Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-28

"Cosa vuoIe! what would your That is the
| way of the world"
And Narvaez?
"WiIl be released in the early morning, when
! the prison watch is changed, and conveyed in .
| gondola to the steps behind st. Marks. within
| which, for greater safety, you and this gentle
to Fusina. where suitable papers will pass you
Some time after this comforting visit, the
bells of the clock-tower rang out the hour, and
the Venetian rising, beckoned Hermes to
follow.
"And whittier"
Where Barbarigo's instructions summon-to
| pass the night in St Marks"
And why not pass it here%
because we could not leave in the morning
without attracting notice even II we got out
at aIl.'
After it is closed, at midnight, the keys are
hung in the sacristy Fear not but we shall
| find 1t trusty hiding place."
| They reached the menials' stair, felt their
way down its winding and unlighted length,
seemed interminable, emerged beneath the
| arches and looked out over .he piazza upon the
crowdthat sat and strolled and talked along its
brilliant extent. The distance to the vestibule
| of the church was only so PAGES. but neither
| dared risk the, scrutiny Of the eyes that might
be watching. They therefore turned into an
| alley. and crossing bridge, walked guardedly
along dim passage, lighted at the corners by
*
| of not few had already burned to the end,
leaving saints and streets alike In the darkness.
The night passed: the barking and bowling Of
| dogs on the piazza ceased, and somber day
| dawned as Hermes raised himself, bruised and
stiff, from titful snatches of sleep to awaken
| ing worse than the distorted visions of the
night The day passed in dim, cold streaks
through lofty windows, and the first sound that
reached him was the pattering OF raindrops.
The mechanical figures on the clock-tower
hammered out the hour Of five, and, in obedi-
| ence to q gesture from his companion, he
| walked noiselessly to the main entrance in the
| door of which was its great bronze key They
passed the vestibule and looked across the
| whose shafts had been. for centuries, the place
| OF public execution. Already half dozen men
from the prison stood there in the rain adjust
| ing rope.
Despite the nervous fatigue following upon
hunger sleeplessness and anxiety. Hermes was
alert and keenly watchful. He believed that his
| own deliverance was at hand, at that, the ap-
pointed hour, Narvaez would be released. But.
| for q moment, a great excitement absorbed
and detained him, for it was evident that an
innocent life was to be sacrificed.
He did not long remain in suspense; file OF
| halberdiers emerged from the palace, and with
them came black-veiled executioney, and in
their midst walked the youth who was to pay
| the forfeit of Narvaez's escape, and, on each
side religious brother Of the order whose
office 1t was to accompany the condemned tc
execution. His arms we're pinioned, his ankles
| chained, and across his mouth was q scarf
| covering, the gag wherewith the Council stided
his utterance. The figure was slender, like the
fencer's; the step, the hair. the very dress were
his.
A violent tremor fell upon Hermes as thu
escort passed to where the men were waiting
| with siiken cords. He understood it all now
but too late, the Doge deceived hint wai
| Narvaez who stood there. and in his helpless
ness his lips quivered, his eyes filed with tears
his brain reeled. he dropped upon hi
knees, and commenced an inarticulate recita
Of prayers. The yelled headman's work wa.
dexterously finished: to the last the monk
muttered their supplications for the dying
while, in accordance with his sentence. the
culprit was strangled between the pillar
which bear the emblems Of ancient Venice
and, after brief spasm, his inanimate bod!
rested against the post to which 1t had beer
bound. And at the instant, the Venetian
touched Hermes on the shoulder, and together
they hastened to the bridge behind st. Marks
and there lay swift barge with four rowers
and hidden under the awning sat some one
and Hermes sprang in with an oath eloquen
of great Joy, and the Venetian followed, ant
the boatmen pushed of without word anf
plunged into The obscurity of the canal.
And it was indeed Narvaez who sat beneath
the cover, pale and weary but unharmed
And Hermes, not knowing at the instant IL
what words to put his feelings, cast his arm
| about the fencer's nesk and kissed him, afte
| the italian fashion upon each cheek.