THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Or The Twenty-Four Nights of Lorenzo and Poletto by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2006 written the 17th of June, 1991 translated by the author English text kindly revised by John
USUAL DISCLAIMER
"THE MERCHANT OF VENICE" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family, opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, or because you think you really want to read it, please be my welcomed guest.
CHAPTER 14 FIRST INTERLUDE Lorenzo's Absence
The sudden noise of somebody knocking at the door and a voice calling him "Poletto! Poletto, wake up!" made the boy come out from the sound sleep in which he was immersed. Lorenzo was still sleeping, embracing him. The knocking, he became aware, was not coming from the door of the master's bedroom but from his room, where he hadn't actually slept for over a month, adjoining that of his master.
Careful not to wake him up, he got out of bed, went to his room silently closing the communicating door and put on a nightshirt. He was about to open the door when he noticed his undisturbed bed. He went to disarrange the blanket then finally opened up. It was the lackey.
"Poletto, hurry up, go and wake up the master. An urgent message came for him from the warehouse."
"With all this row you already woken him up for sure. And then, you could have knocked at his door, couldn't you?"
"You are his page and it is up to the page to wake up the master, not to a lackey, don't you know that? Tell him to come in hurry, they say it's something urgent." The lackey said and went downstairs.
Poletto lit a lamp and went back to the master's room. Lorenzo was still asleep. He looked at him tenderly - how he did like his master! He slowly uncovered his body and for a moment admired him. He was sorry to wake him up. It was so beautiful that naked body abandoned in sleep! But it was a urgent matter, the lackey had said. So he climbed on the bed on all fours and started to caress the man's body. Lorenzo moved slightly and his face relaxed in the semblance of a smile. The boy caressed him more and saw his member gradually rising. He bent down to kiss it and felt it quiver under his lips.
At last Lorenzo woke up, "What a good awakening, Poletto. You are an angel... But... why are you wearing that funny nightshirt? Do you feel cold? Pull it off, go on!"
"There is no time, dear master, for what we both would like to do. The lackey came to say that downstairs there is an urgent message for you, coming from your warehouse."
"What time is it?"
"Just after dawn. I still haven't heard the bells for the first mass from Saint George."
"What can they want so early? Help me to dress, I'm going to see. But that's a pity, I would have liked making love with you, this morning, before going to the warehouse..." Lorenzo said raising the boy's nightshirt and caressing his naked body with desire.
The boy shuddered with pleasure at those skilled caresses, but got out of the bed and went to take his master's clothes. "I will wait for you at home, this morning. If the problem doesn't demand too much of your time and you can come back, we can do then what we can't do now... Are these clothes all right, master?"
"Yes, sure. Help me..."
When Lorenzo was dressed, embraced Poletto and kissed him on the mouth, briefly but with passion and desire. "I hope not to make you wait too long, my boy."
"Go, now. I will stay here waiting for you, and meanwhile I will tidy and clean your room. See you soon, dear master."
Lorenzo went downstairs. One of the warehouse workers was waiting for him in the hall, with a note. He opened and rapidly read it, then ordered the small gondola to be prepared and, getting in it with his worker, ordered to be taken to the warehouse. Here he got some more information - one of his ships coming back from the East, filled with merchandise, had a bad leak and was at anchor in the port of Ancona, in the March, where it managed to go eventually. As Lorenzo didn't have an agent in Ancona, the ship captain asked to send somebody to solve the many problems he was facing.
Meanwhile Lorenzo's most trusted collaborators had also arrived so he discussed with them what to do. They all made him understand that the best course of action was to go there in person. In fact Ancona, although in that period was not at war against Venice, was also not an allied port, was not part of a friendly land.
Lorenzo then gave the order to rig his sailing ship, a small but fast and agile ship he had bought from the Turks. Then he organized the journey, choosing who would go with him. When his men asked him for permission to go to tell their families about that unforeseen journey, Lorenzo thought of Poletto. He had to warn him that he would be absent for not less than a month. At first he thought of taking the boy with him, he knew that the boy would have loved that. But then he thought that, even if they could be near, living on the small ship for all of that month they would not be able to make love, therefore he gave up the idea.
