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Date Posted: 12:23:17 09/14/11 Wed
Author: Elaine
Subject: The Spring of the Ram, Chapters 15 and 16

Chapter 15

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The Ciaretti may have resembled this 15th century trireme.

- Nicholas and Violante of Naxos meet again. She is splendid and sensual, as always.

- The Princess Violante and her chamberlain, Diadochos, talk at length with Nicholas. Violante is astute and quickly sums up Nicholas' charms, talents, and drawbacks. She knows about his band of soldiers. She and Diadochos are willing to teach Nicholas on ways to impress the Emperor David of Trebizond.

- Later, discussing a stock of alum, and the cherries and Amazons of the region, Nicholas tells Julius and le Grant and Tobie that Violante is a friend of Pagano Doria; he had them watched, but she is unaware. He does not know, though, if she is aware of Catherine being in Doria's custody. He only knows that Doria and the princess are having an affair.

- The chapter ends with Tobie and Nicholas having a bit of a pissing contest.

Chapter 16

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A house on Spangnaerts Street in Bruges.

- Gregorio and Marian have learned of Catherine's elopement, but keep it a secret. Only after much prodding by Gregorio did Marian break the news to Tilde. As far as the world was concerned, Catherine had been sent to Florence for schooling.

- Marian prepares to leave for Burgundy, to confront Thibault de Fleury regarding his signing of Catherine's marriage papers. However, she told others that she was going to Florence instead.

- Before Marian's departure to Burgundy, Gregorio receives two letters from Nicholas. The courier also filled Gregorio in on other details, including the fact that the Charetty company would represent Florence in Trebizond.

- Marian and Gregorio discuss the contents of the two letters alone together. Marian discloses the details she already knows about Doria, especially the fact that the ship he has leased was once the property of Jodan de Riberac, and that Simon of Kilmirren was likely sponsoring Doria's attempt to destroy Nicholas. Gregorio confirms that Nicholas already knows these details.

- The chapter ends with Marian depositing Tilde with the Adornes before taking her leave of Bruges.

Q1) I find these words of Marian's to be odd. “What does Nicholas know? The man has abducted a twelve-year-old child. He is working for Simon. Don't you understand yet,” said Marian de Charetty, “that Nicholas cannot understand evil? Has learned nothing? Cannot conceive it exists? More. Nicholas, through beating and injury, will not think evil of Simon. You know that. When he finds out the truth about Catherine, he will be bewildered: he will not know what to believe.” How well does Marian really know her husband?

Q2) We are told numerous times in Ch. 16 that Marian is very pale, "bleached with fatigue," etc. Does her condition stem only from the stress Catherine has caused her?

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