The Countess Of Assis - Romance, revenge and ambition during the Second Reign

by PAULO FOSCHI, JOÃO; Sobrinho, Vanusa;

  “Let’s enjoy the show, then. Good night!”

  Carolina, intrigued, approached her, whispering in her ear:

  “Lorena, wasn’t that the Baron of Cotegipe?”

  Her friend nodded her head, that it was him. Carolina made a shocked face, not understanding how quickly Lorena had become friends with such important people as the Baron of Cotegipe or even princess Isabel. The fact is that the Countess of Assis was there to shine as she did in all Carioca ballrooms, and it wouldn’t be different in this event.

  Rafael showed them their box that had been reserved for the occasion. Alma was ecstatic with the view they had of the stage.

  “But what a beautiful view we can have from here!” she said, admiring the surroundings with the help of delicate binoculars. “Look at this, Lorena!”

  “Yes, it is true! Our box is in a great spot, thanks to our friends who were nice enough to invite us!”

  “Don't thank me!” Carolina interfered, looking at Rafael. “My husband was the one who arranged the invitations and reserved this box. He is the one who deserves our praise!”

  “Well, no need to mention it, then!” Lorena joked. “Thank you very much, Mr. Rafael!”

  “There is nothing to thank, really! This box with such a great view is the minimum I could do for you.”

  “What do you mean by that, Mr. Rafael? Do you think so low of me that you would not fulfill my wishes if I had chosen another spot?” flirted Alma’s sister-in-law, pretending to be offended.

  “Absolutely not! I simply thought of renting this box because there are no other distinct ladies such as yourselves in this Court!”

  Lorena didn’t show she felt flattered with his compliment.

  “Carolina, it is necessary to be extremely vigilant with gentleman! He almost convinced us with his smooth talk!”

  “And how could I not be, for he managed to marry me!” the friend agreed, continuing the joke.

  The lights were turned off. The show was about to start.

  It was impossible to count all the binoculars in the audience. What was also not known was whether the spectators were really admiring the opera or if they were paying more attention to what was going on the audience itself. Lorena could see, from where they were, persistent stares of a young man here and there towards a certain young lady, and little written messages been passed along. An elderly person coughed. The noise made by a fan that fell from a lady’s hands was also heard. In fact, if for the Countess of Assis the theater didn't represent a new experience, she would certainly have paid attention to what was going on backstage, where some of the actors would be performing with better capacity — in the silence and in the forbidden act, in dangerous connections...

  Rafael made sure to sit in between Carolina and Lorena, with a firm resolution to bond with his wife’s friend. She was greatly troubled by such provocation, but she tried to hide her unpleasantness. It was impossible not to notice that the man next to her was observing her from the corner of his eye. Even so, she tried to concentrate on the opera, even though she was feeling tremors and shivers, even if she was breaking up in a cold sweat and urgently needed to drink a little bit of cold water to alleviate her anguish, even with her heart frequently kipping beats... she still stayed there firmly, unwavering.

  Infelice! Della mente la virtude a lei mancò!

  All that became unbearable to Lorena. She needed to get out of there and breathe in some fresh air. She asked for permission to get out for an instant, what worried Alma and Carolina.

  “I just need a little bit of fresh air”, Lorena alleged, with a heavy countenance.

  “I can accompany you, if you need!” Rafael offered, attentive.

  “No! Please, it will not be necessary!” she exclaimed, refusing his company.

  “Do that, my husband!” Carolina interfered, not listening to her friend’s protests. “We cannot allow you to be by yourself in the theater. Rafael will stay with you as long as it is necessary before you feel like you want to return... We have to be careful with this lack of air! These corsets are indeed tight...”

  Lorena agreed and left their box, rushing in front of Rafael to avoid any contact with him. However, he held her by the arm when they were passing through the aisles.

  “May I know why you are in such a hurry? I know that you didn't get out of there because you were not feeling well.”

  “I already told you I don't need your presence, Mr. Abrantes!”

