huddle beside the peopled barges, and the young ladies from the
hotels, vaguely fidgeting, complain of the communication of
insect life. Here indeed is a little of everything, and the
jewellers of this celebrated precinct--they have their immemorial
row--make almost as fine a show as the fruiterers. It is a
universal market, and a fine place to study Venetian types. The
produce of the islands is discharged there, and the fishmongers
announce their presence. All one's senses indeed are vigorously
attacked; the whole place is violently hot and bright, all
odorous and noisy. The churning of the screw of the
vaporetto mingles with the other sounds--not indeed that
this offensive note is confined to one part of the Canal. But
Just here the little piers of the resented steamer are
particularly near together, and it seems somehow to be always
kicking up the water. As we go further down we see it stopping
exactly beneath the glorious windows of the Ca'd'Oro. It has
chosen its position well, and who shall gainsay it for having
put itself under the protection of the most romantic facade in
Europe? The companionship of these objects is a symbol; it
expresses supremely the present and the future of Venice.
Perfect, in its prime, was the marble Ca'd'Oro, with the noble
recesses of its loggie, but even then it probably never
"met a want," like the successful vaporetto. If, however,
we are not to go into the Museo Civico--the old Museo Correr,
which rears a staring renovated front far down on the left, near
the station, so also we must keep out of the great vexed question
of steam on the Canalazzo, just as a while since we prudently
kept out of the Accademia. These are expensive and complicated
excursions. It is obvious that if the vaporetti have
contributed to the ruin of the gondoliers, already hard pressed