The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-11-08
A FRIEND INDEED

Gay and luxurious as was ever the
court of the gay young podesta, Cane
della Scala, it had never before seen
so much merry-making, such lavish
prodigality as on the May-feast in the
fifth year of his reign. The banquet
hall was hung with rich tapestries
brought from many lands; it was
made sweet by garlands of fragrant
flowers, and from concealed openings
in the paneled ceiling showers of
roses fell softly from time to time.
Every rare and costly wine flowed
freely into crystal glasses singularly
graceful in design; every dainty dish
known to the Italian of that long past
day was served from silver platters by
walters dressed in the gorgeous red
and gold livery worn by even the
least servants in the palace of the
prince. The guests, both men and
women, were arrayed in the brightest
of colors and with the picturesque but
cumbrous richness then the fashion
among the mobiles of every cline. New
er before had the court testers been
81 willy, VI udu IuO11 AOh0OAoO anu
their sallies evoked laughter so spon-
taneous. Looking in on that banquet
hall it would have been impossible to
believe that life is not all merriment;
impossible to realize that the shadow
of a fierce little medieval war lay
across that board; impossible, save
that amid the riot of gay color was
one somber, black-clad figure; among
the smiling, self-satisfied faces, one
sad, bitter one; among the buffoons
and merry-makers, one who took no
part, but sat silent and unamused, en-
crossed by his own stern thoughts.
After a particularly clever sally on
the part of one of his testers, which
had passed unheard, apparently, by
the guest who scorned to take part in
the jollity, Can Grande turned to him,
ill-pleased with his silent preoccupa-
ton.
"Arrebola has nightly amused us
ALL" he said sharply. 81 wonder that
so ignorant and foolish a man should
know how to please everybody and
udhS u1l1SO1l lilly O40d44J GU
which you cannot do who are called
wise!"
The man thus addressed raised his
eyes at last and, looking into the
princes face, answered slowly, dis
tinctly, with intense scorn, 'You
would not wonder at this, Messire,
did you remember the proverb, Like
to like"
Cane Grande flushed angrily, but
could think of no adequate retort, so
he turned to the guest nearest him
and with shrug of the shoulders said
lightly: Our friend Dantes moods
become more and more intolerable;;"
then, without so much as a glance at
the poet, he made merry jest which
called forth a storm of applause; and
the laughter and feasting went on as
before.
The last fruits eaten, the last wines
drunk, Cane rose from the table and
led the way to his garden, veritable
fairyland, at which the envious stars
peeped through the trees; where the
drowsy breeze scattered the fragrance
of such wealth of flowers as Italy
alone can boast. Hundreds of lanterns
cast a lovely light, displaying to adj
vantage the statues with which it
was crowded, and the fountain which
played in it's centre. A number of
deliberately carved stone benches,
piled with cushions, had been placed
in the loveliest corner of all, and on
them the guests lounged to listen to
the music provided by celebrated
quintette, brought from Venice for the
occasion.
Instead of following Cane and the
others, Dante went in the opposite di-
rection towards pergola in a distant
part of the garden, and there paced
back and forth, alone and drearily
lonely, though few ever guessed that
he could be So; that his stern scorn,
his forbidding manner and cutting
words hid bleeding heart, tender and
pitiful, full of intense yearning for
the love of other men.
He thought that he had stolen apart
unnoticed and forgotten, but Maria,
the sister of Cane, had watched him
and, as soon as she could do so un-
observed, she slipped away from her
brother and his guests and ran in the
direction in which he had disappeared.
Dante heard her step and turned,
frowning, to see who dared intrude
upon his solitude; but when he recog-
nized the princess he smiled, a slow,
sad, tender smile, and went to meet
her.
$50 you came in search of your
friend, old and dull and world-weary,
as he isl" he exclaimed. "But you
should be with the others, Maria. You
are light-hearted, and you are young.
Be gay while you may"
mo, no; have no heart for gaiety
tonight" she said; and he saw that
her face, usually wreathed in smiles,
was sorrowful, heard that her voice
was tremulous. Il am in trouble, so
have come to you. I have always
brought you my troubles, haven't I?'
"Ah, Maria, there is little can do
for you or any one. am power1ess-
poor, homeless, friendless. When
your troubles were but childish ones,
could help; but you are a woman
now. The pain lies deeper this time,
does it not, Maria?"
"Oh, sire, it does indeed l did not
know that life could hurt like this! /