Chapter Summaries

Pomona toured the Doge’s Palace with Dama and the woman in the blue mask, discussing Venetian art, gender, and the city’s history. After learning about a nighttime mass at Santa Maria della Salute, she asked a local where she could buy genuine gold-thread cushions, leaving her desire for Venetian luxury roaring beyond restraint.

• Pomona and her companions criticized Tiepolo’s depiction of Venice as a blonde woman and debated why men favored blonde beauties.
• Pomona dodged Dama’s questions about her relationship with Mr. Smith and discussed Venice’s past ties to the Knights Templar and Freemasonry.
• Pomona noticed that the lion on St. Mark’s Campanile’s clock represented the hours of the early morning and asked what could be done in Venice at night.
• Dama described the Night Mass at Santa Maria della Salute, and the woman in the blue mask explained the basilica’s sound-amplifying dome and vortex-shaped floor.
• Pomona recalled a handsome man standing at the basilica’s vortex and asked a local where she could buy authentic gold-thread cushions, saying price was no issue.

Pomona and Severus spent a rainy evening in Venice, where talk of Pan and the city’s flooding blended with their intimate reunion. Pomona proposed using salt bridges to help protect Venice, but Alessandro doubted her plan as the organ music drifted from the basilica.

• Pomona and Severus discussed Pan while Alessandro rowed them toward the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute for Mass.
• Severus urged Pomona to stop worrying about the Werewolf and enjoy their time together before they had to return.
• Pomona suggested building salt bridges at the lagoon entrance so ships could not enter and salt could be used to address flooding.
• Alessandro questioned how much salt her plan would require, and Pomona defended it as a way to use local materials and create jobs.
• Alessandro pulled Pomona into a kiss while organ music from the basilica carried across the water.

Pomona considered ways to save Venice through desalination and tidal power, while reflecting on the city’s decline, religious history, and the loss of its artistic heritage. The rain intensified as she hoped Venice would avoid another flood.

• Pomona considered using desalination salt to block river mouths, with tidal power and waste heat supplying Venice with electricity and heating.
• Pomona discussed the Dead Sea and the biblical destruction of Sodom with Alessandro in the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute.
• Pomona reflected on Venice’s decline and argued that people had to confront hardship rather than passively accept disaster.
• Alessandro identified Gabrieli in The Wedding at Cana and lamented that Napoleon had taken the painting from Venice.
• Pomona compared the theft of Venetian art with the removal of Dunhuang murals from Buddhist caves, and Alessandro called the perpetrators barbarians.
• As the rain grew heavier, Pomona prayed that Venice would not flood again the next day.

Pomona and Severus discussed Venice’s flood defenses, tourism, and the environmental damage caused by cruise ships while eating breakfast. When Monica and Gianluca arrived, Severus decided to use their wealthy patronage and his authority to keep Gianluca away from their honeymoon.

• Pomona reflected on Venice’s expensive flood barrier and considered Severus’s idea of building a bridge from salt.
• Pomona and Severus debated whether salt could help with flooding, and Severus explained how cruise ships’ fuel and waste harmed Venice’s lagoon and buildings.
• Severus said blocking cruise ships would hurt businesses beyond Venice and noted that the mayor’s tourism policy could cost him reelection.
• Monica and Gianluca arrived near the Napoleon Wing, and Severus decided to use their patronage while threatening to fire Gianluca if he interfered with Monica’s work.

Pomona, Severus, Monica, and Gianluca toured Venice by gondola and visited Ca' Rezzonico, while Pomona reflected on family, power, and Venice's history. Monica said the travel budget had run out, and Severus had Gianluca pay her five hundred euros for their next few days of expenses.

• Pomona noticed that the zodiac dial on St. Mark's Campanile had moved, but Monica cut off the discussion and directed the group to Ca' Rezzonico.
• Severus asked Gianluca whether Venice's inlets could be filled in, and the gondolier explained that cargo ships needed the lagoon's waterways.
• Monica took the group to a delicatessen bar, where Severus ate eagerly while Pomona struggled with breakfast.
• At Ca' Rezzonico, Monica translated a strange song for Pomona and handed her a bill saying their budget had run out.
• Severus asked Gianluca to keep guiding them, then ordered him to give Monica five hundred euros for tickets and tips; Pomona paid readily.

