11 - The Fate of Pasquale Bembo

It is May in the Year of Our Lord 1341. A finely-accoutred gentleman of great height and girth wearing Venetian livery knocks at the door of the House of Crows. He introduces himself as Maffeo Barozzi and enquires for Rocco al Mare. A surly-faced woman answers and bids him wait. After a short while she returns with Rocco who has her let him in.

Maffeo reminds Rocco that Lorenzo Bembo, the Venetian Agent in Rome, is still keen to know more of the fate of his nephew, Pasquale Bembo. Matteo says he was the last person to see Pasquale alive. He explains that in the hot pursuit of a fugitive during the Venetian raid on the Baths of Diocletian last autumn, Pasquale squeezed down a rent in the depths of the ruins. Maffeo explains guiltily that he was unable to follow his master due to the extent of his physique. He said further that when Pasquale did not return they sent down a lad after him. The lad did not return either.

Matteo is keen to show Rocco the spot in the Baths where this occurred to see if more can be determined of Pasquale's fate. Astore and Father Arturo accompany them. On arrival at the ruined edifice, they find it to be in the hands of a new gang led by a fellow called Renzo. His co-operation is easily bought wtih Maffeo's Venetian gold. He lends them a guide called Lino to ensure they are not molested. However, he and his men counsel strongly against descending into the lower levels of the ruins. Nevertheless, Maffeo leads the party through the ruined edifice to a fissure in the corner of what was once plainly a bathing pool. Lino warns them once more then shrugs and leaves them to it.

The way is indeed narrow. However, Rocco bravely strips off his jack and squeezes his frame through the tiny opening into the stygian gloom below with but a basilard and a candle to light his way. He indicates that he has reached the bottom and shouts up "Dead men walking!". Then all is silent. Fearing the worst, Astore follows suit and then Father Arturo. Matteo is left alone crossing himself and voicing nervous prayers above the fissure as he had done once before.

After a long while in which there are no replies to his cries of enquiry, but during which the occasional sound of armed struggle waft up from the depths, he hears Rocco's voice from below. They have dealt with the "Dead that Walk" - Maffeo shudders - no sign of Pasquale - but there is the body of a boy. Between them the dessicated corpse of a boy is passed up through the opening into Maffeo's hands. There is enough left of his clothing to identify him as the lad who was sent down after Pasquale. They say they will explore the room a little further in the hope of finding out more.

So Maffeo waits. He waits some more. Lino returns. He doesn't want to say he told Maffeo so, but he does anyway. As the late spring sun begins to wane in the sky, Maffeo sighs. He gathers up the left-behind belongings of his three comrades and the body of a boy he once knew. Further Venetian specie is spent upon a porter with a handcart.

On the way back to the Venetian Agent's palazzo, Maffeo thinks to call into the House of Crows to return his erstwhile comrades' belongings. There he is astonished to find all three alive and well. They have some tale about a dark passage, a trapdoor, a rubbish chute and a midden. Maffeo's nose can well attest the latter, for all three have an odour about them that is not the odour of sanctity. However, he is delighted when they produce an arming sword, found upon the midden. It is a blade he recognises for he has sharpened and polished it on many occasions. It is the sword of Pasquale Bembo.

After downing a few cups of wine with his new friends, Maffeo takes his leave and the sword and makes his way home. A few days later he returns to convey the gratitude of Lorenzo Bembo in the form of bag of Venetian ducats. There is also a smaller purse containing pearls - a gift from the boy's family in thanks for the return of the body of their son.

10 - Venetian Gratitude

A perusal of the loot from the Toad pool in the under-dark, reveals a portion of it, found on one set of remains, to be very recent, personally identifiable and with clear linkages to Venice. Rocco seeks Cola's counsel on its disposal. Cola recalls that there was a young Venetian nobleman who disappeared during the raid on the Baths of Diocletian last year. He strongly advises Rocco to surrender all the personal elements to Lorenzo Bembo the Venetian Agent in Rome and hope for a reward rather than to try to dispose of such identifiable objects on the open market.

