CHAPTER I.

When Satan fell, some of the essence of the god-head pityingly clung about him--hence those of men whose faces turn towards the darkness have ever something of the god within them, which raises them above the poor animals who eat and die.--_Montaigne._

The Venice of nearly four hundred years ago was a great, splendid, gay, and powerful city. Gold was every day showered into the coffers of its merchants from all parts of the earth, and every night there was feasting, laughing, and dancing in Venice, the richest and the gayest city in the world.

On the night when our story opens was being held at the Palazzo Barberigo a masqued ball. All Venice, masqued, was there. The lamps hanging in the trees, laughed at the water as it threw back the gay colored rays of light which kissed it, in tremulous softness and beauty.

And there below on the still canal, the Giudecca, glided the silent black gondolas, bearing gaily dressed cavaliers and dames to and from the fête.

So silently the gondolas passed, that not a soul upon the shore knew a boat had gone by, a boat, perhaps, from which peered out a jealous eye.

The gardens of the palace were large, and ever when the music ceased, there were seen in all parts of it gay masquers, courting, talking, singing, flirting, or watching.

Among the guests was Gennaro, young and beautiful as the nights of Italy. With him was one of the great Orsini, even younger than himself, and far gayer. Nay, he was but a boy. These two were ever together, in peace or on the battle-field, at fêtes, or quietly at home.

So now amidst the group wherever walked Orsini, Gennaro had a place. These two as they sauntered along with their friends, all either carrying their masks in their hands, or else tied to their belts, these two were deploring, and being pitied, for they were to leave Venice on the morrow.

“Alas!” said one, “You will never like Ferrara, as you like the poorest street in Venice.”

“But, still,” cried another, “‘tis something to form part of an ambassador’s suite.”

“Faith,” cried a third, “I would sooner be as I am and in Venice.”

“Let me tell you Signors,” said a fourth, who was called Gubetta, a Spaniard, and not in good repute, “let me tell you the court of Alfonzo is superb, and as for Lucrezia Borgia”--

“What!” cried one, “name _her_, here, at a fête?”

“Pray ye be silent,” cried another.

“The Borgia,” said a third, “I abhor her very name.”

“In faith,” added another, “‘twould not be saying much for thee to say that thou lovdst her.”

“As for us,” said the Orsini, whom they called Maffio, “we should dread her more than any of you, if the sorcerer spoke truly.”

“Again a tale, Maffio,” said Gennaro. “Leave the Borgia alone, who cares to hear of her.”

“No, no, Gennaro, let us hear the tale. Go on Maffio.”

“Then I’ll fain go to sleep,” said Gennaro. “Faith I could fall asleep standing, when Orsini begins his long tales.”

“Signors, ’tis a good tale, though my friend has heard it before. See, now, he has flung himself down on that seat. Well,--well, ’tis but two ears the less. In the fatal battle of Rimini I was wounded; and while lying on the ground, and dying as I thought, Gennaro found me, helped me to horse, and bore me in safety from the field. In the shelter of a wood he was dressing my wounds, and we had both sworn to live and die together, when an aged man, clad in a dress falling to his feet, stood before us. ‘Youths,’ said he, ‘shun the Borgia, go not near Lucrezia, she is death.’ Then he was gone, gone. And the wind thrice whispered the hated name. There--what think you of my tale? See you, Gennaro would not listen to it, because he loveth not to be praised.

“A good tale but it does not prove thou shouldst shun the Borgia.”

“Whereof in proof, we go to Ferrara to-morrow. Bah! what Venetian need fear the Borgia, while the dreaded lion of Venice can roar? Yet still, sometimes, Signors, I fancy there may be some truth in the prophecy.”

“Let us wake Gennaro, let us ask him if he believes in the solemn warning.”

“Oh, let him sleep. If he would rather dream than hear my tales, let him dream.”