Then a second idea appeared in his mind. As he was used to doing, he sketched a plan, thought about it once more, focusing on the details, then decided to execute it. He called his senior collaborator giving him the main guidance so that he could carry on with the journey preparation, and quickly left his warehouse.
He went straight behind the Procuratie and looked for Zane. He was a boy prostitute with whom he had had sex several times. He was a young man, around twenty-years-old, really handsome, likeable, elegant and classy. Lorenzo found him at home, still fast asleep.
He woke him up, sat near him on the bed and said, "Zane, I need your services, for a fee, of course."
The young man smiled at him cunningly, moved so to make him room on the bed and said, "You know, most illustrious sir, that I never say no to you. Even though it doesn't happen often I have to do it so early in the morning... But come..."
"No, thank you, it isn't that kind of service I came to ask you. Put on your clothes and while you dress listen carefully, as I have little time."
The young man looked at him slightly surprised but also curious, got out of bed and started to dress. Lorenzo then explained him what he wanted from him. First of all he briefly explained him in draft xxxxx his relationship with Poletto. Then he told him about his forced absence from Venice for about one month. And last he told him that he desired that Poletto, during his absence, found some boys more or less of his same age with whom to make love. Zane listened carefully.
Lorenzo concluded, "The boy is young and inexperienced. Right now he is fascinated with me, but only because, as I said, he has no experience. I think it right that, before he becomes too attached to me, he knows a bit more about life, that he can make love with people of his own age, and can get some experience. Therefore I thought of you. You are an expert, but you are also a sensitive and above all trustworthy young man. If you have no problems, I would like you to live in my house during this month, officially as my guest, let's say... the son of a dear friend, a merchant, or something like that. I will tell to Poletto to take care of you in the coming days.
"You have to do so that the boy amuses himself, that he meets attractive boys with whom he can make love as he pleases. You will choose who he should meet. You know your mates and know which ones are trustworthy. I just want them to be young, handsome, skilled in bed, clean and reliable. I'll leave you enough money to pay three, four of them, as you will need. But Poletto has to know nothing of our agreement, and also not that you will pay those boys to make love with him, do you understand?
"Do you have at heart this Poletto?"
"Yes, very much."
"Are you in love with him?"
"No, even though I'm starting to be very fond of him."
"You said he is seventeen, right?"
"Yes, right. He is a boy coming from the countryside, really naive, a good boy, and even though it is only a few months since I discovered it, he likes having sex with men. Or at least with me. He has fire in his veins, he is very sensual and beautiful."
"I accept, most illustrious, not least because you made me curious about this little jewel. May I try to make love with your protégé as well?"
"Of course, but I want him to try with several boys, I don't want him to become attached to me only because he didn't try something different, something better, do you understand?"
"But what if he discovers something different, or something better as you say, and then prefers another to you?"
"Never mind, as long as Poletto is happy."
Zane nodded thoughtfully, then said, "Let me just have some time. I already have in mind who I can recruit for this enterprise. Fabrizio the poet, he is twenty-two; Toffolo, seventeen like your Poletto; Filipeto, just fifteen but mature enough both in the body and the head; and last Simone, eighteen. I know all of them very well, they are really skilled in making love, as they have been doing this work for a long time now."
"Are they all trustworthy? Wouldn't they try to take profit of the boy? And are they clean boys? Will they be able to play their role without betraying our pact?"
"They all are the best that the Serene City can offer to lovers of men's graces. And I answer for all of them, most illustrious. And they will be able to play their role more skillfully than the comedians of the Arte, believe me. As you trust me, you can trust all of them. And then, don't you remember? You too had sex with Fabrizio and Simone, most illustrious. They would cut a nice figure even in the palace of the Doge."
"Isn't that Filipeto too young?"
"Surely not for your Poletto. Moreover we don't know yet if he would like younger or older boys better."
