lowly across the Piazza di San Marco. As they went, she
murmured, softly and solemnly--

"'"Antonio, you see those dark stains of blood on the ground here? Yes,
yes; quantities of blood, everywhere! But he, he, he! out of the blood
grow roses--beautiful red roses! garlands for you, for your darling!
Oh, thou Lord of Life! what a beautiful angel comes to him, with the
loveliest smiles, opening her lily arms to take him to her heart! Oh,
Antonio, fortunate boy, play the man, play the man! and myrtle shall
you gather in the sweet evening tide. Myrtle for your bride--for the
virgin widow--he, he, he! Myrtle gathered in the red light of evening,
to blossom in the deep midnight. List to the whisper of the night wind,
to the longing sighs of the summer sea! Row! Row! Work your oar,
doughty boatman! Row, row! sturdily on!"

"'Antonio was filled with a sense of deep awe at those words of the old
woman, which she murmured in a strange voice, different from her usual
one, chuckling all the while. They had come to the pillar which bears
the Adriatic Lion. The old woman, murmuring still, wanted to be carried
further; but Antonio, pained at her behaviour, and jeered at by the
passers-by on the score of this strange 'dama' of his, stopped, and
said, rather harshly--

"'"There, old woman! I shall set you down on those steps. Oh _do_ stop
that chatter of yours! I feel as though it would turn my head! It is
true you saw my _zecchini_ in the flame-pictures of the clouds; but
just for that reason, what are you chattering of an angel, a bride, a
virgin widow, roses, myrtles? Would you befool me, horrible creature,
so that some mad deed shall hurl me down into the abyss? A new cloak
you shall have, bread, _zecchini_, everything you want. But let _me_
alone!"

"'He was making rapidly off, but she seized him by the mantle, and
cried out in piercing tones--

"'"Tonino, my Tonino, only look at me carefully once again, or I must
crawl to the brink of the Piazza there, and throw myself into the sea."

"'Antonio, to avoid drawing more enquiring regards upon him than those
which were bent upon him already, paused in his flight.

"'"Tonino," she said, "sit down beside me here. It is breaking my
heart. I _must_ tell it to you. Oh, sit down here beside me!"

"'He sat down therefore on the steps with his back turned to her, and
took out his pocket-book, of which the blank leaves shewed how little
attention he paid to his business transactions o