in a piece of the embroidery of Paul
Veronese.

[Illustration: Fig. II.]

Sec. XXVI. Such being the construction of the lower band, that of the
upper is remarkable only for the curious change in its proportions. The
two are separated, as seen in the little woodcut here at the side, by
a string-course composed of two layers of red bricks, of which the
uppermost projects as a cornice, and is sustained by an intermediate
course of irregular brackets, obtained by setting the thick yellow
bricks edgeways, in the manner common to this day. But the wall above is
carried up perpendicularly from this projection, so that the whole upper
band is advanced to the thickness of a brick over the lower one. The
result of this is, of course, that each side of the apse is four or five
inches broader above than below; so that the same number of triangles
which filled a whole side of the lower band, leave an inch or two blank
at each angle in the upper. This would have looked awkward, if there had
been the least appearance of its being an accidental error; so that, in
order to draw the eye to it, and show that it is done on purpose, the
upper triangles are made about two inches higher than the lower ones, so
as to be much more acute in proportion and effect, and actually to
look considerably narrower, though of the same width at the base. By
this means they are made lighter in effect, and subordinated to the
richly decorated series of the lower band, and the two courses, instead
of repeating, unite with each other, and become a harmonious whole.

[Illustration: Plate V.
Archivolt in the Duomo of Murano.]

In order, however, to make still more sure that this difference in the
height of the triangles should not escape the eye, another course of
plain bricks is added above their points, increasing the width of the
band by another two inches. There are five courses of bricks in the
lower band, and it measures 1 ft. 6 in. in height: there are seven
courses in the upper (of which six fall between the triangles), and it
measures 1 ft. 10 in. in height, except at the extremity of the northern
aisle, where for some mysterious reason the intermediate cornice is
sloped upwards so as to reduce the upper triangles to the same height as
those below. And here, finally, observe how determined the builder was
that the one series should not be a mere imitation of the other; he
could not now make them acute by additional height--so he here,