"One chargeth his neighbor with
oversight in religious duties, and with some carelessness of the fasts
of Holy Church--a. foolish scandal, fitted for the ears of a curate."

"Is there naught else?"

"Another complaineth of neglect in a husband. The scrawl is in a woman's
hand, and beareth on its face the evidence of woman's resentment."

"Sudden to rise and easy to be appeased. Let the neighborhood quiet the
household by its sneers.--What next?"

"A suitor in the courts maketh complaint of the tardiness of the
judges."

"This toucheth the reputation of St. Mark; it must be looked to!"

"Hold!" interrupted the Signor Gradenigo. "The tribunal acted
advisedly--'tis in the matter of a Hebrew, who is thought to have
secrets of importance. The affair hath need of deliberation, I do assure
you."

"Destroy the charge.--Have we more?"

"Nothing of note. The usual number of pleasantries and hobbling verses
which tend to nothing. If we get some useful gleanings by these secret
accusations, we gain much nonsense. I would whip a youngster of ten who
could not mould our soft Italian into better rhyme than this?"

"'Tis the wantonness of security. Let it pass, for all that serveth to
amuse suppresseth turbulent thoughts. Shall we now see his highness,
Signori?"

"You forget the fisherman," gravely observed the Signor Gradenigo.

"Your honor sayeth true. What a head for business hath he! Nothing that
is useful escapeth his ready mind."

The old senator, while he was too experienced to be cajoled by such
language, saw the necessity of appearing flattered. Again he bowed, and
protested aloud and frequently against the justice of compliments that
he so little merited. When this little byplay was over, they proceeded
gravely to consider the matter before them.

As the decision of the Council of Three will be made apparent in the
course of the narrative, we shall not continue to detail the
conversation that accompanied their deliberations. The sitting was long,
so long indeed that when they arose, having completed their business,
the heavy clock of the square tolled the hour of midnight.

"The Doge will be impatient," said one of the two nameless members, as
they threw on their cloaks, before leaving the chamber. "I thought his
highness wore a more fatigued and feeble air to-day, than he is wont to
exhibit at the festivities of the city."

"His highness is no longer young, Signore. If I remember right, he
greatly outnumbe