The Royal Pawn of Venice
Page 9
IX
And now, by the Queen's command which might not be denied, the talkflowed through the days of leisure during the absence of the King, whileCaterina strolled with her Cyprian maid of honor through the terracedgardens in the cool of the evening, or rested in the heat of the day, inthe shaded apartments of the _voto_. The girl-queen listened withbreathless eagerness to the strange revelations, often interrupting withpassionate exclamations, for her short taste of Cyprian life had been socolored with the glamour of love and happiness and the excitement of hernovel surroundings that the vague forebodings which were beginning totemper the brilliancy had suggested no serious shadows.
In vain Donna Margherita pleaded that she might be allowed to put thetheme aside, as she told of the disaffection of some of the ancientnobles of Cyprus who had been despoiled of vast estates because of theirsympathy with Queen Carlotta. "But Janus was ever generous," saidMargherita, "and none of their riches went into the King's treasury, butalways into the hands of those nobles who were loyal to the newGovernment."
_The new Government! Queen Carlotta!_ The young Venetian's hotresentment rose fiercely against the Republic which had left her in suchignorance of Cyprian matters while she turned her proud young head awaythat Margherita might not guess how little the name of Carlotta hadmeant for her.
"Tell me more of Carlotta--tell me everything," she commanded, steadiedby her quick resolve to know and endure whatever the past might hold forher; and Margherita, who had been watching her with strange intuition,knew that she might hold nothing back, as she also knew that the youngQueen had been kept in absolute ignorance of the complications precedingthe accession of Janus. But it was impossible for Caterina to concealthe play of her angry emotions as the tale progressed, and she franklygave up the attempt. Janus--her beautiful Janus--the idol of the oldKing--_not_ the legal heir to the throne! Janus, in his boyhood, hated,thwarted, intrigued against--living in very fear of his life!
"Nay!" Margherita assured her with glowing eyes, "he knew not the colorof fear, for he had the heart of a King!"
Then Caterina drew her close and gave her a passionate kiss, in seal ofa friendship that was never to be broken.
"He had need to be brave," Margherita went on when she could command hervoice, for the Queen's great eyes were beseeching, "for Queen Elenacared not how he should be put out of the way so that he might notinterfere with her absolute sway nor with the holding of the Crown byher daughter Carlotta, when old King Janus should die."
So this was why, by Queen Elena's command, the dashing, masterful boy offifteen had been created Archbishop of Cyprus--in the hope that thehonors of the Church might absorb his powers and keep the wish for hissuccession out of the thoughts of the people who idolized him! Thisholding of the Primacy had been a mystery to Caterina, who, dearly asshe loved her hero, knew him to be no saint. But, whatever the rights ofCarlotta--who had been left Queen by her father's will (and insistentquestions thrust themselves into the thoughts of Caterina while shelistened, zealous to escape no detail)--it was evident that Margherita'ssympathies went out to Janus.
"He hath more the quality of the Lusignans--to whom the De Iblin wereever loyal," she explained to Caterina, "and Carlotta is like hermother. Janus was first to offer his homage to his sister, pleading thatas children of one father there might be truce and loving intercoursebetween them; but he was refused admittance to the Royal Palace; deniedhis right, as Primate of Cyprus, to preside at the coronation andcommanded to remain within his palace during the ceremony, _lest thelove of the people should acclaim him King_. But the crown of Carlottafell from her head as she returned in stately procession to the palace,"Margherita exclaimed, crossing herself devoutly--"so one might know thather reign should not be happy!"
"And then?" Caterina questioned, impatiently.
"Ah, yes, your Majesty, there was more; for our brave Janus had beengentle withal, but for ceaseless outrage that forced him to forswear hisoath of loyalty. His revenues were withheld: he was beguiled to abanquet in the palace of a high officer of the crown where poisonedmeats were set before him, but here, as in many another intrigue, thewatchful love of the beautiful Maria da Patras--his unhappymother--saved his life. Poor lady! she watched and prayed for him, andhad no other thought.
