Prologue 2
It was not the environment of
the bathhouse that made the place chilly, but the presence of the Senate
members; Brabatio, Lodovico and Gratiano made the place then. They were all
seated in the warm water of the private pool in the room, facing their host,
the merchant Roderigo. He had them invited to this place, where he had booked
the lavish looking room with its waiting retinue of slaves, and a table laid with
food that was within the definition of taste.
"Roderigo, you foul the
room with the food." Brabatio told the host. "This is a bathhouse and
its for baths."
The host looked to his
honored guests, and noted that the food may be seen to foul the scene, but one
of the three was gouging on the pheasant thigh with gusto. It was marinated in
wine and then roasted over the fire with the sprinkling of more wine. A
delicacy of the Persian he was advised.
"If its foul your smell,
my Senator, then allowed me to have it removed from here." Roderigo
motioned to the slaves to carry out the table.
"Leave the wine and
pheasant." Lodovico, the cousin of Brabatio told the slaves. He was build
with an enormous appetite; well displayed by his waistline where he could not
see to his lower torso.
"Lodovico, you
disappoint me." Brabatio told his glutton cousin. He then looked at the
merchant, who was half his age, and had been a lapping dog of his daughter,
Desdemona. He wondered why the merchant would sink to such low depths for the
love juice of a woman, when he could had any with his wealth. Well, not any,
but many. The wealth of the merchant was rather impressive, for even a Senator,
but he lacked the influence that wealth may not overcome. A sad predicament of
the man that faced him. Sadder still, that he pursue for the love of his
daughter who had spurned his love on many occasions.
"I may not not be wealth
laden in my treasury, but I have an assembly of friends who are of equal ranks
as Senators. Together, we held some influence on the decisions made
there." Those were the thoughts of Brabatio when he found himself to
compared to the younger merchant.
"Tell me, Roderigo. As
to what reason we are brought here? Are you caravans under any offence by the
Legions, or your wares confiscated by the gatekeepers? Those we may help to
assist." Brabatio moved away from the bulky cousin who was munching at his
meal. One thing he disliked was fat oils in the bath.
"My honored Senators, my
caravans are safe and so are my wares when they come in through the
gates." Roderigo smiled at them. "Its to Senator Brabatio, I am here
to seek his approval."
"And what approval can I
offered? I sit in no committee of importance that would be of help to
you." Brabatio told him off. "But if you seek the ..."
"Yes, Senator Brabatio.
I would make my plea then to you. I would like to seek you approval to have
Desdemona as my love." Roderigo went for the issue that was on his mind.
"Desdemona? She is old
enough to decide herself." Brabatio replied. "I hold no bonds on whom
she may marry. Although I could as her father."
"Strong willed like the
father before..." Gratiano added to the father's words which Brabatio
glared at his other cousin.
"Then its decided. I
would ask Desdemona myself." Roderigo stood up from the water and bowed to
the three senators.
"Hold your ..."
Brabatio looked at the young merchant. He frown on what he was saw. "I am
still her father. I hold the final say to her ....love."
"Aye...He said it."
Gratiano lauded out loudly. Brabatio pushed his cousin to the side, and spoke
to Roderigo.
"Of what that made you
worthy of her, merchant?" Brabatio asked. "If its young children for
me to hold, I had a few myself, although they are bastards who held not my name
to theirs."
Gratiano laughed while
Lodovico joined in when he heard the statement but the one who spoke was
serious in tone. Brabatio continued on.
"Do you wield influence
over some other Senators, other than the three of us? Do you whisper to the
Emperor's ears or smelled his fart when he does that." Brabatio asked the
younger merchant.
"Neither of those,
Senator Brabatio. I have though is a cellar laden with coins, and a heart that
flutter for your daughter's love." Roderigo replied.
"Then you are not suitable."
Brabatio proceeded to stepped out of the pool, and was handed his towel.
"I am not consenting to your union."
The other two senators also
stepped out and followed suit their cousin of the room, leaving Roderigo to his
own disbelief.
"I am rejected on that
whim excuse of influence...." Roderigo muttered to himself. It was with
wealth he had built an influence to know those three, and now they tell him
that the next phase was more influence. How could he achieved those with the
wealth he had. They are limited to the wide influence he could garner with it.
He sighed.
"I am doomed. I am to
lose her." Roderigo sighed louder. "But to whom would she go to?'
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