In the meantime, the sports proceeded, and the momentary interruption
was forgotten; or, if remembered, it was in a manner suited to the
secret and fearful power which directed the destinies of that remarkable
republic.

There as another regatta, in which men of inferior powers contended, but
we deem it unworthy to detain the narrative by a description.

Though the grave tenants of the Bucentaur seemed to take an interest in
what was passing immediately before their eyes, they had ears for every
shout that was borne on the evening breeze from the distant Lido; and
more than once the Doge himself was seen to bend his looks in that
direction, in a manner which betrayed the concern that was uppermost in
his mind.

Still the day passed on as usual. The conquerors triumphed, the crowd
applauded, and the collected senate appeared to sympathize with the
pleasures of a people, over whom they ruled with a certainty of power
that resembled the fearful and mysterious march of destiny.

CHAPTER XI.

"Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?"
SHAKSPEARE.

The evening of such a day, in a city with the habits of Venice, was not
likely to be spent in the dulness of retirement. The great square of St.
Mark was again filled with its active and motley crowd, and the scenes
already described in the opening chapters of this work were resumed, if
possible, with more apparent devotion to the levities of the hour, than
on the occasion mentioned. The tumblers and jugglers renewed their
antics, the cries of the fruit-sellers and other venders of light
luxuries were again mingled with the tones of the flute and the notes of
the guitar and harp; while the idle and the busy, the thoughtless and
the designing, the conspirator and the agent of the police, once more
met in privileged security.

The night had advanced, beyond its turn, when a gondola came gliding
through the shipping of the port with that easy and swan-like motion
which is peculiar to its slow movement, and touched the quay with its
beak, at the point where the canal of St. Mark forms its junction with
the bay.

"Thou art welcome, Antonio," said one, who approached the solitary
individual that had directed the gondola, when the latter had thrust the
iron spike of his painter between the crevices of the stones, as
gondoliers are accustomed to secure their barges; "thou art welcome,
Antonio, though late."

"I begin to k