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Part One: (See/print audio script) (pdf doc)
Part Two: (See/print audio script) (pdf doc)
Tommaso Argento looked sadly out at the many tall ships sailing down the big, wide River Thames in front of him, thinking about how beautiful the scene was. Even though the scene was beautiful, he had a strong feeling of melancholy. He knew that this would probably be the last time he would be able to sit here in Greenwich, looking out across the river to the city of London in the distance. Soon, he had to go along the river to Deptford to say goodbye to one of his best friends here in London. From Deptford he had to get on a ship to sail to the Hague, and from there, travel on horseback across the German states and the mountains to his home in Venice. During his stay in London, this had been one of his favourite places to come when he wanted to be alone.
Ten days ago he had received a letter with some bad news. He carried the letter in his pocket. When he thought about it he felt sad and gloomy again. He tried to ignore it and think about something else, but it was impossible. Eventually he pulled the letter out and started to read it again, hoping that it would perhaps have magically changed while it was in his pocket.
Venice,
20 April 1593
To the Honourable Gentleman, Master Tommaso Argento
My son, I know how much you are enjoying yourself in London. It is a new city, full of energy and ideas, and this is a good thing. I hope also that you have studied during your stay at Oxford, and that you have made many important acquaintances in the city, for London – I predict – will be the centre of a new trading empire in the next century. It will be important for our business. I hope your stay has been profitable.
However, my son, I have important news for you. You have been away for more than a year now, and in that time I have been very busy with our family’s business.
I have become, I am afraid to say, an old man. You, on the other hand, are no longer a boy. When you left our house you were still a boy, but now, after your studies and your travels, you are a man.
My son, it is time for you to come home. I need your help here, and you can no longer continue to play and waste money in London.
For this reason, I insist that you return as soon as possible. I expect you home within one month.
Your loving father,
Gianbattista Argento
No, the letter hadn’t magically changed. It still contained its terrible news. He had one month to get back to Venice. That meant that he must leave immediately. He looked at the ships sailing down the river again, and realised that within one or two days at the most he would be on board one of those ships. It wasn’t the long journey that worried him. It was simply the fact that he now had to leave London.
His father had given him permission, and the money, to visit England because Tommaso had promised to go to the university in Oxford to study. His father was an intelligent man, and knew that it was important for his son to travel. 'Travel is education,' he said. He was right – Tommaso had learned a lot. But he had not learned about trade or commerce, he had not learned about astronomy or navigation; he had learned that he did not want to be a businessman. While he was in England, Tommaso had learned that he wanted to be a poet.
One evening when he was at the university in Oxford, Tommaso was invited to a dinner where a man named Bruno was talking. This man was another Italian, and Tommaso thought he was fascinating. During the dinner, Bruno began to speak excitedly about the mystery, beauty and power of poetry. It was like being stuck by lightning: Tommaso was fascinated and decided immediately that he didn’t want to be a businessman anymore. He wanted to be a poet.
Bruno was older than Tommaso, but very interesting. Tommaso saw him frequently while he was in Oxford. He was not a friendly man, and didn’t speak very much, but Tommaso nevertheless thought he was fascinating. He discovered that Bruno came from the south of Italy, and that there were a lot of rumours about him. Some people said he was a spy for the Spanish, some people said he was a spy for the Vatican, and some people said he was really a spy for Queen Elizabeth. He had a lot of radical opinions and dangerous ideas – some people accused him of being a heretic. Later, Tommaso’s friend Kit told him the truth: that really Bruno was a spy for everybody, and against everybody else. But it was difficult to believe Kit – Kit was always telling jokes, or telling lies.
When Tommaso decided to leave Oxford and go to London, Bruno asked him to deliver a letter to one of his friends in the capital. Tommaso was delighted, and as soon as he arrived he went to deliver the letter to Mr Christopher Marlowe. Unfortunately, it was difficult to find Mr Marlowe. Bruno told Tommaso that Marlowe didn’t have a proper address, but usually spent most of his time in a pub called The Mermaid.
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