The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-05-17

last u visited this state two years
ago. She promised hat she would re-
deem the gems before a year was pass
ed. But you. lords. know how she
hath died and her husband Ludoyico
lies imprisoned.
"'"My lords, ] had for the duchess
the tenderness of a father for a below
ed daughter. and thinking that I would
give her pleasure when she should
come again to redeem her jewels I
hired Giovanni da Sestos, the gold
smith, whose renown as an artist you
all know, to make a casket for the
gems that should be as beautiful as
the very gems themselves.
LIT was to he so small that 1t
could be carried about. Yet 1t was to
be so strong that the most skillful
thief would be baffied to break IL open,
for when 1t was once closed certain
springs ingeniously contrived by clock
work made it impossible even for the
man who possessed the casket to open
1t till a day of twelve hours should
have passed.
- had made promise to Messer
Giovanni that he SHOULD receive three
payments for bis task. Two payments
! made 10 hin-one when he undertook
the work: another. that he might buy
the gems with which the cover was
to he richly adorned. The third pay
ment ] promised to make when the
casket should he given into my hands.
"'"But hardly had Giovanni finish
ed his task when Beatrice died. And.
my lords of the signory. knowing now
that the jewels could never be redeem
ell, seeing that Ludovico Is in prison
n his wife dead, ! vowed that I
would now pawn them to Albani that
! might at last help the state in her
need.
"'"But when Giovanni wrote to me
TO say that the casket, which he had
Mt last completed. was more beautiful
than anything like 1t since the begin
ming Of the world. I longed greatly to
see the jewels in the glorious box be-
fore they should be out of my possess
sion forever. And now see how the
heavy hand Of God hath punished me
Tor INV
"'"For | had written To Giovanni to
bring to me the casket alone and at
night. For | did not wish that any
should know that | possessed the gems
till | had pawned them and until the
money should he paid into the treas
ury of the state.D ! babe him come at
the hour of twelve to my bed chamber.
] told him | should receive him alone.
! would let him in by a secret stair
way.
land SO. when all Venice slept. |
admitted him TO my room. where there
was none other than myself. except
the guard.
"'"My lords of the %signory. never
did | dream of anything so rare and
beautiful as that casket. 1t seemed
to me that | should die for very desire
of it. and at last | thought of a cum
ming plan. Giovanni himself fell
guilelessly in with this plan, for he was
eager TO see whether the gems would
fit the little pockets that he had made
for each of the more costly. and so
we placed the gems in the pocket of
the casket. and then. as if by chance
| closed the cover. which could not be
opened for IL whole day of twelve
hours. And now. | thought. Giovanni
must leave both casket and gems, for
| had intended to put him off with
smooth promises. saying that it was
late and that on the morrow he should
have his third payment of money.
"'"But Giovanni clasped the casket
in both his hands and swore he would
not leave it with me until | should
have paid him every dueat | owed
him. Giovanni swore that | had en-
trapped him and o~bstinately refused
To leave the palace until | should have
paid him all.
"'"Seeing now that nothing would
move him to reason. | made p~retense
that coul1 fetch from the TREASURY