Chapter
13.
A
Restful Day.
Lazily, Cardinal
Fratelli woke the next morning. He crawled out of bed, dressed and said
morning-prayer out on the room’s small balcony. He was staring at bustling
streets below when Gianni’s voice interrupted him.
“Let’s
go swimming!”
“No,”
Fratelli said quietly, “It is not proper for me.”
Mario
emerged into the room holding a plate of food as an anonymous servant carried
in a teapot. He left, taking Gianni with him. After the boy’s scuffle, they
wouldn’t leave him unattended. Fratelli sat down to breakfast and silently ate.
He wished for a nice, quiet day. Suddenly, Gianni came back in.
“Can
you come swimming with us, please?” he begged.
“No”
was Fratelli’s final answer.
After
finishing his meal, Fratelli grabbed his broad saturno, walked downstairs and
snuck outside. He knew Jan and Mario would be upset about this but he needed to
get away. That, after all, was the point of having a vacation… He easily
slipped between the crowds, happily unnoticed and crossed the street. The sun
climbed higher, looming over him. Though Fratelli’s head stayed cool from the
broad hat, his body felt warm and he loosened his buttons. Just when he decided
to sit down in a shady area, Rodolfo, the archbishop, approached out of
nowhere.
“Good
morning, Your Eminence!” he cried.
“Good
morning,” Fratelli replied, nodding respectfully.
Fanning
himself from the sun’s heat, Rodolfo fidgeted with his glittering cross and
then spoke;
“It’s a hot one
today! So glad to find you… Can you come with me to the cathedral?”
Fratelli nodded
again. It wouldn’t be right to refuse; he concluded but followed very
hesitantly. Rodolfo noticed, turned around and eagerly gestured with his hand
for him to hurry. Fratelli groaned. Seeing Fratelli’s frown, Rodolfo figured to
start up a conversation.
“Did
you enjoy the dance last night?”
Now
smiling, Fratelli answered, “Yes I did. In fact, I dreamed that I was dancing…”
“With
Lydia?” asked the archbishop, suppressing a grin.
“No,
with Michele.”
“Who
is Michele?”
“Oh,
she is a friend of mine.”
“A
pretty friend?”
Fratelli
nodded a third time then replied, “Yes, she is married now… thank the Lord.”
Both men smiled.
The sunlight and sounds of the lively city were pleasant. Two large seagulls
flew overhead squawking. Salty air wafted around them. When they reached the
green bank around the cathedral, Fratelli looked towards the oddly leaning bell
tower.
“Would
you like to go up there?” Rodolfo asked.
“Why,
yes I would,” said Fratelli.
Rodolfo
looked awkward, reaching beneath his purple robes to snatch a key-ring. It
jingled as he searched for the right one and unlocked the tower’s door. He
gestured for Fratelli to go in first. Inside, cool air relieved him and damp
dark. He removed his hat as Rodolfo followed after. Fratelli glanced up with
amazement at the wide, looming bells. Morning dew still dripped from the cold
metal. One drop landed on his nose and he snorted. Slowly, Fratelli climbed the
spiral staircase and stopped, looking out an arched window at the city square.
Several carriages shuffled past, people milled about. Some, probably
vacationers like himself, paused and pointed in their direction.
Resting his
hands against the cold, stone wall, Fratelli sighed. He thanked God for this
restful moment. It was perfect up here. Eventually, however, he stepped back
down the stairs, slowly as he’d come, and emerged outside. Keeping thoughts
inside, he simply smiled while they strolled to the cathedral.
When they
reached the central aisle, a thin priest appeared with several white-robed
choir boys in tow. Rodolfo wanted more help with them. Instead of frowning or
groaning, Fratelli patiently sat down. Standing next to Rodolfo, the priest
looked as his exact opposite, lean and gaunt while the archbishop was plump and
rosy-faced. The boys squirmed and stared at Fratelli as he rose.
“Let
us learn to properly chant today,” he began.
Their
little eyes fixed on him.
