Valperga (31 page)

When the youth came with Galeazzo to celebrate the marriage,
Fiammetta removed to the palace of Euthanasia, it being from her
abode, as the head of the family, that the bride ought to be taken,
when her husband should come to demand her. Galeazzo calculated on
the frequent occasions of meeting that this circumstance would
afford, to commence the plot he had formed on the mind of
Euthanasia.

These illustrious visitors were received with honours by the
magistrates of Florence: a palace was assigned for their abode, and
several nobles were commissioned to shew them all that was curious
in the city. Florence was then one of the finest towns in Italy;
yet certainly its beauty must have been far inferior to that which
it boasts at present. Its chief ornaments were palaces of massy
stone, surmounted by high towers, each able to sustain a siege:
some specimens of this architecture, the Palazzo Strozzi, and the
Palazzo Pitti, now a ducal residence, exist to this day. They are
grand and imposing; but the sombre air which they give to the
streets, was better suited to those warlike and manly times, than
to the taste of the present age, when the Italian heaven shines on
few who would defend their own home, though its strength were that
of an impregnable fortress. The Cathedral, or Duomo, afterwards the
pride of Florence, was then just commenced; but the extent of its
area, and the solidity of its foundations, justified the high tone
of the public decree for its erection, which declared that it
should surpass in beauty every other building then existing in
Italy, and be the wonder of the modern world. Among other
curiosities, Galeazzo was conducted to the dens of the numerous
lions and lionesses kept at the expense of the republic: there were
nearly an hundred of these animals, that lived sumptuously,
maintained by the superstition of the Florentines, who believed
their welfare to be symbolical of that of the state.

In their visits to these wonders of Florence the Visconti were
accompanied by many of the young nobles of both sexes, and
Euthanasia and Fiammetta were among the number. Galeazzo, from the
moment of his arrival, had directed his entire attention to the
unravelling the character of Euthanasia, and from all that he heard
and saw, became convinced that she was the cause of the
fluctuations of Castruccio's mind, and that their union must be
prevented; otherwise he would never proceed against the Guelphs
with the vigorous hostility which was necessary to their
suppression. At first Galeazzo kept apart from Euthanasia; he was
unwilling to enter into conversation with her, until, finding out
the secret chords of her mind, he might play upon them with a
master's hand.

They visited among the other curiosities of Florence the tomb of
the family of the Soldanieri. This vast receptacle for the dead was
built under ground, and received but small light from a grated
window which opened into one of the cloisters of the church: it was
the custom of this family to coffin their dead in brazen statues,
apparently armed cap-à-pié; and these statues were mounted on
brazen figures of horses, so that the population of the cemetery
resembled a party of armed knights ready for action. The tomb was
viewed by the light of innumerable torches; and there was a grim
solemnity in the appearance of this troop of bronze horses, each
carrying the brazen statue which imitated the living form and mien
of the corpse therein coffined, that might well strike the
spectator with awe; each voice was hushed as they gazed, and the
younger part of the assembly hastened to quit a place which damped
all their hilarity. The lights disappeared with them; and for a
while Euthanasia lingered behind almost in the dark; for the
solitary torch that remained, could hardly do more than make
darkness visible; and the sunbeam which had strayed from its right
path into the abode of the dead, tinged with its light a few of the
casques of the knights, who, though their eyes and brain were
within the case, neither saw nor felt the ray. Such a sight must
have impressed any one with melancholy; all was still;--Euthanasia,
apparently surrounded by an armed band on horseback, for the
twilight gave life to the figures, yet felt about her the silence
of death; her own step, her own breath, were noisy intruders in the
cavern:--nor did her mute companions rest in an enchanted
sleep--they were dead,--decay was at work among their frames, and
the chill of mortality exhaling from the brass, made the vault as
cold as it was silent.

