It was the Bernardini whose swift thought had sent the first faithful
account of the revolt of the Council of the Realm to the Signoria--his
ingenuity which had secured the delivery of this true statement before
the false story under the signature forced from Caterina had reached
Venice--his prowess that had generaled the uprising of the citizens for
the Queen's release--his devotion that had rescued the infant Prince
from captivity--his foresight that had sent warning to the Admiral
Mocenigo before he could be summoned from Venice to the rescue. Such
honors as might be decreed to a fidelity beyond reward had come upon
Aluisi Bernardini from the Republic, apt in recognition: and the undying
gratitude of the Queen was already his.
"What shall I give thee, beloved Cousin?" the Queen had asked him. "Wilt
thou be a noble of Cyprus?"
"Dear Lady," he answered, "I want but thy favor. Doth it not suffice me
that I am a noble of Venice?"
"Nay--but to prove how thou art in my grace--with rich fiefs and
holdings in this land for which thou hast spent thy service right
royally."
"He doth not spend 'right royally' who seeketh reward," he answered,
smiling down upon her, as he stood before her.
Caterina answered him by quoting the Cyprian proverb, "_Assai dimanda
che fidelmente serve_." (Who hath faithfully served hath made a large
demand.)
But he shook his head, still smiling.
"Other than I have done, what true knight would do?" he protested.
"There could be no question of reward between us--thou being royal Lady
of our Casa Cornaro, and I sworn to thy faithful service--my cousin and
Queen. But, if thou wilt grant thy favor----"
He had grown suddenly grave.
"Nay, Aluisi, how may I grant what thou already hast?"
"I thank thee, fair Cousin. See how I trust thy favor to bring thee
warning--being so much thine elder--dealing so much more with men than
thou--being now of thy Council of the Realm----"
"Doth it need so many words from thee to me to excuse a counsel?--from
_thee_, who gavest me back my child!"
She held out both hands to him impulsively, as a daughter to a father,
her beautiful face radiant with gratitude and affection.
He closed the fair hands for a moment in his own, very tenderly. "I
should have envied any," he said, "whose fortune it had been to do this
thing for thee. My star hath favored me. Heaven keep our little Prince
to bless his realm of Cyprus!"
After a moment's silence, Caterina spoke playfully, to recall him to his
theme. "Was it for this fervent vow of loyalty that thou didst crave my
grace?"
His face deepened to a seriousness that was almost compassionate.
"Thou knowest that I would fain help thee: thy people would verily spend
themselves for thee--thou hast won their hearts. But, among the ancient
nobles--it were wise to tell thee frankly--there is some discontent."
"Is it new matter?" she asked, frowning a little. She had motioned him
to a seat, for she saw that he had much to say.
"It hath been spoken of before, but since--since the treachery of the
Council and--other things--and the most unbounded confidence by the
Signoria reposed in me to uphold the Queen--I have sought more nearly to
sift the causes of this disaffection. They seem to me to be not beyond
conciliation."
"'_Not beyond conciliation_,'" she echoed, "it _seems_ to thee! It is a
sad word to bring me of my people, Aluisi, since I would give my life
for them." Her eyes had filled with tears.
"It is sad, beloved Lady: but nothing is hopeless that is not finished.
Is it not better to see wisely than to ignore?--Let us be brave."
She folded her hands very tightly for a moment, as if struggling with
herself; then she lifted her eyes to his.
"Teach me," she said. "What wouldst thou?--Thou shalt verily be made one
of the Counts of the Chamber, that I may know _one_ loyal among my
Cyprian nobles."
"Nay, nay"--he made an effort to assume a lighter tone--"there is no
need; else would it be wise to sail for Venice with the fleet of the
Mocenigo! But, pardon me, fair Cousin; there is no need to bind _my_
loyalty with Cyprian titles and Cyprian lands. Let the Sovereign of
Cyprus seek _her own nobles_ for such favors."
"Shall I stoop to _buy_ the people of my kingdom?" she asked, a little
bitterly. "Is this thy honorable counsel?"
He rose at once. "My Cousin," he said, "thou art not thyself--thine
anger doth color thy speech. I crave thy promise to listen fairly to my
honest thinking--which it is not over-easy to bring thee." He spoke
compassionately.
"Forgive me, Aluisi; I listen."
"Out of thy generous heart, thou wouldst have covered me--who am a
Venetian--with Cyprian honors. I thank thee. But I will translate thee
to thyself. Was it 'to buy my loyalty?'"
"Nay, nay--but of appreciation--to show thee grace. Thou knowest it,
Aluisi!" Her repentance came swift and warm as that of a child.
"I know it well," he answered heartily. "Show but this thy grace to thy
Cyprian nobles and win them to thy court. They should come _first_ in
favor of their Queen."
"Have I been found lacking?" she asked, slowly; "and if--and if there
seemeth little to reward?"
"Reward that little openly, and there shall be more. Bethink thee: there
hath been great honor shown the Mocenigo."
"It was so ordered by the Republic," she began in a tone of
self-justification; then stopped with a sudden perception of his point.
"Was it for this, perchance, that the Cyprian nobles came less
heartily?" he pursued. "Is there no honor that might yet be granted to
that most noble knight, the Admiral Costanzo?"
"Whatever favor he would have is already his:--he was the friend of
Janus and my own," she answered in a tone of surprise that was almost
indignant. And then, with a lingering on the words that was
indescribably pathetic, she added:
"Janus hath written of him, '_Nostro caro, fedel a ben amato Sieur Mutio
di Costanzo_' (our dear, faithful and well-beloved seigneur) thou mayest
read it in our '_Libro delle Rimembranze_.' Could I do aught to add
thereto?"
