ness and
equanimity, and his perfect confidence in the fidelity of his wife, he
saw clearly the danger of the unnatural position in which he stood in
respect to her--at any rate he became ill-tempered and morose. He was
plagued and tortured by all the fiends of jealousy, and confined
Annunciata to the inner apartments of the Ducal Palace, so that no man
ever set eyes upon her. Bodoeri took his niece's part, and soundly
rated old Falieri; but he would not hear of any change in his conduct.

All this took place shortly before Holy Thursday. On the occasion of
the popular sports which take place on this day in St. Mark's Square,
it was customary for the Dogess to take her seat beside the Doge, under
a canopy erected on the balcony which lies opposite to the Piazetti.
Bodoeri reminded the Doge of this custom, and told him that it would be
very absurd, and sure to draw down upon him the mocking laughter of
both populace and Seignory, if, in the teeth of custom and usage, he
let his perverse jealousy exclude Annunciata from this honour. "Do you
think," replied old Falieri, whose pride was immediately aroused, "do
you think I am such an idiotic old fool that I am afraid to show my
most precious jewel for fear of thievish hands, and that I could not
prevent her being stolen from me with my good sword? No, old man, you
are mistaken; to-morrow Annunciata shall go with me in solemn
procession across St. Mark's Square, that the people may see their
Dogess, and on Holy Thursday she shall receive the nosegay from the
bold sailor who comes sailing down out of the air to her." The Doge was
thinking of a very ancient custom as he said these words. On Holy
Thursday a bold fellow from amongst the people is drawn up from the sea
to the summit of the tower of St. Mark's, in a machine that resembles a
little ship and is suspended on ropes, then he shoots from the top of
the tower with the speed of an arrow down to the Square where the Doge
and Dogess are sitting, and presents a nosegay of flowers to the
Dogess, or to the Doge if he is alone.

The next day the Doge carried out his intention. Annunciata had to don
her most magnificent robes; and surrounded by the Seignory and attended
by pages and guards, she and Falieri crossed the Square when it was
swarming with people. They pushed and squeezed themselves to death
almost to see the beautiful Dogess; and he who succeeded in setting
eyes upon her thought he had taken a peep into Paradise and