, 1882-08-11
THE RED DEATH MASK.
A Venetian Lcgcn6s

About the middle of the seventeenth
century there lived in Venice certain
haughty Duke, 80 rich and powerful us
TO bc feared by friend as we'll rs foe for
that WAS period of constant murder and
assassination, and mere whim, or un-
just suspicion, was often sufficient to
bring the deadly poison or secret still.
etto to bear upon those supposed TO be
in highest favor.
II was the custom OF this noblpman TO
give costly banquets in the great hall OF
his palace; but there was always one
thing to mar the festivity of the occasion
tho constant dread of some secret
agent of death. IL was known that OF
those who attended these feasts some
one or more generally died shortly, and
not infrequently in manner to lead
to the suspicion of secret poison; and
this knowledge filled the minds of all
with dread, though none dared remain
away on this account, lest what they
most feared should happen through the
anger OF him who was powerful emo ugh
TO reach thom anywhere in Venice.
And what tended still more to mystery
and fear on these occasions of fcstivity
was the presence of the red mask. Next
to the lord Of the feast, on his left hand,
always sat n silent, mysterious figure, iu
q rcd domino, with blood.rcd mask
conccaling every feature. No one could
say who he WAS and only conjecture why
he was there. Ills face was never seen
his voice was never heard. He atc
and drank with the rest, hut never
spoke. Before the guests separated he
always rose, gave his hand to the noble
host, and then went slowly, solcmuly
and silently around tho table, shaking
hands with each. This done, he glhlel
out of the hail, through Il private door.
and was not seen again until the re-.
assembling Of tho guests at another ban.
quet. As all believed chat hc was tho
Dukes secret poisoner, he was regarded
with awe and dread, aud came in time TO
De spoken Of aud known aS the RCd
death MASK. How his fatal purpose
was ELECTED, none could say /; but it was
conlectured that upon one OF his icwclcd
hngers he wore what was known as the
"DcaM-Ring "A ring curiously con.
isructed with deadly poison in tho in.
terior--which could he injected, by a
sudden pressure upon concealed
spring, into the hand of any one taken in
apparent friendship and from the NOR.
,al effects Of which-though no wound,
however slight, could be discovered at
me time-not all the medical skill OF
venice could save the victim.
In the very zenith of his life and
power, tho Duke one day received tho
singular intelligence that gentleman
mad made his appearance in Venice, sc
closely resembling him in face and figurs
,nat more than one person had mistaken
MN for his Grace, and even some Of his
urace 8 friends had been thrown so much
INTO doubt as to address the stranger fol-
himself. To one as proud and haughty
as the Duke, the idea of another human
iD,eing in the whole vide world looking
IKE himself was anything but pleasing;
uhd the fact that this unknown counter.
part was actually in Venice, causing
great talk and wonder, was irritating in
the extreme.
who is this alventurer this base
.%@GnterfeitP' angrily demanded the
Duke. "Of what nation is he? and
what brings him here?"
None could answer.
Ho, seek him out, and say il is my
O'easure to see him at my palace