The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-05-24
La Serenissima.
Chambers journal.

Whilst all other capitals nave gradually
increased, and are increasing every day in
day in every direction, Venice, surrounded
by its inland sea, attained several centuries
ago, its present size and shape. The Piazza
San Marco has been since then its Forum:
successive generations have daily repaired to
it III quest of news, of sunshine or Of friends;
and will continue to walk under its arcades,
to cross il and recross it in every direction,
as long as the Duom0 and the Procuratie
wall it round, as long rs the golden angel on
ST. Mark S flower shines far above the silent
city. Its glory and its power have disap-
peared the Queen of the Seas is now only
small provincial town. But however fallen
from diplomatic or commercial point OF
view. Venice has still and will always have
peculiar thrilling interest. Every stone
has its own legacy of interest; every dark
gate is haunted by its familiar ghost; every
recess, every Granny, whispers its old weird
story
The official annals of the Most Serene
Venetian Republic contain innumerable in
stances of secret arrests, secret trials fol-
lowed almost always by still more secret
executions; but, besides these. many ter
rible drama has taken place within the stone
walls Of the state prisons. Conveniently sit
uated under the Ducal Palace and with tkeir
floors slightly under high water mark, these
wells" as they were called on account of
thtl hpilCoS--fSiy SCHULZ gave up "a VIZ
tim except as corpse. Silent and dark as
the grave, they were fit instrument for
stern and mysterious tribunal. The severi-
ty of the Council of Ten, the swiftness with
which it reached both high and low, the Sc
crecy of its nocturnal sittings and of its SEN
fences, created universal feeling of awe,
that has not yet completely disappeared.
Amongst the poorer ella. ses there are many
who still believe III the existence of the Sc
No M ,,yI,a 70,
some day: tney abstain, therefore, from any
direct allGsion to it, mentioning it only
when absolutely necessary, by the vague
term of La Serenissima. We may smile at
this childish fear but it proves very clearly
the terror it must have inspired The fol-
lowing legend that was whispered to me a
short time ago by an old gondolier, will
show by what means this result was OBJ
tanned. Though l cannot vouch for the ac-
curacy of every detail, there is no doubt in
my mind as to its general truth because the
grandfather of my informant lived at the
time it occurred, and would not have dared
to repeat any tale against the Serenissima
unless he was sure of it. With this proviso,
l will now relate the legend as / heard it
whilst was quietly lolling in Venetian
gondola.
1t was toward the end of 1860.
when one night an English Kings messen-
Venice. Sir John Hawser-such was his
name-was young, brave and very highly
connected, and as such, perhaps, he had
been chosen by the Ministry to convey some
trihing message 70 George HIS representa-
tive in that town. After a delay that would
seem enormous to our modern express train
travellers, gondola was manned, his lug
gage loaded in it. and at last it began TO
glide toward the city, He reached Venice
usf hafara do nd of n hmm iaJ al
and still more hurried breakfast, Sir John
delivered his packet and began exploring
the lanes and alleys of this incomprehensi-
BILE town. Being tolerably proficient in the
language, he soon found his way to the Pi-
azza San Marco. and was duly astonished by
its peculiar aspect. Then, as now, the Piaz-
"a was the heart of the city; laws and edicts
were promulgated in it; sentences were pro-
nounced from the balcony of the Ducal Pal
ace; whilst beggars, singers and others of a
similar caste gave it a strange animation.
Thoroughly enjoying the freedom of walk
ing after his long journey by coach and gon-
dola, Sir John INDUCED his rambling pro-
pensites to their full extent. Whilst he
was doing so crowd collected in front of
the Ducal palace. Naturally curious and
having nothing else to do he hastenedsto the
spot, and elbowed his way to the center. By
the red pillar of the Balcony an Usher was
felon, with all the pompous circumlocutions
so much in favor III those days. The
wretched prisoner, just brought out of
some dark cell, seemed scarcely to realize
the scene, as his eyes, unused now to the
light of the sun, gaZed vacantly on the elk
cited mob that surrounded the low scaffod
on which he was standing. The sentence
having been read the prisoner was taken
away to the Jail where he was TO undergo
fba of iponricOnmapt hon,
just condemned; and the crowd, the sight
being over, gradually dispersed
This incident was in itself very trifling,
and Sir John would probably have forgotten
it within week had it not been for its
strange consequences. Whilst pushing and
elbowing his way in the crowd it seems that
some clever pick-pocket had robbed him of
his lace handkerchief. Itcertainly was very
unpleasant to be robbed even of a valueless
article; but in this case the thief had OBJ
tanned valuable prize; and BESIDES there
was for Sir John Hawser the additional
sting of having been robbed by an Italian.
He would have been less angry if it bad
happened in London; the picls-pockets there
were so clever that there was no shame in
being their victim; but to have been plum
dered by clumsy Venetian was too much
for his equinamity, and he burst out in
torrent of abuse.
RpCdhlu5 ulOotly III Itetllotll Jul iliiAlIlS IL
few English anathemas in his speech. he re-
lated his loss to a few bystanders, and was
advised by them to complain to the police,
or rather to those officers who under the
Serenissima fulfilled the present duties of
the police. Though without great faith in
this plan, he followed it, and gave notice to
the authorities. He was assured by a very
stately official that he need have no fear,
and that his property would soon be found
ap1 IN Enroad To La-a
with this vague consolation, he went home
to his supper and bed.
For three or four days afterward he con-
tinued visiting the principal monuments and
churches, but without receiving any infor-
nation about his lace handkerchief [ have
said that Sir John was young and brave; as
consequence he was impetuous and fiery;
whilst being born and bred in free think
ing, free speaking country, he was apt to
express bis mind without reflection and
without fear. 1t is not surprising therefore
that one night, under the arcades of the
Procuratie, while relating his loss to a few
friends, he should have said what he thought
of the Wanted secret police of Venice.
They were, he said, lot of stupid fools.
very pompous and very stately, trying to
hide their ignorance and incapacity under
very high-sounding phrases; but the mean
est London detective was worth the whole
II.
did not believe it existed at all; or, if it did.
it was no better than the rest
All, Sir John, if you needs must speak so
irreverently of the Serenissima, why did YOU
not use your own language? Why did you
express your rash thoughts in Italian? Did
you not know that walls have ears and that
every stone of Venice is a spy?
His friends, astonished by this sudden
outburst. attributed it at first to those last
glasses of vino santo they had been drinking
together; but knowing full well the jealous
care the Serenissima had for its reputation,
they instinctively shrank from him as from
dangerous man. Awaiting themselves of
favorable opportunities, they disappeared
round dark corners, down side alleys, and
very soon Sir John found himself alone
Alone! AT least so he thought; but a 81
lent figure had been following him for some
time, and was now eagerly and stealthily
DIGGING him. So carefully it walked, SO
noiselessly it stepped, that for a long time
Sir John did not notice this unwelcome shad-
ow, and even when he did, he attached no
Importance TO it. But at last he began to
feel some doubts about this follower Moth
ing could be guessed from his appearance