The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-07-02
THE SECRET COUNCIL.

Whilst all other capitals have
gradually increased, and are increas-
ing every day in every direction, We
nice, 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 in quest of news,
of sunshine or of friends; and will
continue to walk under its arcades,
to cross it and recross it in every di-
rection, as long as the Dunno and
Procuratio wall it round, as long as
the golden angel on st. Mark s
Tower shines far above the silent
city. Its glory and its power have
disappeared; the Queen of the Seas
is now only small provincial town.
But however fallen from Il diplomat
ic or commercial point Of view, We
nice has and will always possess a
peculiar, thrilling interest. Every
stone has its own legacy of romance /;
every dark gate is haunted by its fa-
miliar ghost; every recess, every
Granny, whispers its old weird story.
The official annals of the Most Sc
rene Venitian Republic contain in
Vulnerable instances of secret ar
rests, secret trials, followed almost
always by still more secret execu-
tions; but, besides these, many a
terrible drama has taken place with
in the stone walls of the state pris-
ons. Conveniently situated under
the Ducal Palace, and with their
floors slightly under high water
mark, these "Wells "-as they were
called on account of their dampness
very seldom gave up a victim, ex-
cept as corpse. Silent and dark as
a grave, they were fit instrument
for stern and mysterious tribunal.
The severity of the Council of Ten,
the swiftness with which it reached
both high and low, the secrecy of
its nocturnal sittings and ofits sem
sentences, created a universal telling
of awe, that has not yet thoroughly
disappeared.
Amongst the pooer classes there
are many who still believe in the
existence of the Secret Council, and
who expect it tore-appear some day /;
they abstain, therefore, from any di-
rect allusion 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 following
legend, that was whispered to me a
short time ago by an old gondolier,
will show by what means this result
was obtained. Though | cannot
vouch for the accuracy of every de-
tail, there is no doubt in my mind as
to its general truth, because the
grandfather ofmy informant lived at
the time it occurred, and would not
have dared to repeatany tale against
the Screnissima unless he was sure
of it. With this proviso | will now
relate the legend, as Iheard it whilst
/ was quietly lolling in a Venetian
gondola.
1t was toward the end of 1850,
when one night an English kings
messenger reached Mestre, waiting
to cross over to Venice-Sir John
Hawst t-such was his name-was
young, brave and very highly con-
nected; and as such perhaps, he
had been chosen by the Minister to
convey some trifing message to
King George Ills representative in
that town. After a delay that would
seem enormous to our modern ex-
press train travellers, a gondola was
manned, his luggage loaded in it,
and at last it began to glide toward
the city. He reached Venice Just
before dawn; and after a hurried
toilet and still more hurried break
fast, Sir John delivered his packet,
and began exploring the lanes and
alleys of this incomprehensible
town. Being tolerable proficient in
the language, he soon found his way
to the Piazza San Marco, and was
duly astonished by its peculiar as
pect, Then, as now, the Piazza was
the heart of the city. Laws and
edicts were promulgated in it; SEN
tences was pronounced from the
balcony of the Ducal Palace; whilst
beggars, singers and others of SINH
lar caste gave it strange anima-
ton.
Tborouohly enioyinp the freedom