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Updated: June 13, 2025
"Yes, señorita, I am in earnest. It is lonely here in Venice now that I have no people. And Murano is not what it was in the golden days of my ancestors. I am sure I could find work in your country if I should go there. Do you not think I could, señor?" He turned to Mr. Cabot. "It is possible," was Uncle Bob's thoughtful answer. "Especially since you speak English so well.
He describes the procession of barks and gondolas, filled with ladies in gay toilettes, that were seen rowing across the lagoon many hours before the arrival of the illustrious visitors, and tells how the old Doge the same whose venerable figure is familiar to us in Giovanni Bellini's altar-piece, at Murano made his way to S. Clemente early in the afternoon, and retired to rest for an hour or two, in a chamber prepared for his Serene Highness, until the Ferrarese bucentaurs were seen in the distance.
"Once in the annals of the Republic there is noted such a marriage; a daughter of Murano, of the house of Beroviero nay, not so beautiful as Marina wedded with one of our noblest names; and the children, by decree of the Senate, were written every one in the 'Libro d'Oro."
And on this Christmas morning, when the Doge of Venice lay dying in his halls of state, the nuns of San Donate, won by the prayers and gifts of the Lady Marina, were making a procession to all the shrines of Murano, praying, if by any means, God would stay this curse from falling upon Venice. No joy-bells rang to usher in the sunrise Mass of this memorable Christmas day.
Mark on archivolt and parapet the invariable official signet of Venetian dominion stretches between that simpler quarter and this, which holds the great houses of Murano, whose masters, a sort of petite noblesse, have made their names illustrious by marvelous inventions in that exquisite industry in which Venice has no rival.
"Now, we have several long hours of moonlight. Shall we stay here?" The young man shivered. "No, the Lady Dogessa might disturb us. Let us go out toward Murano." "Are you really alive and mine, not Severance's?" he threw out, recklessly. She stopped and smiled. "First you tell me that I disturb your plans; then you want to know if I am preoccupied.
Finally it came to the ears of Pascale that Gian took this regular trip to Murano. "It is a rendezvous," said Pascale; "worse than that, an orgy among those lacemakers and the rogues of the glassworks. Oh, to think that Gian should stoop to such things at his age his pretended asceticism is but a mask and at his age!"
She fancied she could see the old man's fiery brown eyes and hear his angry voice. Poor Zorzi would be driven from Murano and Venice, never to set foot again within the boundaries of the Republic; for Beroviero was a man of weight and influence, of whom Venice was proud. Youth would be very sad if it counted time and labour as it is reckoned and valued by mature age.
He also replied in suitable terms to all that the Prince had said to me, which speech I will not repeat here, for fear of wearying your Excellency. "The Prince then rose and accompanied us to the foot of the great staircase, and here shook hands and left us. After that we went to visit the Queen of Cyprus at Murano, where she received us with great honour and gave us a beautiful entertainment.
In former times, when Venice was rich and prosperous, many noble families kept six or seven gondolas; and what with this service, and the numerous gala-days of the Republic, when the whole city took boat for the Lido, or the Giudecca, or Murano, and the gondoliers were allowed to exact any pay they could, they were a numerous and prosperous class.
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