His chubby fingers thrust the small scrap of parchment toward her. Sophia took it, tucking it safely into her bodice without taking a moment to read it. This man was an emissary of Teodoro’s, she trusted him.
“The family there will see you safely to Greece.”
Sophia drew her shoulders up to her ears in a feeble gesture. “How can we ever thank you, signore? My family is indebted to you, a debt of life.”
“There is no need. My actions repay a similar debt of my own.” He retreated without salutation or kindness of leave-taking.
Sophia watched his retreat as she turned for the boat. A gust of the new day’s air rushed at them. It found the man’s cloak, billowed it out behind him. It snatched at his hood, yanking it off his head. He spun round, as if to catch it before it revealed his features, and with it, his identity, but he was too late.
Sophia stared into the face of Pasquale da Fuligna. Her shocked gasp etched like a scratch of metal upon stone. Pasquale laughed and Sophia stared at him, her astonishment compounded by his unexpected reaction.
“What are you most surprised by, Sophia, that it is I who help you or that I am not the monster you supposed?” Pasquale returned to her, favoring the right leg injured by an assassin’s sword, leaving the charcoal gray hood gathered around his shoulders.
Sophia opened her mouth, emitting nothing more than incomprehensible grunts like an arrhythmic beat of a drum. So many wonders rushed into her consciousness, like bats from a cave at dusk, she knew not which to respond to. That she had not seen the resemblance in the unknown form to the man she was betrothed, perplexed her, but her mind had been pulled in so many directions at once. That this man, above all others, should help her and her family flea their land, was a puzzle of monumental proportion.
“Why?” Her head bobbled. “Why do you let me go?”
“Because you are not the person I presumed you were.”
Sophia’s head tipped to the side. “I’m not—”
“You have no desire for things and status, no willingness to tolerate me for them.” Pasquale shrugged, as if it were of little consequence. “I thought you were one of them, one who would gladly sacrifice love for the prestige of my name. But you’re not.”
“No,” she agreed. “I am not.”
His lips spread in that smirk that had so angered her before. “Perhaps I am not the man you thought me to be either.”
Sophia lowered her head in repentance. One human could never know another, what lay deep and buried in the quintessence of another; no one could be another’s judge.
“I have a going-away present for you. Look.”
Sophia followed his pointing finger out toward the horizon. A thin carnelian crescent broke the line between earth and heaven. Against the edge of light pink sky and its reflection on the spirited waves, she spied the contrasting form of another boat and upon it, standing tall and majestic like its stalwart mast, a silhouette, one she recognized in an instant.
“Teo,” she whispered in wonder.
“Yes. Teodoro, the man who saved me,” Pasquale said, and in his voice Sophia heard amusement. “But it is not only to him that I owe my life, but to you.”
Sophia spun back.
“He told me you brought him to my rescue. If not for you, I would be dead.” Pasquale crossed his arms upon his chest, as if in defense. “I assure you, I do this for me. I will be indebted to no one.”
As if of its own accord, her need and desire lured her toward the boat waiting for her, ready to take her to Teodoro. A thought wrenched her back.
“What…what will become of you?”
Pasquale shrugged.
“I will find another to fill your position easily enough; there are many wealthy young women in Venice who care more for becoming titled than in finding love,” Pasquale said with an almost casual shrug, caring not if she would find his easy dismissal of her insulting. “I will have the life I want, filled with the things and the…people I choose.”
In that moment Sophia understood, recognized a like-mindedness in this man who changed the course of her life. He had a vision of what his life should be and he was willing to do whatever it took to make that vision a reality. Much as she herself had done for so long. She forgave all that he had done and in that forgiveness, freed herself.
Reaching into her reticule, she grabbed a thick wad of papers. Grabbing his hand, she shoved them into it.
Pasquale’s brow puckered in perplexity. He unrolled the sheaf, trying to read their words in the gloom.
“They are those you would have gotten at our wedding. They authorize your legal control of the factory upon my f…father’s death.” Distant torchlight caught on the moisture welling in her eyes and a small smile touched her lips. “He signed them two days ago.”
Understanding dawned. Pasquale gaped upon the parchment in wonder.
“The pieces for the Doge and professore Galileo are complete. Ask Ernesto, he will know where to find them.” Her expression softened. “They are the last pieces I will ever make.”
“They are your legacy,” Pasquale said, flippant regard replaced with gruff admiration.
Sophia crumbled the important documents tighter into a firm grasp upon Pasquale’s.
“Treasure it as we have…as I have, always.”
With a nod, Pasquale accepted the heritage the Fiolario family had worked for so long to uphold. Turning to the last page, he ran the pad of one finger over Zeno’s shaky scrawl.
“He was a talented, good man. From what I saw of you together, he was what a father ought to be.”