She left the tomb with slow steps; and, at the foot of the
stairs by which she would mount to daylight, Galeazzo was waiting
to conduct her. Her companions were already far distant; their
voices even had died away; and, as she traversed the cloisters, she
appeared little inclined to break the silence between herself and
her companion. At length Galeazzo spoke; and, after a few trivial
remarks on the scene which they had visited, he said:

"I have long sought the opportunity now afforded me,
Madonna Euthanasia, to introduce myself more particularly to your
notice. As the friend of Castruccio, I hope to find myself already
recommended to some portion of your kindness and regard."

Euthanasia replied with courtesy to this speech; and Galeazzo
continued: "Being at the head of the Ghibelines of Lombardy,
it is not wonderful that an intimacy should subsist between
Castruccio and myself;--for our interests are the same; and, if by
his alliance I hope to extend my dominion in the north of Italy, I
trust that my name as his friend and ally, will aid him in his
future designs even on this town itself."

"His designs on this town!" repeated Euthanasia.

"Aye; for in truth he encourages the hope, whether it be
wild or practicable I hardly know, of overthrowing this nest of
republicans, and making himself prince or imperial vicar of
Tuscany. But why should I talk of his plans to you, Madonna, who
must know them far better than I? Besides, it may be dangerous to
speak here, even in whispers, of such things; who knows if some
Guelph may not overhear me?"

"Indeed, my lord," replied Euthanasia, with a faint
smile, "you divine like an astrologer; for truly I overhear
you, and I am a Guelph."

"A Guelph!" repeated Galeazzo, with well feigned
astonishment;--"Are you not an Adimari? Madonna Euthanasia dei
Adimari?"

"I am also countess of Valperga; and that name will perhaps
unravel the enigma. Yes, my lord, I am a Guelph and a Florentine;
it cannot therefore be pleasing to me, to hear that Castruccio has
formed such designs upon my native town. Yet I thought that I knew
him well; and, if you had not seen him since our separation, I
should believe that your information was founded on some mistake.
As it is--tell me, if you be not bound to secrecy, what you know of
his plans."

"Madonna, Castruccio honours me with the title of his
friend, and secrecy and faith are the bonds of friendship. When I
spoke so unguardedly of his designs, I thought I spoke to one who
knew them far better than myself: if I have unawares betrayed the
concealed counsels of Antelminelli, I do most bitterly repent me;
and do you graciously remit to me my fault, by laying no stress on
my foolish words."

Euthanasia was silent; her mind was too much disturbed to know
immediately what part to take. She had believed in Castruccio's
promises of peace; and the foundations of her very life seemed to
give way, when his faith appeared tainted with falsehood. She knew
him to be ambitious; and suddenly the thought struck her, that
Galeazzo alluded only to his romantic conception of future union
among the Italian states, into which she also had entered, and
which might easily be mistaken for schemes of war and conquest.
Upon this belief she renewed the conversation, and told her
companion that he must have mistaken the meaning of Castruccio;
that it was the chief's wish, as it was of all patriotic
Italians, to unite the factions that caused so much bloodshed and
misery to their country; but that war was not the measure he
intended to adopt to bring about a pacific termination.

It was now Galeazzo's turn to be silent; he looked down, and
answered in monosyllables, and seemed to wish to make Euthanasia
believe, that she might have divined well the plans of Castruccio,
though he could not himself believe they were of so peaceful a
nature. Euthanasia continued to talk; for she seemed to gather
faith in what she desired from her own words. Galeazzo remained
silent, and replied with downcast eyes to her appealing words and
looks;--at length, after a pause, he appeared to make a struggle to
throw off the embarrassment of his demeanour; and looking up,
"Madonna," said he, "let me intreat you to mention
this subject no more. If I thought that your conjectures were
right, I would frankly say so; but I do not:--each word that you
utter makes me believe that Antelminelli conceals his true designs
from you; and, since he has chosen me as the depositary of his
secret, I should be a traitor to friendship and honour, if I
disclosed it. You will see him soon, and then you can unravel the
mystery; in the mean time, I pray you rest content with my
assurance, that Castruccio meditates nothing unworthy his name and
glory."

