The sun., 1908-02-23

perienced seamen. chosen not from the
mobiles but from the people. to command
the dying squadron destined 20 harry the
Genoese. Ills choice was Justified by the
result. and the people beyan TO feel that
in the Doge they had sovereign who was
not entirely tho shave cf the ruling caste.
While the political atmosphere Of Venice
was at this pitch of tension the public prose-
Cutors received Instructions in November.
1854, TO proceed against certain persons
accused 81 having written insulting words
and drawn offensive figures in the Chamber
OF the Chimneys" in the private apart
ments Of the Doge. Six young mobiles
were accordingly arrested and tried. but
three we're acquitted and the sentences
passed on the others were derisory. In
the account which is extant there 10 no
mention Of the Dogaressa, but on the
contrary it is stated explicitly that the
insults we're levelled at the Doge and his
nephew. The aspersion on the honor Of
the Doge's wife is a legend introduced at
later period.
We must presume the Doge TO have nursed
his wrath in silence during the next four
months for there is no record OF any act
on his part which would indicate that his
tlliIlu wis SCI OH dcLlNt ItNEnkt. lAlG DOpu-
lar dissatisfacti on with the governing caste
was smouldering meanwhile, and in April,
1855, an incident happened which brought
the two currents Of personal resentment
and class enmity into contact. In the
council chamber of the Admiralty quarrel
suddenly sprang up between Giovanni
Dandolo, a noble and BertuCcio lxarello
a sea captain of great influence among the
seafaring population. Dandolo struck Ber
tuccio, who left the palace in a fury, and
gathering his friends about him began TO
walk up and down before the door, waiting
till Dandolo should come out. Becoming
aware Of the threatening attitude OF the
mob Dandolo denounced the gathering to
the Government. The Doge and his Coun-
cil summoned Bertuccio TO their presence
and reprimanded him severely, telling him
that if he had quarrel with Dandolo he
must bring it before the appointed courts.
On the following night however, the Doge
sent privately for Bertuccio and opened his
mind to him in all its bitterness against the
nobility. The two proceeded to lay out
their des gns. BertuOCio agreed to enroll
twenty leading citizens, recruited from the
merchant banking and seafaring classes,
each Of whom would answer for forty stout
fellows who should be ready to do their
bidding. In other words the forces at the
disposal Of the conspirstors would amount
To 800 men. IL was arranged that on the
evening Of April Is. 1855. all the twenty
leaders. each with his forty followers, should
make for the Piazza; then on the cry that
the Genoese were OF the Lido, or on the out
break of fictitious brawl among them
selves, the Doge was to order the bell Of
st. Mark TO be rung which would bring the
mobiles 1ockng to the square. where they
could be cut to pieces as they came up.
At first the secret was we'll kept but ON
the very day preceding the night appointed
for the rising the Doge sent for an intimate
friend. one Zucuol. man of great weight
in the middle class whose support Falier
desired to secure. To tits man the whole
plot was divulged, but l. refused to take
part in IT and urged the Doge to renounce
il. To this Falier finally agreed. and gave
Sucuol his signet ring as a warrant for the
order that the cnnspirators should proceed
no further in their design. When the
populace were acquainted with the change
Of plan they considered themselves be
trayed by the Doge. According to another
account the night agreed on was clos-
ing in RAPIDLY and the conspirators were
waiting for the sound of the bell. but the
DoRe gave no order, for the reason, ap-
parently. that the Council whose suspicious
had been aroused. was sitting without the
DoEe and had ordered certain arrests. OF
the two conspirators first arrested and
tortured one confessed that Marino Falier
was in the plot. On becoming convinced
Of the Doges guilt the Ducal Council con-
voked the Council Of Ten. which summoned
Marno Falier to appear forthwith before
board Of thirty-siX judges. Already by
the dawn of April 10 BeTtuccio had been
arrested. and presently he and another con-
spirator were condemned and hanged. with
gags in their mouths. from the red columns
on the upper Ioggia Of the old palace look
ing on TO the Piazzetta. The other arcades
proceeding from the red columns toward
the Moo we're soon filled with other corpses
as execution succeeded execution eleven
in all Whether Falier was tortured is un-
certain. but he was adiudged guilty of
high treason. The sentence was communi-
Gated to him in the hall Of the Great Council.
and as the sun was setting on April n
he was beheaded at the top Of the marble
stairs which descended into the courtyard
When the execution was over either the
count. Chief OF the Ten. went TO the lokgia
overlooking the Piazza. and showing the
bloody sword to the crowd cried. Look, all
of you! Supreme justice has been done
on the traitor"
II was not until eleven years had elapsed
from the date of the conspiracy and exc
cutiou II the Doge that the Council Of Ten
on December TO- 1899. decreed the removal
of Falier's portrait from the series which
formed the frieze TO the Hall Of the Great
Council and that the vacant space should
be painted blue. with the following inscrip-
tion in white: This was the place Of Sir
Marino Falier, decapitated for the crime
Of treason" When after the fire Of 1877
the portraits Of the Doges were renewed,
in Faliers space WAS painted black cur
tain bearing these words in white, as we
now see them This ia the place Of Marino
Falier decapitated for crimes After
the decapitation Of the DoRe other trials,
executions, conhscations and sentences
Of banshmPnt followed in rapid success