historic girls-第16章

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fellow…Venetians。　Why　should　the　house　of　Cornaro；　they　would

demand；　be　so　openly　preferred？　And　so；　at　his　suggestion；　an

ambassador　was　despatched　to　Venice　soliciting　an　alliance　with

the　Great　Republic；　and　asking　from　the　senate　the　hand　of　some

high…born　maid　of　Venice　in　marriage　for　his　highness；　the　King

of　Cyprus。　But　you　may　be　very　sure　that　the　ambassador　had

special　and　secret　instructions　alike　from　King　Giacomo　and　from

Uncle　Andrea　just　how　and　whom　to　choose。



The　ambassador　came　to　Venice；　and　soon　the　senate　issued　its

commands　that　upon　a　certain　day　the　noblest　and　fairest　of　the

daughters　of　Venice　one　from　each　of　the　patrician

familiesshould　appear　in　the　great　Council　Hall　of　the　Ducal

Palace　in　order　that　the　ambassador　of　the　King　of　Cyprus　might

select　a　fitting　bride　for　his　royal　master。　It　reads　quite　like

one　of　the　old　fairy　stories；　does　it　not？　Only　in　this　case　the

dragon　who　was　to　take　away　the　fairest　maiden　as　his　tribute　was

no　monster；　but　the　brave　young　king　of　a　lovely　island　realm。



The　Palace　of　the　Dogesthe　Palazzo　Ducale　of　old　Veniceis

familiar　to　all　who　have　ever　seen　a　picture　of　the　Square　of　St。

Mark's；　the　best　known　spot　in　that　famous　City　of　the　Sea。　It　is

the　low；　rectangular；　richly　decorated　building　with　its　long　row

of　columns　and　arcades　that　stand　out　so　prominently　in

photograph　and　engraving。　It　has　seen　many　a　splendid　pageant；

but　it　never　witnessed　a　fairer　sight　than　when　on　a　certain

bright　day　of　the　year　1468　seventy…two　of　the　daughters　of

Venice；　gorgeous　in　the　rich　costumes　of　that　most　lavish　city　of

a　lavish　age；　gathered　in　the　great　Consiglio；　or　Council　Hall。



Up　the　Scala　d'Oro；　or　Golden　Staircase；　built　only　for　the　use

of　the　nobles；　they　came；　escorted　by　the　ducal　guards；　gleaming

in　their　richest　uniforms。　The　great　Council　Hall　was　one　mass　of

color；　the　splendid　dresses　of　the　ladies；　the　scarlet　robes　of

the　senators　and　high　officials　of　the　Republic；　the　imposing

vestments　of　the　old　doge；　Cristofero　Moro；　as　he　sat　in　state

upon　his　massive　throne；　and　the　bewildering　array　of　the

seventy…two　candidates　for　a　king's　choice。　Seventy…two；　I　say；

but　in　all　that　company　of　puffed　and　powdered；　coifed　and　combed

young　ladies；　standing　tall　and　uncomfortable　on　their

ridiculously　high…heeled　shoes；　one　alone　was　simply　dressed　and

apparently　unaffected　by　the　gorgeousness　of　her　companions；　the

seventy…second　and　youngest　of　them　all。



She　was　a　girl　of　fourteen。　Face　and　form　were　equally　beautiful；

and　a　mass　of　〃dark　gold　hair〃　crowned　her　〃queenly　head。〃　While

the　other　girls　appeared　nervous　or　anxious；　she　seemed

unconcerned；　and　her　face　wore　even　a　peculiar　little　smile；　as

if　she　were　contrasting　the　poor　badgered　young　prince　of　St。

Mark's　Day　with　the　present　King　of　Cyprus　hunting　for　a　bride。

〃Eh　via！〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃　't　is　almost　as　if　it　were　a