Sophia tried to thank him but her throat closed tight; devoid of sound, her trembling lips formed the words. She looked at him and the features of a man she knew not at all were becoming more distinguishable. Dawn waited for no one.
Sophia took one step away, but spun back yet again. She grabbed his arm and squeezed it with all the power in her hand, her voice loud with insistence.
“Above all else, you must protect the secret of the glass.”
Pasquale smiled a tender smile, the first she had ever seen from him and in that vision, Sophia knew she had done the right thing.
“I will.”
Sophia leaned forward, brushing his rough, stubble-covered cheek with her lips. She jumped onto the boat, turned her face to the growing light, toward the man and the life waiting for her.
Epilogue
Leonardo Donato served as doge of Venice from 1606 until 1612. Pope Paul V eventually accepted French mediation in the case of the two clerics, arbitration that ultimately resulted in a victory for Venice. The city ceded very little while the Vatican grudgingly lifted all edicts and interdicts. Although Donato’s decisive and incisive actions against the Papacy ensured his Republic’s independence for many years to come, he never gained the popularity he so privately, yet sincerely, sought.
Gianfrancesco Sagredo became a Venetian diplomat, traveling the world on behalf of his republic. Many sources contend he never married; most agree that he visited the most expensive and lavish courtesans and gambling houses of the world to the end of his days. He died, ever a stalwart friend and supporter of Galileo, in 1620 at the age of forty-nine. He lives on forever in Galileo’s writings, appearing as a character in the Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (1632) and Discourses on Two New Sciences (1638).
Two more attempts were made on the life of Father Paolo Sarpi, yet he lived until 1623, serving Venice for the rest of his life. He corresponded with Galileo throughout the remainder of his life. Sarpi’s writings forever railed against religious excesses and the secular powers of the Pope. He died of illness in his own bed, where he uttered his last words, Esto Perpetua, “May she live forever.”
In 1633, Galileo Galilei was arrested and tortured by the Court of Inquisition in Rome. To avoid being burned at the stake, Galileo publicly denied the Copernican doctrine in which he believed so deeply. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and subsequently released to home confinement, but wa
s banned from publishing more books. He was allowed to return to his villa at Arcetri outside Florence and to write and receive letters. Privately he began working again, focusing on the principles of motion. Galileo’s observations and experimentation methods helped establish the modern practices still in use by scientists today. He lived until 1642 when he died a natural death at the age of seventy-eight. The movement of Earth was not scientifically proven until the mid-nineteenth century. The Roman Catholic Church eventually forgave Galileo…in 1979, and recognized the validity of his work…in 1993.
The glassmakers of Murano lived and worked under the laws of La Serenissima until the fall of the government to Napoleon in 1797. Their artistry continues on much as it has throughout time; their magnificent pieces are as widely revered and coveted as they have ever been. Though others have tried to duplicate it, most fail in their attempts, producing only cheap imitations. To this day, the glassworkers of Murano guard, and hold dear, the secret of the glass.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Once again, I have taken my dramatic license out for a temporal spin and have played loosely with the timing of the events depicted in this book. While never mentioning an exact date, the book was written with the implication that all the events took place at the same time, at the turn of the seventeenth century. In actuality, the dispute between Venice and Rome over the case of the two clerics began in 1605, the attack on Fra Paolo Sarpi took place in 1607, and Galileo’s triumphant moment atop San Marco’s campanile took place in 1609.
It is the history book writer’s function to tell us where and when things happened; it is the function of the fiction writer to tell us how it felt.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My thanks I send to the many women in my life who supported me so ardently during the writing of this work: my editor, Audrey LaFehr; my agent, Irene Krass; my dearest friends, Jeanne Martin and Jennifer Way; my Law of Attraction ladies; and to the many women (and the couple of men) in RIRW.
Quite often artists are inspired by people whom they’ve never met, and this was especially true for me and this work—so true, in fact, that I feel compelled to mention them.
Katie Couric. I rarely watch the news, but upon hearing of her then-recent post to anchor of the CBS Evening News, I felt it my duty to watch, to support a woman striving to break through boundaries. If not for Katie Couric, I would never have seen a two-minute story on the glassmakers of Murano. Within a half-hour of seeing that feature, the basic plot for this story was developed.
Chris Daughtry. Music is a vital part of my creative process; in truth, it is a vital part of who I am. I received Daughtry’s first CD for Mother’s Day, just weeks after selling my first book and just as I was beginning to write this one. Many a time when I found myself staring at the blipping cursor of my computer, not knowing what key to strike next, I’d leave it to its own annoying rhythm, put on Daughtry’s CD (volume at full blast, of course), sing at the top of my voice (not a pretty thing), and dance around the house. I found empathy there, especially in the words of “There and Back Again.” In the abandon, I found the creative energy to beat that blipping cursor back into submission.
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, especially the team of 2007. That was some of the most exciting football…ever!
