to you, as your Dogaressa, the wife whom I
have found for you; and in her the ladies of Venice will have to
recognise their first and foremost, in beauty and in every virtue, just
as the men must acknowledge you their master in valour, intellect, and
power."

"'Here Bodoeri began to sketch the portrait of a lady; and he blended
the colours with such skill, and laid them on with such vividness, that
old Falieri's eyes sparkled, and his lips smacked as if he were
savouring beaker after beaker of fiery wine of Syracuse.

"'"And who," he enquired, "is this paragon of loveliness?"

"'"No other than my beloved niece," Bodoeri answered.

"'"Your niece!" cried Falieri. "Why she was married to Bertuccio
Nenolo when I was Podesta of Treviso."

"'"Ah," said Bodoeri, "you are thinking of my niece Francesca. But it
is her daughter whom I am talking of. You remember that the war brought
the rough, fierce Nenolo to his end, at sea. Francesca, in her sorrow,
immured herself in a convent at Rome, and I brought up little
Annunziata in deep retirement at my villa at Treviso."

"'"What?" Falieri again impatiently interrupted; "you propose that I
should marry your niece's daughter? How long is it since Nenolo's
marriage? Let us see! Annunziata must be, at the outside, a child of
about ten! Nenolo's marriage was not even dreamt of when I was
appointed Podesta of Treviso; and that must be----"

"'"Five-and-twenty years ago," cried Bodoeri. "Time has passed so
quickly with you that you forget how long that time was ago. Annunziata
is a girl of nineteen, beautiful as the sun, modest, gentle,
inexperienced in love, for she has scarcely seen a man. She will cling
to you with child-like affection, and utter devotion."

"'"I must see her; I must see her," the Doge cried. The portrait of
her, limned by the astute Bodoeri, came back to his mind's eye.

"'His wish was gratified that same day; for scarce had he returned from
the Council to his own abode when Bodoeri (who had abundant reasons of
his own for desiring to see his niece Dogaressa) brought the lovely
Annunziata to him in private. When old Falieri saw this beautiful young
creature he was astounded at her marvellous loveliness, and was
scarcely able, in stammering, unintelligible words, to ask her to marry
him. Annunziata, doubtless schooled beforehand by Bodoeri, fell on her
knees before the aged prince, with deep blushes on her cheeks. She took
his hand, pressed it to her lips, and