"And the gondolas of the ambassadors! Santa Maria! the
Signori, 'i provveditori alle pompe' have nothing to say, for there is a
dispensation! the velvets and satins and golden fringes--it will be a
true glimpse of the _paradiso_!"
"And the great Signor medico, Acquapendente, will be made this day
Cavaliere of the Republic, since he hath had the wonderful fortune to
save the life of our Padre Maestro Paolo; for it is well known there was
little hope of matins or vespers more for him, the night the _maledetti
bravi_ left the stiletto in his face!"
"And thou, Giuseppe!" cried a smiling mother from Mazzorbo, proudly
indicating her boy as an object of interest, and pushing him into a more
prominent position--"the bambino hath seen it with his own eyes, since
he is prentice at the metal graver's shop of Messer Maffeo Olivieri on
the Rialto; thou, tell us, Giuseppe, of this great goblet of graven
silver which the Master Olivieri hath ready for the presentation, by
order of the Signoria. E bello, ah? _Bellissimo_! And the Lion of San
Marco on the crown of it--_e vero_ Giuseppe?--with wings--_magnifico_!
And jewels of rubino in the eyes of it; and a tongue----"
"Cosi!" interposed Giuseppe, with dramatic effectiveness, thrusting out
his own with relish.
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