CHAPTER IX
Conclusion
Little more need be added to complete this story of a great singer'sCarnival engagement, and the consequences that arose out of it.
The consternation, the talk, the moralizings, of the little city may bereadily imagined.
Of course the written statement left by the unhappy Marchese made allfurther judicial inquiry unnecessary. When the hand of a mightier powerthan that of any earthly judge struck him down before the eyes of allthat world whose good opinion he had valued so highly, in the mannerthat has been related, the tribunal, of course, declared the businessbefore it to be suspended. The result made it needless ever to resumethe sitting. No retarded evidence against the Marchese had been given incourt--no record of any accusation against him remained in the archivesof it: and this was deemed to be a great point among a people who donot, by any means, hold that the law is the same "de non apparentibus etde non existentibus."
Of course there was no further obstacle to the marriage, in due time, ofLudovico and Paolina. A proper interval had, of course, to be allowed toelapse before the knot was definitively tied; but it was settled, andknown to be settled by all Ravenna, and the strange and movingcircumstances which had attended the young Marchese's fortunes had theeffect of causing his marriage with the Venetian artist to be acceptedby the "Society" more tolerantly than, perhaps, might otherwise havebeen the case. There was a sort of feeling that the whole affair wasexceptional; that the higher powers had visibly taken the management ofit into their own hands; that it was destined so to be, and must be, assuch, accepted. Too much of pity, of wonder, of congratulation, and ofcondolence, were due from all his world to leave any space for censureon account of his marriage.
Doubtless there were explanations between them as to that haplessexpedition to the Pineta; and doubtless they were satisfactory.Assuredly Ludovico never in his moments of most severe self-examination,sharpened, as such self-examination was, by the terrible nature of theresult which had seemed to grow out of his conduct on that Ash Wednesdaymorning, could accuse himself of having done aught that could reasonablybe held to leave at his door the responsibility of the events that hadfollowed from it. Italian men are not apt to bring into any prominencethe idea that where evil or misfortune is found there fault of some kindmust exist also. They are content, for the most part, to accept thenotion that all such matters are sufficiently accounted for byattributing them to "disgrazia"--the absence of favour, that is tosay--the want of that favour at the Heavenly Court which it is on everyoccasion of life seen to be so necessary to successful well-being topossess at the Courts of Heaven's ecclesiastical, or lay vice-gerents.
Paolina insisted on employing a part of the time which necessarilyelapsed before her marriage in completing the engagement she hadundertaken, and the promise she had made to her English patron. But shefound herself compelled to beg that some other specimen, chosen fromamong the wonderful wealth of early Christian art that remains atRavenna, might be substituted for that in the choir of St. Apollinare.She made the attempt to return to the scaffolding by the side of thewindow, but she found that her strength was unequal to the task. Shecould not bear to look on the prospect from that window. By agreementwith her employer, some further figures from the mosaics in San Vitalewere substituted for those which had originally been selected in St.Apollinare. Her associations with the former church were of a morepleasant character; and Paolina never visited the desolate old building"in Classe" again. When the specimens selected in lieu of those in thelatter building had been completed, Paolina and her friend andprotectress returned with them to Venice, where it had been arrangedthat they were to be delivered to the Director of the Gallery.
In the ensuing Carnival Ludovico came hither, and the marriage was theresolemnized. It is not intended to insinuate that he had not often madethe journey from Ravenna to Venice in the interval. More of his time wasprobably passed there than in his native city. From Venice the newlymarried couple proceeded to Rome, and it was not till three or fouryears later, that the Marchese and Marchesa di Castelmare, bringing withthem their two boys Lamberto and Ludovico, and their little Violante,the most exquisite little fairy that ever was seen, returned to make theMarchese's ancestral palace, ancestral city, their home.
There was one other stranger in Ravenna whose lamentations over the fatethat had ever brought him thither were as loud as they were sincere. Thepoor old singing-master, Quinto Lalli, was left, by the death of hisadopted daughter, as destitute of the means of support as desolate inhis home and heart. He was not worth much; but it would be unjust tosuppose of him that his violent outcry on her murderer was wholly ormainly prompted by the former consideration. There had been a real andstrong affection between him and his adopted daughter, and her death intruth left him utterly desolate.
Yet he never again quitted the city he so much regretted having everseen. His comfortable support was adequately provided for by theMarchese Ludovico. And often in after years--on summer evenings on astone bench beneath a fig-tree in the garden of the cottage provided forhim, and in winter at the chimney corner of its tiny parlour--might beseen the tall spare nun-like figure of a grave and gentle lady,earnestly labouring at the somewhat up-hill task of consoling the oldman, and striving to shape the teachings of his Bohemian life to abetter lesson than he was apt to draw from them. It was the ContessaViolante; and it may be concluded from her occupation both that shesucceeded in escaping the pursuit of the Duca di San Sisto, and that hergreat-uncle the Cardinal did not succeed in becoming Pope at the mostrecent vacancy.
After the return of the Marchese and Marchesa di Castelmare to Ravenna,however, the greater number of the hours of the Contessa Violante werespent in the home of her little god-daughter Violante di Castelmare, andof her friend Paolina.
THE END
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