Year: 1864

5 Two of the inquisitOrs were dressed il
4 black, and the third, who sat between tho
| OtherS-a tall, stern man--was rObed IL
crimson. The face of the last grew troub


led as his eye fell upon strange accnsa
tion affecting his honor, and perhaps his
safety For even this terrible council cham
: Der had it's own law among its members
and its own punishment for indiscrction.-
Mo,e than once a patrician of Venice had
) disappeared from the eyes Of men, and a


mysterious message came to the Grand
Council that a seat was vacant in the Cham


Der of the Inquisition.


This accusation that now startled the
member of the Council. was this


Let the State beware the Palace OF
Pesaro is very near the Palace of France!
, GONE OF THE CoNTARINI"
The Count Pesaro (for the inquisitOr was
none other in moment collected his
thoughts He had remarked the beautiful
daughter Of the ambassador he knew Of
the galIantries which had filled the life of
his son Antonio he recognized the jealousy
Of the Contarini.


But in the members of the fearful court
of Venice no tie was recognized but the tie
which bound them to the mysterious author
ity of the State. The Count Pcsaro knew
we'll that the discovery Of any secret inter-
course with the palace of the ambassador
would be followed by grave punishment of
his son; he knew that any conspiracy with
that son to shield him from the State would
bring the forfeit of his life Yet the in
quisitor said, "Let the spies be doubled"


And the spies were doubled but the ia
ther, more watchful and wakeful than all,
i1iConvoraI hot II 1poc not ono coy, onlIy hut
both who held the guilty communication
with the servitors of the ambassadors pal
ace. There was little hope that it would
long escape the knowledge of the Council
But the Council anticipated their action, by
sacrificing the younger to the older the
gondolier of Enrico was seized, and he
brought to the chamber of torture.


The father could not stay the judgment
which pronounced the exile of his son, and
at night Enrico was arraigned before the
three inquisitors the mask concealed his
judges ard the father penned the order by
which his younger son was conveyed upon
a galley of the State to perpetual exile on
the Island of Corfu


The rigOr of the watch was now relaxed
and Antonio, fired by the secret and al
most hopeless passion which he had rea
son to believe was returned with equal fer
vor, renewed his communication III the
prescribed quarter. 4 double danger, how
ever, awaited him. The old and constant
! jealousy of France, which appeared in all
! the Yenitian councils, had gained new
| force all intercourse with her ambassador
was narrowly watched.


Enrico, moreover, distracted by the fail
ure of forged accusation which had re-
acted to his own disadvantage, had found
means to communicate with the scheming
Fra Paolo The suspicious Of the Cantari-
nj family were secretly directed against the
neglected Antonio His steps were dog
ged by the spies of powerful and revenge
| full house Accusations again found their
way into the Lions Mouth Proofs were
too plain to be rejected. The son of Pesa-
TO had offended by discarding engagements
authorized apd advised by State. He had
offended in projecting alliance with an
alien he had offended in holding commu-
nication with the household of a foreign
ambassador.


The offense was great and the danger
imminent. An inquisitor who alleged eX-
cuscs for the crime of a relative, was ex-
posed to the charge of completely. He
who wore the crimson robe in the Council
Of the inquision was therefore silent. The
mask no less than the severe control eXer-
ted over his mllder nature, concealed the
struggle going ON in the bosom of the old
Count Pesaro. The fellow councillors had
already seen the sacrifice of one son-they
could not doubt his consent to the second.
But the offence was now greater and the
punishment would be weightier.


Antonio was the last scion Of the noble
house of which the inquisitor was chief, and
he rather triumphed at length over the Min.
listers Of State yet none in the secret Coun-
Gil could perceive that triumph. None knew
better than a participant in that dreadful
power which ruled Venice by terror, how
difficult would be any escape from its con-
demnatiOn.


1t was two hours past midnight, and the
lights had gone cut along the palace win
dows of Venice


The Count Pesaro had come back from
the chamber of the Council but there were
ears that caught the fall of his steps as he
landed at his palace door and passed to his
apartment Fra Paolo had spread the ac-
cusations which endangered the life of An
tonic, and still an inmate of the palace, he
broodcd over his schemes.


Ic hntW lnc Slcp vi llic OOuPU HIS quick
ear traced it to the accustomed door Again
the step seemed to him to retrace the corri-
dor stealthily, and to turn towards the
apartment of Antonio. The corridor was
dark, but a glimmer of the moon, reflected
from the canal, showed him the tall figure
of the Count entering the chamber of his
son.


Paternal kindness had not been charac-
teristic Of the father, and the unusual visit
excited the priestly curiosity. Gliding after
he placed himself in the chamber and over
heard in those days in Venice-the great
inquisitor sink to the level of man and a
father.


"My son." said the Count, after the first
surprise of the sleeper was over "you have
offended against the State and he enumer-
ated the charges which had come before the
inquisition.


" 1t is true" said Antonio


" The State never forgets or forgives," VI
said the Count


" Never when they have decided" said
Antonio.


They know all ;" said the father.


Who know all, )" asked Antonio earnest