coffee-house?"

"I do," answered the prince.

Then addressing the prisoner: "Is this the same person whom you meant to
have assassinated to-night?"

The prisoner replied, "Yes."

In the same instant the circle opened, and we saw with horror the head
of the Venetian severed from his body.

"Are you content with this satisfaction?" said the Inquisitor. The
prince had fainted in the arms of his attendants. "Go," added the
Inquisitor, turning to me, with a terrible voice, "Go; and in future
judge less hastily of the administration of justice in Venice."

Who the unknown friend was who had thus saved us from inevitable death,
by interposing in our behalf the active arm of justice, we could not
conjecture. Filled with terror we reached our hotel. It was past
midnight. The chamberlain, Z-------, was waiting anxiously for us at
the door.

"How fortunate it was that you sent us a message," said he to the
prince, as he lighted us up the staircase. "The news which Baron F-----
soon after brought us respecting you from the square of St. Mark would
otherwise have given us the greatest uneasiness."

"I sent you a message!" said the prince. "When? I know nothing of it."