Rocco takes a signet ring found on the body to the address of the Venetian Agent with a short letter of introduction. Lorenzo Bembo is not at home and Rocco is received by a young equerry who confirms that this is the signet ring of the missing Pasquale Bembo. However, he is highly suspicious of Rocco's tale. Believing him to be witholding the full story he has him dragged down to a dungeon to be professionally questioned on the matter. Fortunately, Signore Bembo returns just as the hot irons are to be applied, and takes a different view of the matter.

Rocco is returned, under guard, to the House of the Crow, there to collect all the belongings of Pasquale Bembo. On his return with them to the house of the Venetian Agent he is there greeted more courteously by Lorenzo himself, and rewarded with a bag of Venetian gold ducats. Lorenzo expresses interest in Rocco's tale and indicates that he would like to know whatever else can be discovered about the matter.

9 – A Poetic Party and Toad in a Hole

The party seek the advice of Cola on the three ancient coins they had found in the cloacal realms beneath the city. He suggests that they gift them to the poet Petracca who is known to be a collector of such things. Due to be crowned Poet Laureate in a couple of weeks time, Petracca is a good man with whom to be onside according to the notary.

A few days later, back at the House of Crows, they receive a visit from an unusual pair. Two women, eccentrically dressed in men’s attire arrive at the door. They give their names as Bettina and Marisa. Through Donna Giulia of La Deliziosa they have heard that the House of Crows is seeking door guards. Given a lack of other contenders for the post, after a short interview they are hired (though they do take the precaution of contacting Giulia to check their references, which prove satisfactory).

Almost their first visitor is a herald who delivers the thanks of Francesco Petracca for their gift and an invitation to the private reception after the public ceremony on the 8th April.

On the day itself Marco, Rocco, Father Arturo and Fra. Giovanni make their way through the streets to the Capitol. They are joined by a newcomer to Cola’s famiglia, a young magus by the name of Lorenzo. All have upgraded their wardrobe for the after-party, but the journey through the crowded streets proves hard on their new threads. The city is fairly thronging with poetry enthusiasts – as well as those attracted by the free food and especially drink provided by the City Fathers for the occasion. However, none have their pockets picked. Nor are they drawn into any of the free-wine induced street-brawls they observe on their way to the Piazza del Popolo.

There they stand witness to the ceremony, in which Francesco Petracca is crowned with laurels. They listen stoically to several long speeches and a poetry recital, and note that the tone seems very much in tune with Cola’s rousing demagoguery on the theme of restoring the past greatness of Rome. Indeed, Cola actually receives a name-check (amongst others) in Petracca’s acceptance speech.

After the ceremony and the speeches, they follow a stream of chairs and palanquins down the Capitoline and up the Palatine to the palazzo in which the reception is to be held, stopping off in the Forum market to refresh their appearances. On arrival there is some resistance from the functionaries guarding the entrance and checking bona fides, who plainly consider them to be uncouth and under-dressed. However, they wave their invitation with Petracca’s seal attached and are grudgingly admitted.

Dispersing around the party they make a few interesting acquaintances. However, it is Rocco’s chance discovery of a plot against young Matteo Corsini that dominates their evening. It seems that a gang of young yahoos of the Frangipani famiglia, who disapprove of Matteo’s liaison with their sister, Serena, were planning to waylay him as he departed the festivities.

With the assistance of Lorenzo who, it transpires, can by his Arts change a person’s appearance, they hatch a plan with Matteo and his serving man Noli. Fra Giovanni and Father Arturo, closest to them in height and build, take their semblance and lure the Frangipani youths away in pursuit. Meanwhile Corsini and his servant leave quietly by another exit. In due course the Frangipani catch up with the priests, but finding their quarry not to be who they had expected, depart in bafflement. The party meet up with Matteo and Noli near the House of Crows to toast the success of their stratagem.

A few days later the same party descend into the cloacal realm beneath the House of Crows. They return later that day carrying a sack of loot and Brother Giovanni who is missing a foot. It seems that he was seized by a giant toad that would have dragged him into a deep pool there to devour him or feed him to its brood. It got his foot but Rocco and Marco between them managed to rescue the rest of him. Strangely it seems that while lacking the appendage, the friar is surprisingly hale after his ordeal and the stump perfectly healed. There is talk of a veritable miracle attending the prayers of Father Arturo.