"Infidels," supplied Paolo approvingly. "That's right." And any one seeing
the old man would surely have thought that he had himself fought against
the infidels, such fire shot from his eyes, and so tense became his
muscles. "It was in the Fourth Crusade that Venice played so mighty a
part."

"Was Dandolo the leader?" asked Andrea, sitting bolt upright in his
excitement, and forgetting the pigeon which, loosed by the sudden movement,
escaped, and soared, with a quick spiral curve, to the blue sky.

Regretfully, the child watched the flight, but settled back as Paolo went
on:

"Old though he was, he was the hero of the whole expedition. Even the
French had no general to compare with him. And tell me, both of you, did
you ever see a picture of a Doge of Venice?"

"I have!" Maria cried; "and he wore a coat all red and gold and a cap--"

"Si! si!" the old man interrupted, almost beside himself with excitement;
"those were his robes of state, but in armor, and on horseback before the
walls of Constantinople! Ah, then he must have been magnifico!"

"On horseback, did you say?" repeated Andrea, and his eyes wandered to the
bronze steeds the manes of which glistened in the sunlight.

Paolo nodded, "And I have no doubt but that the one great Dandolo rode was
like those very horses; and, by the way, my lad, did you ever hear that
they were part of the spoils he brought from the East in triumph and placed