Pomona and Severus enjoyed a masked dance at Ca' Rezzonico, where they teased each other about money, marriage, and their future. After Pomona spotted an old wizard who vanished, she warned Severus not to underestimate Gianluca and led him out of the ballroom.

• Pomona reflected on Ca' Rezzonico, the Rezzonico family's rise and decline, and the history of Venice's nobility as she toured the palace with Severus.
• Pomona and Severus bought adult tickets and danced together in the palace ballroom, inspiring other tourists to join the dance floor.
• Pomona and Severus joked about his money, her spending, and staying together into old age.
• Pomona briefly saw a white-haired old wizard in gray robes and half-moon spectacles, but he disappeared when she looked again.
• Pomona cautioned Severus not to underestimate Gianluca and reminded him that children had helped defeat the Dark Lord; Severus solemnly agreed.
• Pomona invited Severus to leave the ball with her, and she led him out of the ballroom by the hand.

Pomona confronted Severus about his impulsive Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa Malfoy and told him she believed him. The two reconciled with a kiss in the courtyard, while an elderly Muggle couple argued about their own wedding vows.

• Pomona led Severus to the courtyard fountain at Ca' Rezzonico and recited lines from Romeo and Juliet.
• Pomona told Severus she forgave him for making the Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa Malfoy and asked whether Bella had provoked him into it.
• Severus denied wanting to swear again, and an elderly Muggle couple applauded them before arguing about their own wedding vows.
• Severus removed his mask and imagined Pomona in a white gauze dress as part of a Midsummer Night's Dream.
• Pomona agreed to let Severus warm her, and they kissed in the courtyard.

The chapter traced the rise and fall of Venice, the shifting power of Francesco Sforza, and the conflicts over papal authority before describing Alexander VI’s corruption and death. It ended with Severus and her inspecting palace bedrooms, then wondering whether the Borgias might have fled to Venice.

• Venice’s reliance on mercenaries and costly wars led to mounting debt and decline, while Francesco Sforza shifted allegiances and eventually became Duke of Milan.
• Eugene IV moved the church council from Basel to Ferrara and then Florence, where he pursued unity with the Greek Church despite opposition from a breakaway council.
• Francesco married Bianca Maria Visconti, but Eugene IV did not recognize his claim, and Francesco’s son Ludovico later received the formal title of Duke of Milan.
• Alexander VI used church appointments, poison, and marriage alliances to enrich and empower the Borgia family, and he died in 1503 under mysterious circumstances.
• Severus and her companion inspected palace bedrooms, discussed the dark magic on her earrings, and left to watch an episode in the pharmacy.
• After Florence’s history was discussed, she wondered whether the Borgias had changed their names and escaped to Venice.

Pomona, Severus, Monica, and Gianluca left Ca' Rezzonico after an awkward museum visit, and Pomona discussed love and shared purpose with Monica and Gianluca. The narrative then shifted to the political upheaval of 1447, when Eugene IV died and Parentucelli became Pope Nicholas V, leaving Italy divided into competing states.

• The narration described Vlad III's rise against Ottoman rule and the disappearance of the assassin who had helped him.
• Pomona and Severus found Monica and Gianluca at a café after they finished viewing Ca' Rezzonico.
• Gianluca discussed François Pino's wealth and the Salvator Mundi painting with Pomona and Severus while Monica watched the canal.
• Pomona and Severus argued about their youthful crushes until the Dark Lord ordered everyone onto a boat and warned them to be quiet.
• Pomona told Monica and Gianluca that shared experiences and protecting their home could bring people together, and Gianluca said Venice feared floods more than fires.
• After Eugene IV died in February 1447, Parentucelli was elected Pope Nicholas V in March, while the Italian peninsula remained divided among independent powers.

Pomona, Severus, Monica, and Gianluca discussed plans for the Marchioness’s banquet while riding a gondola through Venice. Their gondolier told them eerie rumors about Linda Civita, Poveglia Island, and a cat supposedly possessed by Linda’s spirit.

• Pomona asked Monica who she would bring to the Marchioness’s banquet, and Monica said she would go with Sandy.
• Severus and Monica teased each other about past invitations and discussed whether Gianluca might take Laura to the gathering.
• The gondolier told Pomona about Linda Civita’s murder, the rumored hauntings on Poveglia Island, and a cat said to carry Linda’s soul.
• Monica dismissed the gondolier’s superstitions, and Pomona continued admiring Venice’s scenery.