Here the swelling dance music reaching their ears, they gaily sauntered to the palace, and soon the only person in the garden was Gennaro, peacefully sleeping on a marble bench, his head resting on his arm, and his face as tranquil as a little child’s.

There is a ripple o’er the dark canal--the reflexions of the colored lamps are all broken up and scattered. ’Tis a gondola, silent and sombre, which, in a little seething of water, stops just below the terrace stairs.

Then from it steps a woman all clothed in heavy black; a black mask on her face, a black fan in her hand. Nay, the very cross upon her neck is jet.

The gondola from which she has stepped glides silently away, and leaves her standing hesitatingly in the garden. Then she starts as she sees the sleeping face turned towards the moonlight.

She moves towards the sleeper, darkly, noiselessly, her shoulders drawn together; she is so desirous she may not be heard, that she might be about to murder him as he sleeps. At last, close to him, she bends over his sleeping face. Her hand is on his forehead. Lower and lower bends her head. Awake, awake! But there is no fear. She has but kissed him. A soft, noiseless kiss.

As she moves a few steps from him, her eyes still on his face, her arm is touched.

“Signora!”

“Thou, Gubetta!”

“I fear for thee. Venice may guard thy life, but she cannot save thee from insult.”

What does this mysterious woman think as her head droops? Truly she should be insulted, all breathing men and women, and small children even, abhor her name. Yet she was not born to such a fate. But the past, the past, who shall recall the past. And then the vision of an aged man, clad in a robe falling to the ground in heavy folds, comes before her, and she trembles. As she looks on the sleeper, she asks herself how long was it since she had slept so peacefully?

“Thou gazest upon the youth, Signora. Vainly have I sought to learn the reason of thy secret journey from Ferrara here to Venice--perhaps this youth.”

“Thou seek to read my acts--thou! Leave me.”

The man--a fair-looking man enough--bowed, and with quiet, measured steps withdrew.

Then she came back to the sleeping man.

“How beautiful he is,” she thought. Never in her dreams had she imagined him so beautiful. She almost cried with rapture as she looked on him. Was this love? Yes. Guilty love? Nay; wait and read. Should she wake him? No.

She removed her mask to wipe away her tears (fallen to good purpose--as nearly all tears fall), and in those few moments her face was seen--not by the youth upon the marble seat, but by the scowling eyes of a tall, haughty-looking man, glaring from a treacherous gondola, which had quietly stolen up, under cover of the night, and there lay still below the terrace. Beside him stood a mean-looking creature whom he called Rustighello. “It is she!”

“Truly, Signor.”

“And the youth, who is he?”

“A poor adventurer, without parents or country; people say he is brave.”

“What will not people say, good Rustighello? Try every art to lure him to Ferrara, and to me--”

“There is no need for art. By chance, he will set out with Gruirani for Ferrara.”

Slowly the gondola stole away with its watching secret.

“Sleep, sleep, poor youth, and good dreams wait on you. For me are naught but sleepless nights and bitter watching.” She stooped again to kiss him. He woke.

“Heavens! whom do I see?”

“I pray thee let me go!”

“Nay, nay, fair lady. On my faith--”

“Again I do implore thee, let me pass.”

“Nay, but a moment to admire thee, for I feel thou’rt beautiful. Oh! be not afraid, I will not harm thee.”

“Surely not, Gennaro.”

“What! thou knowest me?”

“And thou couldst love me!”

“Who could not love the owner of so sweet a voice?”

“And thou couldst love me, Gennaro?”

“Surely, but not so dearly as I love one other I could name.”

“And she--and she?”

“Is my mother.”

“Thy mother! Oh my Gennaro, thou dost love her?” And she trembles greatly, this unknown woman.

“I love her as I love my life.”

“And thinkst thou she loves thee?”

“Alas! I never saw her.”

“And yet thou lovest her?”

“It is a wretched tale which I do hide from all; but ah! to thee it seems that I must tell it; for in thy face I read thou hast a noble soul.”

“A noble soul!”

