Communion Blood (19 page)

“You need not decide this instant,” said Ragoczy.

“No; I will have time to think it through,” said Scarlatti. “I should probably enlarge the duet between Giove and the Vestal Virgin. The I Church would approve.”

Ragoczy gestured his endorsement of the idea; he had considered the Church when he prepared the libretto, having the Vestal pray not to Vesta, as they had in Imperial Rome, but to Jupiter, whom the Church viewed as an acceptable pagan substitute for God in such entertainments. He asked, “Should I write another few lines for them?”

“Full of noble sentiments, if you will,” Scarlatti said, smiling a little. “And if I may ask another favor of you?”

“Of course,” said Ragoczy. “Tell me what you would like.” Scarlatti glanced toward the sound of conversation coming from the buffet. “Will you take Maurizio with you and make him practice? He has begun to realize how talented he is and has stopped being willing to practice. Nothing I can say to him convinces him that no matter what gifts God has bestowed on him, he still must practice.” He shook his head. “I am about to despair of him.”

“If he is willing to come, then certainly,” said Ragoczy, wondering what Giorgianna would say to this plan; she was already displeased that he had provided separate quarters for the penitent woman—to have Maurizio in residence as well might aggravate her beyond her limits.

“Thank you, Signor’ Conte. I am in your debt.” Scarlatti put his hand over his heart to show his sincerity.

“I have done nothing yet,” Ragoc
2
y reminded him. “Speak to me when Maurizio has improved his habits, not before.”

“Then I will thank you for being willing to undertake the task,” said Scarlatti. “It would be a pity to see such ability fall short for lack of—” He broke off. “You have been very good to me and my musicians, Signor’ Conte, and not only because of this opera.”

“As you have been good to me,” Ragoczy countered with genuine appreciation as well as social expectations. “You have allowed me to bring my libretto to you and you have set it to wonderful music.” Scarlatti held up his hand. “We have both made our contributions and now it is up to the consort and singers.”

“Truly,” Ragoczy agreed, glad to have the exchange of compliments at an end.

“And if you will excuse me, I will go and have a bite to eat before it is wolfed down,” Scarlatti went on. “I will speak to Maurizio before we resume our practice.”

“Excellent,” said Ragoczy, and stepped back to show he was willing to relinquish his claim on Scarlatti’s attention. Then he went back to the clavichord and sat down at it once again, his small hands stroking easy runs from the keys. Gradually he began to play, starting with fragments of melodies he had remembered from the past, and evolving them into a haunting suite. For a while he was held in thrall to the sounds, but then he abandoned his remembrances and turned his attention to what he would be playing that afternoon.

“It is a pleasure to hear those songs again,” said Niklos from the anteroom door. “I had forgot that tune that Nicoris used to sing.” Ragoczy shook his head, banishing the image of that lovely, long- dead woman from his thoughts. “It was a captivating tune.” He rose from the bench. ‘What is it? Has this rehearsal disrupted your household too much?”

“No; nothing of the sort,” said Niklos. “For the first time in weeks they are in good humor. If I could have you here every day, I would be glad of it.” He folded his arms. “These constant delays, and all to Rothofen’s advantage, have weighed on all of us, I fear.”

“That is hardly surprising,” said Ragoczy.

Niklos sighed. “Truly. And it will give those who serve other masters something to report that does not cast me in an evil light.”

Ragoczy’s wry smile came and went swiftly. “It will have a similar benefit for me.”

“Yes, of course,” said Niklos; adding in Greek, “It will also give the appearance of unconcern, so that no one will believe that we are worried about the outcome of the suit.”

“Precisely,” said Ragoczy in the same language. “It will also make your opponent assume that we do not understand the gravity of the situation, which is also to our advantage. Let him underestimate us by all means.”

Niklos frowned. “It is no pleasant thing to be thought a fool.”

“Better a fool than an enemy,” Ragoczy pointed out, and began playing again as the viola da gamba player wandered back into the reception hall; Ragoczy added in Italian, “So, my dear Aulirios, strange as Roman ways may be to Greeks, as you say, they have their uses.”

