to me.
I need to get the signora alone so we can talk. I take Bianca by the hand and we go downstairs to the gondola.
Signora Contarini has the good grace to look a little flustered at my appearance. “Good day. Climb in carefully, Bianca.”
“Please, Signora,” I say. “Please, could you come upstairs just a moment?”
“The afternoon is already half gone.”
“It will take just a moment. I have something for you.”
“For me?”
“A little something.”
“Well, surely you can bring it down to me.”
I fight off tears. “It will be quick.”
She holds out her hand and Antonin rushes to help her onto the dock. She follows me without a word. In the sewing room, I hand her the purse.
She stares at it. “What is this?”
“A mirror.”
“Well, I can see that. A very fine mirror. The finest I’ve ever seen.”
“Then you like it?”
“It’s magnificent.”
“Let me tie it at your waist.”
She takes a step back. “What do you mean? You can’t possibly mean this is mine.”
“It’s my gift to you.”
“Such an extravagance! And why?”
“Because…I need us to be friends.”
She stiffens. “You are the most extraordinary girl. Do you think a friendship can be bought?”
I look at her. “No. But I hope this will show you how fervently I want us to be friends. All my life…I never fit anywhere. Except here. I don’t know how I was so fortunate to wind up with this family. I mean no harm. I didn’t choose to upset anyone’s plans. It just happened.”
Signora Contarini holds the mirror to her face, then looks at me. She licks her reddened lips and her eyes seem sad.
“I don’t want anyone in pain. Not on my account,” I say. My eyes burn.
“My daughter would prefer an unfettered husband anyway, I think.” She speaks slowly. “A man in his twenties, with no history, no children from a prior marriage, no memory of a first wife to live up to.”
My fingers massage my forehead.
Signora Contarini gazes into the mirror. “It is a miracle of a gift. I shouldn’t accept it.”
“Please accept it. For my sake, and Bianca’s.”
She looks at me with troubled eyes. “You’re…a rather simple girl. Straightforward. I should have been kind to you from the start.”
“Do me this kindness now, please. Accept the mirror.”
“There are many other, far less costly things you could have given me. Don’t tell me I’ve entirely misjudged and you sit on an outrageous fortune.”
“This is costly for me.” My head wants to explode. “Very.”
“Why a mirror?”
“I thought you would appreciate it.”
“I do.” She stares into it. “Absolutely colorless. Accurate. Maybe more…Some of the priests call transparent mirrors evil.”
“Why?”
“It’s only once we reach heaven that we see things clearly. San Paolo said that. In a mirror like this, we can see our own death, waiting for us. We can count the increasing number of lines on our faces. Just by telling us the truth, crystal mirrors can leave us bitter. Greedy for more.”
“Transparent becomes murky,” I say through the shadows that threaten my own eyes right now.
“You put it well.”
“Mirrors also show beauty,” I whisper.
“Appealing to vanity is never a good thing.”
“Appealing to beauty is a different thing.”
She looks ruefully at the mirror. “Who are you really for, little mirror?”
“You. No one else.”
She swallows a small laugh. “Everyone else will want one.”
I drop my hand and hold on to the back of a chair. I’ll keel over if I don’t hold tight.
She smiles. “Thank you, Dolce. This mirror is working the magic you wanted. Somehow I think we understand each other….I look forward to knowing you better. Please call me Signora Laura. Why don’t you and Agnola come with us to the garden party?”
“I’m afraid I’m not feeling so well.”
“Nonsense. Don’t you worry about a thing. The Mocenigo family will welcome you. I wouldn’t allow it to be
I need to get the signora alone so we can talk. I take Bianca by the hand and we go downstairs to the gondola.
Signora Contarini has the good grace to look a little flustered at my appearance. “Good day. Climb in carefully, Bianca.”
“Please, Signora,” I say. “Please, could you come upstairs just a moment?”
“The afternoon is already half gone.”
“It will take just a moment. I have something for you.”
“For me?”
“A little something.”
“Well, surely you can bring it down to me.”
I fight off tears. “It will be quick.”
She holds out her hand and Antonin rushes to help her onto the dock. She follows me without a word. In the sewing room, I hand her the purse.
She stares at it. “What is this?”
“A mirror.”
“Well, I can see that. A very fine mirror. The finest I’ve ever seen.”
“Then you like it?”
“It’s magnificent.”
“Let me tie it at your waist.”
She takes a step back. “What do you mean? You can’t possibly mean this is mine.”
“It’s my gift to you.”
“Such an extravagance! And why?”
“Because…I need us to be friends.”
She stiffens. “You are the most extraordinary girl. Do you think a friendship can be bought?”
I look at her. “No. But I hope this will show you how fervently I want us to be friends. All my life…I never fit anywhere. Except here. I don’t know how I was so fortunate to wind up with this family. I mean no harm. I didn’t choose to upset anyone’s plans. It just happened.”
Signora Contarini holds the mirror to her face, then looks at me. She licks her reddened lips and her eyes seem sad.
“I don’t want anyone in pain. Not on my account,” I say. My eyes burn.
“My daughter would prefer an unfettered husband anyway, I think.” She speaks slowly. “A man in his twenties, with no history, no children from a prior marriage, no memory of a first wife to live up to.”
My fingers massage my forehead.
Signora Contarini gazes into the mirror. “It is a miracle of a gift. I shouldn’t accept it.”
“Please accept it. For my sake, and Bianca’s.”
She looks at me with troubled eyes. “You’re…a rather simple girl. Straightforward. I should have been kind to you from the start.”
“Do me this kindness now, please. Accept the mirror.”
“There are many other, far less costly things you could have given me. Don’t tell me I’ve entirely misjudged and you sit on an outrageous fortune.”
“This is costly for me.” My head wants to explode. “Very.”
“Why a mirror?”
“I thought you would appreciate it.”
“I do.” She stares into it. “Absolutely colorless. Accurate. Maybe more…Some of the priests call transparent mirrors evil.”
“Why?”
“It’s only once we reach heaven that we see things clearly. San Paolo said that. In a mirror like this, we can see our own death, waiting for us. We can count the increasing number of lines on our faces. Just by telling us the truth, crystal mirrors can leave us bitter. Greedy for more.”
“Transparent becomes murky,” I say through the shadows that threaten my own eyes right now.
“You put it well.”
“Mirrors also show beauty,” I whisper.
“Appealing to vanity is never a good thing.”
“Appealing to beauty is a different thing.”
She looks ruefully at the mirror. “Who are you really for, little mirror?”
“You. No one else.”
She swallows a small laugh. “Everyone else will want one.”
I drop my hand and hold on to the back of a chair. I’ll keel over if I don’t hold tight.
She smiles. “Thank you, Dolce. This mirror is working the magic you wanted. Somehow I think we understand each other….I look forward to knowing you better. Please call me Signora Laura. Why don’t you and Agnola come with us to the garden party?”
“I’m afraid I’m not feeling so well.”
“Nonsense. Don’t you worry about a thing. The Mocenigo family will welcome you. I wouldn’t allow it to be
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