For answer he bowed his head, in tender reverence for her thought: for
the loyalty with which she sought and treasured every token of nobility
that had been chronicled of her husband--for the proud discretion with
which she taught herself such utter silence on her wrongs--for the great
love which, growing to a _culte_ through those years of girlish dreams
and of fair anticipation, had made this attitude possible for her,--who
was all truth.
"His Excellency the Admiral is verily the champion of Cyprus," the
Bernardini resumed after a little silence; "and methinks he would hold
dear the royal order to re-man the galleys which have been disbanded--as
it is now thought, by advice of the traitor Rizzo, or of some other
Councillor _in favor of Ferdinand of Naples_. I would fain bring this
matter for consideration before the Council, if it hath your Majesty's
favor."
"It is well," she said, in a tone of perplexity, "if it seemeth so to
the Council of the Realm. But our counsellors of Venice who brought us
aid, spoke not of this."
She lifted her liquid dark eyes to his face, as she spoke--a girl of
nineteen, bewildered with the intricate jealousies and strifes of her
island kingdom--no wonder that she felt her hands weak to hold the
sceptre so disputed!
"It may be that _Venice_ hath not so closely at heart the interests of
Cyprus as the Queen herself might hold them," he answered slowly and
watching her as he spoke. "We must win the Cyprian nobles to our
councils and consult their needs and bring them before the people as in
the grace of your Majesty. _Let us not always think the thoughts of
Venice._" She started and flushed slightly at his last words, but how
could he help her else?--"We must do this to bind the hearts of the
nobles to our Prince," he added, to give her courage.
"Let us not always think the thoughts of Venice!" The meaning was new to
her, and for a few moments she struggled with it silently; then she
lifted her eyes to his face and searched it artlessly, as a child might
have done, to see if she had fully comprehended his strange speech--most
strange from her Venetian Councillor.
But he met her gaze as frankly, having nothing to add to the simple
statement wherewith he had sought to arouse this new consciousness
within her, and which he wished her to ponder.
"Thou art more Cyprian, my cousin, than any member of the Council hath
ever shown himself," she said at length, "and it heartens me--for thou
art right. But now--just now--what may be done?" She spoke eagerly, as
if from a new standpoint.
"There is Stefano Caduna, a man of the people--most worthy of your
Majesty's grace. And there is Pietro Davilla, Seigneur and Knight, who
hath proven his loyalty--how if he were to be named Grand Constable of
Cyprus? Shall these be spoken of to the Council which will meet
to-morrow, that some favor may be decreed them?"
"It is well; it should be done, thou art strength to me, Aluisi."
"Is there aught else that should be brought before the Council?" he
asked.
She hesitated a moment, and then added with visible timidity and
reluctance, flushing a vivid scarlet:
"There are other things that seem too petty--but since the death of the
Auditor, our Uncle Andrea, thou hast perchance noted much scantiness of
our treasury, though when it is a question of pageantry, the Council
hath ever found enough and to spare. But the land is a rich land; yet
there are no moneys in my hand wherewith to reward a favor or grant a
dole of charity. If this be a symbol of power----"
"I will replace the voice of Messer Andrea in the Council," he hastened
to assure her. "And, meanwhile--we are of one house, my Cousin----"
"Because thou art generous, shall the Council do less than its duty?"
she asked proudly. "Or shall I be content to know that measures wise for
the ruling of the realm may be frowned upon by those who hold the keys
of my treasury--_yet render no account_? The knowledge of this added
treachery hath come to me but recently; and this also was of Rizzo's
malfeasance. Dost think that moneys shall be found for the manning of
our fleet? Or that I have any voice in the spending of them?"
"The Madonna be praised that Rizzo and that Minister of Satan are fled!"
he exclaimed devoutly.
"While Rizzo held office, I might ask _no_ question," she said, turning
towards him a face of pathetic appeal; for she had never before dared to
speak freely of her grievances even to him--in so comprehensive a manner
had the Chief of Council known how to assert himself: "and now, that I
would fain have knowledge, that I may rule my people wisely, so much
there is to set in order, that my heart doth fail me. I have written to
the Serenissimo to tell him my perplexities--to pray that he might make
it lighter for me to rule."
The Bernardini knew that she had cause for her failing courage, while
yet he keenly felt that the remedy should not lie in an appeal to
Venice, whose power was the unacknowledged core of bitterness in the
growing disaffection among the Cyprian nobles. It might not yet be too
late to save the kingdom for Cyprus; and what it lay within his power to
do, Venetian though he was, he would do, rather than see this '_isola
fortunata_' slip without a struggle, into a mere Venetian province. The
knowledge had been painfully growing within him that Venice was playing
her hand skilfully--that Caterina would find herself simply a pawn to be
moved at will of the Republic, and that "check" would be called whenever
that masterful will should elect: there had been signs, too many to
ignore, of splendor of movement and expenditure whenever the prestige of
the Republic might be concerned--of indifference when the grievances of
the Queen were confessed, or the autonomy of the island was in
question--of slowly increasing assertion of Venetian power and rights.
He had accepted his mission, at the hands of his Government, to protect
the rights of the Queen--not to enslave Cyprus; and his duty stood forth
to him in firm, unwavering lines. Yet how should he dismay Caterina
further in the attempt to force her fuller comprehension? He hesitated
for a moment, but there seemed no other way. For very pity of her he
spoke decidedly, with slow insistence holding her attention.
"The Queen of Cyprus _holdeth her kingdom by no favor of Venice_; but of
inheritance, through her husband, the King. The failures in the
Government should be righted by Cyprian wisdom; we must fill the
vacancies with Cypriotes. I will take counsel with His Excellency the
Lord Admiral of Cyprus."