ow the gondola.

It often happens that in the midst of the wildest delirium of delight
and rapture the soul, strengthened as it were by the power of the
moment, is able to impose fetters upon itself, and to control the
flames of passion which threaten to blaze out from the heart. In a
similar way Antonio, albeit he was close beside the lovely Annunciata
and the seam of her dress touched him, was able to hide his consuming
passion by maintaining a firm and powerful hold upon his oar, and,
whilst avoiding any greater risk, by only glancing at her momentarily
now and then. Old Falieri was all smirks and smiles; he kissed and
fondled beautiful Annunciata's little white hands, and threw his arm
around her slender waist. In the middle of the channel, when St. Mark's
Square and magnificent Venice with all her proud towers and palaces lay
extended before them, old Falieri raised his head and said, gazing
proudly about him, "Now, my darling, is it not a grand thing to ride on
the sea with the lord--the husband of the sea? Yes, my darling, don't
be jealous of my bride, who is submissively bearing us on her broad
bosom. Listen to the gentle splashing of the wavelets; are they not
words of love which she is whispering to the husband who rules her?
Yes, yes, my darling, you indeed wear my ring on your finger, but she
below guards in the depths of her bosom the ring of betrothal which I
threw to her." "Oh! my princely Sir," began Annunciata, "oh! how can
this cold treacherous water be your bride? it quite makes me shiver to
think that you are married to this proud imperious element." Old
Falieri laughed till his chin and beard tottered and shook. "Don't
distress yourself, my pet," he said, "it's far better, of course, to
rest in your soft warm arms than in the ice-cold lap of my bride below
there; but it's a grand thing to ride on the sea with the lord of the
sea!" Just as the Doge was saying these words, the faint strains of
music at a distance came floating towards them. The notes of a soft
male voice, gliding along the waves of the sea, came nearer and nearer;
the words that were sung were--

Ah! senza amare,
Andare sul mare,
Col sposo del' mare
Non puo consolare.

Other voices took up the strain, and the same words were repeated again
and again in every-varying alternation, until the song died away like
the soft breath of the wind as it were. Old Falieri