Disguise was as
often useful to the oligarchy of Venice as it was absolutely necessary
to elude its despotism, and to render the town tolerable to the citizen.
Paolo saw swarthy, bare-legged men of the Lagunes, entering occasionally
into the cathedral. He followed, and found himself standing near the
dimly lighted altar at which masses were still saying for the soul of
Antonio.
"This is one of thy fellows?" he asked of a fisherman, whose dark eye
glittered in that light, like the organ of a basilisk.
"Signore, he was--a more honest or a more just man did not cast his net
in the gulf."
"He has fallen a victim to his craft?"
"Cospetto di Bacco! none know in what manner he came by his end. Some
say St. Mark was impatient to see him in paradise, and some pretend he
has fallen by the hand of a common Bravo, named Jacopo Frontoni."
"Why should a Bravo take the life of one like this?"
"By having the goodness to answer your own question, Signore, you will
spare me some trouble. Why should he, sure enough? They say Jacopo is
revengeful, and that shame and anger at his defeat in the late regatta,
by one old as this, was the reason."
"Is he so jealous of his honor with the oar?"
"Diamine! I have seen the time when Jacopo would sooner die than lose a
race; but that was before he carried a stiletto. Had he kept to his oar
the thing might have happened, but once known for the hired blow, it
seems unreasonable he should set his heart so strongly on the prizes of
the canals.
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