Stone Virgin (45 page)
He took two steps back towards the door, hand still inside his gown. She brought it on herself, he said speaking more quietly. I was generous with her. I did not ask too closely how she spent her time. Then I call and she is not there. The fool was dressing up for you. I did what was necessary. There are people who look to me.
God help them I said.
You too he said. A convicted felon. And also, to sweeten your thoughts, your botch of a Madonna which is now in the possession of the Supplicanti, it will never be used on their church. I have spoken to their Prior. When I explained matters to him he began at once to see the statue’s imperfections. Whatever pious reasons they give out for rejecting it, the Supplicanti are too recently settled in Venice to disregard my wishes or risk the displeasure of my family. So you will die, Girolamo, you sodomizer of your mother, and the Madonna will die with you.
He looked at me again a few moments without speaking more, the twist of a smile still there though his face was white and sick and I knew in that moment that he hated me also for my talent. Then he went out looking like a bat from behind with his long sleeves trailing.
My lord there is little left to say. I know my words are not reaching you. I think I have known it from the beginning. All the time the gaoler was betraying me. He said yes you can trust me, you have my promise. He nodded his big head. Then he gathered up my papers and carried them to Fornarini, to laugh over and destroy. However, it has become habit with me. Death will come soon enough, I will not anticipate it by falling silent now. So I write to you a few words more at least though knowing it is hopeless. The light is failing but I have a lamp now, they have given me a candle lamp. Alfredo came back with it, yes he said I have orders to give you a lamp. I know whose orders. He wants me to plead for life but I will not, I do not address these words to him, shame of his race, with not courage enough even to do his own killing.
All the time I was carving the stone Bianca came to see me. She came when there was no need. She dressed in the
vesti di Madonna
. She stayed when there was nothing to do. She cooked meals or she cleaned the room. The weather was hot. I worked on the statue and sometimes in the midst of my work sometimes afterwards we made love together. (She did things with me, Fornarini, that she never did with you. What they were I will not say. But believe it. Moreover she took no money.) I got water from the pump and we washed each other from the bucket. And she laughed and cried out at the cold water. Her body was beautiful.
And all the time she must have been frightened. I did not take it seriously she was fanciful in any case and she liked to make mysteries. She had little sense,
una cervellina
, but she would have known what kind of man she had to deal with. She knew what could happen to girls of her trade, the broken bones, slashed face, the beating and gang rape of the
trentuno
, the dumping ground of the Lagoon.
She knew the danger and still she came. I think it was because she had no existence of her own. That morning, when I went to announce I had chosen her out of all the women in Venice she was installed there with her doorkeeper and her goldfinch and the damask hangings and her book that she couldn’t read. Being the Madonna was a part for her to play, she lost herself in it. Yes that must be the reason. We never spoke about love. Now I am to die but what is my fault? Who can say I harmed her? I would not have hurt Bianca. Once only we quarrelled that was when she said she could not see my light and I was offended and told her to go away but then she said she could see it. She cried and said she could see it.
I do not believe you. Would they hack her to pieces? Me they will kill but not the Madonna. And so not me. The star does not lose virtue by putting forth its ray or the mother by bearing a son nor can the creator of forms be eclipsed. There is natural light there is the light of God with which objects can at any time be imbued and there is the light that lives in creation. All things are in threes. The pagans believed that evil comes with the descent of spirit into material bodies but we believe that spirit comes as radiance from the face of God that first enlightens the angels then illumines the human soul and finally the world of corporeal matter. And this is again three and the reason is that God governs things by threes and these themselves are also governed by threes and so there is the saying that
numero deus comparare gaudet
. For the Supreme Maker first creates things, then seizes them and thirdly perfects them
primo singula creat, secundo rapit, tertio perfecit
. Fornarini, murderer, you do not understand this, but all who are makers know it.
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Version 1.0
Epub ISBN 9781448136865
Published by Windmill Books 2012
2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1
Copyright © Barry Unsworth 1985
This edition copyright © The Estate of Barry Unsworth 1985, 2012
Barry Unsworth has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
First published in Great Britain in 1985 by Hamish Hamilton
First published in paperback in 1986 by Penguin Books
Windmill Books
The Random House Group Limited
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA
Addresses for companies within The Random House Group Limited can be found at:
www.randomhouse.co.uk/offices.htm
The Random House Group Limited Reg. No. 954009
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 9780099558545
Table of Contents
Restoration 1: The Lower Draperies
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Restoration 2: All Below the Waist
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Second Interlude: Sanctification
Restoration 3: The Form Entire
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9