“Surely a Transylvanian finds them strange from time to time?” Niklos took his tone from Ragoczy, punctuating his remark with an arch expression.

“Certainly, as I am to the Romans,” Ragoczy replied, recalling his many visits to Roma over the centuries.

“So we are in accord,” said Niklos, bowing. He turned to leave, but added as a parting shot, “I look forward to your rehearsals more than I can say.”

By the time Scarlatti called his consort and singers to order again, most of the servants at Senza Pari were gathered around the reception hall in avid anticipation of a glorious afternoon. The composer took advantage of this impromptu audience, saying, “You have listeners. Do not give them cause to regret they are here.” As he tapped out his first downbeats, he wondered why Ragoczy seemed to be silently laughing.

Text of a letter from Bonaldo Fiumara to Ferenc Ragoczy at Villa Vecchia.

To the reverend Abbe, Ferenc Ragoczy, Conte da San-Germain, the greetings of your builder, Bonaldo Fiumara, with the assurance that what follows is a full and accurate account of our accomplishments to date, and the further certainty that the schedule proposed may be maintained if nothing untoward interrupts our efforts on your behalf

The removal of the ruined portion of the Villa Vecchia has been completed, as you are no doubt aware. Such stones as we have been able to salvage have been put into use in the new structure, in accordance with your stated instructions. Those which were beyond restoration have been turned over to the Console Artei, as you provided for in our discussions. All payments agreed upon for this work have been made, and bonuses provided for all those engaged in readying the site for new construction.

For purposes of speeding up the new building, one mule-team and muleteer have been kept on at the same rate: fifteen golden scudi for the muleteer, twenty golden scudi plus food and stalls for the mules per week, with the same provision for half-pay in case of bad weather.

The new structure foundation has been laid and finished in accordance with your instructions, complete with the layer of earth you stipulated be spread; as you must be aware, the first skeleton of the villa is now standing. Your willingness to take on a half dozen more workers has enabled us to finish the work stipulated in less time than was our initial estimate of time needed, which prudent decision ensures the continuing efforts of all the workers. The payment for this clearing and preparation has been received, along with the thirty golden scudi for the next stage in construction, which will commence within the month. The bonuses provided to the workers in recognition of their efforts are much appreciated, and I relay to you their expressions of gratitude.

Payment for injury has been received in a timely fashion for Vitale Inizia and Mario Dritto; the care given to the latter by you, Eccel- lenza, must surely have saved his arm, and he is returning half of his injury pay in acknowledgment of your prompt action, which has doubtless preserved his arm and his livelihood; the Arte also expresses its appreciation for your timely efforts to minister to his injuries, in recognition of which they have sent an account of your care to the Console Artei for the purpose of giving official approval of your generous act.

New workers will be needed for this stage of the building, and with that eventuality in mind, I will outline the terms of employment their Artei require in order to ensure the work and the earnings be equitable for all: for skilled carpenters and joiners, fifteen golden scudi per month, with a deposit of ninety golden scudi in the Artei of each trade to be held against payment and credited to injury payment and extra work at the time of completion of the new buildings; for skilled glazers, twenty golden scudi with a similar deposit to their Arte and the same provision for injuries and extra work; for stone masons and finishers, fifteen golden scudi per month, and the same deposits stipulated to their Arte.

You must understand, Eccellenza, that many foreigners come to Roma and begin their projects well enough, but then run into debt and flee the city, leaving those of the Artei with no recompense for their labors. While your conduct has thus far been admirable, the time may come when you run out of gold, and therefore we cannot make an exception for you, as we might come to rue our magnanimity. The Console Artei is most specific because previous experience has shown that these requirements, as well as the high prices charged to foreigners, are necessary precautions against the losses we would all sustain were you to depart suddenly from Roma. Therefore I must request that you deposit another fifty golden scudi in the reserve account before we may go forward with the next stage of the project.

