35.
“Madness! How could you bring him
here?” Jessica glared at Lorenzo. “This is …….”
“Our place …... I know. But he is
my…… family.” Lorenzo had taken Romeo alone to the hideout of the young couple.
It was a small cottage at the edge of the city, obscured from the main path by
the tall shrubs covering the path to the cottage. It was Jessica’s mother's
home before she married Shylock.
“This was to be our home.” Jessica
looked at the man she loves. “You could have told …… asked me before you
brought him here.”
“I think I will go.” Romeo heard
the exchange of words. “I will ……”
“Do not leave, Romeo. I will handle
this.” Lorenzo pulled Jessica to the side and said his reason.
“He is my family.” Lorenzo looked
at the distraught man in the living area. “He just needs a place to hide till
his father returns.”
“He is …… only your half-brother.”
Jessica reminded Lorenzo. “He is a …… wanted by the authorities. If he is
caught here, we will be in trouble.”
“No one knows of him here. Except
you and me.” Lorenzo argued back. “He needs my help. More to it, I had sent
words to his friend.”
“What friend?” Jessica was stunned
by the words. It was then, the knock on the door to the cottage. Romeo rushed
to open it, and in came the guest.
“I am so sorry.” Romeo embraced the
lady who had walked in. “I did not mean to ……”
“Hush, Romeo. It will be sorted
out.” That lady was Juliet Montague. She looked across the room and saw Jessica
standing there with Lorenzo. She pulled away and walked towards her friend.
“Thank you, Jessica.” Juliet held
out her hands towards Jessica. “It means a lot.”
“I did not sanction it.” Jessica
received the extended hand. “It was Lorenzo’s idea. “
“Thank you, Lorenzo.” Juliet sighed
in relief. “I was nearby when it happened. Romeo was… it happened so fast. One
moment, Mercutio was standing there, and the next he was on the ground.”
“I stab him.” Romeo cut in. “It was
……. I do not know why. I just did it.”
“No, Romeo. You must not say that.
It was not how it happened.” Juliet rushed back to Romeo. “You cannot say
that.”
“It does not matter now.” Jessica
looked at Juliet. “The man is dead. We must figure out how to clear the mess.”
“I can find father.” Lorenzo
offered to ride to Moldavia.
“And I will speak to Friar
Lawrence. He may know what is to be done.” Jessica looked at Juliet. “You must
return to the Montague. Your mother will be anxious about you.”
Anxiety was on the mind of Lord Dante
Montague. He was unsure whether to stay or leave Hungary. He still has the
letters for Vlad and Radu’s widow, and was told that the latter was on his way
back to Wallachia. He was also anxious to leave for Genoa to attend to other
matters.
“Lord Dante Montague, may we speak……
again?” It was Prince Escalus who approached the former at the yard of the
palace. “I have in mind to speak to you on Count Paris. I am asked to speak on
the matter of Juliet Montague and the Count. He approached me to speak on his
behalf regarding the possible engagement between the two.”
“With due respect, Prince, I think
that matter is not on my list now. I am to see Vlad Tepes on a matter of utmost
urgency.”
“I am not a person to hold off
abruptly, Lord Dante Montague.” Prince Escalus looked towards the other. “I
would like to be civil to …….”
“And I duly apologize, Prince
Escalus. I have other more urgent matters.” Lord Dante Montague took his leave.
The prince was upset by the second refusal to meet and call out to the Lord.
“Lord Dante Montague, I am also to
ask on ……” But Lord Dante Montague had not stopped to listen then. He was
rushing off to see the widow of Radu Tepes. She was said to be in Hungary. He
sends words of his intention to the Doamna Maria Despina.
“I come bearing a letter from Radu
Tepes, my lady.” Lord Dante Montague was granted an audience with the lady. He
handed the letter to her.
“Do you know him?” The lady asked.
“Briefly, my lady. He is unwell.” Lord
Dante Montague replied. She opened the letter and read.