  “You are visibly uncomfortable.”

  “And I thought that you had understood what I told you last time.”

  They heard somebody hissing, which sounded like a request for silence. They lowered their voices.

  “Why don’t you leave me alone?”

  “Because I simply could not forget you!”

  Tutti ne ingombra cupo spavento! Notte, ricopri la ria sventura...

  “Leave me alone! Don't you realize I despise you? That you annoy me?”

  “Your lips may say that, but your eyes betray you, Lorena.”

  Rafael grabbed her by the waist, even though she was trying to push him away.

  “Let me go, Rafael Abrantes! Otherwise I...”

  “...will do what?”

  Lorena acted as if she was going to scream, and he, swiftly, silenced her with a kiss. It was a stolen kiss, yes, but a passionate one!

  When the kiss was over, a moment that felt eternal, they stared at each other. Rafael smiled at her, but he felt like he was not reciprocated by the Countess of Assis, who unexpectedly smashed him in the face.

  “How dare you? Who do you think I am? A street woman?”

  The man was stunned, feeling his cheek still burning.

  “Of course not! I simply judged you as a woman in love.”

  “Ah, I see you are not convinced with what I told you before!”

  “Why are you pretending to be hard to get?”

  Lorena turned around and continued her way towards the lobby. Suddenly, he grabbed her again.

  Non mi guardar sì fiero...

  “What is it now?”

  “Tell me what happened, what has changed...”

  “Are you still asking me what happened?” she was outraged. “Is it not enough that in the past you rejected me and threw on my face that that night together had been simply an adventure?”

  “I don't deny that what we did was unwise! But, really! I didn't force you to do anything; everything happened with your consent.”

  Lorena shook her head. It was a waste of time to discuss anything with him.

  “You don't understand! You don't understand anything!”

  She pushed him away and, almost without air, arrived at the lobby, where some people were talking to each other animatedly. She sat on one of the sofas there and started to feel better only when she realized Rafael was not following her anymore.

  While she was trying to control her breathing, she tried to organize her thoughts. It had not been a good idea to accept that invitation, knowing she was exposing herself to a dangerous approximation. She shouldn’t take too long outside the theater either, otherwise Alma or Carolina would come looking for her. The third act was about to end, which meant the end of the show. How she regretted coming to the theater! But how to deny what she felt when Rafael took her in his arms again? How not to lose her senses with the smell of his cologne disturbing her spirit?

  “I have to hate him! I have to destroy him!” Lorena whispered, as if in prayer.

  Gathering her strength, she decided to go back to her seat. While she was walking down the aisles, she listened to the tremor of the angels’ voices.

  Quel sangue al ciel t’accusa, e già la man suprema segna la tua sentenza...

  When she returned to their box, Alma didn't avoid calling her attention:

  “By heavens, Lorena! I was about to go get you!”

  “Forgive me! I didn't intend to take so long...”

  She noticed that Rafael was not looking at her sideways anymore. Now, his atte
ntion was solely on the climax of the tragedy that was ending.

  Dio, perdona un tanto error.

  Cheers. It was the end of the show. The curtains were closed, revealing that the exterior world was calling its spectators back to reality. The comments in general were all about the drama and its sad closing. Rafael gave his arm to his wife, while Alma and Lorena accompanied them. When already outside, they met another well-known individual — Otávio Leivas, who hadn't been seen in a long while.

  “But look who decided to show up in the Carioca nightlife! My good and old friend Rafael Abrantes!”

  The two gentlemen hugged each other.

  “I heard you’ve been to Europe. How is Paris, my dear friend?” Rafael asked, curious.

  “Ah, as always, very cold! There was nobody who was nice enough to warm my heart... But if you will excuse me, I will greet these beautiful ladies such as Mrs. Carolina and Mrs. Alma!”

  “Nice to see you again, Mr. Otávio!” Alma answered.

  “My pleasure, my lady! And who is this edgy young lady accompanying you?” Otávio asked, not remembering of such a beautiful lady.

