red in the
calm water where they stand, and each seems to say "I am finer than
you," or "My master is still richer than yours," or "You are going to
ruin faster than I am," or "I was built by a Lombardo," or "I by
Sansovino," and the violent light is ever there to bear witness of the
truth of what each says. Within, without, in hall and church and
gallery, there is perpetual brightness and perpetual silence. But at the
evening hour, now, as in old times, a spirit takes Venice and folds it
in loving arms, whispering words that are not even guessed by day.

The Ave Maria had not ceased ringing when Giovanni's gondolier came up
with the Governor of Murano. He was alone, and at his invitation
Giovanni left his own craft and sat down beside the patrician, whose
gondola was uncovered for coolness. Giovanni talked earnestly in low
tones, holding his sealed letter in his hand, while his own oarsman
watched him closely in the advancing dusk, but was too wise to try to
overhear what was said. He knew well enough now what Giovanni wanted of
the Governor, and what he obtained.

"Not to-night," the Governor said audibly, as Giovanni returned to his
own gondola. "To-morrow."

Giovanni turned before getting under the 'felse,' bowed low as he stood
up and said a few words of thanks, which the Governor could hardly have
heard as his boat shot ahead, though he made one more gracious gesture
with his hand. The shadows descended quickly now, and everywhere the
little lights came out, from latticed balconies and palace windows left
open to let in the cool air, and from the silently gliding gondolas
that each carried a small lamp; and here and there between tall houses
the young summer moon fell across the black water, rippling under the
freshening breeze, and it was like a shower of silver falling into a
widow's lap.

But Giovanni saw none of these things, and if he had looked out of the
small windows of the 'felse,' he would not have cared to see them, for
beauty did not appeal to him in nature any more than in art, except that
in the latter it was a cause of value in things. Besides, as he suffered
from the heat all day, he was afraid of being chilled at evening; so he
sat inside the 'felse,' gloating over the success of his trip. The
Governor, who knew nothing of Zorzi but was well aware of Giovanni's
importance in Murano, had readily consented to arrest the poor Dalmatian
who was represented as such a dangerous person, besides being