Molly was a handsome fool: let there be no doubt about that. There was
no romance in her, though sentiment enough. She lacked the historic
sense; and if she thought of Rome at all, supposed it a collocation of
warehouses, jetties, and a church or two--an unfamiliar Wapping upon a
river with a long name. Her sensations on the voyage were those of
sea-sickness, on the golden-hazy Campagna those of home-sickness
unaffected. Affectation of any sort was far from her. If she was happy
she showed her white teeth, if wretched she either pouted or cried; if
she liked you there were kisses, if she distrusted you she grew red. But
she distrusted no one. Why should she? Since every act of hers was, in
seeming, a caress of personal intention, every one loved her. As for her
husband, when he was not sacramentally engaged, he mutely raved to the
stars, protesting by his dimmed eyes, moving lips, and strained-out arms
how every breath she took was to him also an inspiration. Her frankness,
the truth lucent in her eyes, her abounding receptivity,--for she
believed everything she was told and objected to nothing,--her sweet
long body, the tired grace with which she carried her lovely head, her
tender, stroking ways, the evenness of her temper (which only that of
her teeth could surpass),--all this threatened to make of Amilcare a
poet or a saint, something totally disparate to his immediate proposals.
His nature saved him for the game which his nature had taught him.
In that great game he had to play Molly (though he loved her dearly)
must be, he saw, his prime counter. Coming to England to negotiate bills
of exchange, he had Molly thrown in. She would do more for him than
rose-nobles. He ecstatised over his adorable capture; but saw no reason
in that why he should not lay it out to advantage. It would not cheapen
in the chaffer; on the contrary, give him the usufruct for a few years,
and he would be not only the happiest but the most considerable of men.
Triumphant Bacchus! (so he mused to himself) what had he not gained? A
year's pay for his men, the confidence of the "Signori" of Nona, the
acclamations of the Piazza and the Council Chamber at once--and Molly
Lovel. Hey! that was best of all. For her sake, and by her means, he
would be Capitano del Popolo. What else? That would do for a beginning.
If Molly could turn his head, she could turn other heads, he supposed. A
turned head meant a disponable body, a bending back, an obsequious knee,
even a carcase at a quick hand's discretion; votes in Council, delirium
in the Piazza, _Te Deum_ in the Church. Amilcare knew his countrymen: he
that knows them half as well will have no trouble in conceiving how
these trade-calculations can consist with a great deal of true love.
And what was Amilcare's trade? His trade was politics, the stock whereof
was the people of Nona, the shifty, chattering, light-weight spawn of
one of those little burnt-brick and white cities of the Lombard
Plain--set deep in trees, domed, belfried, full of gardens and fountains
and public places--which owed their independence to being too near a
pair of rival states to be worth either's conquering. There were some
score of these strewn over Southern Emilia and Romagna in those days,
and the time was almost at hand, and with it the man, to sweep them all
into one common net of wretchedness. But Amilcare had no clear thought
of that. For the moment Nona was as peaceful as Forlì, or Rimini, or
Pesaro, or Faenza, thanks to him and his "Centaurs"--that famous band of
free riders he had levied from the Tuscan hills. Very much at his mercy,
safe under the eye of his trusted Secretary, awaiting his return, he
fully intended that peace to continue when she fell huddling to him. It
would, indeed, be his care; for it was a maxim of Italian politics that
no man willingly stirs after dinner.
The situation was still pretty delicate; he had done little more than
win foothold. In the late struggles with Parma he had intrigued with
great address; sold himself and his Centaurs to Farnese, brought that
thick-necked hero up to the very walls of Nona, then (in the nick of
time) resold himself at double the price to the city he was besieging,
and routed his yesterday's master by an attack in flank just as the
Nonesi were carrying the trenches in front. In the excitement of that
wonderful hour--Farnese in full flight, himself borne on men's shoulders
round the Piazza, thanksgiving in the cathedral, clouds of incense,
clashing bells, wine running in the Fontana delle Grazie--he had for a
moment been tempted to believe the times ripe for a proclamation:
"Amilcar, Dei Gratia, Nonarum Dux," etc. He had his treble wages in his
pocket, the hearts of the whole city throbbing at his feet. He was a
young man: tempted he certainly was. But Grifone (the Secretary) touched
his elbow and showed a straightened lip. He would not risk it. He
contented himself with a footing, the Palazzo Bagnacavallo rent-free,
and the title of "Gonfalonerius Populorum Libertatis," which looked
passably well about a broad seal. "Pater Patriae," "Nonarum Dux," the
control of the bread-tax,--all should be added to him in time, if only
the Borgia could be fed elsewhere. At the thought of that hearty eater
stalled in the Vatican, he felt that he might indeed thank God for his
lovely Molly. With her for decoy even that game-bird might be lured.
