A True Love Story

TALE VI.

In the height of the animosities between the factions of the Guelfs and
Ghibellines, a party of Venetians had made an inroad into the
territories of the Viscontis, sovereigns of Milan, and had carried off
the young Orondates, then at nurse. His family were at that time under a
cloud, though they could boast of being descended from Canis Scaliger,
lord of Verona. The captors sold the beautiful Orondates to a rich widow
of the noble family of Grimaldi, who having no children, brought him up
with as much tenderness as if he had been her son. Her fondness
increased with the growth of his stature and charms, and the violence of
his passions were augmented by the signora Grimaldi's indulgence. Is it
necessary to say that love reigned predominantly in the soul of
Orondates? Or that in a city like Venice a form like that of Orondates
met with little resistance?

The Cyprian queen, not content with the numerous oblations of Orondates
on her altars, was not satisfied while his heart remained unengaged.
Across the canal, overagainst the palace of Grimaldi, stood a convent of
Carmelite nuns, the abbess of which had a young African slave of the
most exquisite beauty, called Azora, a year younger than Orondates. Jet
and japan were tawny and without lustre, when compared to the hue of
Azora. Afric never produced a female so perfect as Azora; as Europe
could boast but of one Orondates.

The signora Grimaldi, though no bigot, was pretty regular at her
devotions, but as lansquenet was more to her taste than praying, she
hurried over her masses as fast as she could, to allot more of her
precious time to cards. This made her prefer the church of the
Carmelites, separated only by a small bridge, though the abbess was of a
contrary faction. However, as both ladies were of equal quality, and had
had no altercations that could countenance incivility, reciprocal
curtsies always passed between them, the coldness of which each
pretended to lay on their attention to their devotions, though the
signora Grimaldi attended but little to the priest, and the abbess was
chiefly employed in watching and criticising the inattention of the
signora.

Not so Orondates and Azora. Both constantly accompanied their mistresses
to mass, and the first moment they saw each other was decisive in both
breasts. Venice ceased to have more than one fair in the eyes of
Orondates, and Azora had not remarked till then that there could be more
beautiful beings in the world than some of the Carmelite nuns.

The seclusion of the abbess, and the aversion between the two ladies,
which was very cordial on the side of the holy one, cut off all hopes
from the lovers. Azora grew grave and pensive and melancholy; Orondates
surly and