Personal Narrative: Pierre Visits Giulio Marciari In Italy

CHAPTER 9

THE FRENCH CONNECTION - 1588

Pierre visits Giulio Marciari in Amboise, France

Giulio Marciari, a displaced Italian, pulls open the door to his home. Now at 70 years, he lives alone and has few visitors to his small house in this rather remote village and with the bright sunlight in his eyes, he could not recognize the young visitor who disturbs his afternoon rest. “Grandpa, it is I, Pierre, your Grandson. Don’t you know me?” At first, he looked puzzled but then a broad smile covered his wrinkled face. “So it is; so it is. Come in my boy, it is so good to see you. How is everyone in Rouen?” After a little chitchat, the two were in his small kitchen attacking a long loaf of bread and a fresh bottle of red wine.

Here, help me open this bottle and let us get comfortable. What brings you here; not just to say ‘hello’ to an old man?” he said with another great smile. “Of course, Grandpa, I wanted to see you but I did want you to know what is going on with my and naturally, your family. Before we talk about the younger ones, I really need to know just what motivates this family to be such adventurers and to make the strange decisions we do. I never did know why our family, so entrenched in the culture and history of our native Etruscan traditions, would venture so far. But my question today is how did we get to France?” “It is a long and somewhat zany story, but I will tell you what I have learned from my Father and Grandfather” the old man began. He fumbled through some books on a shelf and then through an old chest in the corner. Finally, he gave up in disgust, tossing a notebook back into the trunk. “It seems, if I remember correctly, that my Grandfather, Nicol, decided to move from Florence to Milan, but he really never told me why. No doubt he had a brilliant plan.” He laughed