A Venetian June

Fe

I

Fe

s. Daymond was, Uncle Dan," said May

warm evening, and sweet, vagrant perfumes came straying in at the open door, and in the momentary hush which some

ting down his glass of claret, with a wry face. He

nown her a

since before

ay. "And you never tol

than once in five or six years, and then only over here.

incident of travel! He was so exhilarated over this feat that he was emboldened to pursue the subject. Beside

hink of her, Po

was even more expressive than her sister's encomiums, "that if she had not

seized, in her turn, with the spirit of investigation. "He d

ery nice; how did you

out very well. But I thought you girls had the best of it"; whence it may be gathered that Mrs. D

about together when we get our new flags," sa

good deal of Mrs. Daym

ether. She said she hoped to see a g

warmth and well-being stole through his veins, that m

ever considered the prow of a gondola a very fitting situation f

re going to have something ev

rettier than the Stars and St

said Pauline. "She has had

concocted quite a new scheme,-or rather the idea was mine and he is going to paint them. We are going to have a sea-horse painted on red bunting, in tawny colors, golds and b

d the young man is goin

od of him? And shan

so he remarked instead, with his most crafty grimace: "No, you'll probably look like frights"; which, if the girls had not b

udities and shortcomings of youth still in the ascendant, was too much occupied with her rapidly acquired views of the phenomena about her, to pay much attention to the perhaps equally interesting phenomenon of her own personality. The im

the Titian country. What did he care about the Titian country anyway? Here was Titian himself here in Venice, and lots besides. He would pitch into those flags to-morrow. That was really a very happy thought of the talkative one. He wondered if the quiet one would say more if she got a chance; she did not look stupid. And that reflection had struc

nstant's reflection-a little pause whic

, doubtfully. "The gondola

des-something like a person's heart. Of course I don't mean the gondolas on the souvenir spoons!" she added, w

her question to be quite in line with t

ile. I rather think you would have to begin almost in long clothes as these

frights remarked: "Mr. Daymond says they have a lighter oar that he used to row with when

he table. Upon which, dinner being over, the girls went off in search of their wraps, while the Colonel stepped ou

of the boats not being clearly distinguishable in the shadow. Every gondola was out, excepting the few unlucky ones that were detained for ferry service; for there was to

nd all along the line of the garden wall. He was standing beside the iron railing, pulling at a contemplative cigar, and listening, with co

everything; it is Venice and a

ne of the shadowy barks had glided

reaching down over the railing

as of the pure Italian type, very dark, and cast in noble lines. About the mouth and eyes, a touch of austere melancholy was discernible, even now, in the animation of the moment. He was like his brother, though his face lacked the sunlit quality which was his brother's chief charm of countena

"He has twisted his wrist, and if he rows this evening it wil

re looked

work," he said. "My nieces, you know.

as good a gondolier as ever I

on. A subtle difference that would hardly be defined as superiority; was it not rather something contradictory, not quite homogeneo

;-it isn't that. But,-well, it's not my way to talk about things. I suppose it's crochety, but s

his education, was still, first and foremost, the son of his old gondolier, in whom, when a bright boy of fifteen, a week in hospital with a broken arm had aroused a consuming ambition to be a doctor. The education, the profession,

ong his own people, Giovanni Scuro felt as thoroughly at home in the character of gondolier, as if he had never learned the meaning of the word s

had better," said the Co

Signore wishes. Another gondolier can be had to-morrow for the asking; bu

my nieces. We will meet you at the door. And, by

ore; only

ing their turn, and it occurred to Uncle Dan that the girls might, after all, not notice the new man at the oar. But he had reck

cried. "We've got a ne

his hand, and his brother h

es look like him. We were lu

his hand!" said Pauline. "I hope it's n

cautiously. "His brother s

t," Pauline urged. "Don't you t

ll, to-morrow, unless

can't be too careful

?" asked May. "I want to te

Uncle Dan, trembling for his g

tly, and glancing up into the intent, forward-looking face, just visible in th

i replied, without an

s he think is

id Nanni; "he hopes i

e Dan, now we know the Italian for sprain. I believe in always trying to say everythi

Palazzo Darino, where a g

Uncle Dan remarked. "What's your idea, Na

ow a place where t

e that is for a m

f calling him that when he was a little shav

two big boats moored alongside the fish-market. As they came to a stop they could already hear the music floating round the great bend of the Canal. The hulls of the two fishing-boats loomed tall and dark at either end of the gondola, while the rays of a lamp in the arcade over yonder fell athwart the yellow-brown sail of one of them, reefed loosely about the mast. There were a good many people on the quay, but th

d almost before their respective occupants could recognise one anot

ee the reflection of the lights around the bend

, came drifting down-stream. It represented a great temple with dome-like roof topped by a crown of lights, glittering against the dark background of the night. As it

in her fresh young voice, that seemed to dissipate illusio

nd la

ive any," he s

I supposed it was m

a dream. Don't wake us up, May! See; the

p a prelude, and presently a soprano voice rose high and strong above the wind and stringed instruments, ringing superbly out across the water. The fantastic impression of the scene was so strong that it seemed as if the visible brilliance of the shining lights had entered into the voice itself, giving it

bridge. The reflections played upon the face of the arch until the massive granite seemed hardly more real than the fairy-like temple of light itself; and then suddenly, the flickering colours vanished from the face of

e Virgin and the Angel on the other

d answered; "I was

ow footstep sounded, and as they looked back they could see a cloaked figure leaning upon the stone parapet. Now and then a chance gas-lamp cast upon the wall beside them the shadow of the gondolier's swaying figure, vani

; and Uncle Dan felt agreeably confirmed in

on the balcony in their pretty cashmere wrappers, leaning on the cushions of the stone balustrade. On came the gleaming colours of Italy, not a

urst of music rose from the barge. Over yonder, beyond the long, low line of the Giudecca, a pensive old moon wa

ys goes to your he

at that instant an emerald light struck full upon the white fa?ade of San Giorgio,