XI

The summons from the Ten had been presented with ceremony on the night

of the fête at Ca' Giustiniani, and Marcantonio was grateful for the

strong support of Paolo Cagliari's friendly presence, as they went

together to the Sala di Collegio in the Ducal Palace; for this seemed to

the young noble an opportunity, that might never come again, of

presenting his petition to ears not all unfavorable; and there was a

thrill of triumph in the thought that his maiden speech before this

august body should be his plea for Marina's admission to the favor of

the Signoria. Already fortune had been kind to him beyond his hopes,

and, with the daring of youth, he was resolved to claim the possible.

The Veronese alone knew of his intention, and as to his father--he could

only put him out of his thoughts. If the Senate listened to his petition

there would be no difficulties, but he would not weaken his courage by

any previous contest, unavailing as it must be.

Meanwhile there was the remembrance of the roses of the Lady

Laura--fragrant with her great renunciation.

The honor of this summons was reflected in the increased dignity of the

elder Giustinian, and in a tinge of urbanity new to him, as he parted

from Paolo Caghari and Marcantonio, who remained standing on the floor

of the hall, to take his seat among the senators in the seats running

around the chamber, as on the previous day, instead of the one

rightfully his own among the higher Council who were to pronounce the

laudatory words.

The industries of Murano had always been dear to the senatorial heart,

but of late years the fostering care of the Republic had been increased

to an unprecedented degree, and the stimulus thus given to the workmen

of Murano had been evidenced in a series of brilliant discoveries, so

that the marvel of their fabrics had become as much a source of jealousy

to other nations as of revenue and pride to the Republic.

Thus the affair of this gift-piece of crystal was deemed of quite

sufficient importance to occupy the attention of the senators, who

prepared themselves to listen with every symptom of interest to this

report of the exhibit of Murano, which had been read on the previous day

before the Ten.

It had chanced before that these reports had been followed by words of

commendation, but it had rarely happened that a young noble had been

summoned before the Collegio to receive such a testimonial, and the

occasion lost none of its interest from the fact that many of those

present had witnessed the presentation of the summons in the banquet

hall of the palazzo Giustiniani.

The famous goblet, by order of the Senate, was also present, as a proof

that the laudatory words pronounced by the Secretary of the Ten at the

close of the report were well deserved.

It was not often that a member won distinction on the day of his

entrance to the Gran' Consiglio; the favor shown by the Senate was

great; the position of the Ca' Giustiniani among the proud Venetian

nobility was beyond question; and some of the fathers of the young and

noble ladies who had graced the banquet watched the young Giustinian

with a quite personal interest.

"It was time," they said, "that the handsome young patrician should

choose a bride."

"And once before, in the history of the Republic, as now," suggested

another, "there was but one of the Ca' Giustiniani."

There was a sympathetic and ominous shaking of heads, for the story was

well known.

"But to none of those golden-haired maidens who danced at his fête would

he show favor, though upon his birthnight. And when the Lady Beata had

asked him shyly why he wore a white rose in his doublet, he had told her

saucily, 'The meaning of the flower is _silence_.'"

These and other trifles bearing upon the ceremony of the morning were

discussed in pleasant asides, while the report had been read and the

note of approval had been proclaimed to Marcantonio, who dropped the arm

of his friend and came forward to receive it.

"My Lords of the Senate, the Collegio and most Illustrious Ten!" he

responded, with a courtly movement of deference which included them all,

"I thank you! In that it graciously pleaseth you to bestow upon me your

favor for a trifle of designing which was the pastime of an hour, and

made for the pleasure of the giving in homage to the noble Lady Laura

Giustiniani. But the praise of it should not be mine; it is rather to

the stabilimento which hath shown perfection in its workmanship. But

first to him, the master, who hath given it its crowning grace. I pray

you, let me share the unmerited honor of this commendation with Paolo

Cagliari, _detto Veronese_, without whom my little had been nothing!"