Lying on the poop of the _Santa Fina_, his dark eyes questing over her
face, her hands among his curls, he seemed to Molly the wonder of the
world. So of her world he was; but he meant to be that of his own--a
very different world.
He was a lithe, various creature, this Amilcare Passavente, his own
paradox. Quick as a bird of prey he was, and at times as inert; dark as
night, eagle-faced, flat-browed, stiff and small in the head,
clean-featured, with decisive lips. A very fluent speaker, hoarse in
voice, but cunning in the vibrations he could lend it, he was in action
as light and fierce as a flame; at rest as massive as a block of stone,
impervious to threats or prayers or tears. Women loved him easily, men
followed him blindly, and both for the same reason--that they believed
him ruthless to all but themselves. Ruthless, indeed, he had been, and
was to all and sundry. Molly was the one apparent exception, and in her
eyes he was perfect. For her immediate comfort this may have been true
of him. He was a brave lover.
He taught her to falter endearments in his own tongue: he was _carino,
caro amico, anima mia, sovrano del mio cuor_, and many other things yet
more intimate. In return he gave her a homage which was not without a
certain depth because it was done with foresight. He taught her to be
his slave by professing himself hers, and so touching her generosity as
well as her humility. At all this she was very apt. There was a fund of
deep affection in the girl, the makings of an excellent wife, a devoted
mother--far more stuff than should go to serve as toy for a man's idle
hours. Also she was very demonstrative, by no means averse (quite the
contrary, indeed) to demonstrations on his part. She loved to walk
belted by his arm, loved to put her head on his shoulder, or have her
chin lifted that eyes or lips might be kissed. These favours, which his
nation was accustomed to keep at home, she wore without
self-consciousness abroad. It enchanted Amilcare, not only as a thing
beautiful in itself, but as a clear source of profit in his schemes. He
pictured the havoc she would work in a hall full of the signori--keen
men all--when she sailed through the rooms offering her lips to whoso
would greet them "English fashion." Why, the whole city would be her
slave--eh, and more than the city! Bentivoglio of Bologna, Il Moro of
Milan, Ordelaffi, Manfredi, Farnese, the Borgia, the Gonzaga, D'Este of
Ferrara, Riario, Montefeltro, Orsini--by the Saint of Padua, he would
face them each with his beautiful wife; charm them, turn their heads,
and then--_ping_! Let the neatest wrist win the odd trick. Very pleasant
schemes of witchery and silent murder did he make as the _Santa Fina_
drove him through the dark blue waters on his honeymoon, and at last
brought him up to point out to his adoring instrument a low golden
shore, a darker line of purple shadow beyond, and in the midst a white
tower which gleamed like snow. "Civitavecchia, my queen among ladies!
Rome beyond it; beyond that Nona--Nona and glorious life for thee and
me!" he cried, as he waved her towards these splendid things.
But Molly snuggled closer to him and sighed.
He, very sensitive to alien moods, was conscious of the jar. "You are
sad, beloved?" he asked her softly. "You are thinking of your own land?"
"No, no, dearest; not that now. I was thinking only--but it is
foolishness of a fool," said Molly, hiding her face.
"You cannot be a fool, blessed one, since you are not so much as human
as I see you now," he whispered, holding her close. "You are a rosy god
at this moment, my treasure. You are all colour of dawn, auroral, colour
of tender fires. Tell me your thought, my holy one."
She whispered it back. "It was--that you will be full of business at
Nona, Amilcare. You will have no time to love your poor Molly."
The rogue was fishing for protestations, and got them.
"Love you!" he cried. "Ah, tell me how long I have to live, and I will
tell you the hours of my love, O my soul!"
"But you will be abroad, a-horseback, with your captains, in the
tents--"
"Why, yes, that must be so," he owned. "But I shall love you the more
for that, Molletta."
She pretended to pout, fidgeted in his arm, arched her neck.
"But how shall I know it, Amilcare, if I am not there?"
"By what I do to you when I return, dearest love," cried he; and
thereafter, speaking by signs, was better understood.