ently, a
football ground--or campo di giuoco--has been laid out, with a
galvanized iron and pitch-pine shed called splendidly the Tribuna. One
afternoon I watched a match there between those ancient enemies Venice
and Genoa: ancient, that is, on the sea, as Chioggia can tell. Owing to
the heat the match was not to begin until half-past four; but even then
the sun blazed. No sooner was I on the ground than I found that some of
the Genoese team were old friends, for in the morning I had seen them in
the water and on the sand at the Lido, and wondered who so solid a band
of brothers could be. Then they played a thousand pranks on each other,
the prime butt being the dark young Hercules with a little gold charm on
his mighty chest, which he wore then and was wearing now, who guarded
the Genoese goal and whose name was Frederici.

It was soon apparent that Venice was outplayed in every department, but
they tried gallantly. The Genoese, I imagine, had adopted the game much
earlier; but an even more cogent reason for their superiority was
apparent when I read through the names of both teams, for whereas the
Venetians were strictly Italian, I found in the Genoese eleven a
Macpherson, a Walsingham, and a Grant, who was captain. Whether football
is destined to take a firm hold of the Venetians, I cannot say; but the
players on that lovely afternoon enjoyed it, and the spectators enjoyed
it, and if we were bored we could pick blue salvia.

This island of S. Elena has more interest to the English than meets the
eye. It is not merely that it is green and grassy, but the daughter of
one of our national heroes is thought to have been buried there: the
Empress Helena, daughter of Old King Cole, who fortified Colchester,
where she was born. To be born in Colchester and be buried on an island
near Venice is not too common an experience; to discover the true cross
and be canonized for it is rarer still. But this remarkable woman did
even more, for she became the mother of Constantine the Great, who
founded the city which old Dandolo so successfully looted for Venice and
which ever stood before early Venice as an exemplar.

[Illustration: MADONNA AND SAINTS
FROM THE PAINTING BY BOCCACCINO
_In the Accademia_]

Helena, according to the hagiologists, was advanced in years before she
knew Christ, but her zeal made up for the delay. She built churches near
and far, assisted in services, showered wealth on good works, and
crowned all by