A GARDEN IN VENICE 



the gutters of the palace roof, the rain that fell 

 there. 



The sand, I was told, occupied no space, i.e., 

 the well basin would hold almost as much water 

 when filled with sand as when empty. It 

 filtered the rain, and this passed, so filtered, 

 through the lower pervious tier of bricks, and 

 rose within the canna to the height of the water 

 in the sand outside it. The water was drawn 

 from the well by throwing down a secchio with 

 a rope, and the blow of these secchi aerated the 

 water. So the Venetian got his drink fresh 

 from heaven, pure and sparkling, with no trouble 

 but that of sending his womenfolk to fetch it. 

 But if in a long summer the rain was forgetful 

 and the women drew the well dry, the clay 

 dried also ; cracked, as the rude manner of dry 

 clay is ; salt water from outside came to the 

 rescue of the clay and the spoiling of the well. 



This had happened in our cortile. So we had 

 to call cunning well-makers to our aid. They 

 first cleared the well basin of the sand, then cut 

 the clay wall down inch by inch, patted it, 



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