CHAPTER XXXII.
The members of Phranza's family were dining, as was their custom onpleasant days, under the great fig tree in the garden; a favorite spotwith the chamberlain when allowed that privacy of life and domesticretirement which were seldom enjoyed by one whose duty it was to showthe courtesies of the empire to ambassadors and distinguished visitorsfrom the ends of the earth.
"I would willingly exchange conditions with old Guerko, the gatekeeper, to-day," said Phranza, pushing from him the untasted viands."The gate-keeper of an empire has less liberty and rest."
"What new burden has the council put upon you, my lord?" said hiswife.
"Remember that your little prime minister will help you," interposedMorsinia playfully.
Phranza glanced with a kindly but troubled look at her----
"The wheels of the public good grind up the hearts of individualsremorselessly," continued the good man. "Here am I with a spouse asfair as Juno; yet I must leave her for months, and maybe years, that Imay seek a spouse for the Emperor. I am to make a tour of allChristian courts; sampling delicate bits of female loveliness, andweighing paternal purses. But sacred policy takes the place of holymatrimony among the great. An emperor and empress are not to be manand wife, but only the welding points of two kingdoms, though theirhearts are burned and crushed in the nuptials. I had hoped that hismajesty would assert his sovereignty sufficiently to declare that, inthis matter, he would exercise the liberty which the commonest boorpossesses, and choose who should share his couch, and be the mother ofhis children. But the very day after his escape from the mad monk, heput the keeping of his royal heart into the hands of his ministers.The shock of the attempt upon his life, or something else (glancing atMorsinia), seems to have turned his head with fear for the succession.So, to-morrow I sail to the Euxine to inspect the Circassian beauties,who are said to bloom along its eastern shore. But my dear wife willbe consoled for my absence by the return of our nephew Alexis, who, Ilearn from my letters, is already at Athens, having wearied of hissojourn among the Italians, and will be with you before many days.Heaven grant that he has not become tainted with the vices of theItalians, which are even worse than those of the Byzantines. I trusthe will find his aunt's care, and the sisterly offices of our Albaniandaughter, more potently helpful than my counsel would have been."
The magnificent retinue, the splendid galleys, the untold treasuresscraped from the bottom of the imperial coffers, with which, on thefollowing day, the chamberlain sailed away through the Bosphorus tothe Euxine, were but poor compensation to his loving household for hisprolonged absence. Nor was his place adequately filled by Alexis withhis fine form and western elegance of manners. In one respectPhranza's wish was met; for if the care of his aunt was notappreciated by the young man, the sisterly offices of the fairAlbanian were.
Morsinia's respect for the absent Phranza led her to allow moreattention from Alexis than her heart, or even her judgment, would havesuggested. The young nobleman soon entangled himself in the web of herunconscious fascination. It was not until with passionate ardor hetold his love, that Morsinia realized her fatal power over him. Butwith a true woman's frankness and firmness, she endeavored to dispelthe illusion his ardent fancy had created.
"If I have not yet won you," cried the impetuous youth, "do not tellme that my suit is hopeless. It was folly in me to dream that youwould see in me anything worthy of your love, so soon as yourtranscendent beauty of face and soul made me feel that you were allworthy of mine. Let me prove myself by months or years of devotion,if you will. If I do not now merit your esteem, surely the charm ofdaily looking upon you will make me better; the sweetness of yourspirit will change mine; then as you see in me some impression of yourown goodness, you will not scorn and repel me. I beg that you willmake of me what you will, and love me as you can. I am not harder thanthe marble of which Pygmalion made the statue he loved. Mould me,Morsinia!"
"It is not that you are not worthy of me, Alexis. The nephew ofPhranza need not humiliate himself at the feet of any king's daughter.But--but--it may not be! It cannot be!" and, gently releasing the handshe had allowed him to seize, she withdrew to her own chamber.
Alexis stood for a moment as if stupefied with his disappointment.This feeling was followed by a chagrin, which showed itself in thedeep color mounting his haughty face. Then rage ensued, and he stampedupon the ground as if crushing some helpless thing beneath his feet,and muttered to himself:
"If not I, no man shall have her and live. Can it be that AlbanianConstantine? Who is that vagrant? that menial? that hell-headedhireling who follows her? Angels and toads do not brood together; andhe is of no kin to her."
The Captain of the Janizaries Page 32
