r; and, instead of the
struggle being confined to the foremost ranks of the contending
parties, the whole bridge was now one coil of raging combatants. Men
fell into the canal by scores, but no one thought of rendering them
any assistance. Their places were immediately filled up, and the fight
lost none of its fury from their absence.

Evening was now approaching, and the combat was more violent than it
had yet been, or than it had for years been known to be, when Antonio
saw the cloaked and mysterious individuals who had already attracted
his attention, emerge from their lurking-places, and disappear in
different directions. Presently he thought he observed some of them on
the bridge mingling with the combatants, whose blind rage prevented
them from noticing the intrusion. Wherever they passed, there did the
fight augment in obstinacy and fury. Suddenly there was a violent rush
upon the bridge, a frightful outcry, and a clash of steel. At the same
moment the blades of several swords and daggers were seen crossed and
glittering upon the bridge, without its being possible for any one to
divine whence the weapons came. The spectators, seized with a panic
fear, fled in every direction, and sprang in crowds from the quays to
seek shelter under the awnings of the gondolas covering the canal. In
vain did the gondoliers resist the intrusion of the fugitives: all
considerations of rank and property were lost sight of in the terror
of the moment, and some of the boats sank under the weight of the
multitudes that poured into them. In their haste to get away, the
gondolas impeded each other, and became wedged together in the canal;
and amidst the screams of the ladies and angry exclamations of the
men, the gondoliers laid down their oars and began to dispute the
precedence with blows. Meanwhile the people on the roofs of the
houses, believing themselves in safety, espoused different sides, and
threw stones and bricks at each other, and at those standing below. In
an incredibly short time houses were entirely unroofed, and a perfect
storm of tiles rained upon the quays and streets. Those who had first
fled, when they attained what appeared a safe distance, halted to look
on, and thus prevented others from getting away. Antonio was amongst
the number whose escape was thus impeded. His gondolier lay at the
bottom of the boat, stunned by a blow from a stone; he himself was
bruised and wounded by the missiles that fell in all direction