Part 28 (1/2)
”My mistress may not have clean forgotten her singing-bird,” she replied, ”but she has forgotten to order that his cage should be supplied with water and seed cups, and I cajoled Radicofani till he let me supply this neglect.”
As she spoke she held aloft a flask of water whose crystal clearness seemed to Brandilancia's blood-shot eyes the most desirable thing in all the world.
”Ah! Signorina how can I ever thank you? and how can you get it to me?”
”Oh! I have thought of that. See I have brought a pole long enough to reach your cage, and the bottle is so slender that it will pa.s.s between the bars.”
She attached the flask to one end of the pole with tantalising deliberation, pausing after it was fastened to pour and drink a gla.s.s of the water with expressive gusto. The gurgle of the liquid was more than the tortured man could bear. ”Dear Signorina for the love of Heaven be quick. I die of thirst.”
”Oh! no, Signor, one does not die so soon, or with so little suffering.
Men in your predicament have been known to live three days before they went mad, and four more before they died.”
”You h.e.l.l cat!” he cried, ”have you come to gloat over and increase my agony?”
”That is not a pretty name,” she said slowly, ”I like better the 'dear Signorina' with which you honoured me just now. You are too hasty, Signor Brandilancia, too hasty in your conclusions, and in speaking them forth. It might strike a wiser man in your situation that it would be worth while not to antagonise a friend who has come to serve you. In proof that you have misunderstood my motives I now pa.s.s you the water.
It was good? You would like more? Presently. It is not well to drink too much when one is as thirsty as you are, besides I want to talk with you.
Do you realise that you are in a very serious position?”
”Have I been condemned to death?”
”Not so. There will be no trial, no execution. You will simply be forgotten, left here to die. The Grand Duke believes you to be the lover of his niece. That fact would not in the least distress him, were it not for her approaching marriage, which he fears may be interrupted by some rash act on your part.”
”Tell the Grand Duke, if you come from him, and the Signorina also to have no fear, that madness is past. If I am released I will repair to England and never trouble her again.”
Scorn curled the dwarf's lips. ”Think you, the Duke would trust your promise? And as for the Signorina she desires nothing of the sort, for she loves you pa.s.sionately.”
”Poor lady,” he groaned. ”But for me she might have reconciled herself to her destiny, wretch that I am to break the heart of one who loves me.
Tell her from me, that if she desires me to do so, and G.o.d in His mercy delivers me from this bed of death I will keep my promise to s.n.a.t.c.h her from the fate she dreads, and we will begin the new life in the new world of which we dreamed.”
The face of the dwarf was contorted with merriment which made it the more hideous.
”Is the life of a savage in the wilderness a fit one for a daughter of the Medici?” she demanded. ”You need neither of you die or forego a single luxury which your hearts desire, if you will gather your wits together and listen to me.
”Possibly you think that I have no influence with the Grand Duke, but if so you greatly mistake. I know the secret of my parentage, and have so disposed matters that my death would bring it to light. Ferdinando de'
Medici will grant any request of mine. I am to go to Paris, not as the servant but as the Lady in Waiting of the Queen of France. Will it please you to join her train as Manager of her Royal Theatre and Purveyor of Sports to the French Court? You could then enjoy the society of the Queen without scandal.”
His heart was hot with indignation but he restrained his anger. ”If indeed,” he said, ”there is no escape from this loathed marriage for that sweet lady, I shall pray that no memory of me may ever intrude upon her happiness. Surely what you suggest is as impossible as it is infamous. The Grand Duke would never allow me to follow his niece to Paris.”
”The Grand Duke cares not one whit what his niece may choose to do after she is once securely married. What I suggest is perfectly possible. I have taken a fancy to you, Brandilancia. If I ask the Grand Duke to give you to me as my husband he will not refuse me; on the contrary it will be a welcome solution of the problem before him. If perchance any inconvenient inquiries should in future be made by England concerning your welfare he will be spared all responsibility. His niece will have the plaything she desired, and will no longer mope. He will have secured my grat.i.tude and can trust me to preserve the conventionalities; and as for you, my popinjay, your fortune is made. Do not fancy that you will remain a mere montebank. You shall exchange your cap and bells for a ducal coronet, chateaux jewels, honours, wealth in what form you will shall be yours. You will be King in everything but name. Henry of Navarre shall in reality be nothing but your condottiere, and I will not be _exigeante_. I know that I am misshapen, hideous. I ask only a little grat.i.tude.”
That word stopped his mouth, for he was about to curse her as a minister of Satan, but a touch of pity softened his anger and contempt.
”You know not what you ask,” he said. ”She would despise me, and I would abhor myself. Let me die without forfeiting her respect.”
”_She!_” the dwarf sneered, and was suddenly silent. Her keen insight told her that if she betrayed to this strangely const.i.tuted man that the scheme had originated with her mistress he would loathe where he now pitied and every chance of success be lost.
”What were you about to say?” he asked.
”Only that you little know the love you slight. She would forgive you anything but desertion. Yours is a strange code of honour, that can win the affection of a n.o.ble lady and then throw it lightly away. I am going now. Once for all I ask, will you accept my offer?”