The Master of Verona

The celebration came early this year, February Sixteenth, right upon the heels of the New Year's games. Verona was one of the few cities that still celebrated the Roman New Year, January First. The rest of Europe chose to celebrate Easter as the start of the year, that being, they said, the month God created the earth. Greeks were even stranger, choosing September as the month to begin their calendar. Thus while most of the world was still in the year 1314, Verona had already turned the page to 1315.

Inside the city walls, the streets were all but impassable. Spectators, gamblers, merchants, peasants, petitioners — all had traveled for days to vie for what lodging they could find. The decent rooms were already rented out triple or quadruple capacity. Pietro knew how lucky he was to be housed with his father and brother in the Domus Bladorum, the former home of the della Scala family. Many visitors, even noble ones, were forced to sleep on dirty floors, or else in stables, where the beds were somewhat more comfortable.

But fully half the people in the city were not sleeping. Other attractions called — treats and spectacles and mythical beasts, lights and sounds and smells. At some point each visitor stood in the Piazza della Signoria hopeful for a sign of the Capitano at work or play. Even viewed from without, the Scaligeri palaces were full of life. Cangrande's staff was well used to working through the night when the Capitano was in residence. There was always an event to be planned, arriving or departing guests to be catered to, or the detritus of feasts or minor festivals to be cleared away. To provide these services, the Scaliger employed a bevy of men and women. All had their own duties and fiefs within the household. Having watched them prepare for today, though, Pietro truly pitied them.

Shivering now in his bed, he listened to the catcalls outside, the cheerful jeering of borrowers and lenders. Money would be spent lavishly today. Not on clothes, nor food nor wine nor music, but on alms and charity. Many of Verona's lesser citizens would put themselves hopelessly in debt, yet consider it money well spent. Pietro himself had been given a modest sum by his father to donate to San Zeno, along with a remark about "ostentatious piety."

A polite tapping on the door of his family's suite made Pietro sit up, making sure not to jostle his brother. Before retiring, they'd dragged the frame of their bed closer to the huge brazier that warmed the chamber. They could have more easily moved the brazier, but the metal dish was placed to warm their father. To tamper with it would have risked a fate worse than freezing.

Curled at the brazier's foot was the pup Mercurio, a gift from Cangrande. The young lean head was up, tail slapping the cold tiles. Hanging from the collar around his neck was the inspiration for the dog's name — the old Roman coin Pietro had stumbled across during his midnight adventure with the Scaliger.

The tapping on the door was persistent. As the dog rose with an answering growl, Pietro shot a hand from under the covers and gripped Mercurio's collar. Where was his father's manservant?

As if in answer, Pietro heard the door being unbarred. There was whispering between Dante's steward and whomever it was. Then the slow, measured steps of the poet, grumbling as he went to satisfy his curiosity. There was more discussion, then Dante's footsteps again but much faster. Suddenly Pietro felt his father's hand on his shoulder. "Pietro. Pietro!"

Along with his father, light was coming into the room. Pietro blinked dumbly. "What's wrong?" There were five men coming in, all bearing lanterns. Dante was standing beside the bed, a thick blanket pulled over his nightshirt and sleeping robe. The comatose Jacopo continued to snore.

"They're from il patrono," said Dante. Sure enough, the lead figure wore a medallion with the seal of the ladder. Pietro recognized Cangrande's Grand Butler, Tullio d'Isola.

Mercurio scampered back and forth between Dante and the visitor. D'Isola presented a sealed roll of parchment to the poet, then reached down a hand to pat the young greyhound. Having a good rapport with hounds was an important part of Tullio's office.

"I can't see as well as I used to," replied Dante, taking the scroll and passing it to his son. "Could you assist me, please?"

That aroused Pietro's suspicions. Dante never admitted his eye trouble in front of anyone, even servants. No, there was some other reason for making his son read the scroll. Taking the rolled sheet and breaking the seal, Pietro read by lantern light:

On this day February 9 in the Year of Our Lord 1315

the Eldest Living Son of the Noble House of Alaghieri

Baptized in the name of Christ's Apostle Peter,