ion of his face changed to its customary settled and
collected look.

"Father," he said, "I must quit thee; our misery draws near a close."

"Thou wilt come to me soon again?"

"If the saints permit--thy blessing, father."

The old man folded his hands above the head of Jacopo, and murmured a
prayer. When this pious duty was performed, both the Bravo and Gelsomina
busied themselves a little time in contributing to the bodily comforts
of the prisoner, and then they departed in company.

Jacopo appeared unwilling to quit the vicinity of the cell. A melancholy
presentiment seemed to possess his mind, that these stolen visits were
soon to cease. After a little delay, however, they descended to the
apartments below, and as Jacopo desired to quit the palace without
re-entering the prisons, Gelsomina prepared to let him out by the
principal corridor.

"Thou art sadder than common, Carlo," she observed, watching with
feminine assiduity his averted eye. "Methinks thou should'st rejoice in
the fortunes of the Neapolitan, and of the lady of the Tiepolo."

"That escape is like a gleam of sunshine in a wintry day. Good girl--but
we are observed! who is yon spy on our movements?"

"'Tis a menial of the palace; they constantly cross us in this part of
the building: come hither, if thou art weary. The room is little used,
and we may again look out upon the sea."

Jacopo followed his mild conductor into one of the neglected closets of
the second floor, where, in truth, he was glad to catch a glimpse of the
state of things in the piazza, before he left the palace. His first look
was at the water, which was still rolling southward, before the gale
from the Alps. Satisfied with this prospect, he bent his eye beneath. At
the instant, an officer of the Republic issued from the palace gate,
preceded by a trumpeter, as was usual, when there was occasion to make
public proclamation of the Senate's will. Gelsomina opened the casement,
and both leaned forward to listen. When the little procession had
reached the front of the cathedral, the trumpet sounded, and the voice
of the officer was heard.

"Whereas many wicked and ruthless assassinations have of late been
committed on the persons of divers good citizens of Venice,"--he
proclaimed--"the Senate, in its fatherly care of all whom it is charged
to protect, has found reason to resort to extraordinary means of
preventing the repetition of crimes so contrary to the laws of God and
the