‘My dear Maria, when you receive
this letter, I will probably be dead. I am unwell and residing in a friend’s
home. I had sent you away because my presence would hold implications for your
safety and that of our child. The family name Tepes had earned a reputation for
vicious intent for many. My brother, Tepes, unknowingly has imprinted too many
of his acts that make us vulnerable to vengeance.’
‘It may be said that the atrocities
that he did are not unknown, for others before us had done similar acts, but
his was in their mind now. I was made to understand this, for when I was the
Voivode, many of them looked at me in the shadow of his. They feared me, and at
the same time despised me for it. I am, however, not as vicious as him; or I
should be to instil fear and respect, but I am not.’
‘For that, I am weak and unable to
hold my rank as the Voivode. For this, I am to endanger you and our child.’
‘With my death, do not mourn me
anymore. Find yourself a new life, and take care of our daughter. Find a new
protector for the family.’
‘Radu Tepes.’
“Did he pass on peacefully?” The
widow asked Lord Dante Montague while she folded the letter.
“Yes, he did. He died peacefully.” Lord
Dante Montague replied. He was not to tell of the sickness of the man to the
family. “He asked for his family.”
“Then be it. I will mourn for him
for a period, and bring up our daughter as he wanted.” The widow sighed. “Leave
me now.”
“Oh, Lord Dante Montague. When you
do meet Vlad, please let me know. Send my love to him. Radu was close to him.”
“Yes, my lady.” Lord Dante Montague
then took off for Wallachia. He reached there too late.
“The Voivode had left for war.”
War was on the mind of Shylock
Judas, and he did it by reporting the case to the authorities on the default of
the loan by Antonio and Bassanio.
“It is the case which we cannot act
on, for this is a civil matter.” Shylock was told, and his case dismissed. He
was not giving it up then. He tried to find Abram, but the latter had left for
Wallachia. It was then that he heard of the murder of Mercutio and Tybalt. It
rocked the city of Genoa, but he was more concerned about his loan. He
approached Portia then, at her home.
“I allowed you in for you hold an
important matter regarding Bassanio.” Portia looked at the man standing there
at the hall. She did not offer him any seating. “However, he is not my husband,
and his personal concerns do not need my attention.”
“Lady Portia, I did not seek your
monetary assistance, but I just need to find Bassanio. His friend, Antonio, has
left the city as to my knowledge.” Shylock looked at the lady. She sat there
with a veil over her face, dressed in black, and he had not seen the lady
beforehand.
“I know not where he is. Now
leave.” Portia dismissed the guest. Shylock left, and then Portia walked
towards the rear of the house. She met Bassanio there, still in fear of
Shylock. He was with Nerissa and Gratiano.
“What are you afraid of?” Portia
looked to the man seated there. “I had sent him away.”
“I …… I feared for you, my dear.”
Bassanio struggled to say. “I am new to the city, but you are… he finds you to
seek me. It may endanger your safety.”
“Your …… Our news of engagement is
known to many in Genoa. I merely see him to know who I am facing. I am never
one to back down from a conflict, however dangerous.”
“What am I to do?” Bassanio asked.
“Stay here and remain in the house.
I will figure it out.” Portia left the man alone and motioned to Nerissa to
follow him. The two ladies convened in the chamber of the lady.
“I hold my doubts on Bassanio as my
husband.” Portia laid it out to her friend. “He is …….”
“He is a coward, I can agree. But
he holds a good heart, and that is what is needed in a relationship.” Nerissa
defended the man. “Gratiano told me of his friend. He is trying to impress you.
He knew that his wealth pales to yours, and yet he wants to …….”
“Enough of him, Nerissa. He does
not need to impress me, nor am I towards him. If he is to be the …… man I want,
he needs to show me his courage. He needs to …….”
“My ladies, Gratiano sent me. The
gentleman Bassanio had left the house.” The maid then arrived to tell the
ladies. “He left a parcel for you, my lady. He said to keep it for him.”
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