"One knows not how--but she always knew--as if some spirit had toldher!" Margherita continued in a tone of awe, after a moment's silence."For none but she had dreamed the great Sir Tristan traitor to histrust, he who came of the noble house of De Giblet and was keeper of theEpiscopal Palace and on guard at night! Yet once it befell that SirTristan came stealthily into the sleeping chamber of the prince, and thepages of the night who stand at arms beside the couch had fallen to thepavement, heavy with some strange sleep. But Donna Maria had watched andwarned and our Janus was already stealing far on his way to Alexandria,when Sir Tristan drew aside the curtains and plunged his dagger deepinto the mass of pillows which in the darkness wore some semblance of asleeping form. It was told that he howled with rage at such childishthwarting, for Donna Maria had men at hand who came running at theoutcry and took Sir Tristan into safe keeping."
"Madre Sanctissima!" Caterina exclaimed in her excitement, and urgingthe recital with a quick motion of her hand.
"It was the last time, sweet Lady, that our Janus might feel Carlotta'spower; for soon he returned from Alexandria to take possession of Cyprusby order of the Sultan, our Suzerain, upheld by his armies and histreasure. For the charm of the Prince had won their hearts; thecircumstance of his birth and a woman's rights were of small account inthe estimation of the Sultan, and the march of our young King from hislanding to his capital was a victory--the people kneeling in hispathway--wild with the joy of welcome."
Margherita had told the tale with eloquence, her breath coming quickly,her color rising, but Caterina was fairly startled by the dramatic ringin her voice as she told how Carlotta, at the last moment, findingfurther resistance impossible, had sent an envoy to Janus to promise himthe revenues of his See, once more, if he would but lay down his armsand renew his allegiance. But the magnificent ambassador fromAlexandria, whom the Sultan had sent with Janus to see his willenforced, made reply:
"It is the will of my master--the Sultan of Sultans, the Lord of lords,the King of kings--that Janus, prince of Cyprus, should reign as King;and my master, the Sultan of sultans, will acknowledge no othersovereign."
Then, suddenly, Caterina felt that she could bear no more; she must bealone to think, and she held up her hand to entreat silence. How tendershe would be to him on whom such cruelty had been wreaked--howloving--to make amends for all the hatred of the past! How brave he was,her true knight--how forgiving--to have told her nothing of all thistragedy! It was not strange that his people loved him so--his people whohad thronged upon his pathway with acclamation and greeting! Her heartbeat high with adoring love and her eyes filled with happy tears.
"My Janus!" she cried, and then again, "my Janus," she whispered softly,filling the syllables with a wealth of tenderness and sympathy. She feltthat she could not wait until he should come again; these few days hadseemed so long!
But her elation passed and a sense of overwhelming disaster possessedher. "The Senate had known it all--the Senate had told hernothing--_nothing about Carlotta_. Why had they not named her--was itbecause--because----?"
And then the questionings that had come to her hastily and been lost inthe recital of the perils and escapes of one so beloved came back withrenewed force and would not be quieted, but called out for an answer.When Janus came she would ask him--in her staunch fair soul, she knewthat she _must_ ask him, though he might be angry and the bare thoughtof this made her shrink and quail--it even shadowed a little thepleasure of his longed-for coming--for he had always been so knightly toher. But yet, she could not wait! A great horror came over her of theold Queen, who had been painted as without principle and of wildpassions--shrinking from nothing so that she might gain her will, andshe was glad in her soul that Elena was not the mother o
f her Janus,while she struggled with her Venetian pride and promised herself to bethe truer to him for his wrongs. And so the night wore on; and betweenher longing and her trouble there was no sleep for her while the daydelayed.
A vague shape of terror seemed to hover between her and her vision ofthe future that had been so golden. Where was Carlotta? Might she notcome again and strive to win back her crown? Were the nobles many whowould uphold her?
Nay; but it was Janus whom the people loved--Janus! who had been crownedtheir king, with all solemn ceremony in Alexandria, by order of theSuzerain of Cyprus--to oppose him was rebellion! Janus--her beloved--sowinsome, so masterful! Then, slowly out of the darkness rose the nobleface of Lorenzo the Giustinian, full of quiet and strength--her mother'sface, loving, comforting--both asking her best of her; and the Questiongrew in her soul. "Perhaps Carlotta's right was greater--_could it begreater_ than her husband's?"