As to the accommodations you are providing for the penitent, we must have the full amount for the work immediately: forty golden scudi. For that amount, the quarters you have said you intend to provide may be readied to your specifications within six weeks. If the current state of the quarters is not wholly unacceptable to the penitent, then our task may not be so urgent, but that is something you must determine. Your request of an additional chamber suitable to housing a servant for the penitent may require another ten golden scudi be deposited to the carpenters’ and joiners’ Artei; the whole cost of such an addition should not exceed twenty-five golden scudi for supplies beyond the workers’ pay.

I will continue to present myself to you on Friday to tender accounts of work accomplished during the week and to collect any monies due at that time.
As
you have said you find our work satisfactory, I will plan to remain with this project in a supervisory capacity until it is finished and you have moved into the new building.

Any disputes regarding this work are to be submitted to the Console Artei, and the decision of the Console will be final and binding on all parties to this agreement.

Submitted for your review with my utmost expression of regard

I am ever at your service, Bonaldo Fiumara Masterbuilder

At Roma on the 1st day of May, 1689

A true copy of this report is filed with the Console Artei.

Post Scriptum: I thank you for engaging my unmarried sister to serve as a maid to the penitent to whom you have given shelter. The sum of ten golden scudi for a month of service is acceptable to my sister and to me. If you continue to employ her for more than three months, an increase in her salary will be expected.

9

Long ago this piazza had been the site of a temple to Magna Mater, and Roman women had visited it as much for social display as for worship; Olivia had come here to seek consolation from the soft- spoken priests and the sweet odors of incense and flowers. Now the temple was gone and it was surrounded by small, elegant villas, none of which was more than a century old; after a millennium of neglect and decay, the Piazza della Buona Donna was once again a prized and discreet address.

“You will not take this from me, Conte?” Giorgianna asked, halfpleading, half-defiant as she addressed Ragoczy across the expanse of her bed, where she reclined on a mass of satin-covered pillows, her hair done in an artless knot, her lips rouged and her lashes darkened, as was the current fashion for privileged interviews. She was en dishabille in a charming confection of lawn-and-lace that made her appear caught in sea-foam.

The room smelled of flowers from two enormous bouquets set out in ornamental vases in front of her two tall mirrors which made the bouquets appear more abundant than they were; for Ragoczy they served a double purpose, for they obscured the view of the bed as they scented the air.

“Of course not, carina,” he assured her: unlike Giorgianna, he was dressed with utter correctness in a glossy-black brocaded justaucorps and narrow breeches with neat white bands at his neck. If not for his ineffable sense of fashion and his manner, he might have been mistaken for a priest in such austere garments. He wore high boots for riding; his only fault was that he had donned no wig—his own dark hair was caught at the back of his neck and clubbed under the wide brim of his hat. “The deed is yours. I have no power to take it from you.” This was not wholly truthful: the Magistrates Court would uphold his claim on this property against any woman, and they both knew it. He removed his hat, hanging it on the back of a gilt-finished chair, one of three in her boudoir, a gorgeous chamber that occupied a quarter of the second floor.

“But you
...”
She struggled to find the words. “If you are ... I don’t suppose ... You will not change your mind? You will not abjure your gift?”

“No, I will not, Giorgianna,” he said, leaning toward her and taking her hand in his. “I am not such a paltry fellow as that.”

“You are not jealous?” She seemed shocked that she had put the question so bluntly, and she tried to pull her hand away.

He did not release her. “No, Giorgianna,” he said gently. “I haven’t been jealous since I was very young and absurdly hotheaded.” While this was true, it did not begin to describe the ferocity of his emotions in the first two centuries after he had become a vampire, but that had been thirty-five centuries ago. “Do not think you are slighted because I am not.”

She managed to smile at him. “You are always so
good
to me.” With that, she leaned forward from her mound of pillows and kissed his hand. “If Ilirio had not offered me marriage, I would never part from you, but—” She shrugged.

“I understand completely,” Ragoczy assured her, and it was true. “No matter. The villa is yours to do with as you wish; I will not interfere in anything you decide. But if you will permit me a word of advice?”