A Golden Book of Venice

e the next morning as he had planned; for the

he maidens whom one might encounter at the traghetto or in the Piazza; there had been a dignity and self-forgetfulness in such perfect harmony with the face that, at the moment, this had seemed entirely natural. But the tones returned to him as he pondered, filled with a deeper melody than the usual winning speech of the Venetian; with the

his Madonna; he would never give it up! Yet this maiden was not one of whom

is artist life, as by his sympathies, to all classes. Perhaps, too, he had been moved with a vague hope that he might find the face he was seeking, for he was used to fortunate happenings. But there were no waiting Madonnas under the pergola, and the air of the early spring morn

s Murano well

man almost past traghetto service, but his

must go swiftly, and I would not tax thee. Thou shalt have thy fare, but I will pay for anot

ly from one to another, and the tottering gransiere ostentatiously protected the velvet mantle of the artist as he

one work for us both," the padrone commanded, as he flung himself d

it is the young ones who make us trouble; they keep not t

changed then! It used t

self was not old, and his e

re were wisdom enough left in Venice to cavil at the barter! Yet thou and I, having wisdom thrust upon us by these same bea

his beard to keep him warm, and the time draws near," t

an, "why do you young fellows make Venice ring with yo

er known, for an unfailing splendor of costume which would have made him at all times a model for the pictures he loved to paint. Recently, for bad conduct, the gondoliers had been gradually forfeiting their licenses, or "liberties,

is perhaps of the Provveditori al Comun?" These officials collected th

a better craft. But please thyself, f

teeth; for it was easy to make friends with the genial artist. "And between the governors and the provveditori one may

suffering from hunger, as he stood swaying in keen enjoyment of the motion which showed his prowess,

first fare in the day?-always for the Madonna of the traghetto. This maledetto fare of the Madonna suffices for the Madonna's oil, I ask you? Ebbene non! There are the fines

him a considerable coin. "And may she make thee wiser; for, by thine inve

the navy; how many good men does that leave for the traghetto service? And a license is not little to buy for a poor barcariol who would be his o

, your great man, for

ney is little it is the gastaldo who pays much. And the toso-all his faults blamed on the traghetti! Ah, signore, for

d the Veronese, laughing;

rtily in the merriment, his grievance, which was never

ing the island of San Michele, toward which a mournful procession of boats, each with its torch and its banner of black, was slowly gliding, while back over the water ec

se at hand, the smoke of its daily activities tre

none like them; and it is old-'ma antica'! And the stabilimenti?-it is glory eno

and before they reached the landing he had learned, by a judicious indifference which sharpened his companion's loquacity, that

he old man talking, he put the question

"cosi-so-so-a little pale-like a saint-devote. For the poor? Good, g

employed by them without limit in their sumptuous decorations; and that which elsewhere would have been merely decora

amo bowed low before this master who had come to do him honor; displaying all that the initiated would hold most precious among his treasures-that design, faded and d

ed freely. "I believe," he said, as together they laid away the parchment, "that in our modern mosaics we should keep to the massive lines of

e workmen of Murano have our Lady in that old Byzantine type; there is none earlier-nor in

e, if an artist cannot do the all, is he most the artist who stops below his lim

ainting, perhaps?" Girolamo q

is not a Venetian question. Here all is warmth, color, beauty, joy;

Venetian types. But I have heard that

Veronese answered reve

sions; but at Rome only

r, creating mighty mean

each a mystery, wres

equaled him in form-that he was ev

the less, but the more; as if, before the visions had taken m

talked with one who k

"and it is

ght was coming on, and already his candle was fastened to his hat, that he might lose no time. They had brought him a little bread and wine for his evening meal, for often he went not home when the mood of work possessed him; and beside him was a writing of the man Savonarola-this and the Holy E

tto, at Santa Ma

of our Jacopo. But the terror of the Tintoretto is very terrible and very human. The

said with grave courtesy when the talk had come

this chamber of treasures I may leave the trifle which I came to bring for the bambino?" he added with hesitation,

h Marina and the little one, unconsciously weaving his thoughts into such a picture as he

craft, he hath the grace to acknowledge!), 'have no other word to say, save that it shall be noble and most spiritual, as befitteth our religion.' And such a face till now, Messer Girolamo Magagnati-so beautiful and holy-I have not found. But now it is a vision sent to me from heaven, quite other than any picture I have ever dreamed, and I will paint no other

t men could not resist, already seemed to him a friend; for the rare mingling of knightly grace and artistic enthusiasm, overcoming spasmodically the usual assertiveness of hi