The Bronze Crown. Stefano Vignaroli
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6
Everything took light from her: she was the smile that illuminated everything around her
(Leo Tolstoy: Anna Karenina)
The afternoon lights cast sinister shadows on the faces of the angry crowd. Lucia was quick to run up the Pastori’s coast, walk diagonally along the dark road that ran under the walls of the Rocca and emerge in the Government’s Square, even before the first of the troublemakers arrived in that place going up the Longobardi’s Coast. He climbed the three steps that led to the churchyard of St. Augustine Church, thus remaining in a higher position than the square. In front of it, on the opposite side of the square, stood the Government Palace, recently completed and finished also inside thanks to the work of illustrious architects, such as Giovanni di Gabriele da Como, Andrea Contucci, known as Sansovino, and other distinguished sculptors and woodcarvers. Only the wooden blacksmith had yet to complete his work: he had been assigned the delicate task of carving and working on the ceilings of the Sala Grande, the Chancellery, the Camera del Podestà and other rooms.
When the first people armed with rudimentary tools, such as pitchforks, axes, shovels, but also knives and spears, founded who knows where, began to arrive noisily in the Government’s Square, Lucia tried to stand up in all its height, to be noticed by all, dominating the crowd. She was excited, her heart was in her throat, she didn’t know if the words that would come out of her mouth could be the right ones. But she had to try everything. Someone began to recognize her, pointing her out to others, to those who were invading the square.
«It’s the noble Lucia Baldeschi! The betrothed of the late Captain of the People!»
«Yes, if we’d had had Andrea dei Franciolini at the head of the town and the countryside, we certainly wouldn’t be like this!»
Lucia was afraid that someone might say at that point that she agreed with her evil uncle to kill Andrea, and that if the latter hadn’t been executed, it had been by pure chance, and certainly not by her intercession. She didn’t even realize that everything around her was forming like a luminous aura, so intense that people were almost afraid of it. As the sun went down, the Square was illuminated by the light that she herself emanated from there, from the churchyard. When she raised her arms and everyone was silent, Lucia could not escape the whispered phrases of those closest to her.
«She is a Saint. She is the Virgin Mary made person!», they said, kneeling down and dropping their weapons to the ground. All this instilled more courage in her, who knew she had powers beyond the norm, which at times were beyond her control, as in this case. But she could not waste time chasing after her thoughts, the fact that if her grandmother had had time to finish instructing her, she would now be able to control these abilities to perfection. She had to talk to the person in front of her. So she let her words be inspired by her grandmother’s spirit, which perhaps still hovered indomitably around her.
«Gentlemen, rising up against the authorities makes no sense at all. There inside that Palace, the nobles and elders of Jesi, what we call the Council of the Best, are just waiting for a strong leadership. And now is the time. Yes, because Pope Adriano VI has decided to recall the papal legate, believing that Cardinal Cesarini is more useful in Rome than here in Jesi, where he is hardly ever present. And that is good for us!»
The news, still unknown to most of those present, even because it was only partly true, had its effect and the buzz began to rise in the crowd, forcing Lucia to raise her voice, almost to the point of feeling pain in her throat.
«As I was saying, this is good for us. We have every right to expel the Cardinal’s exiled vicars. And we will do so without bloodshed. I already know I have the support of the Pope, to whom I have sent missives on the matter, through messengers who are already on their way to Rome. Father Ignazio Amici, the Dominican Inquisitor, is already packing his bags, but rest assured that he won’t be the only one to leave the city in the coming days. And we’ll have a Bishop from Jesi again, Cardinal Ghislieri. Go on, then, lay down your weapons, go home and sleep soundly. Also because - and this is a solemn promise on my part - tomorrow morning I will go through that door, yes, the door of the Government’s Palace. I will present myself to the Council of the Best and claim the office that is rightfully mine, for having been promised in marriage to Andrea Franciolini: I will be YOUR CAPTAIN OF THE PEOPLE!»
The enthusiasm exploded among the bystanders, those who were on their knees rose up, everyone abandoned tools and weapons in their hands, someone headed towards the young noblewoman to lift her and carry her in triumph along Via delle Botteghe to Piazza del Mercato. Lucia, lifted up by the arms of some energetic men, smiled, and her smile illuminated everything and everyone. At a certain point even the bells of the various churches began to ring festively. When the procession arrived in front of Palazzo Baldeschi, Lucia asked to be put to the ground, because she was very tired and wanted to return to her home to rest.
«Go now, and come back tomorrow to celebrate the new Captain of the People and the new Bishop of Jesi.»
As the crowd dispersed and Lucia was about to cross the threshold of her family palace, many did not escape the movements there, at the entrance of Palazzo Ripanti. Cardinal Cesarini’s vicar was hurriedly loading his luggage onto a horse-drawn cart.
The bastard has understood and is already leaving!, she said to herself. It’s better that way. I’m not so sure I can control everyone who claims his head.
The emotions of that day had been so great that Lucia sank into a deep sleep, without having even had dinner. She would have liked to take a hot bath before going to bed, but at the palace she no longer had a maid to take care of her. Moreover, since she had preferred to adopt the country residence for the girls, she had moved most of the servants there, and in the austere Baldeschi palace there remained very few servants, mostly male, who took care of the kitchens and stables.
She was awakened by an insistent knock on the door of her room, when the sun had not yet risen. She struggled to get out of bed, got herself settled as best she could, and opened the door by a crack, to see who was disturbing her at that unusual hour. A young boy, still beardless, but dressed in full dress, stockings, and with a long feathered hat on his head, did a reverence and tried to apologize for the time, almost stammering.
«Excuse me so much, Madame, but what I must tell you is of the utmost urgency. The executioner sent me from Piazza della Morte.»
Lucia’s throat went up and her mind, as sleepy as it was, suddenly became clear again, remembering that this was the time decided for Mira’s execution. What was going on? Why had the executioner sent this young man to trouble her?
«Wait a few moments, boy. I’ll make myself presentable, and I’ll be right with you. Take a seat in one of the chairs along the corridor. I’ll be as quick as I can.»
She styled her hair, put on a sober dress to give her freedom of movement, and soon reached the young man in the corridor.
«Well? What’s going on?»
«The executioner wants you in Piazza della Morte.»
«Why on earth?» replied Lucia outraged. «I made it clear that I would never want to see my handmaiden executed! So why disturb me?»
«There is a problem. The last wish of a condemned person is sacred and must be granted. The executioner cannot proceed until the victim has been satisfied. It is an unwritten law, but for Gerard, our executioner, it is a matter of honor.»
«And what have I to do with it, pray? What is Mira’s last wish?»
«That is the point. Your handmaiden has asked that you be near her on the point of death. You must come.»
«That’s out of the question. I swore to myself that I would never witness a capital execution again.»
«In this case I’ll have to go and wake up Judge Uberti, who won’t be very happy...»
Having understood the antiphon, and knowing that in those days it was better not to make trouble with the authorities of the old guard, Lucia decided to follow the young man in Death’s Square. At the end of the day, a few hours