right to it. "Before tomorrow we must produce an especially fine pair of discs for the eyes and a second looker. Romero, let me look at those plans."

  While Hansum was getting them, Pan whispered into Hansum's ear. Hansum looked surprised.

  "More plans?" he said out loud.

  "What did you say?" the Master asked.

  "Oh, uh . . . Master, I have another idea . . . for the Podesta's spectacles. Could you grind the lenses for the looker, as I've drawn on the plan here? I'll work with Carmella and draw up this other idea."

  Just then Guilietta came down the stairs, holding her mother's chamber pot. Hansum looked up at her and thought how she even looked lovely even doing this chore.

  "Ugilino, if you please?" Guilietta handed Ugilino the chamber pot. Without complaint he accepted it.

  "My pleasure is to serve," he said, smiling at Guilietta. But when he went out the door, he gave Hansum another dirty look.

  "Ugilino, come straight to the shop when you've finished," the Master ordered. "Now, Romero, what did you say? Another idea for the Podesta's discs for the eyes?"

  "Yes, Master. If you don't mind, I'll stay here with Carmella and draw them up as fast as we can."

  "Certainly, certainly, my boy. Come everyone. To the shop. We have two commissions for the Podesta himself. Romero, what is your idea?

  "I really can't say, Master." It was true. Pan hadn't told him yet.

  As soon as Shamira and Hansum were alone, Pan came out and stood, Tom Thumb size, on the kitchen table.

  "What do you have in mind now?" Hansum asked.

  "Another lenscraft idea," Pan said. "I thought we could introduce prescription glasses."

  "What's that?" Shamira asked.

  "Well, the reading spectacles are for people who are farsighted. They can see distances, but not close up. However, the Podesta can see neither far nor close well. I scanned his eyes just as he was getting into his carriage. I want to show you how to make him spectacles that do both. They're called bifocals. They were first invented in the eighteenth century by Benjamin Franklin, in what was known as the United States."

  ***

  Less than an hour later, Hansum was showing the Master and everybody else in the shop the drawings for bifocals.

  "These lenses allow people to see things both far and near," Hansum explained. Everybody was leaning over the table, an oil lamp on both sides of the plans. Guilietta was standing next to Hansum and was almost as excited as her father. As she leaned in, she let her arm press against Hansum's. A shiver ran through Hansum's chest.

  "Go on, go on, Romero," the Master said with excitement. "Explain it to me."

  Hansum collected himself.

  "By grinding slightly different curves on the inside and outside of the glass, we can create lenses to correct the wearer's far or close vision. These drawings show the exact shape of the lenses needed by the Podesta for both. After you've made both sets of lenses, Master, you then cut them in half and attach the tops and the bottoms in the same frame." Pan had projected a line image on the parchment and Shamira had carefully copied it. This way Agistino could cut out an exact template to match all the inside and outside curves against. Then she illustrated the production sequences in freehand perspective.

  Agistino understood the concept instantly.

  "How did you come to know of this?" he asked, an intense look in his eyes.

  Pan had instructed Hansum to say, "From the Master we had a little bit of experience with before. He was working on these ideas. I improved them a little."

  "I know lotsa people I can sell these to," Ugilino said, looking over the Master's shoulder. "Fifteen soldi each."

  "Ugilino, that's the cost of three pair of regular discs for the eyes," the Master said.

  "But it will take almost the same time to make these as three pair of discs for the eyes, Master."

  Agistino's eyes went wide with amazement. He smiled at his salesman.

  "You're right, Ugilino. You're right." Then he patted him paternally on the cheek. "I never would have believed it, but there just may be hope for you. Yes. Come, let us get to work."

  Now that Hansum was familiar with lensmaking, he was especially impressed by the Master's skill. The Master truly proved his title by slowly, patiently and intricately filing through the brittle medieval glass, cutting the four lenses in ha
lf. Even Pan was impressed with the Master's free-hand grinding.

  "This must be kept secret. This must not be shared," Agistino kept telling everyone, the sweat dripping from his brow as he labored. They all worked into the night, Shamira, Guilietta and Hansum working on the looker, the Master, Lincoln and Ugilino on the bifocals.

  It was well into the night before both the Podesta's spectacles and new adjustable looker lay completed upon the workbench. Ugilino was sleeping in a corner. Hansum and the others stared at the Master's tired, but awe-inspired face. It seemed he did not know which miracle to be more amazed about, the prescription glasses for the shortsighted, the longsighted, the bifocals or the looker.

