Light on Lucrezia - By Plaidy, Jean Page 0,101

a pair of wings.”

“You are a philosopher, as well as a poet,” said Lucrezia. “And I like your philosophy.”

“Have I your permission to come to your apartment often? I feel that you and I could have a great deal to say to each other.”

“I shall look for you tomorrow,” Lucrezia told him.

When Alfonso visited her that night, he was unusually talkative. She was in bed when he entered the apartment in his brisk manner.

“So the Strozzi has found his way to your apartments, eh?” he said. “The greatest moment of his life!” Alfonso burst into loud laughter. “You understand what that means, eh? At last he has a chance—so he thinks—to get his Cardinal’s hat. The Pope’s own daughter! How could he get nearer the Pope than that?” Alfonso wagged a finger at her. “Mark you, he’ll be asking for the hat before long.”

“I think you are wrong, Alfonso,” she said. “You judge everyone by … by the people you know here. There was a delicacy in his manner.”

That made Alfonso laugh still more. “He knows how to manage the ladies, eh? Not the women … but the ladies. Strozzi wouldn’t look at a mere serving-woman. What good could she bring to him? I tell you a Cardinal’s hat means more to him than any of your gracious smiles. He wouldn’t as much as see a kitchen girl. He wouldn’t see what she could offer. He’d only know she hadn’t Cardinals’ hats to give away.”

“It might be more comfortable for us all if you were less interested in the gifts of kitchen girls,” began Lucrezia. “It might be that if you made some pretence of living a life more in keeping with your rank …”

But Alfonso was in bed and no longer interested in conversation.

Under the cover of music Strozzi talked.

“I make no secret of the fact, my dear Duchessa, that it has been the ambition of my life to possess a Cardinal’s hat.”

“It is a worthy ambition,” Lucrezia told him.

“And knowing of the love your father bears you, I feel that, should you consider me worthy, you would be able to convince His Holiness that I should not disgrace the Sacred College.”

“I am certain that you would grace the Sacred College,” Lucrezia assured him.

Strozzi bent nearer to her. “I would be willing to spend as much as 5,000 ducats to attain my desire.”

“It is a great sum,” said Lucrezia.

“My family is rich, and I feel that I must go out into the world. I have my life to live in places beyond Ferrara.”

“I will write to my father. I believe the friendship that you have shown to me will please him more than 5,000 ducats.”

“I am grateful.” His beautiful eyes were eloquent. She smiled at him. She was realizing that, in spite of her chilly reception in Ferrara, she was at last making her own court, and life was becoming interesting.

“How you must miss Rome!” he said suddenly.

“More than I can say.”

“Ferrara seems dull to you doubtless?”

“It is so different from Rome. In Rome there was so much to do. There were so many shops full of wonderful things.”

“So you think the shops of Rome the best in Italy?”

“Indeed yes. Those of Naples are exquisite, but I think Rome holds the palm.”

“You have not seen the shops of Venice?”

“No.”

“Then I must tell you they have goods therein … jewels … cloth … to outshine anything you ever saw in Rome.”

“Is this really so?”

“Indeed yes. Venice is the traders’ center. They congregate there from the north and the south; and all that is best in their merchandise is bought by the merchants of Venice and displayed in the shops there. I see that you have exquisite taste. May I say that I have never seen gowns of such style? Your velvets and brocades are very beautiful; I have never seen better outside Venice.”

He continued to tell her of the beauties of Venice, of its culture and riches. Strozzi had many friends in that city but there was none other who held the place in his esteem which belonged to Pietro Bembo. Lucrezia knew of Pietro Bembo, of course. He was the greatest humanist in Italy and one of the finest poets. The friendship was treasured by Strozzi, he declared, and he felt himself honored by it.

“I know his work well,” said Lucrezia. “I agree with you that it could only come from a fine mind. Now I envy you your visits to Venice more than ever. There you will be