of the accident that had befallen the beautiful Dogess. I inquired
again and again of several people, and at last a big, uncultivated, red
haired fellow, who stood leaning against a column, yawning and chawing
lemons, said to me, 'Oh well, a young scorpion has been trying its
little teeth on the little finger of her left hand, and there's been a
drop or two of blood shed--that's all. My master, Signor Doctor
Giovanni Basseggio, is now in the palace, and he has, no doubt, before
this cut off her pretty hand, and the finger with it.' Just as the
fellow was telling me this there arose a great noise on the broad
steps, and a little man--such a tiny little man--came rolling down at
our feet, screaming and lamenting, for the guards had kicked him down
as if he had been a nine pin. The people gathered round him, laughing
heartily; the little man struggled and fought with his legs in the air
without being able to get up; but the red-haired fellow rushed forward,
snatched up the little doctor, tucked him under his arm, and ran off
with him as fast as his legs could carry him to the Canal, where he got
into a gondola with him and rowed away--the little doctor screaming and
yelling with all his might the whole time. I knew how it was; just as
Signor Basseggio was getting his knife ready to cut off the pretty
hand, the Doge had had him kicked down the steps. I also thought of
something else--quick--quick as you can--go home make a salve--and then
come back here to the Ducal Palace.

"And I stood on the great stairs with my bright little phial in my
hand. Old Falieri was just coming down; he darted a glance at me, and,
his choler rising, said, 'What does this old woman want here?' Then I
curtsied low--quite down to the ground--as well as I could, and told
him that I had a nice remedy which would very soon cure the beautiful
Dogess. When the old man heard that, he fixed a terrible keen look upon
me, and stroked his grey beard into order; then he seized me by both
shoulders and pushed me upstairs and on into the chamber, where I
nearly fell all my length. O Tonino, there was the pretty child
reclining on a couch, as pale as death, sighing and moaning with pain
and softly lamenting, 'Oh! I am poisoned in every vein.' But I at once
set to work and took off the simple doctor's silly plaster. O just
Heaven! her dear little hand--all red as red--and swollen. Well, well,
my salve cooled it--soothed it. 'That does it good; yes, that does it