their
triumph. Those men of Venice of the Queen's household, who would most
strenuously have resisted them, had been quieted forever, it was true;
but, as dawn lightened over the ghastly faces upturned beneath the
windows of the poor young Queen, an unconfessed tremor stole into the
doughty breasts of Rizzo and Fabrici, in the place where most men wear
their hearts, and they got them together, in friendly converse, to
ponder what should come next.

For Venice was mightier than Naples--and the password they had so
successfully wielded for a night--"_a bas Venezia_"--might not suffice
to hold for the young Alfonso the dignity of _Prince of Galilee_, which
they had proclaimed for him throughout the protesting city; it might
even have a baneful ring, when news of the night's murders should reach
the Republic. A plausible reason for the death must be contrived and
sent forward with letters signed by the Queen's own hand, under the
Royal Seal of Cyprus, accompanied with decorous lamentations and
condolences on the part of her Councillors--such as one Government is
wont to offer to another at the death of any distinguished patrician.

For the Chief of Council, Rizzo di Marin and his Grace the Archbishop of
Nikosia, no rest was needful: the consciousness of triumph stirred the
blood in their veins like strong wine, and with a sense of exhilaration
sharpening all their intellectual faculties, they prepared, in a few
hours, work that might ordinarily have required the consideration of
days. When they closed their conference they had contrived a sheaf of
pretty documents which did more honor to their astuteness than to their
loyalty, and which, with the signature of the Queen, would put them in
possession of all the strongholds on the coast and many positions of
vantage throughout the island, including the splendid city of
Nikosia--which had shown much dangerous friendliness for Queen Caterina.
It was a marvellous bold scheme--a bloodless victory for Alfonso, Prince
of Naples; and Rizzo grew grimly merry as he discussed it with His
Grace.

His malignant eyes rested fondly on this order for the surrender of the
famous stronghold of Cerines to a nephew of General Saplana, the
treacherous Commander of Famagosta; with two such fortresses they should
command the coast, and their empire in Cyprus was assured. It was a work
of genius, this little parchment--he could scarcely bear to fold it out
of his sight in the pouch that he wore