Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-22
LA SERENISSIMA.

creased, and are Increasing every 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 1T In quest of news, OF
sunshine or OF friends, and will continue 10
walk under It's arcadeS, TO cross and Fecf0SS IL
In every direction, as long as he Duomo and
the Procuratic wall It round, as long as the
golden angel on St Marks Tower shines far
above the silent city. It's glory and its power
has disappeared the Queen OF the Seas IS now
only a small provincial town. But however
fallen from diplomatic or commercial point OF
view, Venice has still and VIII always have a
peculiar thrilling interest Every stone has its
own legacy OF romance; every dark gate is
haunted BY It's familiar ghost; every recess,
every Granny whispers It's old weird story.
The official annals of the Most Serene vene-
tian republic contain innumerabIe Instances OF
secret arrests secret trials followed almost
always 6y still more secret executions; but
besides these many terrible drama has taken
place within the stone walls of the state pris
Ons- Conveniently situated under the Ducal
Palace and With their floors slightly under high
water marx, these ''wells'-as they were called
on account OF their dampneSs-very seldom
gave up a victim except as corpse. Silent and
DARK as the grave, they were a tit instrument
Ior stern and mysterious tribunal The Sc
verify or the Council OF Ten, the SWiftneSS with
which 1t reached both high and low, the secrecy
OF its nocturnal sittings and OF its sentences
created universal feeling OF awe, that has not
yet completely disappeared.
Amongst the poorer classes there are MANY
who still believe La the existence OF the Secret
Council, and who expect to reappear some day:
they abstain therefore from any direct allusion
TO 1t, mentioning 1t, only when absolutely
necessary, by the vague term of La Sereniss ima.
we may smile at this childish fear: but IL
proves very Clearly the terror 1t must have in
splIed- The following legend, that was whis-
pered to me short time ago by an old aon-
oolier. will show by what means this result was
obtained Though j cannot vouch for the
accuracy OF every DETAIL there is no doubt In
my mind as TO It's general truth, because the
grandfather Of my Informant lived at the time
IL occurred, and would not have dared to rep Eat
any tale against the Serenissima unless he was
sure OF It,. With this proyiso, viii now relate
the legend as heard it whilst was quietly
lolling 1n venetian gond0la.
lt was toward the end of 1860. when one
night an English kings messenger reached
Mestre. wanting to cross over to Venice. Sir
John Hawser-s1ch was his nameNwas Young
brave and very highly connected. and as suc6,
perhaps, he had been chosen by the ministry to
convey some trifllng. message to King George
ILLS representative In that town. After q de-
lay that would seem enormous to our modern
express train travellers, gOndOla was manned,
MS luggage loaded In it, and at last it began to
glide toward the city. He reached Venice lust
before dawn; and after hurried toilet and a
stu more hurried breakfast, Sir John delivered
his packet, and began exploring the lanes and
alleys OF this inc0mprehensibie town. Being
tolerably proficient ln the language, he soon
found his way TO the Piazza San Marco. and
was duly astOniShed by its peculiar aspect
Then, as row, the Piazza was the heart OF the
city; laws and edicts were promulgated In it:
sentences were pronounced from the balcony OF
the Ducal Palace; whilst beggarS, singers. and
others OF similar caste gave 1t a strange ami
nation.
Thoroughly enjoying the freedom of walking
after his long journey by coach and gondola
Sir John INDUCED his rambling propensities to
the full extent. Whilst he was doing so a crowd
collected In front OF the Ducal Palace. Natur-
ally curious, and having nothing else to do he
haStened to the spot, and elbOwed his way 10
the center. BY the red pillar OF the balcony an
usher was reading out the sentence of some I'M
lions so much in favor in those days. The
Wfetched prisoner. just brought out OF some
dark CELL seemed scarcely to realize the scene
as his eyes unused low TO the light OF the sun,
gaZed yacantly on the excited mob that sur
rounded the low ScaffOld On which he was
standing. The sentence having been read. the
prisoner was taken away to the jail where he
was to undergo the term OF Imprisonment to
which he had just been condemned; and the
persed.
This incident was in itself very trtf1ing, and
Sir John would probably have forgotten 1t
within week had IL not been for its strange
consequences. Whilst pushing and elboWiHg
his way In the crowd 1t seems that some clever
plck-pocket had robbed him OF his lace hand
kerchief 1t is certainly very unpleasant to be
roDoed even OF ValueleSS article; but in this
case the thief had obtained a 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 III it
had happened In London; the pick pockets there
were SO clever that there were no shame in be-
Ing their victim; but to have been plundered by
a clumsy Venetian was too much for his e0rIa.
nlmlty, and he burst out in torrent OF abuse.
Speaking mostly In Italian. but mixing a few
English auathemas in his speech, he related his
loss TO a few bystanders, and was advised by
them 10 complain to the police or rather TO
those officials who under the Serenissma fur
Ill ed the present duties OF the police. Though
Without great 1alth IN this plan, he followed iJ,
ard gave notice TO the authorities. He was as
SUE q by very stately offcfalth that he need nave
lG far, and that his property would 5000 o.
. thd aid restored to MIN. Forced to be- CON
Z blS supper and led
or li-Ite or four days aiteI gaId n5 conttr Ia1
EIg The principal monuments aud churcn.s
Z IL whit III receiving any further inform ,tIor
{, al bis lace handkerchief. . have said JnN
m JtLL Vas young and Grave: as conse,-
Fr9I'r re was impeIuOus AMI fiery; whilst be-
rs born and bred In ree-thinking free-speak-
ing country, ne was very apt to express his
thoughts as they came 10 his mind without re-
lection aid without fear. Ii Is not surprising
therefore, that one night, under the arcades of
the ProCufatte, 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 POM
peus and very stately. trying to hide their fg-
norance and capacity under very high Sounding
phrases; but the meaneSt London detective was
worth the whole lot OF them. As to the Secret
Council he Gid not believe 1t existed at all: or.
II IL did, ft was no better than the rest.
An, Sir john If you need must speak 50 irrey-
erently OF the Seren1sSima 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 spy?
His friends, astoniShed by this sudden ont
bursts, attributed IL at first 10 those last ella sas
OF vino santo they had been drinking together.
put knowing full well the Jealous care the
SerenlSslma had for its reputation they in
stlntly shrank from him, as from a dangerous
man. Awaiting themselves or favorable Oppor-
tunltleS, they disappeared round dark corners
GOWN SIDE alleys; and very soon Sir John found
himself alone.
Alone, AT least so he thought: but a silent
figure had been following him for some time
and was now eagerly and stealthily dogging
him. SO carefully it walked, so noiseleSSly II
stepped that for long time Sir John did NOT
notice this unwelcome shadow, and even when
ne old, he attached no importance TO IT, But
at last he began 10 feel some doubts about this
follower. Nothing could be guessed from his
appearance. Completely wrapped ap IN a dark
cloak, and with wide hat shading and con-
cealiDg the upper part OF his face the man
would not have been recognized by his own
brother. It was only the peculiar way in which
be followed, and the ability with which he
ayaied himself OF every mock and corner that
Implied danger.
Fearless still, but somewhat ANNOYED. Sir
John pursued his way through the maze of al
leys that led from the Piazza to his Temporary
nome Determined to try TO throw off his mask
ed companion, he QuicAened his step: but ar the
next turning, glance back showed that Il was
~ NNGn -frzrrA It.