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"Mater Beatissima! A light in the palace window!" A candle flamed in a dark window two more a light in every casement!
She sat with her gray mantle shrouding her face, and neither of them spoke, while the gondola, under Piero's deft guidance, quickly gained the steps of the Piazzetta and passed on to San Giorgio. Then she touched his arm entreatingly. "Oh, let us wait one moment before we lose sight of the palazzo! Madre Beatissima, have them in thy keeping!"
I shall fancy that I still hear your voice, which will be so far away dealing out banalities. I shall treasure the words you let wander heedlessly out of the window. I shall open my book and write, "To-day she came beatissima hora." Prospect and retrospect are equally uninviting.
"Simpatica!" the responsive people cried with glowing faces. "Angiola! Tanto Simpatica!" The Lady Fiorenza standing where she could see the face of her child gave thanks for the vision, with joyful tears. "This hast thou granted her, Madonna mia Beatissima, for a wedding gift!"
At the door Marina turned again, rallying her failing strength with a last desperate effort, but the words came in a broken, agonized whisper: "O Santissima Maria Vergine! Mater Dolorosa! because thou art the special guardian of this Virgin City and here, in her councils, none of thy reverend fathers may plead for thee be merciful, Madre Beatissima! Save us from our doom!"
"It is not to forsake our Venice, Marco mio!" she cried, with growing eagerness, "but to serve her to plead with the Holy Father that he will remove the curse and let all the prayers of Venice ascend again to the Madre Beatissima, who listens no more! It is a service for a Giustinian to render!"
Madre Beatissima, life was hard, and the way of right was the way of the cross how many holy women had found it so! One hand stole to the little crucifix beneath her robe and pressed its roughened surfaces into her breast, for she must not place the sweetness of this earthly love before the duty of the heavenly one.
For this the blessed Mater Dolorosa of San Donato weepeth ceaselessly. Love is for those who serve him; but vengeance here and hereafter for those who disobey. Oh, my Father! for every human soul in Venice the helpless women, who have no power but prayer, which is but insult while God's face is hidden the little children who have done no harm Madre Beatissima, how can we bear it!"
She could bear everything to win such a blessing for her beloved ones, only she must reach Rome surely the Madre Beatissima would let her live to reach the Holy City!
Thus are they nerved to declare the censure void and Venice is unharmed." "Madre Beatissima! thus hast thou answered me?"
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