The Sculptor by Gregory Funaro Page B

wait to introduce yourself?
     
    “As Dr. Hildebrant had to explain to me, Michelangelo was a homosexual, and his relationship with Cavalieri—a relationship that was never physically consummated but that was nonetheless reciprocated—caused the artist, and presumably Cavalieri, great anguish. Michelangelo is speaking then for both of them, saying that he knows they both love each other, and therefore wants Cavalieri to acknowledge it, too. Given that knowledge—that is, the story behind the sonnet—we thus have an overt statement from Dr. Hildebrant’s admirer that says in effect, ‘Not only do I know what you’re thinking, but I also know that you know what I’m thinking.’”
    “‘I come near to have my pleasure with you,’” repeated Burrell. “So the person who wrote the note is admitting that he had gotten physically close to Dr. Hildebrant?”
    “Maybe,” said Markham. “But it could be meant to be taken figuratively, as in close to her through her work—her book, which was published about six months before the notes began arriving.”
    “But the line about knowing his name, isn’t that an overt statement as well? That the writer of the note is saying, literally, you know who I am?”
    “Perhaps,” said Markham. “But again, her admirer could be speaking figuratively—given the context of the original sonnet to Cavalieri, that it was a sort of homosexual code for something else, a spiritual love that could not be named. If we were to take the first four lines literally, the line, ‘So why do you wait to introduce yourself?’ seems inappropriate in any context other than Dr. Hildebrant avoiding an advance from someone. And as she has told me nothing like that happened before the notes were delivered, I am inclined to think there is some hidden meaning behind the first four lines, as there was for Cavalieri in Michelangelo’s time. What that meaning is for Dr. Hildebrant, I can’t be sure. But given the rest of the sonnet, I would tend to think that Dr. Hildebrant’s admirer, like Michelangelo himself, meant the poem as more of a spiritual overture than an actual love note—that is, in appreciation of her soul rather than her beauty.” Markham turned to Cathy. “You said that your admirer made no attempt in his correspondence to change the subject of the poem—a man, a lord —to a lady, is that correct?”
    “Yes,” said Cathy.
    “An odd choice if Dr. Hildebrant’s admirer meant the correspondence to be a love sonnet. Wouldn’t you agree, Bill?”
    “Read me the rest of it,” he said.
    “The next section does in fact seem to support the idea of a figurative, spiritual attraction rather than a physical one. It reads
     
    If your gift to me of hope is true,
As true as the desire I’ve given you,
May the wall between us crumble down.
For nothing is more painful than hidden sorrow.
If I love in you, my lord, only that
Which you yourself do love, do not despise
The spirit for the love it bears the other.
     
    “Here again, as in the original, Dr. Hildebrant told me her admirer addressed her as ‘lord.’ There is also the obvious statement of their spirits loving each other. However, given that context—that is, the context of a love, a desire that is not physical, not sexual—the last three lines seem out of place. They read
     
    What I wish to learn from your beautiful face
Cannot be understood in the minds of men:
He who wishes to learn can only die.”
     
    A heavy silence fell over the tech van.
    “May I see that?” asked Burrell finally. Markham handed him the book of poetry. “‘He who wishes to learn can only die,’” the SAC read out loud.
    “Yes,” said Markham. “At the very least a strange coincidence—given the recent turn of events, that is.”
    “But it doesn’t make any sense,” said Burrell. “ What I wish to learn from your beautiful face cannot be understood in the minds of men. He who wishes to learn can only die?’ Do you really think, Sam,