"Good. So then, go immediately to see if they are available. Then come to my warehouse to fix the last details. Take with you your most elegant clothes to move at my place."
"Can I say to your boy, if it comes up in talking, that I made love with you?"
"Possibly only Filippo or Simone. Not you, as you will act the part of the son of one of my friends. But you can tell him you know that I like men as you do too... Yes, you can tell him so, if it makes your task easier."
"And can I eventully take one of those four friends to your place, to make love with Poletto or with me?"
"Yes, of course, but no more than one at a time. And, besides you, who will be paid for the full month, the other four boys will receive their normal pay - forty baiocco for each time they spend their time with Poletto, and double if they make love with him. But if they make love with you, I will not pay them, it would be your business."
"Of course. Anyway all this will cost you enough..."
"It's money that I willingly spend. Busy yourself, now. I'll wait for you at my warehouse with your luggage. Remember that you are officially on a journey."
"At your orders, most illustrious."
"And don't call me most illustrious in front of Poletto, but simply Signor Lorenzo, undestood?"
"Yes, of course. Trust me. See you soon... Signor Lorenzo. But... it is a pity you don't want to stop a while here with me..."
"No, Zane, even though I have a very good memory of you."
The man went back to his warehouse, satisfied, and started to organize his journey again and to leave orders for the period of his absence. It was almost dinner time when Zane arrived, together with four boys who he left outside the waehouse. When he saw Lorenzo, he took him to a window.
"See, these are the friends I talked you about. All have accepted. That one with the jacket with white and blue stripes, is Simone; the blond one is Fabrizio; that one with green breeches is Toffolo; and the other eating an apple is Filipeto. Do you want to meet them?"
"No, it isn't necessary. Did you carefully explain everything to them?"
"Sure, and they all understood perfectly. Your Poletto and I will meet them, one after the other, on different days, as if casually. And we will pretend we don't know each other, as I come from outside of Venice. Do you think they are handsome enough?"
"Yes, all four seem to be beautiful, at least according my taste. But they have to appeal to Poletto."
"Amongst us five, he will have a good choice. From the lean Simone to a sturdy one like Toffolo, from the blond Fabrizio to the brown Filipeto and the dark haired one like me, from a young boy like Filipeto to a less young one like Fabrizio. You can see that we are well assorted. And also well equiped, and skilled, believe me."
"Did you go to bed with all of them?"
"Sure thing; amongst friends at times we like amusing ourselves. We all are genuine men lovers, besides being people in the trade. Those who do it only to earn baiccos are usually not so good in bed."
"You are right. Good, you can now dismiss them. Then come back here so we can agree on the last details of our story, before I take you to my home to meet Poletto and to settle you in. Ah, I warn you, before leaving I will withdraw with him for a while to give him my recommendations and some cuddles."
"Will you miss him?"
"Yes. Very much. That boy is becoming more and more precious and dear to me."
"I'm becoming aware of that. Just to make him happy, you are ready to lose him... If this isn't love..."
"No way, berk! It is just caring towards a person dear to me, as I told you. And then, he is an orphan, and I simply took a liking for him."
"It could be as you say, most illustrious. But now lets agree about my identity. Do you want me to change my name?"
"No, Zane is all right. Where were you born and where do you live?"
"Tell me..."
"No, you have to decide, because if you invent your story it will be less easy you make mistakes."
"Because of my accent... I was born in Durazzo, but I live in Chioggia. No, I'm now living in Bergamo - I know the city well and would be able to describe it properly. My father is a former employee of yours but he now is an independent merchant. My mother, poor woman, passed away. My name is Zane... of Gregorio Canciano. I know nothing about trade, because I'm studying to become a... to become a... an apothecary. You know, I had an apothecary as a lover, so I understand something about that job. Is everything allright up to there, most illustrious?"
The man laughed heartily, "It's good, it's good. And then?"
"My father has to accompany you in your journey to the March, thus he asked you to host me so that I can visit Venice. You know me since I was a child, even though you scarcely saw me. I'm a good boy, but who likes to amuse himself. I'm good-hearted, sensible, clever..."
