lled him with a triumph which only
the frigid stateliness of his habitual demeanor enabled him to conceal,
so great was the revulsion from his former state of feeling.

"I tell thee, Lady Laura," said her husband, coming nearer and speaking
low, "we may well be proud. All this trifling in art and knickknacks in
which it hath pleased the boy to spend himself, like so many of his
hose,[2] hath fluttered off from him like silken ribbons hanging
harmless in the wind, and hath left him with a head quite clear of
nonsense for the Senate's work. _That day_"--he had referred to it so
often that it had become an acknowledged division of time--"_that_ day
when he made his speech not one arose to answer him; for the cunning of
it was so simple one listened, fearing naught, until the end was
reached; and the words of it were so few that the end was a surprise;
and, lo! the Counsellors were confounded by the weight of his demand,
and the reason for the justice of it, and the wit of its
presentation--lying folded in a sentence scarce long enough for a
preamble! And the boy! Holding himself like a prince and winning them
all by his grace, as if he were a child! Nay, but I do forget he is a
man, wearing honors from his country!"

[2] The young nobles were called "the gay company of the hose."

"Giustinian, I fain would keep them here!"

"That is the woman's side of it," said the Chief of the Ten, easily
dismissing her plea. "But for Marcantonio the appointment is good. When
the late-returned Ambassador to His Most Christian Majesty did render
his report before our Maggior Consiglio--an oration diplomatic and of
weight--I noted many of our graver men with eyes observing Marcantonio
closely, as they would mark how he weighed the speech of the old
diplomatist."

"And Marco?"

"He seemed not to take note of them. Or it may be a grace that he hath,
that he seemeth not to see; for he weareth the 'pensieri stretti e viso
sciolto'[3] meet for a Venetian councillor--age could not teach him
better to guard his thought, but it would make the wearing of his
careless face less easy. Or it may be that his mind hath space for the
speech only--one knows not! Save that all things come easily to
him--even the most beautiful bride in Venice, raised from the ranks of
the people to suit his whim!"

[3] Close-locked thoughts and open countenance.

"Giustinian! She will be our daughter, and none need question her
dignity and grace."

"My Lady