  Chapter 57

  "Slow down," Hansum begged. Shamira and Hansum had to walk briskly to keep up with Ugilino. With long, purposeful steps, he strode toward the Podesta's palace. The Master sent Ugilino to show the way and also protect the goods. Hansum carried a sturdy leather pouch with the precious glasses and looker slung over his shoulder.

  They proceeded through the now familiar Bra Market and past the Arena. In a few blocks, the streets opened up into Urbe Square, another piazza. Pan explained as they walked that, although Piazza Urbe was not as big as the Bra Market, it was more important. It was the center for banking, wool trading, fabrics and other large commodities.

  "Come on," Ugilino said, "Signori Square is this way." They turned down a narrow street lined with tall strong houses and warehouses. Ugilino seemed in an especially fine mood this morning. "Okay, we're here."

  The narrow street opened up into Signori Square. There weren't any vendors, but there were soldiers. Two long, imposing buildings flanked the square, facing each other. One was white marble with a series of Corinthian columns holding up an arched walkway that ran the length of the building. The roof was topped with five statues of saints holding bibles.

  "The one on your left," Pan whispered to Hansum, "is the government administration building. The building across the square . . ." It was made of large, gray blocks and fronted with heavy Doric columns, "that's the treasury. And at the end of the square is the della Scalla family palace." In the middle of the red-brick palace was a large marble doorway. Two columns held up the beautiful triangular portico with a sculpted relief of a winged lion on top. Just off the square, next to the palace, was a small, beautiful church. "That is St. Maria Antica." In the church courtyard was a tall, elaborate monument whose focal point was a highly decorated sarcophagus. "That's where Mastino's predecessor is interred. The great Cangrande della Scalla."

  Ugilino puffed himself up and led the other two through the square. Two soldiers stopped them. The enlisted men wore wide-brimmed kettle helmets atop chainmail balaclavas. Both carried long-handled poleaxes with a sharp axe blade on one side and a large hammer-type weapon on the other. The ends of the staffs sported long, sharp spikes.

  "What business have you here?" one of the soldiers asked.

  "We're here to see the Podesta!" Ugilino announced boisterously. The soldiers laughed. Hansum took out the Podesta's calling card. Ugilino snatched it. "See. We do too have business here," he taunted, waving the card. A soldier grabbed the card from Ugilino and inspected it from all sides. Grudgingly, he sent his compatriot to the palace with it.

  While they waited, the soldier looked at Hansum, who answered his stare with calm eyes and a little smile. Ugilino couldn't seem to contain himself.

  "We make discs for the eyes for all the best priests and merchants in town!" he said haughtily. "Even the Podesta wants them." Then he whispered in a voice denoting secrecy, "And we have a new thing the Podesta wants. A looker."

  Hansum nudged Ugilino in the ribs.

  "What's a looker?" the soldier asked.

  "Never mind," Ugilino said. "It's important. You're not supposed to know."

  Just then they heard the clip-clopping of the other soldier scurrying back. Captain Caesar, the officer who had arrested Feltrino the day before, was with him. And at the top of the palace steps, standing by the open door, was Baron da Pontremoli. The officer motioned for the three to proceed quickly. Ugilino put his nose in the air and swaggered toward the palace. Shamira and Hansum followed. At the door, Ugilino bowed to the secretary. Nicademo ignored him and looked at Hansum and Shamira.

  "What's he doing here?" he asked Hansum.

  "We didn't know the way, Signor," Hansum explained.

  "Come," the nobleman said sharply. Hansum and Shamira entered. When Ugilino took a step forward he found the Baron's long, thin hand on his chest. "You wait in the square." The brass and wood door closed in Ugilino's face.

  Chapter 58

  Hansum noted that, where Agistino's hovel had ceilings barely over six feet high, the ceilings of the Podesta's palace were over sixteen, the entrance hall, almost thirty. The Master's floors were dirt and straw, the Podesta's, intricately cut and polished marble. Windows here actually had glass in them. Where Agistino's rented premises had a crude wooden door at the entrance with a wooden latch, the Podesta's was heavily lacquered wood, inlaid with brass bolts, hinges and handle. The interior doorways of the della Cappa hovel had cloths hanging from their frames for privacy and people had to mind their heads as they walked under them. The Podesta's doorways were made of ornate oak, each eight to ten feet high and framed with heavy trim.