"Aren't you exaggerating?"
"Why? You know me! Well, I was saying, good, sensible, clever and... Where will you put me to sleep at your mansion?"
"In the guests room, of course."
"Far from your Poletto's room?"
"No. In Poletto's room there are three doors, one leading to the corridor, one to my room, and the third one to the guests room."
"A very favourable and convenient arrangement. I congratulate you. Do you know that I am really curious to meet that rare pearl who is your boy?"
"In a while, in a while. Let me just settle a couple of matters. Meanwhile I'll ask to man my small gondola to take you to my mansion. Is all you luggage there?"
"Yes, besides what I always have on me... between my legs. Do you want to check?"
"No way, runt! And anyway I already had had the possibility to check your tools several times and carefully. Now let me work, Zane."
Having done his final jobs, Lorenzo took Zane to his mansion. He introduced him to the servants as they had agreed, then also to Poletto. After dinner, he called Poletto to his room.
"Unhappily, as you have heard, I have to leave. Come on, don't make that face! While I will be absent, you will be the page to the young signor Zane, and you will work so that he can visit Venice and that he can amuse himself. All right?"
"As you order, master."
"He is a likeable youth, and a good-natured person; you will be fine in his company and, I'm certain, he will feel good being with you as well."
"Don't doubt that, master."
"Come on, Poletto, give me a nice smile! So, good. And come here. I didn't forget the promise I gave you this morning, above all because I have soon to leave. Come... don't you desire me any more?"
"You know very well... my utmost pleasure is making you happy. Let me take off your clothes..."
"Yes, sure, and I'll undress you, my beautiful, little male."
They went on the bed, passionately kissing and hopelessly caressing each other. Poletto seemed to forget the sadness of his master's departure.
When they were both seized by the senses' sweet excitement, Lorenzo said, "Take me, Poletto. I want to take part of you away with me. Fill me with your seed."
"Yes, but then you too will leave me a part of you, in the same way, isn't that so, my dear master?"
"Surely, my dear boy. You know that I never am able to deny you your requests."
They united, forgetting for a while everything and everybody. After each of them gave to the other all he desired and asked for, they laid down still intertwined and tenderly caressing each other.
"Poletto, do you have something to ask me, before I leave?"
"Yes, come back soon..."
"I told you I would have to stay away for a month, more or less. But I will try to settle everything as rapidly I can. But besides that, is there something else you desire?"
"No, nothing else."
"Do you promise me that you will be a good company for young signor Zane?"
"I promise."
"Do you feel he is a likeable youth?"
"I still don't know him. So, at first sight, he seems not bad. You know him, and this is enough to me."
"I would be really happy if you two became friends in these days. He is just three years older than you. He is a good boy, and also handsome, don't you think so?"
"Yes, he has a nice smile."
"Now we have to get dressed again, unhappily, my boy. But first I want to give you another kiss... and one also to your nice little bird... or possibly, seeing how erect it is still, I have to say your nice big bird... During these next days, but mainly these next nights, I will miss you very much, my dear Poletto."
They put their clothes on. Poletto helped to prepare Lorenzo's luggage then, after he gave his last orders to the servants, Poletto and Zane expressed their farewell at the door to the canal. They watched him going away on the small gondola. They waved an arm to say a last goodbye to him until the boat turned into the Grand Canal.
Then Zane, seeing the sad expression on the boy's face, put his arm round the boy's shoulders and said, "Are you sad about the departure of your master?"
"Yes, signor Zane. My master is very gentle."
"I understand. But don't call me signore, we are only three years apart. Just call me Zane, I'll be pleased."
"As you like, Zane."
"I am happy signor Lorenzo asked you to take care of me. I will feel less lonely. Listen, Poletto..."
"At your service, sign... Zane."
"Do you feel like having a walk in Venice? You know, I hardly know the city and would like to spend some days exploring it."
"Do you want to go out now?"
"Yes, I would be glad."
"Do you want me to go upstairs to fetch your mantle?"
"No, weather is mild. Let's go as we are."
