that "the donzel Marina had given them festa."

Yes, there was to be festa in Murano. Girolamo had obtained from the
Senate the grace of providing it. For now, since his daughter would have
no need of the gold which his industry had brought him, he might spend
it lavishly on her wedding day to gladden the hearts of the people whom
she was leaving; for to him this bridal had a deeply consecrated meaning
which divested it of half its sadness.

The workmen of Murano were to have holiday, and a great feast was spread
for them by Girolamo in the long exhibition hall of the stabilimenti,
for which it had been needful to procure permission of the Senate; but
for once it suited well the humor of this august and autocratic body
that one of the people should, for a day, make himself great among them.
Thus for the inhabitants of Murano--men, women, and children--there was
a welcome waiting the day long in the house of the bride, where they
should come to take her bounty and shower their blessings; for this time
only Murano had no voice for _critica_--it was too busy in
congratulation.

When Marina reached her home she found it garlanded from column to
column with festal wreaths of green, while the maidens from the village
still lingered, veiling the walls between the windows with delicate
frosts of fruit-bloom from the gardens of Mazzorbo. And closely
following this village tribute came a priest from San Donato with the
band of white-robed nuns who formed the choir of the Matrice, bearing
perfumes of incense and benediction for the home of the bride, that all
who passed beneath its portal, going out or coming in, might carry
blessing with their steps.