THE ADRIATIC BRIDE. l5l 



The enthusiastic friends sunk in each other's arms. " I am a wit* r j 

 ness of your present oath to Heaven," said Malapiero," and have a 

 sacred right to remind you of its fulfilment !" 



The Deputies from the Senate came to salute the newly-chosen 

 Regent, and to invite him to appear before the electors. Ziani went, 

 accompanied by his friend, amid the loud rejoicings of the populace, 

 to the palace, where the election had taken place, and which was now 

 to be confirmed. He was occupied with the delightful sensation of 

 possessing the love of the people, and of rendering himself worthy of 

 it : but Giovanna' s lovely image filled up the back-ground of the 

 picture ; and the sweet thought frequently darted across his mind, of 

 seeing this angel of innocence sharing the sovereignty with him. 

 Agitated by these pleasing emotions, he entered the Hall of the Elec- 

 tors : but a cold shivering seized him when he heard the con- 

 ditions. He long stood trembling and silent, incapable of compre- 

 hending it. At length he said : " No ! you have calculated 

 falsely ! Keep your crown, if you wish to purchase with it the 

 happiness of my mind ! I do not understand governing a people 

 who would wish to tear such a deep-rooted affection from the breast 

 of their Prince: they require a tyrant I" 



On saying which, he quitted the astonished electors, with pride 

 and coldness, and returned to his palace. He hastened to the room 

 inhabited by Giovanna and her father, and, embracing her with 

 ardour, said : " You are now perfectly recovered, my Giovanna, 

 will you still delay becoming my wife ?" 



" No !" she answered softly, and clung to his breast ; " but I can- 

 not comprehend how I can render myself worthy of you, for I never 

 suspected that it was the great Ziani I loved ; but I feel that I 

 belong to you alone !" 



Ziani now pressed old Daponte to allow his union with his daugh- 

 ter to take place in the evening. He would avoid all parade, and 

 would take no farther excuse, as he thought he should be able to act 

 much more freely when once Giovanna was his wife. In the mean- 

 time, the people had become acquainted with the motive of Ziani's 

 open refusal to accept the throne ; and the stronger the general wish 

 became to confide the government to his hands, the more did their 

 hatred increase against the assassin of the Doge, Vitali Micheli, who 

 now appeared to attach himself with his guilt to Ziani's fate. A 

 deep murmur passed from mouth to mouth, like the hollow, porten- 

 tous noise before the eruption of a volcano. The people sent depu- 

 ties to the Electors, requiring that the crown should be again offered 

 to Ziani, and insisting on the imprisonment and punishment of 

 Daponte and his daughter. Fresh deputies came from the Senate : 

 he would not see them, but sent word, that on the morrow he would 

 make the Electors acquainted with his decision. 



In the meantime, Malapiero called on his friend, and used every 

 argument to dissuade him from his purpose : he reminded him of his 

 oath, and of the time, when he once told him in Constantinople, that 

 love should be sacrificed for one's country ! But all his eloquencehjju* 

 was vain. 



" You do not know what you require," cried Ziani, much agi- 