  Nicademo led Hansum and Shamira through a reception room, a sitting room, and then a larger formal dining room. Finally he opened up a somewhat less conspicuous door to reveal the Podesta's private planning office. It was a relatively modest place, perhaps twice the size of the della Cappa house. There were several small desks with chairs for writing by the windows and a very large, heavy table in the middle of the room. The table top was covered with maps, architectural drawings, handwritten parchment letters and more. There were half a dozen large hand-lettered books in the room, each on its own pedestal.

  The Podesta was standing deep in thought over his large table, studying a map. Nicademo ushered the teens in, closed the door and stood quietly.

  "Si, si, I hear you Nicademo," the Podesta said without looking up. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

  "The lensmaker's apprentice and girl have arrived, Excellency."

  "What? Oh, thank Cristo," he said, turning around. He made a quick come-here motion with his hand. "Come, come. Come, come," he said. The secretary pushed Shamira and Hansum forward. "Give them to me. The discs for the eyes." Hansum took a small bundle out of the satchel, put it on the table and unrolled it. "Time is such a thief," the Podesta said. "My eyes are aching from looking at all these documents."

  "Master della Cappa sends these with his compliments, Excellency," Hansum said as he presented the new spectacles on a scrap of red velvet scrounged from the Satores.

  "The lenses, they are broken in the middle!" the Podesta said immediately.

  "No, Excellency," Hansum answered. "There is a purpose to this new design. Please, allow Carmella to help you put them on. This is something new. You are the first person ever to possess such a thing." The Podesta held the glasses to his eyes and Shamira adjusted the ribbon and whale bone clasp, which Nuca had expertly attached to each side of the frame that morning. "The line should be just under the forward vision, Signor. Just so. There, Signor. What do you think?"

  A look of astonishment, not once but several times, appeared on the Podesta's face.

  "I . . . I can see across the room. I can see clearly. The painting on the wall. You, Nicademo. I can see you clearly."

  "Look out the window, Excellency," Hansum suggested.

  "The world! I can see the world! Nicademo, I have the eyes of a young man again!"

  "Now, Signor, look at the papers on your table. But look through the lower lenses. Just slightly down, as if looking at something on the tip of your nose."

  "Spettacolare! This is amazing!" And then he turned and looked directly at Hansum. "Romero is it?"

  "Si, Signor."

  "You have brought me a wonderful gift."

  "Grazie,
Excellency. Master della Cappa will be pleased to hear you are happy."

  Mastino was close to Hansum, so he had to raise his nose in the air to look at him through the lower lenses. "Romero, Romero," he said in a very familiar and practised way. "Your master is no doubt a good man and treated you well." The Podesta put his hands on Hansum's shoulders. "But Romero, did he show you how to make these miracle lenses — or did you show him? Eh? Eh?"

  "I would not be disloyal or say anything disparaging about my house, Excellency." Pan advised Hansum to say.

  "I respect what you say, young man. Very much," the Podesta soothed. "Loyalty to one's house, to one's church, to one's city, to one's patron."

  "Patron, Signor?"

  "Si, Romero. You are a young man of talent. Perhaps a savant. A geniuso."

  "Oh no, Signor."

  "Tut, boy. And young men of talent must have patrons."

  "I have the Master, Signor."

  "Okay, be loyal to your master. But also be honest with your Podesta. Romero, tell me truly, did your master show you how these lenses and looker work? Were these truly his inventions?" Hansum paused, looking at Shamira. "Romero? I command you to tell me. I promise that much work will come to your master's house and you will not be parted from it. So?"

  After a pause and great reflection, Pan whispered into Hansum's ear. Hansum repeated, "No, Excellency. The looker and the glasses to see far and near were not conceived by my master."

  "Very good," the Podesta said.

  "But he ground the lenses. I do not have the skill for that yet."

  "And that is why you must stay with him. Fear not, Romero. I think you have a bright future in Verona. Savants, as yourself, who conjure inventions from the air, it's like God whispers in your ear. Geniusos are rare and coveted by princes."

  "Oh, geniuso, all right," Shamira said in a low voice.

  "Hush, mistress," Pan whispered.

  Hansum was embarrassed by the unjust praise and Shamira's reaction. He tried to make excuses.

  "Excellency. I did have a bit of experience with lenses before I came to Verona. With another master, in — in Vicenza. I just expanded on that Master's ideas."

  ***

  Podesta della Scalla smiled kindly at Hansum.

  "Such modesty, eh Nicademo? True modesty is a very rare thing nowadays." As he smiled, Mastino was thinking how to exploit this weakness. Still looking at Hansum, he reached his hand out to Shamira. "May I see the looker?"