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Prince Giacomo； after a struggle for supremacy with his
half…sister Carlotta； became King of Cyprus。
Now Cyprus； though scarcely as large as the State of Connecticut；
was a very desirable possession； and one that Venice greatly
coveted。 Some of her citizens owned land there； and among these
was Marco Cornaro； father of Catarina。 And so it happened that；
soon after the accession of King Giacomo； Messer Andrea Cornaro；
the uncle of Catarina； came to Cyprus to inspect and improve the
lands belonging to his brother Marco。
Venice； in those days was so great a power that the Venetian
merchants were highly esteemed in all the courts of Europe。 And
Uncle Andrea； who had probably loaned the new king of Cyprus a
goodly store of Venetian ducats； became quite； friendly with the
young monarch； and gave him much sage advice。
One dayit seemed as if purely by accident； but those old
Venetians were both shrewd and far…seeingUncle Andrea； talking
of the glories of Venice； showed to King Giacomo a picture of his
niece； Catarina Cornaro； then a beautiful girl of fourteen。
King Giacomo came of a house that was quick to form friendships
and antipathies； loves and hates。 He 〃fell violently in love with
the picture；〃so the story goes；and expressed to Andrea
Cornaro his desire to see and know the original。
〃That face seemeth strangely familiar； Messer Cornaro；〃 he said。
He held the portrait in his hands； and seemed struggling with an
uncertain memory。 Suddenly his face lighted up； and he exclaimed
joyfully：
〃So； I have it！ Messer Cornaro； I know your niece。〃
〃You know her； sire？〃 echoed the surprised Uncle Andrea。
〃Ay； that indeed I do；〃 said the king。 〃This is the same fair and
brave young maiden who delivered me from a rascal rout of boys on
the Grand Canal at Venice； on St。 Mark's Day； scarce two years
ago。〃 And King Giacomo smiled and bowed at the picture as if it
were the living Catarina instead of her simple portrait。
Here now was news for Uncle Andrea。 And you may be sure he was
too good a Venetian and too loyal a Cornaro not to turn it to the
best advantage。 So he stimulated the young king's evident
inclination as cunningly as he was able。 His niece Catarina； he
assured the king； was as good as she was beautiful； and as clever
as she was both。
〃But then；〃 he declared； 〃Venice hath many fair daughters； sire；
whom the king's choice would honor； and Catarina is but a young
maid yet。 Would it not be wiser； when you choose a queen； to
select some older donzella for your bride？ Though it will； I can
aver； be hard to choose fairer。〃
It is just such half…way opposition that renders nature like that
of this young monarch all the more determined。 No！ King Giacomo
would have Catarina； and Catarina only； for his bride and queen。
Messer Cornaro must secure her for him。
But shrewd Uncle Andrea still feared the jealousy of his
fellow…Venetians。 Why should the house of Cornaro； they would
demand； be so openly preferred？ And so； at his suggestion； an
ambassador was despatched to Venice soliciting an alliance with
the Great Republic； and asking from the senate the hand of some
high…born maid of Venice in marriage for his highness； the King
of Cyprus。 But you may be very sure that the ambassador had
special and secret instructions alike from King Giacomo and from
Uncle Andrea just how and whom to choose。
The ambassador came to Venice； and soon the senate issued its
commands that upon a certain day the noblest and fairest of the
daughters of Venice one from each of the patrician
familiesshould appear in the great Council Hall of the Ducal
Palace in order that the ambassador of the King of Cyprus might
select a fitting bride for his royal master。 It reads quite like
one of the old fairy stories； does it not？ Only in this case the
dragon who was to take away the fairest maiden as his tribute was
no monster； but the brave young king of a lovely island realm。
The Palace of the Dogesthe Palazzo Ducale of old Veniceis
familiar to all who have ever seen a picture of the Square of St。
Mark's； the best known spot in that famous City of the Sea。 It is
the low； rectangular； richly decorated building with its long row
of columns and arcades that stand out so prominently in
photograph and engraving。 It has seen many a splendid pageant；
but it never witnessed a fairer sight than when on a certain