The chivalry and grace of the young noble elicited a murmur of

approbation, as he courteously indicated his friend.

The Veronese, to whom this _dénouement_ was unexpected, and who had long

since been crowned with highest honors by the Republic, did not move

forward, but, acknowledging the tribute of his pupil with a genial

smile, he stood with folded arms, unembarrassed and commanding, scanning

the faces of the assembly, well pleased with the effect produced by the

words of Marcantonio, whom, at all hazards, he intended to befriend. He

realized that the atmosphere might never be so favorable.

"The crowning grace of that goblet, my Lords of Venice," he said boldly,

"is lent it by the face of the most beautiful maiden it hath ever been

my fortune to paint--than whom Venice hath none more charming."

There was a murmur of surprise from the younger nobles, who were

standing in groups about the hall of the Gran' Consiglio; they had

supposed the face to be merely a dainty conceit of the artist's fancy,

and those nearest gathered about the case with sudden interest.

But the face of Marcantonio betrayed him, while he stood unabashed in

the circle of the senators, though with mounting color, his hand, under

shelter of his cloak, resting upon the jeweled hilt of the sword upon

which he had sworn his first knightly vow.

Giustinian Giustiniani rose to his feet. "Her name, Messer Paolo

Cagliari!" he thundered.

But it was the young Giustinian who answered to the challenge--"Marina

Magagnati!" with an unconscious reverence, as he confessed his lady's

name.

"Is no face found fair enough among all the palaces on the Canal Grande

to charm thy fastidious fancy?" cried the angry father, losing all

self-control. "It were fitter that the name of thine inamorata were

first declared elsewhere than in this presence!"

"Not so, my father," Marcantonio replied, undaunted. "For I first would

ask a grace of our most illustrious Signoria,--the which may it indeed

please them to grant,--or never shall I bring a bride to the Ca'

Giustiniani. As I have sworn a noble's oath of allegiance to Venice, so

faithfully have I vowed to wed none other than Marina Magagnati! And it

is my father who hath taught me to hold sacred the faith of a Venetian

and a Giustinian. But my lady is not _called_ of noble blood."

"She is daughter to Messer Girolamo Magagnati,"--it was the Veronese who

spoke,--"than whom, in all Murano, is none better reputed for the

fabrics of his stabilimento, nor more noble in his bearing; albeit, he

is of the people--as I also, Paolo Cagliari, am of the people."

The words had a ring of scorn; the Veronese folded his arms again and

looked defiantly around him--a splendid figure, with the jeweled orders

of France and Rome and the Republic flashing on his breast. His gaze

slowly swept the faces of the assembly, then returned to rest upon the

great votive picture which filled the wall from end to end above the

Doge's throne--_his work_--like the glory of the ceiling, which declared

the artist noble by genius, if not by birth. "I also am of the people!"

he repeated, in a tone that seemed a challenge.

"Most Illustrious Signoria!" cried Marcantonio; "once, in the history of

our Republic, hath it pleased this most gracious Senate to declare its

favor to a daughter of a master-worker of Murano, in a decree whereby it

was provided that the maid should wed a noble of most ancient house, and

if there should be children of the marriage, each name should stand

unprejudiced, with those of the nobles of Venice, in the 'Libro d'Oro.'

If I have found favor in your sight--I beseech you--that which the

Senate hath once decreed is again possible."

The senators looked at each other in consternation, awed at the boldness

of the petition and the wit of its presentation.

The young patrician slowly ascended the steps of the dais, and closed

his appeal with an obeisance to the Doge, full of dignity.

The Councillors who sat beside the Doge were holding grave discussion,

for the few words of the young noble had touched upon weighty points;

they had been presented with a simplicity which veiled their diplomatic

force; he was a man of growing power who must be bound to the service

of Venice, even were he not the last of a princely line which the

Republic would fain see continued to her own latest generation. So

unabashed in such a presence, he would be tenacious of his purpose and

hold to his vow with unflinching knightliness.

