As I said just now, his Majesty spoke of the ancient State of Venice, and from what he said on this occasion I learned more than I could have done from the most interesting book.  The viceroy having remarked that a few patricians regretted their former liberty, the Emperor exclaimed, “Liberty, what nonsense! liberty no longer existed in Venice, and had, indeed, never existed except for a few families of the nobility, who oppressed the rest of the population.  Liberty, with a Council of Ten!  Liberty, with the inquisitors of state!  Liberty, with the very lions as informers, and Venetian dungeons and bullets!” Marshal Duroc remarked that towards the end these severe regulations were much modified.  “Yes, no doubt,”—­replied the Emperor.  “The lion of St. Mark had gotten old; he had no longer either teeth or nails!  Venice was only the shadow of her former self, and her last doge found that he rose to a higher rank in becoming a senator of the French Empire.”  His Majesty, seeing that this idea made the vice-king smile, added very gravely, “I am not jesting, gentlemen.  A Roman senator prided himself on being more than a king; a French senator is at least the equal of a doge.  I desire that foreigners shall accustom themselves to show the greatest respect towards the constituted authorities of the Empire, and to treat with great consideration even the simple title of French citizen.  I will take care to insure this.  Good-night, Eugene.  Duroc, take care to have the reception to-morrow all that it should be.  After the ceremony we will visit the arsenal.  Adieu, Messieurs.  Constant, come back in ten minutes to put out my light; I feel sleepy.  One is cradled like an infant on these gondolas.”

The next day his Majesty, after receiving the homage of the Venetian authorities, repaired to the arsenal.  This is an immense building, fortified so carefully that it was practically impregnable.  The appearance of the interior is singular on account of several small islands which it incloses, joined together by bridges.  The magazines and numerous buildings of the fortress thus appear to be floating on the surface of the water.  The entrance on the land side, by which we were introduced, is over a very handsome bridge of marble, ornamented with columns and statues.  On the side next the sea, there are numerous rocks and sandbanks, the presence of which is indicated by long piles.  It is said that in time of war these piles were taken up, which exposed the foreign vessels, imprudent enough to entangle themselves among these shoals, to certain destruction.  The arsenal could formerly equip eighty thousand men, both infantry and cavalry, independent of complete armaments for war vessels.

The arsenal is bordered with raised towers, from which the view extends in all directions.  On the tallest of these towers, which is placed in the center of the building, as well as all the others, sentinels were stationed, both day and night, to signal the arrival of vessels, which they could see at a very great distance.  Nothing can be finer than the dockyards for building vessels, in which ten thousand men can work with ease.  The sails are made by women, over whom other elderly women exercise an active surveillance.