They went out, walking side by side. Zane started to talk non-stop with Poletto, who participated in the conversation just out of courtesy, but one could feel that his mind was elsewhere - he was thinking about his master's departure.
In fact, at one point he proposed, with a tone of hope in his voice, "Do you feel like going to the port to see the ship with my master and your father leave?"
"Why not. Who knows that we can see them and greet them once more while they are going away."
"It will be difficult for them to recognize us, as I'm afraid we can't go too near."
They went. They saw the small sailing ship leaving the port and Zane noticed that Poletto was struggling to hold back tears. He felt some tenderness towards the boy.
When the ship turned behind the Giudecca and disappeared from sight, Zane said, "You are really affectionate with your master, aren't you?"
"Who can't like him? Moreover, he is more than a master, to me."
"It's uncommon for a servant to receive so much affection."
"But he treats me better than a servant, believe me."
"What do you mean?" Zane asked, without malice in his tone.
"As I am his personal page, my main and sole duty is to take care of him... therefore I will miss him..."
"That's possibly why he asked you to take care of me, in these days, don't you think?"
"Yes. That's why I told you that he treats me better than a servant. Masters normally don't care about such things."
"How old is signor Lorenzo?"
"Thirty-seven. But he appears to be about ten years less, don't you agree, signor Zane?"
"Zane, just Zane, I told you. Yes, you are right. But how comes that at thirty-seven he didn't yet marry?"
"He possibly didn't yet find the right person. It is better not to marry than to marry badly."
"Yes, it could be as you say. And yet he is a handsome man, besides being rich and intelligent. He is indeed a beautiful man, don't you think? Even just seeing him with his clothes on he seems really well built. And as you are his personal page, you for sure should have seen him also in his full nakedness. How is his body?"
"Beautiful, virile, well proportioned and strong."
"Yes, he seems to be a strong man. And yet at the same time he seems also very gentle..."
"He is the best master one can dream of."
Zane admired the way Polo talked about Lorenzo. He always answered in a clear and direct way, but always without giving the least hint of the intimate relationship that tied him to the man. He didn't want, that evening, to push further that kind of speech. They wandered for a while in the city. At times Zane, fearing to pass where he was much too well known, pretended to be curious to explore the city and skillfully changed their way.
They reached a campiello - there were some tumblers, so they stopped to watch them. At one point Zane recognized a fortune-teller he knew, as she was his neighbour. With the pretext to go buying some sweets, he asked Poletto to wait there for him and discreetly went to talk with her. He rapidly came to an agreement with her, gave her some coins, went to buy the sweets and returned to look at the tumblers, near Poletto, sharing the sweets with him. When the show ended, while they were leaving the campiello, they passed in front of the fortune-teller.
"Oh, let's stop here, Poletto. I want her to read my future. Hey, woman, for two coins will you read the future to me and to my friend?"
"Sure, most illustrious. Show me your hand, let me see. Well... you will have a long life... a slight illness around your thirtieth year but nothing serious. About business... not bad, as even though I don't see great riches, neither do I see a lack of wealth... Family... you will not marry nor have children, it is clearly written here. Loves... you will have many, some short-lived, other more lasting. You are about meeting a person... or you just met this person... who will enter into your life."
"Is this person possibly a woman?"
"No, a man... a young man. Then you will also meet another person... but you must not let this opportunity slip away. If you are clever, you will become connected with that man,."
"Can you tell me something more about this person?"
"Just reading the hand it will not be possible. Perhaps using the tarots... but it will cost you another coin."
"Here, two more coins, one also for him. Start reading me the tarots..."
The old woman took out fron her crooked basket an old tarot deck and started to deal it then made Zane choose some cards which she put on a stool in front of her.
Then she started, "The knave of cups is the person you will meet. He is young, the knave, of cups and not of coins; he is not a worker, as then it would have been a cudgel knave, nor a soldier or it would have been of spades... possibly a clerk. Next comes the nine cudgels, and this means that your meeting will be within nine days. The three of cups says that this person will drink with you and another person. The knight of cups is you, therefore you are also a clerk."
