Venice was reduced, and
learned, from the prisoners they had taken, that in a few days, at the
outside, the army besieging them would cease to exist.

At daybreak, on the 31st, men ascended the masts of the ships, and
gazed over the sea, in hopes of making out the long-expected sails. But
the sea was bare. It was terrible to see the faces of the Venetians,
gaunt with famine, broken down by cold and fatigue. Even the most
enduring began to despair.

Men spoke no more of Zeno. He had been away for months. Was it likely
that he would come just at this moment? They talked rather of their
homes. The next day they would return. If they must die, they would die
with those they loved, in Venice. They should not mind that. And so the
day went on, and as they lay down at night, hungry and cold, they
thanked God that it was their last day. Whatever might come would be
better than this.

Men were at the mastheads again, before daylight, on the 1st of
January. Then, as the first streak of dawn broke, the cry went from
masthead to masthead:

"There are ships out at sea!"

The cry was heard on shore. Pisani jumped into a boat with Francis,
rowed out to his ship, and climbed the mast.

"Yes, there are ships!" he said. And then, after a pause: "Fifteen of
them! Who are they? God grant it be Zeno!"

This was the question everyone on ship and on shore was asking himself,
for it was known that the Genoese, too, were expecting reinforcements.

"The wind is scarce strong enough to move them through the water,"
Pisani said. "Let some light boats go off to reconnoitre. Let us know
the best or the worst. If it be Zeno, Venice is saved! If it be the
Genoese, I, and those who agree with me that it is better to die
fighting, than to perish of hunger, will go out and attack them."

In a few minutes, several fast galleys started for the fleet, which was
still so far away that the vessels could scarcely be made out, still
less their rig and nationality. It would be some time before the boats
would return with the news, and Pisani went ashore, and, with the doge,
moved among the men, exhorting them to be steadfast, above all things
not to give way to panic, should the newcomers prove to be enemies.

"If all is done in order," he said, "they cannot interfere with our
retreat to Venice. They do not know how weak we are, and will not
venture to attack so large a fleet. Therefore, when the signal is made
that they are Genoese, we will fall ba