man seemed to indulge less frequently in his violent outbreaks
of furious passion, and to have laid aside his rugged untamable
fierceness, since his marriage. There he sat beside his beautiful
Annunciata, spruce and prim, in the richest, gayest apparel, smirking
and smiling, challenging in the sweet glances of his grey eyes,--from
which a treacherous tear stole from time to time,--those who were
present to say if any one of them could boast of such a wife as his.
Instead of speaking in the rough arrogant tone of voice in which he had
formerly been in the habit of expressing himself, he whispered, scarce
moving his lips, addressed every one in the most amiable manner, and
granted the most absurd petitions. Who would have recognised in this
weak amorous old man the same Falieri who had in a fit of passion
buffeted the bishop[22] on Corpus Christi Day at Treviso, and who had
defeated the valiant Morbassan. This growing weakness spurred on
Michele Steno to attempt the most extravagant schemes. Annunciata did
not understand why he was constantly pursuing her with his looks and
words; she had no conception of his real purpose, but always preserved
the same gentle, calm, and friendly bearing towards him. It was just
this quiet unconscious behaviour, however, which drove him wild, which
drove him to despair almost. He determined to effect his end by
sinister means. He managed to involve Annunciata's most confidential
maid in a love intrigue, and she at last permitted him to visit her at
night. Thus he believed he had paved a way to Annunciata's unpolluted
chamber; but the Eternal Power willed that this treacherous iniquity
should recoil upon the head of its wicked author.

One night it chanced that the Doge, who had just received the ill
tidings of the battle which Nicolo Pisani had lost against Doria off
Porto Longo,[23] was unable to sleep owing to care and anxiety, and was
rambling through the passages of the Ducal Palace. Then he became aware
of a shadow stealing apparently out of Annunciata's apartments and
creeping towards the stairs. He at once rushed towards it; it was
Michele Steno leaving his mistress. A terrible thought flashed across
Falieri's mind; with the cry "Annunciata!" he threw himself upon Steno
with his drawn dagger in his hand. But Steno, who was stronger and more
agile than the old man, averted the thrust, and knocked him down with a
violent blow of his fist; then, laughing loudly and shouting,
"Annuncia