Chapter 38: Eric's Grandmother and the Medici Secret
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Eric Casaburi arrives in Varallo, an ancient walled town with a Romanesque church that houses the Volto Santo relic. He navigates to his grandmother’s apartment, a building once owned by his parents. He pays the nurse to leave for an hour, then enters the parlor where his nearly hundred-year-old grandmother sits by a window, frail but with sharp black eyes. Their relationship is strained; she remembers past mockery when Eric dismissed her claims of Medici ancestry. Now desperate, Eric apologizes and lies about DNA tests, claiming they prove he is a descendant of Gregorio Cappello and Anna Maria, confirming the Medici link. He needs her to reveal the identity of Anna Maria’s lover to establish a legitimate royal heir for his political ambitions. The grandmother, swayed by his concession and apparent proof, begins to speak of a grand love story without a happy ending, hinting at the secret history he seeks.
Key Events
- Eric motors into Varallo and observes the historic architecture, including the church containing the Volto Santo relic.
- He visits his grandmother’s home, pays the nurse to leave, and enters the parlor.
- Their conversation recalls past conflicts: Eric once mocked her insistence on Medici blood.
- Eric apologizes and fabricates DNA results to gain her trust.
- He asks specifically about Anna Maria and the father of her child, needing to know if they were married.
- The grandmother acknowledges she is the last living keeper of the story and agrees to tell it, but warns it is a love story without a happy ending.
Character Development
- Eric Casaburi: Previously dismissive of the Medici claims, Eric now actively seeks the truth, willing to lie to manipulate his grandmother. His political ambition drives him to confront family history with cold pragmatism.
- The Grandmother (Nonna): Despite her physical frailty, she remains proud and sharp. She harbors bitterness over past ridicule but softens when Eric apologizes and provides what she considers proof. Her decision to share the story marks a shift from silence to reluctant revelation.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Legacy and Royal Lineage: Eric’s quest for a legitimate Medici heir to demand a debt from the pope underscores the enduring power of historical bloodlines.
- Deception and Manipulation: Eric’s lie about the DNA test results highlights the ethical compromises made in pursuit of power.
- Memory as History: The grandmother is the last living repository of oral family history, tying personal recollections to grand historical claims.
- Storytelling: Both the legend of the Volto Santo and the grandmother’s forthcoming tale about Anna Maria illustrate how narratives shape identity and belief.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the emotional and tactical core of Eric’s arc. It directly engages the central mystery of the Medici legacy by forcing him to confront his family’s past. The grandmother’s reluctant cooperation sets the stage for the revelation of Anna Maria’s secret relationship, which is crucial for Eric’s political scheme—without that knowledge, his plan to extract concessions from the Vatican fails. The chapter also deepens Eric’s characterization, showing his cold pragmatism and willingness to deceive even family for his ambitions.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Eric lie about the DNA test results?
Eric lies to gain his grandmother’s trust and to prove he no longer doubts the Medici connection. He hopes that by conceding the truth of her claims, she will share the missing details about Anna Maria’s marriage and the father of her child—information essential for establishing a legitimate royal heir. -
What specific information does Eric seek from his grandmother?
Eric needs to know the identity of Anna Maria’s lover and whether they were married. Without marital legitimacy, the Medici line is considered illegitimate, and Eric cannot claim the hereditary debt from the pope. The grandmother is the only person alive who knows that part of the story. -
How does the grandmother react to Eric’s change of heart?
Initially contemptuous and resentful of past mockery, she softens after Eric’s apology and apparent proof of the DNA match. She acknowledges his concession and begins to speak, though she warns that the tale of Anna Maria is a love story without a happy ending, hinting at tragedy to come.