The Glassblower of Murano - Marina Fiorato [71]
`Giacomo - my ... friend will find me.'
`Very well. And does he love you well enough to provide the proper rites for you? Or will you be put in the pauper's pit on Sant'Ariano? It matters not, we can plan for each eventuality.'
Corradino found that the only way to contemplate the plan was to adopt the impersonal tone of Duparcmieur. If he thought closely about the actuality he would drive himself distracted.
`He will pay for a burial.'
Corradino felt, rather than saw, Duparcmieur nod on the other side of the grille. `Then he will send for the constables. But they will not be those of The Ten, they will be working for me. You will be taken to Sant'Ariano, and when you wake you will be buried under soil.'
Corradino choked, as if in anticipation of this fate. `What?'
`My dear man,' said the Frenchman smoothly, `consider that you may well be followed even after death by those that watch you now.' Duparcmieur, after some reflection, thought that he would not trouble Corradino with the possibility that The Ten may send their own medico to check that Corradino was truly dead, and that the doctor might, as had been known, plunge a surgical blade deep into the corpse's chest just to be sure. He merely continued; 'everything must appear true. My men will not bind you, and they will not bury you deep. You will easily be able to escape once your strength returns.!
'And when will that be?'
`Ah yes. Now listen well, Corradino.Your limbs will take some little time to regain their feeling.Your head and neck will wake first, as they reign supreme in the corporeal order. Then your heart and chestspoon and arms. Then as your humours heat in your stomach again your legs will gradually regain their feeling, with your feet waking last of all. Be not afraid as this process happens, for giving way to your fears will rob the vapours around you of their nourishing gases. Instead you must think of this conversation, remain calm, and wait to make your escape. Do you have a good knife?'
I will take no chances - I will make one myself. I will trust no other man's blade with an office such as this.
`Yes:
`Then secrete it in your hose before you take the draught. You'll need it to cut the sacking and dig.' Again, the Frenchman thought that the possibility that The Ten's doctor would find and confiscate the knife was best kept from Corradino. The thought brought him to a more important concealment; `and, Corradino, that book that you carry, which details your methods,' he met the glassblower's surprised gaze candidly, `of course we know of it. You must hide that on your person too, and we must hope it is not discovered ... ahem ... post mortem.We are buying yourself and your secrets, Corradino, and if France is to steal a march on Venice in the matter of glassware, we cannot afford for your notebook to remain in the city. Unless, of course,' here the veiled eyes lifted, `you wish to entrust the book to me now? No? I thought not'
Corradino swallowed. His voice nearly failed as he asked, `and if I get out, what next?'
`When, my dear fellow, when,' said Duparcmieur airily. `Then you do exactly as I'm about to tell you.'
Corradino sat in his house on Murano as the sky darkened outside. He looked around the simple but homely room with affection, but soon his eyes were inexorably pulled back to the vial in his hands. He knew not how long he had been staring at the little bottle - roughly made green glass with a sedimentary liquid gleaming dully inside. It looked like canal water - had the Frenchman been duped? Or worse, had Corradino been given a deadly poison instead - had Duparcmieur realized that he had made a mistake in recruiting him but that Corradino now knew too much to live? Corradino chased such thoughts away by perusing the glasswork with a professional eye - unevenly made, but the ground glass stopper fit snugly, and there was quite a pleasing luminance to the bottle.
'Tis passing strange that my