  “Lorena Santiago! Atílio Santiago’s wife, the Count of Assis”, she said, annoyed.

  Otávio became red in the face with embarrassment, for he thought the young lady was single, or simply a chaperone. But judging by the gown she wore and the elegance of her appearance, he realized he had made a grave mistake.

  “A Santiago? Well, who would have imagined?”

  Lorena decided it was her turn to talk, throwing at the offender an offense of her own to reciprocate the grievance of such a pretentious man.

  “You may not remember me, Mr. Otávio, but I know very well with whom I am talking to. Atílio already told me that you are nothing but a prodigal person, a lavishing individual! And that if you continue spending the little you have pretending to be rich, you will end up in poverty! Now, if you will excuse us...”

  Otávio Leivas was biting his tongue for being so impertinent.

  “I apologize, Mr. Otávio! We need to go...” Carolina said, embarrassed.

  Rafael censured his friend, making him a face of disgust while he was helping his wife to get into the carriage.

  When Lorena arrived home, she felt exhausted by the efforts and emotions of the last hours. What a logorrheic type that insolent Otávio Leivas was! While she was going up the stairs, she remembered she needed to call Fanny to help her. She returned to the hallway, walking towards the governess’ room.

  “Fanny, we have arrived and...”

  Lorena found her dressed in a nightgown with a cap in her head, and sipping a cup of tea.

  “Why didn’t you open the door for us?” her mistress censured her.

  “Forgive me, milady! I thought you would not come so soon...”

  “That’s no big deal... come! I want you to help me with this corset, which is killing me...”

  After arriving in her room, Lorena asked for warm water in a bowl to relax her feet while the governess massaged them for her.

  “Did you like the opera, milady?”

  “Yes, it was very interesting...”

  “How about Mrs. Carolina? Was she pleasant with you?”

  “Yes...” the mistress answered, distracted with her own thoughts.

  “And how about Mr. Rafael?”

  Lorena got upset with those questions.

  “But what is this? Am I who own you a report of my life, by chance? Put yourself in your place!”

  “Forgive me the curiosity, but it is just that I worry about you.”

  “You must worry about your obligations, and know that I can take care of myself.... Are we understood?”

  The governess tried to justify her actions, but without success.

  “Are we understood, Fanny?”

  “Yes, yes milady!” she answered, lowering her head.

  “Now, get out of here! You can go to sleep!”

  “Good night, milady!”

  And Fanny left the room, leaving Lorena with her own memories. Certainly this would be one more of those nights when she wouldn't be able to sleep.

  Chapter XXIX

  “Mother, mother, come and see! A letter from Atílio just arrived!” Alma was bursting with happiness, running around and announcing that they had received news from her brother.

  “Why so much commotion, child?” Mrs. Veridiana censured, already looking for her reading glasses.

  “This letter is for you and me... and this other one is for Lorena...”

  It was enough just saying the daughter-in-law’s name for Mrs. Veridiana to get upset. However, hearing about her distant son superseded all her bad mood at that moment.

  “So, mother? What does he tell us?” Alma asked, sitting next to her.

  “He says he is in Paris and that it is cold there... These things everybody already knows!” she responded, letting go of the paper.

  “Let me see...” Alma, after reading the letter, disagreed with her mother. “Ah, mother, it is not like that!”

  “Come on, Alma! Atílio’s trip was not a vacation. He went on a business trip; otherwise, why would the emperor invite him?”

  “He is saying that he had the opportunity to visit the city, revisit places he already knew, and that Your Majesty has already initiated his treatment.”

  Mrs. Veridiana shrugged. Alma was uneasy with her mother’s indifference towards Atílio. Maybe she had never forgiven him for choosing Lorena to be his wife, because she had always planned to marry him to Adelaide. When she was about to talk about it with her mother, Lorena, the reason for all these misunderstandings, was arriving from the seamstress on Assembleia Street.

