peat, father?" demanded the chief of the
Sbirri; he who was particularly charged with the duty of the hour."
Though the illustrious councils are so sure in justice, they are
merciful to the souls of sinners."

"Are thy orders peremptory?" asked the monk, unconsciously fixing his
eye again on the windows of the palace. "Is it certain that the prisoner
is to die?"

The officer smiled at the simplicity of the question, but with the
apathy of one too much familiarized with human suffering to admit of
compassion.

"Do any doubt it?" he rejoined. "It is the lot of man, reverend monk;
and more especially is it the lot of those on whom the judgment of St.
Mark has alighted. It were better that your penitent looked to his
soul."

"Surely thou hast thy private and express commands! They have named a
minute when this bloody work is to be performed?"

"Holy Carmelite, I have. The time will not be weary, and you will do
well to make the most of it, unless you have faith already in the
prisoner's condition."

As he spoke, the officer threw a glance at the dial of the square, and
walked coolly away. The action left the priest and the prisoner again
alone between the columns. It was evident that the former could not yet
believe in the reality of the execution.

"Hast thou no hope, Jacopo?" he asked.

"Carmelite, in my God.

"They cannot commit this wrong! I shrived Antonio--I witnessed his fate,
and the Prince knows it!"

"What is a Prince and his justice, where the selfishness of a few rules!
Father, thou art new in the Senate's service."

"I shall not presume to say that God will blast those who do this deed,
for we cannot trace the mysteries of his wisdom. This life and all this
world can offer, are but specks in his omniscient eye, and what to us
seems evil may be pregnant with good.--Hast thou faith in thy Redeemer,
Jacopo?"

The prisoner laid his hand upon his heart and smiled, with the calm
assurance that none but those who are thus sustained can feel.

"We will again pray, my son."

The Carmelite and Jacopo kneeled side by side, the latter bowing his
head to the block, while the monk uttered a final appeal to the mercy of
the Deity. The former arose, but the latter continued in the suppliant
attitude. The monk was so full of holy thoughts that, forgetting his
former wishes, he was nearly content the prisoner should pass into the
fruition of that hope which elevated his own mind. The officer and
executioner d