oment when the mighty spark of love fell
upon my soul, and it will gather strength, and, enkindling flame after
flame, will continue to burn there for ever. A few days afterwards I
was turned out of the house.

"Father Bluenose told me, since I did not cease talking about the
lovely child who had appeared to me, and whose sweet voice I thought
I heard in the rustling of the trees, in the gushing murmurs of
the springs, and in the mysterious soughing of the sea--yes, then
Father Bluenose told me that the girl could be none other than
Nenolo's daughter Annunciata, who had come to the villa with her
mother Francesca, but had left it again on the following day. O
mother--Margaret--help me. Heaven! This Annunciata--is the Dogess."
And Antonio buried his face in the pillows, weeping and sobbing with
unspeakable emotion.

"My dear Tonino," said the old woman, "rouse yourself and be a man;
come, do resist bravely this foolish emotion. Come, come, how can you
think of despairing when you are in love? For whom does the golden
flower of hope blossom if not for the lover? You do not know in the
evening what the morning may bring; what you have beheld in your dreams
comes to meet you in living form. The castle that hovered in the air
stands all at once on the earth, a substantial and splendid building.
See here, Tonino, you are not paying the least heed to my words; but my
little finger tells me, and so does somebody else as well, that the
bright standard of love is gaily waving for you out at sea. Patience,
Tonino--patience, my boy!" Thus the old woman sought to comfort poor
Antonio; and her words did really sound like sweet music. He would not
let her leave him again. The beggar-woman had disappeared from the
steps of the Franciscan Church, and in her stead people saw Signor
Antonio's housekeeper, dressed in becoming matronly style, limping
about St. Mark's Square and buying the requisite provisions for his
table.

Holy Thursday was come. It was to be celebrated on this occasion in
more magnificent fashion than it had ever been before. In the middle of
the Piazzetta of St. Mark's a high staging was erected for a special
kind of artistic fire--something perfectly new, which was to be
exhibited by a Greek--a man experienced in such matters. In the evening
old Falieri came out on the balcony along with his beautiful lady,
reflecting his pride and happiness in the magnificence of his
surroundings, and with radiant eyes challenging