Pomona, Severus, and Gianluca explored Venice as Gianluca explained the city’s history of wealth, banking, plague, and secrecy. The conversation ended with Pomona reflecting on Venice’s costly attractions and her own modest appetite for material things.

• Pomona considered how overhunting and the decline of Venice’s navy had weakened the wealthy republic.
• Gianluca explained that an earthquake had dried up the waterways in 1310, after which a bank was established there and later collapsed.
• Gianluca recounted how the Peruzzi Bank’s failure and the Black Death affected Florence, the papacy, and Avignon.
• Gianluca and the boatman described how Venice guarded its glassmaking secrets and how the Arsenal’s isolated workers survived the plague.
• Severus questioned Gianluca about his family’s secrets, and Gianluca said they had left him only money.
• Pomona reflected that she was grateful for having few material desires and decided to remain a foolish foodie.

Pomona and Severus searched San Polo for clues about Linda Lingxiangmao while the chapter explored Venice’s history of trade, taxation, banking, and private property. Pomona kept her thoughts about Venice’s decline to herself so the debate would not spoil her honeymoon with Severus.

• Pomona, Severus, Monica, and Gianluca visited San Polo and considered whether Peruzzi might once have built a bank there.
• Severus suggested that a nearby palace and the remains of old factories might offer clues, though Pomona doubted they would find anything after the area’s renovation.
• Pomona reflected on medieval trade, Genoese banking, the Champagne Fairs, the Knights Templar, and the effects of taxation on merchants and cities.
• The chapter connected private property and commercial power to Napoleon’s policies and the decline of Venice, including its dependence on tourism and the threat of flooding.
• Pomona decided not to share her thoughts about Venice’s decline because she did not want to spoil her honeymoon with Severus.

The chapter recounts Napoleon’s fall into poverty and his decisive use of artillery to crush the Paris royalist rebellion, then follows Pomona and Severus as they explore Venice and debate its history and legends. It leaves them walking away after Gianluca teases Severus about watching cartoons.

• Napoleon refused an infantry appointment, lost his place among the active generals, and considered leaving France before continuing his studies.
• Barras appointed Napoleon to help defend the National Convention, and Napoleon had Murat haul cannons to the Tuileries, where their bombardment defeated the rebels.
• Napoleon later captured Venice and Genoa, taking art and bank assets that helped France recover its fortunes.
• Pomona, Severus, Gianluca, and Monica discussed Venice’s drinking fountain, Francis, and the city’s pigeons as church bells rang.
• Gianluca teased Severus about knowing Disney Princesses, and Severus walked off while Pomona hurried after him.

Pomona, Severus, Monica, and Gianluca abandoned their search for clues about the Knights Templar and discussed visiting Le Vignole to see its Doge-supplied wine and nearby monastery. The group planned to go after lunch, with Pomona eager to try roast suckling pig.

• Monica said the San Polo District had been turned upside down and that searching for clues was hopeless.
• Severus asked what had happened to the Peruzzi Bank building, and Gianluca explained its bankruptcy and the losses suffered by depositors.
• Pomona suggested using the story of sheltering Saint Francis to persuade the Vatican to deposit money in Severus's bank.
• Gianluca proposed visiting Le Vignole for its wine and nearby fortress, while Monica noted that private boats were needed to reach San Francesco Island.
• Pomona agreed to go after lunch and said she wanted to try the island's roast suckling pig.

Gianluca and Severus discussed finding the Peruzzi Bank ledgers, which might reveal where the Knights Templar's assets had gone, while dining in Venice with Pomona and Monica. Professor Luigi Oparo joined them and warned that a proposed canal could damage the lagoon, leaving the group to hear his protest over lunch.

• The chapter described how royal debts, war, plague, and the collapse of Peruzzi Bank contributed to a century of economic hardship in Europe.
• The chapter explained Italy's local food traditions and the origins of Venice's Dorona wine.
• Gianluca and Severus discussed finding the Peruzzi family's bank ledgers while dining at a restaurant recommended by a boatman.
• Professor Luigi Oparo approached Gianluca, and Gianluca introduced him to Pomona, Severus, and Monica.
• Monica explained that Oparo opposed the proposed Angel Nine-Bend Canal because it could harm the lagoon and enrich officials.
• Gianluca invited Oparo to join them for lunch, and the professor continued discussing the canal project as their food arrived.

