"What matters it, my Lord," she said again, "to me, if I have thy trust and--and--that of all men of honor! Forgive the temper of my house!" She stretched out her hand to him.

"So thou but know when to curb it," he answered smiling, "it is thy strength and our pride. And now--as to this other?"

"My Lord, I do not know"--but she paused suddenly.

"It is well," he said watching her, "for I may name no names--but thou art on thy guard. She was named to me as very fair--subtle--charming--of an ancient house of Cyprus--_we have named no names_. Let no confidences escape thee in her presence: but we have no knowledge yet of any traitorous intent that might excuse her dismissal from Court; and if it be but petty, personal jealousy"--again Margherita had flushed unwontedly--"for a mere jealousy, one may not insult a n.o.ble, ancient house. It is not known if her sympathy be with Naples, or with Carlotta."

"Your Excellency shall know if aught be discovered that should be told,"

Margherita promised. "But the matter is difficult."

"As to Her Majesty," the Admiral continued lowering his voice still further, "it hath been found needful to guard her interests, and the Signor Bernardini hath been named to the Council--a most excellent gentleman--if he were not of Venice. I would have had another of our Cyprian n.o.bles, because of this jealousy of Venice. But they have kept themselves so much from court that we have not seen their color; and we dare not trifle with them, for the time is critical."

"Why not thou--Eccellentissimo?"

"Nay; I may keep a wider outlook on the interests of the kingdom without the Council. The city of Nikosia shall stand for her; the trading interests are to watch; the fleets must be re-manned; these intrigues must be thwarted. I outside the court, and thou within, very closely within--as near to the heart of the Queen as she will let thee--we shall work and help her, for her task is not light. She swore her oath of office to me, and I to her gave mine, as solemnly--to help her with my life. It is a heavy load for such tender hands to lift:--a question if one may conquer wile with innocency--yet the strife is n.o.ble."

"What may be done to help her?" Dama Margherita questioned, heavy-hearted. "What is my part? It is not only the scandal of watching against intrigue."

"That is no scandal to loyal service: and such her very trust and goodness do demand. But there is more: out of thy fuller knowledge of the Cyprian temper--thy comprehension of their grievances--thy loyal Cyprian pride--thy staunchness to the House of Lusignan--make thyself charming to these great Cyprian n.o.bles; help the Queen to see the need of their conciliation, and stoop a little from thy loftiness to win it for them. To two such women, the impossible is easy. I leave thee now."

"Is there no more?" she asked.

"Nay:--or it is a trifle. If they have found the court a little over-dull, of late, blame them not over-much: the need for gayety and splendor is in their blood--more than in ours of Sicily--more even than in that of Venice--which hath greater gravity. I have spoken with Madama di Thenouris and the Lady of the Bernardini; but Madama di Thenouris hath better understanding of the Cyprian temper, its need of excitement--half barbaric--its impatience with a tone of gloom; the tourneys, the tennis, the hunt, all that bringeth life--let the court be charming again with jewels and color. Too great gravity is not wise."

"Yet to-day, your Excellency, if there were no lack of brilliancy--how many were not there to see!"

"It is the beginning only," he said; "let it not be the end. Great issues have been changed by such trifles."

"Must there be no more than trifles?" she asked, detaining him, dissatisfied.

He looked at her, uncertain whether it were wise to speak further.

"Tell no one that they are trifles: but listen," he said. "It will take _strength_, and _patience_, and _wisdom_ and _cunning_ and _grace_ to rule this people. Shall we ask all this of any woman?" He dwelt upon the words with weighty enunciation.

"Or of any _man_?" she answered, half-mocking at the demand. "And if he were really a man, and not a G.o.d--and if one might choose one's King----"

He shook his head slowly in response. "Our paragon might not be found in the House of Lusignan, perchance. But surely he would not be a Louis of Savoy--nor a Ferdinand of Naples--no more than a Carlotta. _Nor any Cyprian n.o.ble who hath eyes upon the Crown._"

"Not this, also!" she cried, startled; "_not this!_"

"So rumor hath it; but none is strong enough. It frets me not. I have but told thee since thou art on guard."

"Is there a remedy?" she asked despondent.

"It is not hopeless. The Ministers must rule the land. We must choose our men and bide our time. Our Queen, by her grace, shall win the people's hearts: and all may be well."

"And the little Prince--under her training?--For she will teach him love and justice. She hath vowed him to the service of his land."

"Aye, he is our hope. We must guard her kingdom for him."

Then suddenly his face flamed with wrath. "This Council of the Realm were arch-traitors!" he said fiercely, "and to think that they escaped death!--Wresting power for their own ends--taking no concern for Cyprian interests--they 'forget' the tribute which a.s.sures to Cyprus the support of our Suzerain, and wait for Venice to come with careful inquiry to set such failures right! But what cared they whether the provisions of a solemn treaty were kept or broken? They had no thought of honor--they wanted power to overturn the throne--not to uphold it.--The masterful meanness of such creatures is beyond comprehension!"

"It doth unman me!" he said apologetically to Margherita, after this unusual outburst, for Mutio di Costanzo was a man of few words; then,

"Madama di Thenouris is of our private council," he added, to her immense relief, as he left her.

XXVII

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 grat.i.tude of the Queen was already his.

"What shall I give thee, beloved Cousin?" the Queen had asked him. "Wilt thou be a n.o.ble of Cyprus?"

"Dear Lady," he answered, "I want but thy favor. Doth it not suffice me that I am a n.o.ble 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, "_a.s.sai 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 grat.i.tude 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 compa.s.sionate.

"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 n.o.bles--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.