revenge　upon　us　for　our　former　churlishness；　that　he　thus　now

puts　us　to　shame。〃



The　ambassador　of　Cyprus；　swarthy　of　face　and　stately　in　bearing；

entered　the　great　hall。　With　him　came　his　attendant　retinue　of

Cypriote　nobles。　Kneeling　before　the　doge；　the　ambassador

presented　the　petition　of　his　master；　the　King　of　Cyprus；　seeking

alliance　and　friendship　with　Venice。



〃And　the　better　to　secure　this　and　the　more　firmly　to　cement　it；

Eccellenza；〃　said　the　ambassador；　〃my　lord　and　master　the　king

doth　crave　from　your　puissant　state　the　hand；　of　some　high…born

damsel　of　the　Republic　as　that　of　his　loving　and　acknowledged

queen。〃



The　old　doge　waved　his　hand　toward　the　fair　and　anxious

seventy…two。



〃Behold；　noble　sir；〃　he　said；　〃the　fairest　and　noblest　of　our

maidens　of　Venice。　Let　your　eye　seek　among　these　a　fitting　bride

for　your　lord；　the　King　of　Cyprus；　and　it　shall　be　our　pleasure

to　give　her　to　him　in　such　a　manner　as　shall　suit　the　power　and

dignity　of　the　State　of　Venice。〃



Courteous　and　stately　still；　but　with　a　shrewd　and　critical　eye；

the　ambassador　of　Cyprus　slowly　passed　from　candidate　to

candidate；　with　here　a　pleasant　word　and　there　a　look　of

admiration；　to　this　one　a　honeyed　compliment　upon　her　beauty；　to

that　one　a　bit　of　praise　for　her　elegance　of　dress。



How　oddly　this　all　sounds　to　us　with　our　modern　ideas　of

propriety　and　good　taste！　It　seems　a　sort　of　Prize　Girl　Show；

does　it　not？　Or；　it　is　like　a　competitive　examination　for　a　royal

bride。



But；　like　too　many　such　examinations；　this　one　had　already　been

settled　beforehand。　The　King　had　decided　to　whom　the　prize　of　his

crown　should　go；　and　so；　at　the　proper　time；　the　critical

ambassador　stopped　before　a　slight　girl　of　fourteen；　dressed　in　a

robe　of　simple　white。



〃Donzella　mia；〃　he　said　courteously；　but　in　a　low　tone；　〃are　not

you　the　daughter　of　Messer。　Marco　Cornaro；　the　noble　merchant　of

the　Via　Merceria？〃



〃I　am；　my　lord；〃　the　girl　replied。



〃My　royal　master　greets　you　through　me；〃　he　said。　〃He　recalls　the

day　when　you　did　give　him　shelter；　and　he　invites　you　to　share

with　him　the　throne　of　Cyprus。　Shall　this　be　as　he　wishes？〃



And　the　girl；　with　a　deep　courtesy　in　acknowledgment　of　the

stately　obeisance　of　the　ambassador；　said　simply；　〃That　shall　be；

my　lord；　as　my　father　and　his　Excellency　shall　say。〃



The　ambassador　of　Cyprus　took　the　young　girl's　hand；　and；

conducting　her　through　all　that　splendid　company；　presented　her

before　the　doge's　throne。



〃Excellency；〃　he　said；　〃Cyprus　hath　made　her　choice。　We　present

to　you；　if　so　it　shall　please　your　grace；　our　future　queen；　this

fair　young　maid；　Catarina；　the　daughter　of　the　noble　Marco

Cornaro；　merchant　and　senator　of　the　Republic。〃



What　the　seventy…one　disappointed　young　ladies　thought　of　the

King's　choice；　or　what　they　said　about　it　when　they　were　safely

at　home　once　more；　history　does　not　record。　But　history　does

record　the　splendors　and　display　of　the　ceremonial　with　which　the

gray…haired　old　doge；　Cristofero　Moro；　in　the　great　hall　of　the

palace；　surrounded　by　the　senators　of　the　Republic　and　all　the

rank　and　power　of　the　State　of　Venice；　formally　adopted　Catarina

as　a　〃daughter　of　the　Republic。〃　Thus　to　the　dignity　of　her

father's　house　was　added　the　majesty　of　the　great　Republic。　Her

marriage　portion　was　placed　at　one　hundred　thousand　ducats；　and

Cyprus　was　granted；　on　behalf　of　this　〃daughter　of　the　Republic；〃

the　alliance　and　protection　of　Venice。



The　ambassador　of　Cyprus　standing　before　the　altar　of　St。　Mark's

as　the　personal　representative　of　his　master；　King　Giacomo　was

married　〃by　proxy〃　to　the　young　Venetian　girl；　while　the　doge；

representing　her　new　father；　the　republic；　gave　her



away　in　marriage；　and　Catarina　Cornaro；　amid　the　blessings　of　the

priests；　the　shouts　of　the　people；　and　the　demonstrations　of

clashing　music　and　waving　banners；　was　solemnly　proclaimed　Queen

of　Cyprus；　of　Jerusalem；　and　of　Armenia。



But　the　gorgeous　display；　before　which　even　the　fabled　wonders　of

the　〃Arabian　Nights〃　were　but　poor　affairs；　did　not　conclude

here。　Following　the　splendors　of　the　marriage　ceremony　and　the

wedding…feast；　came　the　pageant　of　departure。　The　Grand　Canal　was

ablaze　with　gorgeous　colors　and　decorations。　The　broad

water…steps　of　the　Piazza　of　St。　Mark　was　soft　with　carpets　of

tapestry；　and　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs　floated　the　most

