The Ghost-Seer; or the Apparitionist | Page 3

said the prince; "for should I even have
acquired a crown I am now too much engaged to occupy myself with
such a trifle. If that Armenian has not merely guessed by chance--"

"How can that be, my prince?" interrupted I.
"Then will I resign to you all my hopes of royalty in exchange for a
monk's cowl."
I have mentioned this purposely to show how far every ambitious idea
was then distant from his thoughts.
The following evening we went earlier than usual to the square of St.
Mark. A sudden shower of rain obliged us to take shelter in a
coffee-house, where we found a party engaged at cards. The prince
took his place behind the chair of a Spaniard to observe the game. I
went into an adjacent chamber to read the newspapers. A short time
afterwards I heard a noise in the card-room. Previously to the entrance
of the prince the Spaniard had been constantly losing, but since then he
had won upon every card. The fortune of the game was reversed in a
striking manner, and the bank was in danger of being challenged by the
pointeur, whom this lucky change of fortune had rendered more
adventurous. A Venetian, who kept the bank, told the prince in a very
rude manner that his presence interrupted the fortune of the game, and
desired him to quit the table. The latter looked coldly at him, remained
in his place, and preserved the same countenance, when the Venetian
repeated his insulting demand in French. He thought the prince
understood neither French nor Italian; and, addressing himself with a
contemptuous laugh to the company, said "Pray, gentlemen, tell me
how I must make myself understood to this fool." At the same time he
rose and prepared to seize the prince by the arm. His patience forsook
the latter; he grasped the Venetian with a strong hand, and threw him
violently on the ground. The company rose up in confusion. Hearing
the noise, I hastily entered the room, and unguardedly called the prince
by his name. "Take care," said I, imprudently; "we are in Venice." The
name of the prince caused a general silence, which ended in a
whispering which appeared to me to have a dangerous tendency. All
the Italians present divided into parties, and kept aloof. One after the
other left the room, so that we soon found ourselves alone with the
Spaniard and a few Frenchmen. "You are lost, prince," said they, "if
you do not leave the city immediately. The Venetian whom you have

handled so roughly is rich enough to hire a bravo. It costs him but fifty
zechins to be revenged by your death." The Spaniard offered, for the
security of the prince, to go for the guards, and even to accompany us
home himself. The Frenchmen proposed to do the same. We were still
deliberating what to do when the doors suddenly opened, and some
officers of the Inquisition entered the room. They produced an order of
government, which charged us both to follow them immediately. They
conducted us under a strong escort to the canal, where a gondola was
waiting for us, in which we were ordered to embark. We were
blindfolded before we landed. They led us up a large stone staircase,
and through a long, winding passage, over vaults, as I judged from the
echoes that resounded under our feet. At length we came to another
staircase, and, having descended a flight of steps, we entered a hall,
where the bandage was removed from our eyes. We found ourselves in
a circle of venerable old men, all dressed in black; the hall was hung
round with black and dimly lighted. A dead silence reigned in the
assembly, which inspired us with a feeling of awe. One of the old men,
who appeared to be the principal Inquisitor, approached the prince with
a solemn countenance, and said, pointing to the Venetian, who was led
forward:
"Do you recognize this man as the same who offended you at the
coffee-house?"
"I do," answered the prince.
Then addressing the prisoner: "Is this the same person whom you
meant to have assassinated to-night?"
The prisoner replied, "Yes."
In the same instant the circle opened, and we saw with horror the head
of the Venetian severed from his body.
"Are you content with this satisfaction?" said the Inquisitor. The prince
had fainted in the arms of his attendants. "Go," added the Inquisitor,
turning to me, with a terrible voice, "Go; and in future judge less
hastily of the administration of justice in Venice."

Who the unknown friend was who had thus saved us from inevitable
death, by interposing in our behalf the active arm of justice, we could
not conjecture. Filled with terror we reached our hotel. It