A Night at Villa Borghi - Part 1
Villa Borghi, 4 April 1848, Evening
Cristina Trivulzio did not waste much time in her room at Villa Borghi. A new dress, a few touch-ups of her make up and her hair, and she was ready for the evening. She was intrigued by the words of Count Cavour: what was the man up to? The best thing was to go and look for the delegation from Milan, and try to get the latest news.
However, while she was walking toward the main staircase, she recognised one of the three men who were talking quietly in an alcove of the corridor: "Enrico Misley ! A lot of years have passed since you helped me in Marsiglia (1). How are you, and what are you doing here?"
"I am well, Cristina, although a bit older and more worn by life. I am here for the same reason as you, I would say: to make Italy. Let me introduce my friends: Nicola Fabrizi (2), an old and dear friend from Modena, Luigi Chiesi (3), from Reggio di Lombardia, Giuseppe Borsani (4), from Parma. The gentlemen are delegates of the Provisional Government of Cispadania : the old duchies, with the only exception of Piacenza, which has already applied for annexation to the kingdom of Sardinia . Gentlemen, let me introduce Princess Cristina Trivulzio di Belgioioso, an ardent Italian patriot."
"I assume the Provisional Government has not yet decided on the future form of government."
"You are correct, Princess. There are different options to be evaluated, and we have agreed to take the necessary time in order to make the right decision." Luigi Chiesi, the oldest of the three delegates. Cristina could think of only one option (and a half, maybe) but she kept that for herself.
"I can commend your wisdom, sir, even if I do not know you. There will be time to debate the form of government, but now any effort must be dedicated to win the war." A voice with a Lombard accent "Carlo Cattaneo, per servirvi. I do apologise for interrupting you, but I could not resist to the desire of paying my respects to Princess Belgioioso."
There were a few more minutes of amicable chatting, then Cattaneo and the Princess left to search for the Milanese delegation.
"I was told they can usually be found further down the corridor, where they have more or less officially appropriated a room for their use. We Milanese are not shy, and also care for our comforts. I understand that there are three members from the Provisional Government, including Gabrio Casati (5), its president , and two from the War Council (6), Giuseppe Ferrari (7) and Enrico Cernuschi (8). Trusted men, and good friends both. You know I don't see eye-to-eye with Casati, though: a slippery eel of a man, if ever there was one. "
"I think you are ungenerous towards Gabrio Casati, Carlo. He has always tried to do his best to improve the situation in Lombardy, and he was successful in some of his attempts. I know him well enough to assure you that his heart is in the right place."
"A bit difficult to sympathize with a man who is ready to bend his knee to a foreign king just a few days after the lackeys of another one have been kicked out of his city (9), and a man unfit for times of war. Be it as it may: I will be civil, for now. While we are talking of slippery men, I would suggest you to be careful when dealing with Misley: you certainly know he's been under a shadow since the failure of the insurrections of 1831."
"I met Misley in Marsiglia when I had to go into exile in France: I had little money, and no friends, but Enrico befriended and supported me, and gave me a letter of introduction in Paris. Without him, I don't know what I could have done. I know the rumors that Misley was in cahoots with the duke of Modena, and betrayed the other conspirators, but I have never believed them."
"Even conspirators can be generous and truthful once or twice in their lives"
Cristina bit her tongue, and knew it was time to change topic.
"How is the relation between the Provisional Government and the War Council, Carlo? I believed that there had been a rapprochement."
"There is an agreement to postpone any decision on the political status of Lombardy until after the end of the war, just like I said to the gentleman from Reggio. It wasn't an easy decision for me to accept this, but it makes sense, provided that each side plays fair. I went to Venice also to avoid temptation on my side, if you want to know." The last words were said with a smile.
"And what are the latest news from Venice? I heard rumors, but they sound so wild."
"My dear Cristina, the truth will put to shame the wildest rumors. The Republic of St. Mark has been reborn, the cities of Veneto and Friuli have all sworn allegiance to it, the Austrian fleet has been stolen from Pola by an audacious coup de main, Dalmatia has risen against the Austrians and is now free and hoists the flag of the Lion, there is a formal alliance between the republic and the kingdom of Sardinia. If these events are not wild enough, I have kept the most puzzling one for last: the man who is behind the resurrection of the republic and the alliance is none other than Ferdinand of Savoy, and he asked for nothing in exchange. I have met him in Venice: very courteous, intelligent, soft-spoken, but you cannot read his eyes."
"It would seem that the staunchest of Republicans has been put under the spell of a Monarch... But, fear not! It takes but a Princess' smile to see through the eyes of a Prince." A gorgeous example of said smile followed, so gorgeous that Cattaneo had to make use of all of his philosophy not to lose his composure. It took a while for him to ask himself, silently but solemnly, whether a spell had truly been cast upon him, and by whom.
Footnotes
Enrico Misley, an expatriate from Modena, had befriended and Helped Cristina Trivulzio when she had to go in exile in France in 1832
Nicola Fabrizi, also from Modena. A military man, exiled since the 1830s and a fervent democrat
Luigi Chiesi, from Reggio di Lombardia (now Reggio nell'Emilia). Liberal, the mastermind behind the Provisional Government of Cispadania: a temporary union between the duchies of Parma, Reggio e Modena after the dukes had left their domains.
Giuseppe Borsani, from Parma. Democrat.
The other two members from the Provisional Government were Pompeo Litta, Minister for War, and Achille Mauri, delegate from Mantua and Secretary to the Provisional Government. Both liberals.
The War Council of Milan represented the republican, democrat faction of the insurgents, and was usually in opposition to the liberal, Piedmontese-sympathizing Provisional Government
Giuseppe Ferrari, lawyer and philosopher. Positioned on the democrat side, but often critical of the actions proposed by Mazzini
Enrico Cernuschi, lawyer and democrat. Fought bravely at Porta Tosa during the Five Days of Milan, a great friend of Cattaneo
Gabrio Casati was often (and in many cases unjustly) accused by the pro-republic democrats to have been too accommodating with the Austrians and too willing to ask for annexation to Sardinia. The former accusation is certainly untrue, the latter is more credible. G. Casati is one of the might-have-beens of Risorgimento: he played certainly an important role as Podesta' of Milan to ameliorate the conditions under which the Lombards had to live, without major results, but the fault lies on the Austrian side, which was unwilling to grant any concession. Casati managed to have an Italian prelate installed as archbishop in 1847 (instead of another German one, like the Austrians wanted) and turned the inauguration procession in a kind of anti-Austrian, pro-Pius IX demonstration, and vehemently protested in front of the Governor for the harsh reaction of the Austrian troops in occasion of the "cigars strike" of early January '48. He was also a brother-in-law of Federico Confalonieri, incarcerated by the Austrians after 1832, and freed only thanks to the insistence of Casati and the campaign that Belgioioso orchestrated from Paris, involving in it many prominent Frenchmen, including the aged Marquis de Lafayette.