of delight extended his influence over the whole assembly, over the
old man and the youth, over the matron and the virgin.

The venerable Andreas had seldom been in such high spirits as on
this occasion. He was all life; smiles of satisfaction played round
his lips; gracious and condescending to every one, he made it his
chief care to prevent his rank from being felt. Sometimes he
trifled with the ladies, whose beauty formed the greatest ornament
of this entertainment; sometimes he mingled among the masks, whose
fantastic appearance and gaiety of conversation enlivened the ball-
room by their variety; at other times he played chess with the
generals and admirals of the Republic; and frequently he forsook
everything to gaze with delight on Rosabella's dancing, or listen in
silent rapture to Rosabella's music.

Lomellino, Conari, and Paolo Manfrone, the Doge's three confidential
friends and counsellors, in defiance of their grey hairs, mingled in
the throng of youthful beauties, flirted first with one and then
with another, and the arrows of raillery were darted and received on
both sides with spirit and good humour.

"Now, Lomellino," said Andreas to his friend, who entered the saloon
in which the Doge was at that time accidentally alone with his
niece, "you seem in gayer spirits this evening than when we were
lying before Scardona, and had so hard a game to play against the
Turks."

Lomellino.--I shall not take upon me to deny that, signor. I still
think with a mixture of terror and satisfaction on the night when we
took Scardona, and carried the half-moon before the city walls. By