Year: 1867

Autonlo, utterly lndluerent to the whole
affair, had nothing to say in opposition
But etiquette required that he should pay
assiduous court to his yelled bride, and these
interviews soon began to have an unexpected
interest to him. Her character, softened
and exalted by sorrow, harmonized with the
tone OF his own heart; her sweet anxiety for
his regard, the grace of her shrouded figure,
wore around him insensibly tender spell
which he wished not to break.


AS hope e-awoke in her bosom she grew
more charming and more conscious of her
power; the morning of new life of happi-
ness dawned upon her, and she looked for
ward with increased confidence to the ap.
preaching revelation.


The wedding day arrived under the happiest
auspices. A magnificent assembly was gath
cred in the Grandenigo palace, and the
handsome and joyous bridegroom awaited
with impatience the movement which should
disclose to him the features of his bride, but
that movement changed all. The instant
that Valencia, throwing off her veil, reveal.
ed that glory of golden hair floating, glitter
ing about her person, the frenzy returned on
him with redoubled violence


She has deceived me !" he cried, in a
wild burst of anger, and breaking his way
through the astonished company, rushed
forth without word of explanation to
Grandenigo, or casting even d look on the
deserted bride.


That from this hour deadly feud, like that
of the Montagues and Capulets, divided the
two houses of Foscarini and Grandinego,
was matter of course. Valencia alone
could mot share this feeling. She blamed
her own fraud, SO innocently meant as the
sole cause of the calamity, and mourned her
second love with u sorrow far more deep and
lasting than she had given to the first. Her
father gave himself no rest in his efforts to
avenge this dishonor of his house. But for
the present he was able only to gain the ex-
patriation of young Antonio, and this under
the honorable form of an embassy to France
He bided his time.


After four years absence Antonio returned
from France. His welcome home was a
summons, the fruits of Grandinego's labors,
to appear before the Council of Three to
answer the charge of disobedience in certain
points to the orders of the Council.


His bold defense, and the conclusive proofs
he adduced of the skillful manner in which
he performed his mission, procured his hon.
orable acquittal. But plots thickened
around his path, enemies lurked for him on
every hand, and time after time he barely
escaped through the warnings of an unknown
friend.


That friend was no other than the true
hearted Valencia, who watched over him
with the care of protecting angel, nor even
relinquished her chosen Office when he en-
tered into marriage engagement with
noble Spanish lady. But it was the oppor-
tunity long sought for by her father, who
now accused him before the Council of Sc
cret alliance with a foreign power, and pro-
| Il Ii
warned him in time, and had arranged his
flight but, too proud to succumb to injus-
tice, he hesitated until it was too late. He
was brought in chains to the ducal palace.
where, according to the ancient usages of
Venice, a speedy trial, to be followed by
more speedy death, waited upon him.
| Valencia did not despair even yet. By
| gold and tears she gained an entrance into
the Doge's palace, and having won the
overseer to her interests she descended with
him at midnight, into those damp and gloomy
depths beneath whose dread secrets only the
last day will fully reveal. At any other
time the scene would have frozen her blood
with horror. The black passages into which
the cheerful light of upper day had never
dawned and Shiny with the moisture of CEN
turies the heavy doors, bolted and barred,
which the lamp of the guide dimly disclosed
on either hand the sepulchral silence,
broken only By the dull play of the water
against the outside walls, and the loud
knockings of her own heart, were full of
dark suggestions of pitiless cruelty and un-
utterable woe. But that which would have
deferred weaker soul but made her bold
for was she not bringing to the best beloved
deliverance from these horrors? And was
there not exquisite JOY in the thought that
now at length he could not fail to understand
and forgive her.


The iailor unbars the door; she steps in
trembling with fear and hope. The next
instant the door is shut behind her, is locked
and barred with malignant haste, and the
pretended helper was a true servant of the
republic. lie had betrayed her to her father.
All was lost.


With the first gray of the morning she
was led, wearing the mans habit in which
she had disguised herself, before the Coun-
Gil of Three, of which her father was a men,
ber.


The first glance told her that there was no
hope of pity from him. As she entered he
started passionately from his seat, and pour
ed torrent of bitter reproaches. ending
with terrible curse on his wretched daugh-
ter. Exhausted by the terrors of the pre-
ceding night. and foreseeing her own and
Antonio's doom. she yielded to this last
stroke and sunk in a deep swoon into the
arms Of the jailor. Even he, her infamous
betrayer, hardened as be was in crime, was
shocked by the unnatural scene.


.'Signior," he cried, ''you are here as
the servant of the State, and not as the
avenger Of your personal wrongs. You are
the representative of justice, but you have
no commission to curse your child"


This is the moment chosen by the artist
for his picture.


Through what fortunes the hapless pair,
with fates so strangely severed, and yet so
strangely united, passed to the repose of
death, we are not informed. Only so much
is known, that from this time the noble and
brave Antonio, the flower of the patrician
youth of Venice, and Valencia, the fairest
of her daughters, were heard of no more
among the living.


A SHORT time since the following appear
ed


81 WHY is a heard like common sense 2t