dy to ally herself with the weaker against the stronger, and
to aid with money and men any state struggling against an ambitious
neighbour. Acting on this principle she by turns assisted Padua against
Verona, and Verona against Padua, or either of them when threatened by
the growing power of Milan, and at the end of a war she generally came
out with an increased territory, and added importance.

It is probable that no community was ever governed, for hundreds of
years, with such uniform wisdom and sagacity as was Venice; but the
advantage was not without drawbacks. The vigilance of the Council of
Ten in repressing plots, not unfrequently set on foot by the enemies of
the republic, resulted in the adoption of a hateful system of
espionage. The city was pervaded with spies, and even secret
denunciations were attended to, and the slightest expression of
discontent against the ruling authorities was severely punished. On the
other hand, comparatively slight attention was paid to private crime.
Assassinations were of frequent occurrence, and unless the victim
happened to be very powerfully connected, no notice was taken when a
man was found to be missing from his usual place, and his corpse was
discovered floating in the lagoon. Consequently crimes of this kind
were, in the great majority of cases, committed with impunity, and even
when traced, the authors, if possessed of powerful protectors, seldom
suffered any greater punishment than temporary banishment.

After standing for some time on the Piazzetta, the two lads turned and,
entering the square of Saint Mark, mingled with the crowd. It was a
motley one. Nobles in silks and satins jostled with fishermen of the
lagoons. Natives of all the coasts and islands which owned the sway of
Venice, Greeks from Constantinople, Tartar merchants from the Crimea,
Tyrians, and inhabitants of the islands of the Aegean, were present in
considerable numbers; while among the crowd, vendors of fruit and
flowers from the mainland, and of fresh water or cooling drinks, sold
their wares. The English lad's companion--Matteo Giustiniani--belonged
to one of the leading families of Venice, and was able to name to
Francis most of the nobles and persons of importance whom they passed.

"There is Pisani," he said. "Of course you know him. What a jolly,
good-tempered looking fellow he is! The sailors would do anything for
him, and they say he will have command of the next fleet that puts to
sea. I wi