Leave them their heaven,
who have no earthly paradise!"
The lady's strength seemed failing, for the last words had come more
painfully, though with a ring of passionate indignation.
Again Marcantonio Giustiniani broke from his detaining colleagues in an
attempt to reach his wife; and a second time the hands of the
Councillors waved him back.
"Spare us this anathema, most gracious Prince!" she cried. "I speak for
the mothers of all the babes of Venice. And oh, my Lords,"--and now the
words came in a low, intense wail, as she turned instinctively and
included them all in the beseeching motion of her hands,--"if you have
no mercy on yourselves, at least have mercy on your tender little ones!
Do not bring damnation on these innocent, helpless children by your own
act. Be great enough to submit to a greater power!"
"It is unseemly," murmured another of the Councillors, yet low, as if
afraid of his own judgment in a case so strange.
Leonardo Donato had been in possession of the supreme ducal authority
but a few weeks, not long enough to unlearn the tone of command and the
quick power of decision which had distinguished him as ambassador, when
he had been chosen with the unanimous approval of this august assembly,
to conciliate the court of Rome in the hour of the Republic's great
emergency.
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