human
Have I not eyes? she questioned, with tantalizing slowness;
gpt
Nay; tell us, Ecciva.
human
That Tristan de Giblet--he who would have killed the King the night that he climbed the city-walls and fled to Rhodes--we know the tale----
gpt
Aye, aye; we know it. And then?
human
And one of us--hath any one seen Alicia de Giblet? She hath not been among us since that night of the _signal fire_.
gpt
She hath been ill, in the Château de Giblet this month past,
human
Perchance, sweet maids;--or in some other less splendid castle where dungeons are of more account than the fine banquet hall of the de Giblet! And because Alicia is sister to this Messer Tristan--I have done much thinking of late--it is time for the Bernardini to return. Let us give over talk.
gpt
Alicia de Giblet was sister to that traitor! one of them exclaimed indignantly;
human
But how came she ill, 'because of it,' as thou sayest, Ecciva? Eloisà questioned, wishing ever to have a reason for her beliefs;
gpt
The night of the King's flight was long since--verily--before his coronation. Carlotta was Queen, then;--there have been wars and death and woe enough since then! But this night of the signal fire is but a month agone--and _that night came Tristan de Giblet to talk with his sister_, who let him into the Palazzo Reale. The daring of the man! We are not cowards--we Cyprians!
human
Ecciva!--how canst thou verily be sure!
gpt
I knew him, she said,
human
And thou, also, wert there?
gpt
Am I the Margherita to be shown such favor? Nay, but I have an audience-chamber of my own from the window of my turret when there is no light within: and all that day I knew by the face of Alicia that there was some intrigue--which I was not one to miss through heedlessness! Alicia was watching for him that night; and I knew his face when I saw them together on the terrace. And with them was another man--wrapped in a cloak--the feather of his hat drooping low over his face.--And his face--I never turned my eyes away from him and I saw it for a moment when the wind swept his feather aside--his face was the face of--_Rizzo!_
human
Nay, nay, Ecciva--not he! It could not be _he_!
gpt
Nay, my trusting children; believe your betters, if you will! As for me--I trust these eyes, rather than the uncertain speech of those who teach us what we _may_ believe. These eyes are good eyes! They have not failed me yet!
human
There is more, Ecciva!--that which cometh after?--_subito_--for the Lady of the Bernardini might return! They were all clamoring about her.
gpt
And Alicia verily brought him to the Queen's audience-chamber?
human
Nay--bide my time, chatterers, if you would hear the tale--for it hath a sequel--we do not often get one good enough to be spoiled by a too hasty telling.--Rizzo, for it was verily he--can any one forget Rizzo!--he turned from them and began to climb the mountain, there, where the signal fire glowed later. And Tristan, the handsome knight, came into the palace with his sister; and after them come following the holy sister Violante--she who came hither from Rhodes some days before.
gpt
Go on!
human
There is no more, she answered provokingly--
gpt
But the audience with the Queen?
human
There was no audience. For I bethought me of somewhat I had _forgotten_ in the ante-chamber--not to miss the knowledge of what was passing--and I sped me thither. And then there was naught left to do but to hide me, somewhat weak of heart, in the tapestry of the ante-chamber; for the door was wide into the Queen's salon, and there was His Excellency the Bernardini, flashing scorn in his speech, so that one thought the air would break into flames--he, the while, standing still enough for an image of a wrathful Kinyras; the Queen's guard was around him, all in full armor--a doughty corps of men to meet those three!--Alicia, white as a spirit, weeping against Tristan; and Violante, shaken out of her holy calm, kneeling to pray His Excellency's grace!
gpt
And then----?
human
And then they left the Queen's chamber and I dared not creep forth until all was quiet again. But I heard His Excellency's speech as he stood bowing in the doorway when the guards led Tristan forth--a model of courtesy one would have said--for I could see him through a parting in the arras though I risked my life in standing there--'Her Majesty' said the Bernardini--very fair of speech--'doth surely owe such escort to the Illustrissimo, the Seigneur de Giblet, for the attention he would fain have offered in his own person to King Janus, in his Episcopal Palace before he wore the crown of the realm.' And the Seigneur de Giblet, not to be outdone--being Cyprian--answers him--very proud and cold--'Is your Excellency ever so faithful to reward a service _contemplated, but not achieved_?' For he had meant to smother the King in his sleep that night, if Janus had not escaped to Egypt.
gpt
And after that, Tristan came no more; nor his sister, the fair Alicia; nor Rizzo, the dark-browed. Nor was it many days ere Violante, the most holy sister, had left the court.--Ask the Provveditori!
human
But what message did they bring Her Majesty?
gpt
Am I a noble of _Venice_ that I should know this mystery which toucheth our realm of Cyprus? she answered scornfully.
human
Ask the Bernardini, or the Dama Margherita--to whom he confesseth all his soul!
gpt
But Rizzo?
human
And Rizzo--when he had lighted the signal fire on the mountain--thinking perchance, there had been time for the meeting with the Queen which Alicia had promised Tristan--and the galley had come to shore beneath and waited for him,--went on board, nothing doubting, thinking to return to Rhodes--who knoweth?--To Carlotta perchance;--but he found the galley _manned with mariners from the arsenal of Venice_; and Tristan coming to set sail for Venice, with the Queen's guard, all in full armor, to speed him on his way: _and a Venetian General in command, in lieu of the African Captain of the galley who brought him hither_. For one may seek in vain to outwit a Venetian; one must admire them for that, though it work us woe!
gpt
It is thine own tale, verily, Ecciva; thou speakest to mock us!
human
Nay--faith of Sant'Elenà, it is true and sad enough--if there were not sadder to come. For Tristan, the gallant, handsome knight, being in chains, and fearing worse awaited him when he should reach Venice, wrenched the diamond from a ring he wore and kneaded it into the bread they served him for his breakfast, and swallowed it--and so there was an end.
gpt
How shouldst thou know this tale of horror more than others--if it were true?
human
If one maketh wise use of opportunity, one need not always wait the telling. But to-morrow the court will be ringing with the tale; it cometh but now from Venice.
gpt
But Rizzo?
human
He is there in Venice in the _pozzi_; and the end will not be easy like that of Tristan. For he is the greatest traitor of them all--verily a traitor almost sublime. It were not so difficult to admire the nerve of the man!--Rizzo----