GALILEO
ATMOSPHERE
It was the third week of incessant rain. The canals of Venice hadn’t reach such depth in 20 years and there was no hope in sight that it would stop soon.
CARNIVAL COSTUMES ď ľ
Ironically it came at the time of Carnival a time of party and celebration. The costume makers had been working for weeks, albeit slopping around in the flooded floors of their workshops. The women furious that their skirts were sewn so high that their gold tipped curled shoes would be buried in water.
THE TELESCOPE ď ľ
The famous scientists Galileo had come to Venice on a special mission, He was to present to the Duke the largest telescope he had created to date. A truly magnificent gift. Galileo was looking forward to this little presentation and then back to Padua and his home at University.
GALILEO ON CRUTCHES
ď ľ
That was until he seriously sprained his leg and was now confined to crutches and a chair. Carnival would be long passed before he could walk again and his presentation to the Duke would have to wait and loose much of its splendor being presented far after the conclusion of Carnival.
AND THE GUESTS ARRIVE
ď ľ
It was still early in the afternoon as he watched the preparations from the decorations being adjusted, the rooms swept and dusted spotlessly and the large burlap bags of trash being lowered on rope and pulley to waiting barges in the canal below.
MARINA CONSPIRES ď ľ
One particular beauty seemed to be in charge of the preparations for the ball. She wore a gorgeous purple gown and a Columbina half-mask, only covering the wearer's eyes, nose, and upper cheeks. It was decorated with gold, silver, crystals and feathers and held up to the face by a baton. It was designed so that a woman who desired not to have her beautiful face covered completely could reveal it on occasion. Galileo was entranced with the beauty which he could see. Having noticed him peering at her through his telescope she raise her mask now and again but that was enough‌he was in love.
ROMEO CONSPIRES
That impudent little upstart holding my daughter’s hand, now both hands ….why, why I will have his head on a pike!
THE CONSPIRACY GROWS
ď ľ
. Galileo kept scanning the room for Mariana, at first to no avail‌no wait, there she was in a small cloak room standing face to face with a man, a jester with his mas off. A tall good looking boy. Galileo barely knew the woman and yet he was already jealous. Must have been the brandy he thought to himself as he settled himself back into his chair. The music filled the air and the boys and girls danced and partook in acrobatics in a cirque de sole atmosphere
WHERE IS HE
Out of breath the Duke crossed the room and in a rage pulled his daughter away from the attention of the group she was speaking with. The Duke shouted. DUKE Where is he I will have his head. The daughter broke into tears. The Duke rudely passed her off to a lady in waiting for safe keeping and in the background Galileo could see the jester being escorted out of the building by Marina. The
GALILEO AWAKES THE PRINCESS IS GONE
BAGS OF TRASH IN WATER
ď ľ
However, he noticed that one floated and bobbed along the surface of the water while the other sank at first and then slowly returned to the surface where it was snagged up by the boatman amidst a gathering collection of bubbles. A careful examination of the water soaked bags (though his telescope) revealed the burlap of one bag clung to a woman’s form and from the open end of the bag the classic long Bauta nose protruded. He had discovered the missing princess. But was she alive or dead? And if dead did he want to be the bearer of such bad tidings?
OUT WITH THE TRASH
GALILEO RUNS TO THE ROOF
THEY ESCAPE
A NEW BEGINNING