Venice and his lady were included in his sworn allegiance, and to seek

to make them rivals would be a danger for the Republic.

Never before had appeal been made to this decree; it was not fresh in

the minds of the Savii and the six most venerated Councillors without

whose acquiescence the mandate of the Doge was powerless, and they had

listened to the bold declaration with a surprise not unmingled with

resentment, that so young a man should make, in their presence, an

assertion touching matters of State which they could neither affirm nor

deny! At a sign from one of the chancellors, one of the three

counsellors at law of the Avvogadori di Commun, who had the keeping of

the Golden Book, had been immediately summoned from adjoining chambers

in the Palace and had confirmed the statement. Such a marriage had

indeed taken place in the latter half of the fourteenth century; the

number of the decree authorizing the full nobility of the children had

been noted in the Golden Book, the original decree could therefore be

found, within the archives, upon demand of the Savii.

The case had changed from a matter of gracious policy to one of

unquestioned importance in the minds of the gravest counsellors of the

Republic--in spite of the glamor of romance which threatened to lessen

its dignity by winning the enthusiastic support of the younger members

of the assembly and the jealous opposition of the older senators, who

were tenacious of the privileges and restrictions of the ancient

nobility of Venice. The faces of many among them were dark and

threatening. One of their number high in authority, whose seat was near

the Savii on the dais, and who was known to be of the strictest

oligarchical proclivities, risked the words, "_Remember the Serrata

Consiglio_," in a clear undertone, but was immediately repressed by a

terrible glance from more than one of the commanding Savii.

Giustinian Giustiniani was alone kept silent by the force of conflicting

emotions which left him only strength enough to realize that he was too

angry to advise with dignity, though he was one of the Chiefs of the

Ten. He had been outwitted in the presence of the Maggior Consiglio by a

son who had shown an astuteness and courtliness of which any Venetian

father might be proud, together with a knowledge of the point upon which

he based his appeal, which required the summoning of the Avvogadori di

Commun, though it was uttered in the presence of the six supreme

Councillors of the Republic! He could not interpose to demean his

ancient lineage by consenting to this unpatrician alliance; he would not

accept the alternative for his only son--the last of the Giustiniani!

Nor could he urge a Giustinian to break a vow of honor made before the

highest tribunal of the realm. He was trembling with wrath and filled

with admiration, while he sat speechless, awaiting the issue of a

question which so deeply concerned the interests of the Ca' Giustiniani.

The impression was profound, and a silence fell upon that magnificent

assembly through which the rulers of the ship of state seemed to hear

the throbbings of a threatened storm. They were men of power, and they

realized that it was a moment when action should be prompt and positive.

A yellowed parchment, with the great seal of the Republic appended, was

brought in state from the adjoining chambers of the Avvogadori and laid

before the Doge, who passed it, in turn, to each of his Councillors.

The silence was breathless. All eyes turned instinctively upon the young

noble, who had withdrawn to the side of his friend, and stood,

unconscious of their gaze, radiant with his hope of Marina.

"Nobles of the Gran' Consiglio of our Most Serene Republic," said the

Doge at last with deep impressiveness, "this record is the original

decree of this Senate, of the fourteenth century, given under the Great

Seal of the Republic in 1357. It hath been duly laid before our

Councillors in your presence and unanimously confirmed by them. And they

do unanimously consent to this our ruling in favor of the petition which

hath this day been presented before this Council by the noble

Marcantonio, of the ancient and princely house of Giustinian. Since in

this sixteenth century our Republic, by grace of God and favor of her

Rulers, is not less enlightened than in those earlier days to perceive

when graciousness may promote her welfare, in granting favor to a noble

house which hath ever shown to Venice its valor, its discretion, its

unfailing loyalty."

A cry of exaltation rang through the house like an electric thrill; the

senators started to their feet.

"My life, my faith, my strength--the might of all my house for Venice!"

shouted the young Giustinian, with his sword held high above his head,

like an inspired leader.