bright day of the year 1468 seventy…two of the daughters of
Venice； gorgeous in the rich costumes of that most lavish city of
a lavish age； gathered in the great Consiglio； or Council Hall。
Up the Scala d'Oro； or Golden Staircase； built only for the use
of the nobles； they came； escorted by the ducal guards； gleaming
in their richest uniforms。 The great Council Hall was one mass of
color； the splendid dresses of the ladies； the scarlet robes of
the senators and high officials of the Republic； the imposing
vestments of the old doge； Cristofero Moro； as he sat in state
upon his massive throne； and the bewildering array of the
seventy…two candidates for a king's choice。 Seventy…two； I say；
but in all that company of puffed and powdered； coifed and combed
young ladies； standing tall and uncomfortable on their
ridiculously high…heeled shoes； one alone was simply dressed and
apparently unaffected by the gorgeousness of her companions； the
seventy…second and youngest of them all。
She was a girl of fourteen。 Face and form were equally beautiful；
and a mass of 〃dark gold hair〃 crowned her 〃queenly head。〃 While
the other girls appeared nervous or anxious； she seemed
unconcerned； and her face wore even a peculiar little smile； as
if she were contrasting the poor badgered young prince of St。
Mark's Day with the present King of Cyprus hunting for a bride。
〃Eh via！〃 she said to herself； 〃 't is almost as if it were a
revenge upon us for our former churlishness； that he thus now
puts us to shame。〃
The ambassador of Cyprus； swarthy of face and stately in bearing；
entered the great hall。 With him came his attendant retinue of
Cypriote nobles。 Kneeling before the doge； the ambassador
presented the petition of his master； the King of Cyprus； seeking
alliance and friendship with Venice。
〃And the better to secure this and the more firmly to cement it；
Eccellenza；〃 said the ambassador； 〃my lord and master the king
doth crave from your puissant state the hand； of some high…born
damsel of the Republic as that of his loving and acknowledged
queen。〃
The old doge waved his hand toward the fair and anxious
seventy…two。
〃Behold； noble sir；〃 he said； 〃the fairest and noblest of our
maidens of Venice。 Let your eye seek among these a fitting bride
for your lord； the King of Cyprus； and it shall be our pleasure
to give her to him in such a manner as shall suit the power and
dignity of the State of Venice。〃
Courteous and stately still； but with a shrewd and critical eye；
the ambassador of Cyprus slowly passed from candidate to
candidate； with here a pleasant word and there a look of
admiration； to this one a honeyed compliment upon her beauty； to
that one a bit of praise for her elegance of dress。
How oddly this all sounds to us with our modern ideas of
propriety and good taste！ It seems a sort of Prize Girl Show；
does it not？ Or； it is like a competitive examination for a royal
bride。
But； like too many such examinations； this one had already been
settled beforehand。 The King had decided to whom the prize of his
crown should go； and so； at the proper time； the critical
ambassador stopped before a slight girl of fourteen； dressed in a
robe of simple white。
〃Donzella mia；〃 he said courteously； but in a low tone； 〃are not
you the daughter of Messer。 Marco Cornaro； the noble merchant of
the Via Merceria？〃
〃I am； my lord；〃 the girl replied。
〃My royal master greets you through me；〃 he said。 〃He recalls the
day when you did give him shelter； and he invites you to share
with him the throne of Cyprus。 Shall this be as he wishes？〃
And the girl； with a deep courtesy in acknowledgment of the
stately obeisance of the ambassador； said simply； 〃That shall be；
my lord； as my father and his Excellency shall say。〃
The ambassador of Cyprus took the young girl's hand； and；
conducting her through all that splendid company； presented her
before the doge's throne。
〃Excellency；〃 he said； 〃Cyprus hath made her choice。 We present
to you； if so it shall please your grace； our future queen； this
fair young maid； Catarina； the daughter of the noble Marco
Cornaro； merchant and senator of the Republic。〃
What the seventy…one disappointed young ladies thought of the
King's choice； or what they said about it when they were safely
at home once more； history does not record。 But history does
record the splendors and display of the ceremonial with which the
gray…haired old doge； Cristofero Moro； in t