beautiful　boat　in　the　world；　the　Bucentaur　or　state　gondola；　of

Venice。　Its　high；　carved　prow　and　framework　were　one　mass　of

golden　decorations。　White　statues　of　the　saints；　carved　heads　of

the　lion　of　St。　Mark；　the　doge's　cap；　and　the　emblems　of　the

Republic　adorned　it　throughout。　Silken　streamers　of　blue　and

scarlet　floated　from　its　standards；　and　its　sides　were　draped　in

velvet　hangings　of　crimson　and　royal　purple。　The　long　oars　were

scarlet　and　gold；　and　the　rowers　were　resplendent　in　suits　of

blue　and　silver。　A　great　velvet…covered　throne　stood　on　the　upper

deck；　and　at　its　right　was　a　chair　of　state；　glistening　with

gold。



Down　the　tapestried　stairway　came　the　Doge　of　Venice；　and；

resting　upon　his　arm；　in　a　white　bridal　dress　covered　with

pearls；　walked　the　girl　queen　Catarina。　Doge　and　daughter　seated

themselves　upon　their　sumptuous　thrones；　their　glittering　retinue

filled　the　beautiful　boat；　the　scarlet　oars　dipped　into　the

water；　and　then；　with　music　playing；　banners　streaming；　and　a

grand　escort　of　boats　of　every　conceivable　shape；　flashing　in

decoration　and　gorgeous　in　mingled　colors；　the　bridal　train

floated　down　the　Grand　Canal；　on　past　the　outlying　islands；　and

between　the　great　fortresses　to　where；　upon　the　broad　Adriatic；

the　galleys　were　waiting　to　take　the　new　Queen　to　her　island

kingdom　off　the　shores　of　Greece。　And　there；　in　his　queer　old

town　of　Famagusta；　built　with　a　curious　commingling　of　Saracen；

Grecian；　and　Norman　ideas；　King　Giacomo　met　his　bride。



So　they　were　married；　and　for　five　happy　years　all　went　well　with

the　young　King　and　Queen。　Then　came　troubles。　King　Giacomo　died

suddenly　from　a　cold　caught　while　hunting；　so　it　was　said；　though

some　averred　that　he　had　been　poisoned；　either　by　his　half…sister

Carlotta；　with　whom　he　had　contended　for　his　throne；　or　by　some

mercenary　of　Venice；　who　desired　his　realm　for　that　voracious

Republic。



But　if　this　latter　was　the　case；　the　voracious　Republic　of　Venice

was　not　to　find　an　easy　prey。　The　young　Queen　Catarina　proclaimed

her　baby　boy　King　of　Cyprus；　and　defied　the　Great　Republic。

Venice；　surprised　at　this　rebellion　of　its　adopted　〃daughter；〃

dispatched　embassy　after　embassy　to　demand　submission。　But　the

young　mother　was　brave　and　stood　boldly　up　for　the　rights　of　her

son。



But　he；　too；　died。　Then　Catarina；　true　to　the　memory　of　her

husband　and　her　boy；　strove　to　retain　the　throne　intact。　For

years　she　ruled　as　Queen　of　Cyprus；　despite　the　threatenings　of

her　home　Republic　and　the　conspiracies　of　her　enemies。　Her　one

answer　to　the　demands　of　Venice　was：



〃Tell　the　Republic　I　have　determined　never　to　remarry。　When　I　am

dead；　the　throne　of　Cyprus　shall　go　to　the　State；　my　heir。　But

until　that　day　I　am　Queen　of　Cyprus！〃



Then　her　brother　Giorgio；　the　same　who　in　earlier　days　had　looked

down　with　her　from　the　Cornaro　Palace　upon　the　outcast　Prince　of

Cyprus；　came　to　her　as　ambassador　of　the　Republic。　His　entreaties

and　his　assurance　that；　unless　she　complied　with　the　senate's

demand；　the　protection　of　Venice　would　be　withdrawn；　and　the

island　kingdom　left　a　prey　to　Saracen　pirates　and　African

robbers；　at　last　carried　the　day。　Worn　out　with　long　contending；

fearful；　not　for　herself　but　for　her　subjects　of　Cyprus；she

yielded　to　the　demands　of　the　senate；　and　abdicated　in　favor　of

the　Republic。



Then　she　returned　to　Venice。　The　same　wealth　of　display　and

ceremonial　that　had　attended　her　departure　welcomed　the　return　of

this　obedient　da