The moment seemed an hour.
"Reveal thyself!" Leonardo Donato commanded at last; "and rise!"
The supplicant slowly rose, throwing back her veil, and revealing a face
that was spirit-like in its pallor and beauty, with deep eyes,
unfathomably sad. Her maidens gathered close about her, as if to support
her, for she trembled as she stood.
A low murmur arose. "The Lady of the Giustiniani!"
In all that vast Council Chamber there was no movement, save the slight
commotion among a group of red-robed senators farthest from the throne,
who were forcibly detaining the Senator Marcantonio Giustiniani, and the
imperative gesture from the dais which had waved him back and hushed his
involuntary exclamation of horror. Among the Savii, Giustinian
Giustiniani sat livid with anger, close under the eyes of that one calm,
terrible Counsellor whose gaze, fastened upon him, rendered speech
impossible.
"My daughter," said the Doge, in a tone full of consideration, "this is
not fitting. At another moment we will listen to thy request.
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