These few words destroyed the peace of Euthanasia. She became
sorrowful and disturbed; her countenance, betraying the secret of
her heart, no longer displayed that calm and softness which were
before its characteristics; the brightness of her eyes, if it was
not quenched, only shone forth at intervals, and she mingled most
unwillingly in the festivities of the nuptial ceremony. Galeazzo
watched her carefully; her perceived the effect his words had had
on her; and he determined to follow them up by a system of conduct,
which should leave no doubt in her mind as to the truth of his
assertions. Instead of avoiding Euthanasia, he now sought her
society on all occasions, and often talked to her of Castruccio,
whom he always mentioned in a style of excessive praise; yet with
this he contrived to mix words, hints, or looks, which seemed to
say that he followed other counsels, and devised other schemes than
those of which she was aware; meanwhile all this was done in so
light a manner, touched on so cursorily, and then dismissed, that,
as she listened, the clue of truth slipped from her, and she felt
as if lost in a pathless wilderness.

The preparations for the marriage were sumptuous. Every day
large parties assembled at the palace of Euthanasia; and, when the
day declined, song and dance passed away the hours of darkness. The
day at length arrived, when Fiammetta should first be led to
church, and thence to the palace where her husband resided. Early
in the morning she and her noble friends of her own sex prepared
for the ceremony, by attiring themselves in the most magnificent
manner. Gold and jewels sparkled on their robes, and their dark
hair twisted with pearls, hung in tresses on their shoulders;
married ladies only were admitted to the nuptial procession and
feasts; and Euthanasia alone, as an independent chieftainess and
sovereign, claimed an exemption from this rule.

This day, so gay in appearance, and full of joyous
demonstrations, Euthanasia had passed more sadly, than if she had
spent it in the silence and solitude, where she would not have been
obliged to hide the sorrow she felt at her heart. In the evening
Galeazzo informed her, that a courier, coming from Ferrara, had
brought a letter to him from Castruccio; and he appeared with
difficulty to yield to her intreaties to shew it to her. It
contained merely excuses for his delay at Ferrara, and mentioned
his speedy return:--"Yet," added he, "I shall not
meet you in the cave of the Lioness, for you will surely be gone
before my return. Were it not for a pearl which the wild animal
guards for me, I would never enter her den but as her enchainer.
But no more of this; you know my plans; and, if the viper and eagle
unite in firm accord, surely both her heel and her head may receive
a deadly wound."

The meaning of these words was too plain; the viper was the
crest of the Visconti, the eagle of the Antelminelli, and union
between them was to destroy fair Florence, her native city.
Euthanasia felt sick at heart; she gave back the letter in silence,
and looked as a lily bent by the wind, which bows itself in
patience and suffering to the storm. She remembered her vow not to
unite herself to the enemy of Florence; and she resolved to abide
by it. Her residence of these few weeks in her native town had
endeared its inhabitants to her; she had renewed her early
friendships; she was again among them, one of them;--and could she
unite herself to a man who would bring havoc upon her best friends?
She dreaded the reproachful voice of her conscience; and, in her
well regulated mind, the fear of self-condemnation would have been
sufficient to deter her from incurring such a penalty: but all the
feelings of her heart here interposed; her youthful friendships;
her daily habits of intercourse and mutual kindness. The favourite
companion of her younger days was now married to the chief of one
of the citizen-bands of Florence, who would be exposed foremost to
the swords of Castruccio's soldiers; the dearest friend of her
father would lead his troop also against them. Her marriage with
him, on condition of being party in his victories over the
Florentines, and rejoicing in the death of those she loved, would
be as if she united herself to the rack, and bound herself for
life, body and soul, to the ever renewing pangs of some
tyrant-invented torture. It could not be: her resolution was made;
and the energy of her soul qualified her to complete the
sacrifice.

The following day Galeazzo and his brother returned with
Fiammetta to Milan. They took a kind leave of Euthanasia; and the
last words of Galeazzo were, "Forget, Madonna, all that I may
have said to pain you; let not Castruccio find that I have done him
an ill office in your favour; and be assured that my sorrow will be
most poignant, if you find that I have infused erroneous ideas into
your mind as to his plans and wishes."