Lastly, to my muse…I offer my deepest, most heartfelt gratitude.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
To be allowed the privilege of research is a great gift and one that I am particularly grateful for. It is a ticket to explore and discover other places and people, to immerse oneself in their architecture and customs, to feel their essence if not their actuality. I was fortunate enough to find innumerable sources for this book and encourage anyone intrigued by this story, and by Venice itself, to seek them out.
Books:
Brown, Horatio F. Studies in the History of Venice. New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., Inc., 1907.
Brown, Horatio F. Venice: An Historical Sketch of the Republic. London: Rivington, Percival & Co. Inc., 1895.
Hazlitt, William Carew. The Venetian Republic: Its Rise, Its Growth, and Its Fall, 421–1797. London: A & C Black, 1900.
Mentasti, Rosa Barovier, and Norbert Heyl. Murano: The Glassmaking Island. Grafiche Vianello Srl, 2006.
Robertson, Alexander. Fra Paolo Sarpi: The Greatest of the Venetians. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1894.
Toso, Gianfranco. Murano: A History of Glass. Venice Arsenale Editrice, 2006.
Internet Sources:
Doge of Venice: Culture, Art and History of Venice, Italy www.doge.it/cultura/history.htm
Murano Magic: Origins, Growth, Decline, and Revival of Venetian Glass from Murano
www.boglewood.com/murano/history.html
Life in Italy
www.lifeinitaly.com/tourism/veneto/gondola.asp
Musei Civici Veneziani
www.museiciviciveneziani.it/main.asp
The Galileo Project
http://galileo.rice.edu/index.html
Tickitaly.com
http://www.tickitaly.com/galleries/doges-palace-venice-tour.php
Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana
http://marciana.venezia.sbn.it
Basilica di San Marco
http://www.basilicasanmarco.it
Venice is considered one of the most naturally beautiful places on earth, one to be treasured and adored, and yet it is dying a slow death. For the last thousand years it has been sinking at an average rate of seven centimeters per year. With the addition of global warming, some recent statements have reported a drop of up to twenty-four centimeters in the last century alone. For more information on what’s being done about this, please visit www.savevenice.org.
A READING GROUP GUIDE
THE SECRET OF THE GLASS
Donna Russo Morin
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
The following questions are intended to enhance your group’s reading of THE SECRET OF THE GLASS.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Sophia’s and Zeno’s actions were equally responsible for the situation they found themselves in; what were they? How did it affect their relationship?
Upon her first meeting with the da Fulignas, what are Sophia’s initial impressions about the family dynamics? In what ways was she correct?
What did Galileo mean when he said, “Why can I not marvel at the heavens and their miraculous workings and love the God who created them at the same time?” Is this a topic still under debate? What is it called?
The author often uses two distinct frames of reference for metaphors and similes. What are they and why are they so appropriate for the setting of the work?
Because of the event that took place at the Count of Camillo’s home, Galileo suffers a chronic illness that plagues him the rest of his life. What else does he suffer from because of the incident? How does it affect his behavior?
Sophia finally tells Damiana that she makes the glass, having kept it a secret for many years. What are the two main reasons why Sophia didn’t tell her sooner? What was Damiana’s reaction? Was it expected?
When Sophia follows Pasquale to the campanile and witnesses what takes place at its peak, she learns things about Pasquale and Teodoro that she did not expect. How did her actions, and what she learned, backfire?
Sophia’s behavior changes drastically from the beginning of her story to its end. In what ways did she change? How did the changes manifest themselves? What precipitated the changes?
When Pasquale says, “You will have your lovers, and I will have mine…hopefully, they will never be the same,” what is the implication? Did Sophia have any inclination of this prior to this moment? Was it a surprise?
What is the irony of Sophia and Teodoro’s relationship? What are the conditions they each face? Why does his sadness bring her joy? Is it a normal reaction?
As Sophia and Pasquale watch Galileo accept his reward at the Doge’s palace, they share the moment and in it “find a common ground.” What is it, and does it have any lasting effect on their
relationship?
Sophia often chastises herself for her selfishness. In what ways does it reveal itself? Are there specific instances where she behaves selfishly? Is it ever warranted?
Sophia was ultimately responsible for saving Pasquale’s life, but she saved someone else by the same action. Who was it? How were they saved, and from what?
Discuss the meaning of the statement “The line is so fine between the pleasure of wanting and the pain of not having.” How does it relate to what Sophia is experiencing? What other statements explain and support what she is feeling?
Sophia and Teodoro are the main characters in the story, but there is another entity that is equally as important. Identify the character and discuss the impact on the story.
If you missed Donna Russo Morin’s first novel, you’re in for another delicious historical treat, this time set in the glittering and dangerous court of Louis XIV’s Versailles. Read on for a little taste of…
The Secret of the Glass Page 35