“I thought myself the son of a poor fisherman, with whom I spent my early years. But one day came a noble stranger; he gave me money, a splendid steed, bright arms, and, best of all, a paper. It was my mother--it was my mother who had written it. The victim of a mighty man, she feared for both our lives, and so would hide herself from me. She bade me never seek her name; and to this hour never have I sought to learn it.”

“And this paper!”

“See here!” and he took it from the bosom of his dress; “it never leaveth me.”

“Perchance, Gennaro, she wept when she wrote it!”

“And have not _I_ wept, too, my mother--O my mother! But methinks I see tears on thy face, lady.”

“Ah! yes, I weep for thee--for her.”

“For me! for her! Indeed, I think already that I love thee dearly.”

“Oh! ever love thy mother, youth; cling to her with all thy soul. Never think ill of her when thou dost doubt most strongly; think ever how she loves thee, and pity her, and hope that she may one day press thee to her heart.”

“Ah! lady, no need hast thou to teach me this! I see her near me always--gentle, loving, pure; she is my guardian angel. When I would do ill, she comes upon me in my dreams, and smiles a welcome to me.”

“I hear footsteps, I must leave thee.”

“Why shouldst thou tremble?”

’Twas Orsini and the friends coming to seek for Gennaro. The youth Maffio, seeing a lady near his friend, ran gaily forward to them; but within a few paces, and just as the lady was rising her mask to her face, he saw her--saw her, to start and turn pale, brave as he was; saw her, to call on Heaven, and ask himself her name.

He ran back to his companions, uttered but two words, and each man was amazed. One laid his hand upon the spot where his dagger would have been, but that at fêtes all arms were rendered at the door. Another placed his hand upon his mouth and gazed in horror.

“Gennaro,” whispered the unknown lady, “I must leave thee.”

“Yet deign to tell who thou art?”

“One whose life is loving thee.”

“Thy name!”

“I will reveal it,” cried Orsini, coming forward, and speaking savagely, unmercifully.

As the woman heard these words, and recognized the voice, she flinched, and strove to run from the place.

But they stopped her; each way she made a step, on each side stood a stern, unyielding man. They stood about her, yet not near her.

“Gennaro, Gennaro; help!”

“Signors!” cried the youth, “what wouldst thou? This lady I protect; he that insults her is my friend no longer.”

“We would wish to tell the lady who we are, and tell thee who she is,” cried they earnestly, and yet with something of mockery in their tones, “then she may go; we shall have no wish to keep her with us.”

“I, for one, am that Maffio Orsini, whose brother you murdered as he slept.”

“And I, I am that man whose aged uncle you destroyed on his threshold.”

“While I, fair lady, am the nephew of one who died quaffing your wine.”

“I, Petruci, O lady, am cousin to him whose dominions you stole.”

“And I was the friend of the man, who sleeps, by your will, beneath the Tiber.”

Hopeless all her appeals, hopeless that she falls on her knees before them. Each strikes the air with his arm as he addresses her; not one feels pity.

“Who, then, is this woman?” said Gennaro; “dare I hear?”

“Gennaro, do not believe them; they mistake me.”

“Oh! no mistake, lady,” cried out Orsini; “remove thy mask. She is the woman who hath shamed all women; she is the woman whom all ages shall abhor; whose breath is poison, whose look is death, whom Heaven pities too much to destroy.”

“Spare me! spare me!”

“As thou hast spared.”

“Be merciful; there is yet time. Gennaro, see, I cling to thee; forbid them. Be merciful, signors! spare me!”

“As thou hast spared.”

Then the Orsini tore the mask from her face.

“BEHOLD HER--LUCREZIA BORGIA.”

What! is this the gentle face that wept over the sleeping youth? Look on it! like a demon’s as she springs from her knees--defiant, fearless, no longer suppliant; degraded, but not shamed. “Beware!” she cries, as the gentlemen shun her, turning away from her--as Gennaro turns from her. “Beware, you who have shown no mercy! beware!”