A GARDEN IN VENICE 



the damage that would be done me ; how fatal 

 it was to cut us off from the view and access to 

 the lagoon with all its beauty and its air, was 

 met by the answer, made with equal civility, 

 that the bank was outside our property, and was 

 under the control of the Municipio, who would 

 do what they liked with their own. I had a 

 right to a metre's free space beyond my boundary 

 wall and this would be respected. 



There was no redress. Private interest must 

 give way to the public good, and if the 

 Municipio thought this bank was the place to 

 shoot their rubbish on, we could but make the 

 best of it. Clearly the best was to become the 

 horrid person, and buy or rent the Sacca oneself. 

 It would take pages to tell the story of the 

 efforts made during fourteen years, and express 

 our gratitude to Prefects and Sindacos, and even 

 Ministers and Ambassadors, for their interest, 

 sympathy, and help before we arrived at the 

 desired proprietorship. 



First we obtained a lease for three years. 

 The length of such leases is limited, and it is 



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