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- Herausgeber: Pushkin Press
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015
The greatest love story never told. 'Love does not need any comforting. It does not even need requiting. All it needs is itself.' Florence, 1502. Marshal Louis de La Trémouille's small army has stopped off en route to Naples, to buy objects d'art for King Louis XII of France. Naturally, Leonardo da Vinci's workshop is on the shopping list; and during their visit to his house, the young nobleman de Bougainville chances upon the not-quite-finished Mona Lisa. He promptly, utterly and hopelessly falls in love with the woman in the painting, and is determined to find her - despite rumours that she has long ago died. A visit to an empty tomb, assault upon an Italian nobleman's mansion, duel and execution later, the secret of la Gioconda's smile is (possibly) revealed. An entertaining story, told with style - about love, life, art, and the Quixotic things that a man will do to realise his dream. Alexander Lernet-Holenia (1897-1976) was a prolific and popular screenwriter, wrote several novels (including the acclaimed noir thriller I Was Jack Mortimer, published by Pushkin Press), was a multi-award winning lyrical poet admired by Rilke and Hofmannsthal, and earned Stefan Zweig's praise as the 'most noble of our dramatic poets'. Though greatly admired as a writer, his delight in provocation frequently made him unpopular with the authorities - be it the National Socialist Ministry of Propaganda during the war, or the tax office and the army after it. He nevertheless collected all the most important national literary awards, including the Great Austrian State Prize, and was elected the President of Austrian PEN in 1969.
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ALEXANDER LERNET-HOLENIA
MONA LISA
Translated from the German by Ignat Avsey
Contents
MONA LISA
the Love that moves the sun and the other stars
Dante, The Divine Comedy,
Paradiso, xxxiii, 145
MONA LISA
TOWARDS THE END OF 1502, Louis XII, King of France, summoned one of his marshals, Louis de la Trémoille, and charged him to proceed immediately to Milan, where he was to raise an army and hurry to Naples to the relief of the two French governors, de Aubigny and the Duke of Namur, who had lately suffered serious losses at the hands of the Spaniards.
“And I trust, sir,” the King went on, “you will be able to acquit yourself of this commission with your customary prowess. You shall not be left wanting anything. I send you forth not only with my own blessing, but also hereby give you leave as you make your way through Rome to seek the Holy Father’s blessing. However, in case the Holy Father should refuse to anoint your arms, I give you full permission to urge His Holiness, with the help of those selfsame arms, to vouchsafe them his blessing. Furthermore, select as many of my noblemen as you deem fit to accompany you on your way. The flower of my nobility will be honoured and pleased to serve under you and personally to provide armour and equipment for you and your retainers. Also, you will have at your service a number of clerics whose upkeep and maintenance will devolve upon the Church. I shall take the sin of that upon myself. Additionally, I expect the good people of Amboise in Milan to cast the requisite number of ordnance, furnish the requisite number of ensigns, standards and trumpet banners, and supply a sufficient quantity of drums, kettledrums and trumpets. The cost of the undertaking is to be met from the municipal funds. You will of course have at your disposal as many horse and foot as you shall need, fed and nourished off the land, so help you God.”
Here, while Louis appeared to ponder whether he should offer La Trémoille dominion over the sun, the waters, the air and the ground they stood on, for the upkeep of which God Himself was to be charged responsible, he bethought himself; and after staring for a while into the indeterminate middle distance past the Marshal with the vacant expression of one who at all costs refuses to talk of money, he added:
“As I said, you shall be wanting for nothing, my dear sir. You will be showered with glory, you will lead the army to victory and the splendour of our arms will spread far and wide. One more thing, though! I trust that you will also take the opportunity of recouping the cost of this campaign. Be sure therefore that you levy from the territories for whose sake we are making such sacrifices all necessary and fitting reparations, be it in the form of direct payments or precious objects, jewels, costly tapestries and suchlike things. For this is my express wish and command.* And so,” concluded the King, “goodbye, and may God be with you!”
With these words he extended his hand to La Trémoille, placing it as though on a cushion on the plumed hat which the Marshal held out to him; and La Trémoille, after bowing and kissing the King’s hand, took a step back. The King however mounted his horse and rode off on a stag hunt in the Forest of Senlis.
*“Car tel est notre bon plaisir.”
