aradise, in doublets of velvet and cloth of gold, with hair floating
loose about their throats; with devices of fabulous birds--of stars
flashing light--of mystic arabesques and hieroglyphs embroidered on
their silken hose, in pearls and gold and precious stones:--truly a gay
and frivolous company to be under the grave control of the Ten!

The people shouted with delight as they took their stand at the steps
of the Piazzetta to receive the oncoming barges, for the "Calza" were
the very darlings of their eyes, and never had they been more brilliant.
With true Venetian comradery the crowd tossed them light banter on the
names of their divisions, with pantomimic interpretation, in response to
their sweeping salutations.

"_Cortesi_! saw one ever such courtesy!"

"San Marco keep you _Immortali_, for the grace of you!"

"_Sempiterni_!--everlasting--ay, to be young like that, with so much
pleasure in life--_Cielo_!"

"And the gondolieri of the _Sempiterni_--do they live also forever?
Signori Nobili, have you need of gondolieri?"

But it needed only a whimsical motion of the Calza to fasten all eyes on
the Canal Grande, where to the gracious rhythm of countless strings and
flutes, the barges of State were nearing the steps of the Piazzetta,
bearing the standards of Venice and Cyprus--their prows garlanded with
roses, their rowers wreathed with myrtle--banners and draperies of snow
and silver floating in the breeze.

Far up the Canal Grande the gondolas of the nobles, waiting before their
palaces, had glided into position as the procession swept down toward
the Piazza--each gondola showing the colors of its _casa_, each
fluttering a silken streamer in honor of Cyprus, each bearing its
freight of crimson-garbed Senators and ladies in festal array.

A murmur of intense satisfaction broke from the excited crowd along the
Riva, as the barges which bore the youthful bride and her
newly-appointed suite floated nearer; the great festal barges carved
with bas-reliefs from classic story, were all of white and silver, their
sails of satin, plumed with roses, and from each prow the figure of a
glorified swan flashed rosy light from eyes of ruby: and every rower in
white and silver plying his silver oar, wore the arms of Cornaro
blazoned on his sleeve, with a sash of the colors of Cyprus.

An opal light played over the group of the dainty maids of honor, yet
each showed, for her only color, the arms of her ancient Venetian house