"
At the door Marina turned again, rallying her failing strength with a
last desperate effort, but the words came in a broken, agonized whisper:
"O Santissima Maria Vergine! Mater Dolorosa! because thou art the
special guardian of this Virgin City--and here, in her councils, none of
thy reverend fathers may plead for thee--be merciful, Madre Beatissima!
Save us from our doom!"
XIX
As the door closed upon the retreating cortege the attitude of the Doge
grew stern. He turned as if about to address the still standing Senate,
when, remembering that he had already assumed the initiative to an
unusual degree, and having so recent a recollection of that formidable
coronation oath whose slightest infraction would be visited upon his
nearest of kin, he mounted in silence to his seat and consulted with his
Councillors until the senators were in their places. Then, in a tone of
authority, he proclaimed:
"That which hath just occurred within this hall of the Senate shall be
for those who have witnessed it as if it had not been, and the
secretaries of the day shall not transcribe it upon their records, since
it hath already more than sufficiently consumed our time.
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