“And one that hath not died his own death!” a woman answered under her breath, as she crossed herself with a shudder.

The wind inflated the empty folds of the crimson robe that draped the bier, carrying it almost into the water, as the gondolas glided away from the Piazzetta.

“San Marco save us! he wanted none of their pomp,” said an onlooker scornfully.  “The ten good years of his life and a quiet grave in San Michele—­the Signoria would buy them dear, to give them to him to-day!”

Yet if some had died unjustly, there was not less need of ceaseless vigilance against unceasing intrigue, within and without that body which held the power; and one morning the Senate was thrown into a state of great agitation by disclosures from one of the brothers of the Frari, indubitably confirmed by the papers which he delivered into the hands of the Doge.

“It is beyond belief!” Giustinian Giustiniani exclaimed to the Lady Laura, “how Spain findeth method to make traitors in Venice itself!  It is a nation treacherous to the core, and it were beyond the diplomacy of any government,—­save only ours,—­to maintain relations on such a basis of fraud.”

“What is there of new to chide them for?” she asked with keen interest.

“Is not the old enough to make one wrathful!  Boastful threats of arms against the Republic if she yield not obedience to the Holy Father, with secret promises of armed assistance to his Holiness to keep him firm in his course, at the very moment of her cringing attempts at mediation lest France should carry off the glory!—­and because Spain hath neither men to spare for Rome, nor courage to declare against the Republic, nor diplomacy to bring anything to an issue!”

“Nay, now them art returned to Venice forget the disturbing ways of Spain,” the Lady Laura answered, with an attempt at conciliation.  “I am glad that thy mission in that strange land hath come to an end.”

“Ay, but the ways of Spain do make traitors of us all!” Giustinian exclaimed hotly.  “When a senator of the Republic hath such amity for the ambassador of his Most Catholic Majesty, forsooth, that at vespers and at matins, in the Frari, they must use the self-same kneeling stool—­a tenderness and devotion beautiful to see in men so great; for it is aye one, and aye the other, and never both who tell their beads at once—­that, verily, some brother of the Frari doth take cognizance of a thing so rare and saintly and bringeth word thereof to the Serenissimo, with matter of much interest found within the prie-dieu.”

“Giustinian!”

“Ay, these minutes of the noble Senator, who acteth so well the spy for favor of Spain, would do honor to a ducal secretary, for accuracy of information concerning weighty private matters before the Council!  And due acknowledgment of so rare a courtesy doth not fail us in the very hand of the ambassador himself, for this letter also was intercepted!  This frate who hath brought the information verily deserveth honor for so great a service!”