The chapter contrasted Charles IV’s political legacy with Venice’s struggle to protect its lagoon from cruise ships and the proposed Contorta Sant'Angelo Canal. It recounted Erasmus’s life and criticism of the Church before ending with a red-paint prank during the Radetzky March.

• Charles IV used diplomacy and limited wars to advance his aims, while the Golden Bull weakened imperial authority and entrenched Germany’s fragmented principalities.
• Professor Oparo prepared to oppose the Port Authority’s Contorta Sant'Angelo Canal project and defend the Venice Lagoon.
• The chapter recounted Erasmus’s education, forbidden writings, relationships, and attacks on the Church’s clergy and violence.
• Venice’s residents faced pressure from tourism and cruise ships while lacking the authority to control their own lagoon.
• Red paint dripped from above during the Radetzky March, and the onlooker resumed applauding after realizing it was paint.

Pomona and Severus explored Venice’s abandoned islands and discussed the cruelty Malèna endured in the film, while the three Muggle children went off on their own. The chapter ended with Pomona and Severus kissing in the woods as they considered whether to keep sightseeing or find privacy.

• Pomona left Alessandro with his cousin and took Severus to see Fort Sant'Andrea, telling the three children to meet them at the pier at six.
• Pomona and Severus passed through an overgrown park and kissed while reflecting on Malèna’s story and the weakness that had left her vulnerable to others.
• Pomona and Severus watched the three Muggle children drive away by motorboat, and Severus guessed they were seeking Francis’s protection.
• Pomona declined to visit a monastery and asked Severus whether they should continue sightseeing or find somewhere private, and he kissed her again.

Pomona and Severus investigated the supposed sea monster near Venice and theorized that the destruction of Saint Angelo Island was a secret British operation tied to the Gunpowder Plot. Their historical speculation gave way to a passionate encounter, leaving them together on their honeymoon trip.

• Pomona and Severus searched nearby islands for a sea monster but found no signs of a snake den.
• Severus questioned whether lightning had destroyed Saint Angelo Island and connected its 1689 explosion to British political interests and the Gunpowder Plot.
• Pomona and Severus speculated that Britain had destroyed Venice’s powder magazine to prevent a Catholic alliance and another religious war.
• Severus and Pomona shared an intimate encounter on the island.

Pomona and Severus investigated the 1689 explosion at Sant'Angelo’s arsenal and considered whether Doge Marcantonio Giustinian had arranged it to conceal embezzlement or whether Britain had sabotaged Venice. Pomona linked the explosion’s date to Pope Innocent XI’s departure and proposed checking the weather to test whether lightning had really caused the fire.

• Pomona read about European history, including Venice’s trade, the Dutch merchants’ sacrifice, and the shifting rivalries among Catholic nations.
• Severus suspected Marcantonio Giustinian of embezzling military funds and setting fire to the arsenal to erase evidence.
• Pomona urged Severus to keep investigating, while Severus questioned whether Giustinian’s corruption or British sabotage was more likely.
• Pomona noted that the explosion happened on August 29, 1689, seventeen days after Pope Innocent XI left office, and told Severus to check the weather that day.

Pomona investigated Venice’s history and concluded that the city’s eighteenth-century mass madness came from illness rather than a devil’s curse. She burned a merchant’s diary and left the cause of the madness explained, while her discussion with Severus touched on debt, corruption, and the danger of trusting the powerful.

• Pomona compared Marcantonio Giustinian’s financial dilemma to choosing between sacrificing Venice’s interests and allowing the Roman Curia to collapse.
• Pomona reviewed the history of European royal debts, banking families, and the risks lenders faced when powerful borrowers defaulted.
• Pomona recounted how Alessandro Stradella eloped with Agnes, escaped the doge’s assassins, and was later killed by an assassin hired by the Lomellini family.
• Pomona examined a wealthy merchant’s diary and told Severus that the mass madness in eighteenth-century Venice was caused by illness, not a devil’s curse.
• Pomona used Incendio to burn the diary.