CHORUS: Piteous screams did fill the night, out the windows and over the canals, for no quick death was gifted to Iago with his basket. The screams were ignored, as always were the calls of fear and sorrow that give the Bridge of Sighs its name. She lingered there, in the cell, much of the night, toying with him like a cat with a mouse, careful to keep him active by not using her dreamy venom, eating one part of the scoundrel and then another, slowly, until just before dawn, her belly full, the serpent of Venice slipped out the cupola window, down the wall, into the canal, and away.

In the morning, when the guard came, he found only Iago’s high boot chained to the wall, his foot and leg to the knee still inside, and nothing else but a great red slick and a serpentine smear of blood painted up the wall and leading out the high windows.

Drool and I were sleeping on the floor in Shylock’s great room, before the fire, when she came to me. I had no doubt, this time, whether she was dream or ghost as I felt her touch on my cheek. My Cordelia. Her hair was down and she wore a silver-and-black silk shirt from my motley, nothing else.

“It’s you?”

“Well done, fool,” she said.

“You from the start, wasn’t it, pulling the strings with Viv? Directing her, keeping me safe.”

“You know what they say, ‘There’s always a bloody ghost.’ ”

“You’re wearing my shirt.”

“The symbolism is bloody ominous, innit?” She grinned, giggled.

“But you’ve no knickers on.”

“Imagine that. Do you think me wanton?”

“Not for me to say, but one hopes.”

“Oh, that’s right, you’ve never shagged a ghost, have you?”

“Well, a few who would go on to be ghosts, but strictly speaking, no.”

“Then get your kit off, fool. Queen Cordelia is going to have her otherworldly way with you.”

“If you insist, but we’ll have to be quiet so as not to wake up Drool. Ghost bonking unsettles him.”

“This will be good-bye then, puppet. I’ve ticked everything off my spirity list.”

“I’ve missed you. I miss you. I am inconsolable.”

“Just as well then that I’m not here to console you, but to shag the bells off of you.”

“I’ll always miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too, love, but you can carry on now. You’ve got Jessica.”

“But you said don’t shag the Jewess.”

“I didn’t want her to distract you while you were avenging me. She’s lovely. Take care of her.”

“Then you don’t mind?”

“Jettison the codpiece, you rascal, there’s squishy haunting to be done!”

Twenty-six: Off Jolly Rogering!

TWENTY-SIX

Off Jolly Rogering!

We stood at the dock, duffels full of gear at our feet, a longboat with sailors at the oars waiting to take us to the ship.