Delicately
lifting one hand, Cardinal Fratelli opened his mouth and intoned a chant, “Kyrie Eleison…”
The
boys haphazardly repeated it. The cardinal cringed then tried again:
“Kyriiie, Eleeison…”
They
responded better this time. Fratelli stood there and worked with them for about
an hour. When the boys learned to properly chant the Kyrie, albeit rather roughly,
he slumped down in a pew and sighed with relief. Rodolfo laughed, watching the
weary boys leave then turned to the equally weary cardinal.
“A
handful aren’t they?”
Fratelli
wiped his forehead, expressing silent agreement.
In appreciation,
Rodolfo took Fratelli for a lunch of baked bread, cheese risotto and roasted
crab soup. Arriving back to the hotel alone, he saw Mario standing near the
doorway, worried and frowning.
“I
needed to be alone,” Fratelli explained.
Though
still upset, Mario decided not to speak. He escorted Fratelli back to his room
where the cardinal laid down for a nap.
A nearby chime
announced the hour of one ‘O’clock as Fratelli stirred and rose. He combed his
messy hair then strolled downstairs. He spent most of the evening milling about
the hotel’s small library. Most of the books there were fictional but either
romantic or about war. He vaguely flipped through them then began straitening
the shelves. Later, he joined the others at supper.
Gianni, who had
just returned from swimming, continued bothering Fratelli to swim. At last, the
cardinal walked away. Mario followed.
“No, please
stay. I am just going to stroll by the seaside,” Fratelli said, “I will be back
soon.”
They
understood and let him go.
Trekking
over soft sand, Fratelli eyed the moon, which formed a perfect, white circle,
almost floating atop the waves. Silver light hit his smiling face as he
listened to murmuring waters. The beach was entirely deserted. Fratelli gazed
around, looking for a sign of life. Nothing but the moon, sand and sea
accompanied him. Sitting upon a smooth rock, he removed his socks and dipped
one foot into the sea. Its coldness startled him yet soothed after such a warm
day.
His mind turned
to swimming. Could he? Maybe he would just wade a little? Once again, Fratelli
gazed around and saw no one. Quickly, Fratelli removed his outer shirt and pants,
folding them neatly and waded almost waist-deep into the water. An abrupt,
swirling wave soon knocked him off balance. He fell completely in! Spitting and
squinting, his head emerged, still looking very surprised. “Well, I suppose I’m
swimming whether I like it or not,” he mused to himself. In playful fashion,
Fratelli spread out his arms and paddled in a circle. Then he dove, touched the
sandy sea floor and re-emerged. His laughter echoed into the night.
He came out of
the water, sat on the rock to dry off and spoke a grateful prayer:
“O Precious Lord, thank you for this day, for
this restful day. I suppose swimming isn’t as bad as I first thought…this night
was perfect for me. Truly, the sea is full of wonder, your creation full of
wonder.”
Suddenly
something sticky and rather cold touched his leg. Seeing a tiny octopus
wandering onto his foot, he jumped, shouting and shaking it off. He snatched a stick and warily prodded the
gooey creature back into the water. When
Fratelli returned to the hotel, still slightly wet with his hair dripping, Jan
rushed forth with a dry towel.
“Oh,
Your Eminence,” he gasped, “Did you fall into the ocean?”
“Sort
of…”
Chapter 14.
The
Rush.
On Sunday,
Cardinal Fratelli rose early to celebrate Mass at the cathedral. He tried to
give Rodolfo’s breviary back but the archbishop told him” Please, keep it.”
Morning sunlight poured into the hotel bedroom as he began packing for the trip
home. Gianni watched him carefully fold his clothes, including his red cassock
along with an assortment of stockings. Gianni had previously shoved all his
wrinkled clothes in a suitcase. He was ready to leave this place with its
taunting locals and impatiently waited for the cardinal.
“I’m
missing a stocking,” Fratelli suddenly said.
Gianni
snickered but one look silenced him. Fratelli began searching around and
finally dug a scarlet stocking from beneath the bed. He sighed and packed it
with the others.
