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The gray light of the storm-clouds by the banks of the Lido and the moan of the rising winds which threatened to engulf the Bucentoro and the fleet of attendant barges coming in state to meet the deposed Queen, were typical of the change.
She had rung several times for her breakfast, but her waiting-maid had not seemed to hear the summons, for nobody came at the call. The countess, however, was so absorbed in her day-dreams, that she forgot her breakfast. For a time her thoughts dwelt upon the singular scene that had taken place in the bucentoro.
I went up to her; and asked her why she had struck me with her fan. "To punish you for not knowing me again after having saved my life." I guessed that she was the person I had rescued the day before on the banks of the Brenta, and after paying her some compliments I enquired whether she intended to follow the Bucentoro. "I should like it," she said, "if I had a safe gondola."
The next day I masked myself early to accompany the Bucentoro, which, favoured by fine weather, was to be taken to the Lido for the great and ridiculous ceremony.
To their great astonishment, the marchesa, instead of bowing and smiling as is usual on such occasions, gave no other evidence of having heard their greeting than that which by a frown and a flash of her dark eyes might be construed into a signal of displeasure, as she disappeared behind the silken hangings of the bucentoro.
"Traitress!" exclaimed the prince, as Strozzi's bucentoro shot ahead, and the red-silk curtains, falling heavily down, shut out the fearful tableau that had been prepared to torture and exasperate him. Laura had swooned, and her fall had been remarked by the gondoliers. "Poor thing," said one of them, "she has a paroxysm of insanity." "How insanity?" asked Conrad.
For, of course all Venice would be there to see the queen set forth. "Santa Maria! the Serenissimo himself upon the Bucentoro will escort the Regina. Heard one ever such splendor!" "And at the Lido hast heard, Tonio? by favor of San Marco and San Nicolò, the gondolieri with their barchette may float in line to make our part of the festa. Oh, the beautiful day!"
Never did father more solemnly promise his protection to the child from whom he was parting, than did Cristoforo Moro, the Serenissimo, pledge the faith and support of Venetia to the Daughter of the Republic, as with slow majesty, to the rhythm of an ancient wedding canticle, the Bucentoro, escorted by all the galleys of the arsenal of Venice, the mighty galléasses of her patrician merchants and the gondolas of her nobles, moved forward, beyond the Lido, where the Ambassador Filippo Podacatharo waited with the fleet of Cyprus most sumptuously outfitted to receive the bride of Janus.
We will return to the Bucentoro, which, as its name imports, holds two hundred people, and is heavy besides with statues, columns, &c. The top covered with crimson velvet, and the sides enlivened by twenty-one oars on each hand. Musical performers attend in another barge, while foreigners in gilded pajots increase the general show.
"I regret to say that I do not, but I will make it my duty to discover her abode, and communicate the discovery to your highness." "Thank you," began the elector. But suddenly he stopped, and gazed intently upon Prince Eugene, who was standing at the stern of his gondola, only a few feet distant from the bucentoro of the Strozzis.
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