which it came. But the question was, How to get rid of a poor woman and a
civil, and the mother of a family dependent in great part upon her labor?
We solemnly resolve a hundred times to dismiss G., and we shrink a hundred
times from inflicting the blow. At last, somewhat in the spirit of Charles
Lamb's Chinaman who invented roast pig, and discovered that the sole
method of roasting it was to burn down a house in order to consume the
adjacent pig-sty, and thus cook the roaster in the flames,--we hit upon an
artifice by which we could dispense with Giovanna, and keep an easy
conscience. We had long ceased to dine at home, in despair; and now we
resolved to take another house, in which there were other servants. But
even then, it was a sore struggle to part with the flower of serving-
women, who was set over the vacated house to put it in order after our
flitting, and with whom the imprudent Paron settled the last account in
the familiar little dining-room, surrounded by the depressing influences
of the empty chambers. The place was peopled after all, though we had left
it, and I think the tenants who come after us will be haunted by our
spectres, crowding them on the pleasant little balcony, and sitting down
with them at table. G. stood there, the genius of the place, and wept six
regretful tears, each one of which drew a florin from the purse of the
Paron. She had hoped to remain with us always while we lived in Venice;
but now that she could no longer look to us for support, the Lord must
take care of her. The gush of grief was transient: it relieved her, and
she came out sunnily a moment after. The Paron went his way more
sorrowfully, taking leave at last with the fine burst of Christian
philosophy: "We are none of us masters of ourselves in this world, and
cannot do what we wish. _Ma! Come si fa? Ci vuol pazienza!_" Yet he
was undeniably lightened in heart. He had cut adrift from old moorings,
and had crossed the Grand Canal. G. did not follow him, nor any of the
long line of pensioners who used to come on certain feast-days to levy
tribute of eggs at the old house. (The postman was among these, on