“Can
we get some gelato before we leave?” Gianni then asked.
Mario
glanced at his timepiece and gestured to indicate they had to leave soon.
Fratelli began speaking but Gianni interrupted, “Please, we’ll be really fast.”
The cardinal
shrugged. He too yearned for one last taste of the cold, savory treat. Mario
took their bags while Fratelli departed with Gianni in tow. They promised to be
back very soon.
Jan appeared, holding
a large handbag. He peeked into the room and asked, “Where is his Eminence? We
must be going soon.”
“He went for one
last cup of gelato,” Mario answered.
Jan set the bag
down and groaned.
Reaching the
gelato-stand, Fratelli quickly ordered one chocolate cup and one cherry.
“I’m sorry sir,
we are out of cherry,” the vendor said.
Fratelli
shrugged.
“I suppose I can try something
different… I’d like chocolate then.”
Squinting in the
sunlight, Fratelli leaned against a wall and ate the creamy dessert. Gianni
suddenly tugged at his sleeve.
“Your Eminence,”
he said, now pointing at the clock tower, “It is time to go.”
“Don’t you
remind me what time it is,” Fratelli snapped then started towards the hotel. Gianni
darted ahead of him and they increased their pace to a steady run. Gianni
arrived first just as Jan and Mario were exiting the hotel. Fratelli lagged
behind panting.
“Come on, Your
Eminence, we will miss the noon train,” Jan cautioned.
They boarded a
carriage and Jan urged the driver to go fast. Fratelli had barely sat down when
the carriage bustled forth at full speed. He fell over onto Mario who steadied
him. Gianni laughed, his body being tossed about. It was fun for him! Fratelli
on the other hand, clenched an armrest and frowned. Within a half hour, they
reached the train station. Fratelli was last to step down as Jan pointed and
cried out, “Look, the train is preparing to leave!”
Indeed, curls of
white steam rose into the air as heavy, metallic pistons began to churn.
“Oh no!”
Fratelli shouted, making a headlong dash.
The train hadn’t
started moving yet, so they still might make it! Gianni outran him and quickly jumped
aboard the train, signaling the conductor to stop. His voice lost amidst an
increasing clatter, the conductor mouthed the words: “Hurry!”
Mario reached
the train next and handed over Fratelli’s bags. Suddenly, there was a jolt. A
loud screech rang out and the huge wheels came alive. The train was leaving!
Jan’s feet scrambled for a lower step, Mario helped him aboard and Fratelli
lastly approached, running frantically. He shouted in frustration, knowing the
pavement was scraping his fine shoes, gathered strength and leapt up. Mario’s
strong hand caught him. While Jan patted his back reassuringly, Fratelli went
inside the cabin. He breathed heavily from exertion, wiped his sweaty forehead
and smiled faintly.
“Thank you O
Lord!” he gasped “but I do not want that to ever happen again!”
The conductor
took their tickets and led them to a private compartment. It looked very much
like the place they sat before, probably was the same place. Saying nothing,
Fratelli sat down in a plump seat and sighed with great relief. He lifted up
his shoes and saw deep, scuff marks in the polished, black leather.
“Oh, my shoes…”
he moaned.
“It is okay,
Your Eminence,” Jan said, handing him a steaming cup of tea, “here.”
“Why, thank
you,” Fratelli replied, taking small sips. The hot beverage calmed his nerves and
he rested, staring out the window as trees and buildings blurred by. Now, he opened
the crinkled pages of Rodolfo’s breviary and recited noonday prayer. Yes, he
was rather late but remained content and at ease. Lateness seemed to be the
tone of the day…
Chapter
15.
Home.
The train
rhythmically clattered over the tracks. Fratelli leaned his head on one hand
and stared out the window. Then gently, he reached for one of his bags and
checked inside to make sure Dina’s teapot that he’d bought was still in one
piece. Peeling away paper padding, he saw it looked fine. He checked the other
gifts, careful not to reveal the licorice tin, and saw they were also safe.
Sitting back in his seat, he sighed contently.
