state
to meet the deposed Queen, were typical of the change.

Not caring for the splendor of her equipage, though the Doge himself was
her escort--not deceived by the pageant of welcome that Venice offered,
Caterina--very beautiful and pale and still, with the sense of the
motive power broken within her--passed up the long length of the Canal
Grande by the side of the Serenissimo, receiving the glad homage of the
people of Venice.

"Caterina Veneta! Caterina Regina!"

Venice was outdoing herself in triumph, showering regal honors upon her:
the bells of all the Campanili were ringing a jubilee: music greeted her
from the shores as they glided by--the portals wreathed with festal
garlands, the beautiful city a glory of light and color; for the storm
of the evening had passed and the morning had dawned in sunshine, and
along the Riva the people were thronging to welcome her--the Queen who
had bestowed the gift of her kingdom upon Venice!

Yet how had the Republic kept faith with Cyprus? Step by step, through
the years, drawing the velvet clasp closer--closer--until there was
scarce life left--smiling the while: gathering in the revenues of the
rich land amply, with no care to spend them on the welfare of the
island, or for its increase: slowly, strenuously, with deft insinuations
of filial duty, striving to dominate the young Queen's moral judgments
and press the claims which were of Venice's own creation--jealously
watching lest she become too popular, and hampering her action through
the very officers sent in guise of help--lest through freedom she should
in truth grow strong to rule: Year by year--stealthily--smiling under a
cloak of splendor which the Cyprians loved, Venice had grasped at
power--a little more, and a little more--until resistance was
impossible.

Was it meet to receive her thus? Could she find smiles for the people
to-day with the memories of her bridal pageant greeting her at every
turn--a woman despoiled of hope--a widowed wife--a childless mother--a
queen without kingdom or power?

Before the Palazzo Corner Regina, the long procession came to pause, and
with the ceremonies that were meet, Zorzi Cornaro, brother to Caterina,
knelt down bareheaded before the Doge and was knighted for his prowess
in persuasion--since without his eloquence it might well have been that
the Queen of Cyprus would not have given that complete and absolute
surrender which was so graciously announced to all the allies