Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-07-15

1
per windows-evidently something .extra
ordinary had happened. ~
We directed our gondolier to steer,ini an
ask the matter. He did so,. and lrliling
comrade who was sitting in his boatsmoi'
ing a cigar, received for answer: As;,
! sThe pig of colonel has beehfkilled
thanks to the saints!' II
| And SO it proved to be, for on landing a
the square q few minutes later, we f0un
the, cafes and arcades filled with whit
clssing the news. <t
Another extraordinary thing was tina
we had Beppo no more as gondolier durin:
Four visit.
T'Fifteen years elapsed 1 had stumbled
on my old travelling companion, and we re
Esolved to revisit our love of other days
fThe long span of years seemed like
dream as we found ourselves again in TIN
presence of the old, ever new palaces ant
/ churches under the glorious sky we remem
/ bered SO we'll, and once again NJ. a gondola
But Venice had put ON another face during
that time. The white coats had disap
peared; there was life and gayety; but tht
traces Of the occupation were many ant
patent in the shape of windows stripped O
their iron lattices, of their carving and em
bellishments, of palaces let out to glass ant
curiosity dealers. Venice was more hersel
than she had been under the Austrian do
minion, but she was still Venice dying.
| We did not expect to meet with our Ole
friend Beppo after lapse of SO many years.
but we asked after him all the same. Nc
one knew anything about him.
We made trip in the old fashion down
the grand canal and paused opposite oul
palace. 1t had changed, too, with the
times.
There gay awning over the balconies
delicate curtains in the windows; the stone
wall looked brighter and clearer, the morn
| ing post had been repainted, and at the
steps floated gondola manned by men III
picturesque livery.
| We had been told that man in Italy by
no means looked upon his house in the
light of a castle On the contrary, he takes
as compliment what we in England should
regard as unwarrantable intrusion, and
more especially in the case of q foreigner
So we resolved that after so long being
shut out, we would try and see the little
palace which had so charmed us. Accord
ingly we steered to the steps; the men in
the gondola rose and saluted as we pulled
up alongside, and in answer to our inquiry
if we might view the interior of the palace,
a gorgeous official at the entrance answered
that the Count Morani, the proprietor, was
out, but that he himself would show us
over with the greatest pleasure.
| We had scarcely penetrated to the first
floor when the major domo said:
o"Ah, here is my lordp'
As he spoke fine-looking man, with
iron gray hair and piercing black eyes, clad
in an easy suit Of black velvet, entered.
''Beppop' we said simultaneously under
our breath.
Nothing could exceed the politeness and
urbapity with which the Count Morani
treated us. Lighting q cigar and Offering
us each one, he conducted us through
apartment after apartment, each furnished
and fitted with the most expuisitely luxu-
rious taste, along stately corridors open tt
fairy-like gardens, out in pleasant balconies
overlooking the sunlit waters, and finally
4 into his own snuggeryy- wherein he bade uz
I rest, and ordered ices to be served up.
We could not help noticing with what
extreme simplicity this little room was
;. fitted up, but this was not so striking as
I was picture which hung over the gro
tesquely carved mantlepiece. 1t represent
ed the Beppo we had known so many years
|
Our host perceived the surprise on both
our faces and smiled.
sAhar' he said, ''that represents me as
was fifteen years ago, when the aceursee
Austrians was here. | was Beppo the
gondolier but | was also Giacomo Mo
rani-"
''Wc remember you perfectly well,'
said.
Morani started and looked hard at us.
"Why," at length he said, 'you caunof
be the two English gentlemen who hiret
me for week and were always botherins
me to show you over this palace? But
yes, You have grown boards, but | re
member you. And you, perhaps, remem
Der that disappeared the night Of
s:The murder of the Austrian colonel, .
said my friend.
Morani laughed.
"Murder, you may call It," he said,. "bu
there is not IL Venetian living now who re
members it but speaks of it as an act of th'
pufest patriotism. | was born in this pal
ace, as were my ancestors for five hundred
years back Every inch of it was sacret
to me, and was it to be expected that
could view its occupation by brutal enem,
of my country without longing to driv
him out of it? But what could l do?
had spent all my money in the service Q
the city, as did hundred other nohles.
, was ruined l was driven to get my owl
, living, and I turned gondolier. But al
though became simple Beppo I never fol
got who was, and / only waited for re
venge When the pigs were sent out an
| the city reunited to Italy, the state place
me here again in the home of my father
as reward for my poor services. Whe
, you are ready, gentlemen, will show yo
something else"
He led the way downstairs, took lar
, tern from a servant and bade us folloN
, him. Opening door hidden behind tn
tapestry he stood on the top of a stee
! flight of sleeps up which came DAMP
cold air.
''Be CAREFUL he said, ''the stairs ar
: steep and slippery. When I had him o
{ my shoulders we went from top to bottor
together, but as my good knife had don
I its work, it did not hurt him as much a
me-"
. This he said with a laugh that made L
, shudder. -
We descended into the gloom scarcel
, penetrated by the rays of the lantern; whe
/ we arrived at the bottom Morani said:
"I4istenr'
We listened and heard III the dead
D lence the light tinkle of water.
Q Morani nodded his head and smiled, sa,
ing:
1 "Capital place this. A man might shrie
: the roof off his mouth and no one woul
i hear him. IN the old days when a ma
g was brought here, he never came OIL
again, except"
e Here he pointed to a square aperture
i the immensely thick walls, just big enoug
to admit the passage of a mans body, ap
e through which one solitary ray Of sunlfgl
: penetrated, and rested on the walls whic
e we're green with slime
n Except through there. The last ma
9 who went through there to my knowlede
: was the Austrian Colonel. He was b
f man, and I had rather a job to get hi
through, but he had to go, and out he wei
n with weight at his feet. You see the dre
r into the water is not more than three fee
t so that he did not make much of a splash.
d We were glad enough to retrace our ste]
y and get out of the tomb, as well as ava
from the sickeningly light talk of our ho
s about so horrible crime.
It I don't think we could either of us eve
S shake hands with him before getting in
e our gondola. The palace no longer had
S fascination for us during our stay in Venic
It and we both agreed that we preferr'
g Beppo, the gondOlier, to GiacomO Cou