Gianni, growing restless, asked to explore and
Mario escorted him from the compartment. Now, it was just Jan and the cardinal.
They eyed eachother but said nothing. This continued for several moments until
Jan spoke,
“Thank you, Your Eminence.”
“For
what?”
Jan
answered, “For being so gracious to me.”
Fratelli
suppressed a groan at the flattering words but knew that Jan truly meant it.
Four months ago, when they’d met, Jan was serving the arrogant Lamberto II, son
of the Duke of Tuscany. He practically begged Fratelli to hire him instead and
the cardinal obliged. Since then, things were well. Feeling idle, Jan stood up
and offered to fetch more tea.
“I
would like that,” Fratelli said.
Jan
returned followed by Mario and Gianni. The boy began prattling about train
wheels and steam, obviously amazed at this mode of travel.
“I
want to be a train conductor when I grow up,” Gianni said.
“I
thought you wanted to be a cardinal?” Mario replied.
Fratelli
straitened in his seat, smiling, secretly delighted at hearing this. Gianni
gave him an apologetic look then concluded, “I’ll be both!”
They ate a
light, satisfying lunch. Fratelli took the bowl of olives and mixed them into
his bowl of cold ham salad. The hours dragged by into evening and then into
night when at last; Lucca’s walls and flickering lamplights became visible from
the window.
“Oh,
we are home!” Fratelli shouted excitedly.
The
train began slowing and Fratelli prematurely jumped up, ready to leave.
Suddenly the train stopped and jolted him. He tumbled back into his seat.
“Oh,
Your Eminence!” Jan cried, rushing to help him.
Fratelli
nudged him away, stood and dusted himself off. Then, assuming a dignified air,
pretending nothing happened; he opened the compartment door and led them out. Lucca’s
ornate station greeted them. Tiredly, Fratelli stepped down onto the platform
and yawned. Jan grabbed his arm to steady him.
“I’m
fine,” the cardinal mumbled.
They
bid Mario a farewell and began walking to a stagecoach that waited. Wordlessly
and wearily, they boarded, even Gianni making no sound. When they arrived to
Fratelli’s dimly lit villa, the hour already drew past midnight. Dina came
outside, carrying a bright lamp as Fratelli stepped onto the grass.
“Oh,
Your Eminence, we’ve missed you!” she said.
“I
missed being home as well,” Fratelli answered.
He
followed her inside and the smell of stewing vegetables hit his nose. His sides
started aching…he didn’t realize how hungry he was. Gianni, of course, darted
into the dining room and helped himself to the warm pot. Fratelli whispered a
short blessing as the boy scooped food onto his plate. Then, he also ate.
Rodrigo came from upstairs, himself looking very tired and met them.
“Oh,
am I glad to see you!” Fratelli cried, “And you too Dina!”
“I
am very glad to see you, Your Eminence, it’s been hard work running this place
without you. Now I may be in need of a vacation,” Rodrigo replied.
They laughed
together. Dina took Gianni and went home for the night. Fratelli secretly
wondered how she would react once learning of Gianni’s scuffle and the ruined
suit. The hour was getting too late for thinking. Sitting at the table, he
stifled a yawn.
“I must retire,”
he said.
“Go on, go on,”
Rodrigo said, “Your bed is waiting.”
Cardinal
Fratelli readily went upstairs, washed his face and then lay down. He fell
asleep fully-dressed, not bothering to put covers on. The next morning he awoke
along with the rising sun. Yellow light warmed his skin as he sat up and
stretched. He felt relaxed, vivified and very content, ready to face a new day.
He washed, dressed in his usual red cassock and then went downstairs.
“Oh, a beautiful morning indeed!”
Fratelli said to himself, “Thank you Lord
for such a restful vacation! It has restored my strength and whatever this day
holds I shall meet with anticipant vigor!”
While excitedly rushing to
breakfast, his feet slipped on the hall’s Oriental rug. Hearing a clatter and a
thud in the hallway, Dina smiled. He was back.
~ The End.
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