"Right, I'm an apothecary student."
"Yes, as I said. Do you have more questions to ask, most illustrious?"
"No, read the future to my friend, now."
"Show me your hand, young man."
Poletto stretched out his open hand. The old woman scanned it, then said, with gravity, "You too will have a rather long life. I don't see illness, not serious ones, nor accidents, thus you will have a serene life. About wealth, you too will never be rich but neither poor. About business... you will have a hard moment in a short while, but you will overcome it thanks to a person you will meet when you will be feeling really lonely. I see that you too will not marry nor have children. This is quite odd, it doesn't happen so often to see two people one after the other so similar... About loves... I see several of them, mainly during your youth, yes, several but all short-lived. Adventures more than loves. You have to wait until about... possibly your thirties before finding a long lasting love. But you have first to pass through several experiences."
Zane then asked, "Can you tell also to him if he will meet somebody interesting in these next days?"
"Yes, sure, I can with the tarots. Well, let see... here, choose at random... more... no, don't still look at them. One more card..." After she made Poletto choose the cards, the woman put them in a row and started to interpret them, "You will meet several new people within the next month. You see, the ace of coins represents a lunation, that is twenty-eight days. Well... let's see... they all will be young folk, more or less of your age. One of them, see here, will be really important to you, to your life, provided you are able to grasp the opportunity. Your future happiness can depend on this."
Zane again interfered, "Cannot you tell him more about these encounters and mainly about this last one?"
"Something... not very much... Let me deal the cards again... So, choose... Good. They will be casual encounters, on the street, do you see the wheel of fortune, here? And mainly in the evening, in fact there is the stars card. These four cards represent the four people among whom there is the most important person for you. Sincerely... I'm sorry but the cards are strange, I cannot fully understand their message. But you can possibly understand it at the right moment. They are the cards of the fool, the two of cudgels, the three of coins and the hanged man. Try to remember them."
"And what can you tell him about the people he already knows?"
"Let's see... But this will be your last question or else you will have to pay one more coin. I see a departure, somebody who is about leaving or who just left - here you see the chariot."
For the first time Poletto seemed to get lively and asked, a tone of urgence in his voice, "Will he come back? Will he be sound and safe?"
"He will be back, he will be in good health, he will be very busy and travel a lot. He is someone that you have at heart, isn't he?"
"Yes..."
"The cards say he will meet somebody really important to him - see here the lovers card. Then, amongst the people you know, there is another person - he is represented by the knight of cups, therefore he is older than you but less than the king or the queen. A little older than you. Then, there is the two of spades, showing a strong bond with this person - you see that the two swords are tied with a ribbon. And last there is the five of cudgels that means that this last person is living near you. I can say nothing more."
Poletto was thoughtful, Zane was radiant - the old woman did a masterpiece. They said good bye to her and continued their strolling.. For a while neither of them said a word. Zane would have liked to know what Poletto thought about what the fortune-teller had told him, but cunningly he he kept silent for a while, looking around with an indifferent air, to give Poletto time to turn it over in his mind.
Then he said, in a merry tone, "Look, Polo, a mask maker!"
The boy threw a absent-minded glance, then said, "Yes... Do you believe these fortune-tellers?"
"I don't know, somewhat yes and somewhat no. And you?"
"She related some things correctly... and others were very strange."
"Where can we go, now?"
"The master will be very busy, and will travel... and will meet somebody with whom he will be tied..."
"And you will have mysterious, interesting and important meetings. Which were the cards you had to remember?"
"The hanged man, the fool, the three of coins and the two of cudgels."
"Wow, what a memory! But what can they mean?"
"If I really meet such people in the next days, I can possibly understand... Supposing that one can believe in such things."
"The person near you and a little older than you could be me, don't you think? My room is adjoining yours."
"It could be. And the tied swords?"
"That we will become friends? But very close friends... tied together..."
"I am just your page."
"But... but I would like you to be less formal with me, and more a friend than a page."
CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 15
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