  “Good morning, Alma! You can’t imagine how tedious it was to stand like a statue for more than forty minutes! The seamstress took forever to finish measuring the dress...”

  “Lorena, I’ve got news for you!”

  “What happened for you to be so happy?” she asked, curious, while she took her lacy gloves off.

  “It’s just that a letter from Atílio arrived for you!” the sister-in-law responded, showing her the sealed envelope in her hands.

  “Let me read it, then!”

  Lorena was so curious she had to open the envelope right away. Besides the letter, there was also a photograph of her husband. How well he posed for photos! Atílio was seated, holding an open book with a distant look in his face, as if he was in a profound reflection.

  “I’ve seen very few of these portraits in my life! I know only that the emperor is very fond of the art of ‘photography’, as he said it himself once”, Lorena exclaimed. “It is almost real! It is so much more accurate than the painted ones...”

  “Indeed, it is very beautiful! One of these days we should go have our ‘photograph’ done, as well!”

  They smiled at each other.

  “Alma, come over here!” Mrs. Veridiana called her from the dining room.

  “I’m coming, mother... Lorena, I’ll see what my mother wants. Read your letter and tell me everything, all right?” and, saying that, Alma went to fulfill another one of her old lady’s whims.

  Lorena rushed to her room to read Atílio’s letter. Here is the content of the letter, written with a quill pen.

  Paris, August 2, 1887.

  My dear wife,

  This is my first letter, in which I already reveal how much I miss you and our beloved baby, who will soon arrive. The trip would have been way more pleasant if I could have enjoyed your delightful company, but I know this would not be possible, given your state. It has been a few days since our arrival, but only now I had the opportunity to write to you with the dedication you deserve.

  Oh, Lorena, how beautiful Paris is! Everything seems lovelier than when I was here more than five years ago. Even now, they are building something like a tower in the area of Champ de Mars[54], something resembling an innovative monument, and that it seems to me like a very daring project. I would like you to be here so very much, so that I could show
you some of its most pleasant attractions. Your Majesty decided to stay in one of these modest little hotels of Rivoli[55], so one can only imagine what the price of this trip is going to be... Even yesterday, Pedro Augusto and I visited some vary quaint places. Our routine is always the same, with those boring dinners at Fayet. Do you remember about it? I believe I have already mentioned it to you in the past... We also visited the Odéon gallery, and we took the opportunity to quickly stop by the Chedonet bookstore. And what a nice surprise! I found that volume by Louis Figuier[56] that you wanted so much...

  Besides that, although there is a lot of pressure in the political side of life, I could even reminisce some old memories and reflect about how much I miss you. In fact, I was even remembering all the anguish I suffered until I found you again, after our first encounter at the Cassino. I remembered you, all happy and charming dancing a waltz I could even dare to say the name on the ballroom floor... Now that you know where I am staying, please do me the favor of writing to me as soon as possible. Tell me about you and about our precious bèbè, because this is the only way I won't miss you so much. I left doctor Heitor aware of taking care of you whenever you need it. If anything whatsoever happens to you, please call him right away. I hope you are feeling at ease at the Santiago residence and I reiterate the request I did when I was leaving: don’t argue with my mother!

  Write to me about the Court, about our dear friends and about my parents-in-law. Tell them that as soon as he inhaled the cold and dusty air of the Old World, our noble D. Pedro II started to feel better, recovering little by little his health which was so fragile while back in Brazil. Nonetheless, we should not worry about any of the decisions taken by the imperial govern. Our country will not be adrift, for we have the support of our beloved princess Isabel. It doesn't matter what the opposition might say. Even if the emperor’s son-in-law might count with the support of half a dozen opportunistic individuals and sycophants, certainly the throne and the crown will not belong to him.

  I’m sending you a little gift, which will certainly surprise you: the photograph was taken after an afternoon of conversation with doctor Mota Maia[57]; and, even though I was tired, I had decided to send you a little something from myself, so that you may not forget how I look like.