THE PIRATES OF SEGXA. 315 



scends to the wrist, and there reveals the small white 

 hand and tapering fingers of patrician beauty. All 

 this may captivate the fastidious noble ; but, to men 

 less artificial in their tastes and habits, could such a 

 woman be better than a statue and could love, the 

 strongest of human passions, be ever more to her 

 than a short-lived and amusing pastime ? 



" From these immortal portraits, my Antonio, you 

 may learn that colour was the grand secret of the 

 great Venetian painters. TJieir pale forms are never 

 white, nor their blooming cheeks rose-colour, but the 

 true colour of life mellow, rich, and glowing ; both 

 men and women strictly true to nature, and looking 

 as if they could turn pale with anger or blush with 

 tender passion. From these great men can best be 

 learned how much charm may be conveyed by colour, 

 and what life and glow, what passion, grace, and 

 beauty, it gives to form. 



" But I weary thee, Antonio ; and after such ex- 

 citement thou hast need of repose. To-morrow, let 

 me see thee early." 



The exhausted youth gladly departed from a scene 

 of so much trial, and hastening to his gondola, 

 sought refreshment in an excursion to the Lido. 

 Eeturning after nightfall, he landed on the Place of 

 St Mark's, and wandered through its cool arcades 

 until they were deserted. In vain, however, did he 

 strive to banish the graceful form and grisly features 

 of the stranger. The strong impression he had re- 



