The Lion of Saint Mark | Page 4

crimes of this kind were, in the great majority
of cases, committed with impunity, and even when traced, the authors,
if possessed of powerful protectors, seldom suffered any greater
punishment than temporary banishment.
After standing for some time on the Piazzetta, the two lads turned and,
entering the square of Saint Mark, mingled with the crowd. It was a
motley one. Nobles in silks and satins jostled with fishermen of the
lagoons. Natives of all the coasts and islands which owned the sway of
Venice, Greeks from Constantinople, Tartar merchants from the
Crimea, Tyrians, and inhabitants of the islands of the Aegean, were
present in considerable numbers; while among the crowd, vendors of
fruit and flowers from the mainland, and of fresh water or cooling
drinks, sold their wares. The English lad's companion--Matteo
Giustiniani--belonged to one of the leading families of Venice, and was
able to name to Francis most of the nobles and persons of importance
whom they passed.
"There is Pisani," he said. "Of course you know him. What a jolly,
good-tempered looking fellow he is! The sailors would do anything for
him, and they say he will have command of the next fleet that puts to
sea. I wish I was going with him. There is sure to be a fierce fight when
he comes across the Genoese. His father was one of our greatest
admirals.
"That noble just behind him is Fiofio Dandolo. What a grand family
they have been, what a number of great men they have given to the
republic! I should like to have seen the grand old Doge who stormed
the walls of Constantinople, and divided the Eastern empire among the
crusading barons. He was a hero indeed.
"No; I don't know who that young noble in the green velvet cap and
plum coloured dress is. O yes, I do, though; it is Ruggiero Mocenigo;
he has been away for the last two years at Constantinople; he was
banished for having killed Polo Morosini--he declared it was in fair

fight, but no one believed him. They had quarrelled a few days before
over some question of the precedence of their families, and Morosini
was found dead at the top of the steps close to the church of Saint Paolo.
Some people heard a cry and ran up just as Mocenigo leapt into his
gondola, but as it rowed off their shouts called the attention of one of
the city guard boats which happened to be passing, and it was stopped.
As his sword was still wet with blood, he could not deny that he was
the author of the deed, but, as I said, he declared it was in fair fight.
The Morosinis asserted that Polo's sword was undrawn, but the
Mocenigo family brought forward a man, who swore that he was one of
the first to arrive, and pick up the sword and place it in its scabbard to
prevent its being lost. No doubt he lied; but as Mocenigo's influence in
the council was greater than that of the Morosini, the story was
accepted. However, the public feeling was so strong that they could not
do less than sentence Ruggiero to two years' banishment. I suppose that
has just expired, and he has returned from Constantinople. He had a
bad reputation before this affair took place, but as his connections are
so powerful, I suppose he will be received as if nothing had happened.
There are plenty of others as bad as he is."
"It's a scandalous thing," Francis Hammond said indignantly, "that, just
because they have got powerful connections, men should be allowed to
do, almost with impunity, things for which an ordinary man would be
hung. There ought to be one law for the rich as well as the poor."
"So there is as far as the state is concerned," his companion replied. "A
noble who plots against the state is as certain of a place in the lowest
dungeons as a fisherman who has done the same; but in other respects
there is naturally some difference."
"Why naturally?" Francis retorted. "You belong to a powerful family,
Giustiniani, and my father is only a trader, but I don't see that naturally
you have any more right to get me stabbed in the back, than I have to
get you put out of the way."
"Naturally perhaps not," Matteo laughed; "but you see it has become a
second nature to us here in Venice. But seriously I admit that the
present state of things has grown to be a scandal, and that the doings of

some of our class ought to be put down with a strong hand."
"Well, I shall say goodnight now," the English boy said. "My father
doesn't like my being out after ten. He keeps up his