Chapter 18: The Release Of Pisani.
On the morning of the 17th, the party were sitting at breakfast, whenGiulia suddenly sprang to her feet.
"Listen!" she exclaimed.
Her father and Francis looked at her in surprise, but instinctivelylistened for whatever sound she could have heard. Then a deep, solemnsound boomed through the air.
"It is the bell of the Campanile tolling," the merchant exclaimed. "Itis the signal for all citizens to take up arms. Some terrible news hasarrived."
Hastily putting on his armour, the merchant started to Saint Mark's,accompanied by Francis, who put on a steel cap, which he preferred tothe heavy helmet, and a breastplate. A crowd of citizens were pursuingthe same direction. The numbers thickened as they approached thePiazza, which they found on their arrival to be already thronged withpeople, who were densely packed in front of the palace, awaiting anexplanation of the summons.
There was a look of deep anxiety on every face, for all felt that thenews must be bad, indeed, which could have necessitated such a call.Presently the doge, accompanied by the council, appeared in thebalcony. A complete silence fell upon the multitude, the bell ceasedtolling, and not the slightest sound disturbed the stillness. One ofthe councillors stepped to the front, for the doge, Contarini, was nowseventy-two years old, and his voice could hardly have been heard overso wide an area.
"Citizens of the republic, gather, I pray you, all your fortitude andconstancy, to hear the news which I have to tell. It is bad news; butthere is no reason for repining, still less for despair. If Venice hasbut confidence in herself, such as she has throughout her historyshown, when danger seemed imminent, be assured that we shall weatherthis storm, as we have done all that have preceded it. Chioggia hasfallen!"
An exclamation of pain and grief went up from the crowd. The speakerheld up his hand for silence.
"Chioggia, contrary to our hopes and expectations, has fallen; but weare proud to say, it has fallen from no lack of bravery on the part ofits defenders. As you know, for six days the brave podesta, Emo, andhis troops have repulsed every attack; but yesterday an unforeseenaccident occurred. While our soldiers were holding their own, as usual,a Genoese fire ship exploded in the canal behind them. The idea,unfortunately, seized the troops that the bridge was on fire. TheGenoese shouted 'The bridge is in flames!' and pressed onward, and oursoldiers fell back, in some confusion, towards the bridge. Here Emo,with four brave companions, made a noble stand, and for a time checkedthe advance of the foe; but he was driven back. There was no time todestroy the communication behind him. The enemy pressed on, and,mingled with our retreating soldiers, entered the town. And so Chioggiawas taken. Our loss in killed is said to be eight hundred and sixtymen; while the rest of the garrison--four thousand in number--weretaken prisoners."
A loud cry of anguish burst from the crowd. Numbers of those presenthad relatives and friends among the garrison of Chioggia; and to all,the news of this terrible disaster was a profound blow. Venice was opennow to invasion. In a few hours, the enemy might appear in her canals.
The council and the nobles endeavoured to dispel the feeling ofdespair. While some harangued the people from the balconies, otherswent down and mingled with the crowd, assuring them that all was notyet lost, that already messengers had been despatched to Doria, and theLord of Padua, asking for terms of peace; and even should these berefused, Venice might yet defend herself until Zeno arrived, with hisfleet, to their rescue. The doge himself received deputations of thecitizens, and, by his calmness and serenity, did much to allay thefirst feeling of terror and dismay; and in a few hours the cityrecovered its wonted aspect of tranquillity.
The next morning the answer to the overtures was received. The Lord ofPadua, who was doubtless beginning to feel some misgiving as to thefinal issue of the struggle, declared that he himself was not unwillingto treat upon certain terms, but that the decision must rest in thehands of his colleague. Doria, believing that Venice was now in hisgrasp, rejected the idea of terms with scorn.
"By God's faith, my lords of Venice," he cried, "ye shall have no peacefrom the Lord of Padua, nor from our commune of Genoa, until I have puta bit in the mouths of the horses of your evangelist of Saint Mark.When they have been bridled you shall then, in sooth, have a goodpeace; and this is our purpose and that of our commune!
"As for these captives, my brethren," he said, pointing to some Genoeseprisoners of rank, whom the Venetians had sent with their embassy, inhopes of conciliating the Genoese, "take them back. I want them not;for in a few days I am coming to release, from your prisons, them andthe rest."
As soon as the message was received, the bell summoned the popularassembly together, and, in the name of the doge, Pietro Mocenigodescribed to them the terrible nature of the peril that threatenedthem, told them that, after the insolent reply of Doria, there was nowno hope save in their own exertions, and invited all to rally round thenational standard, for the protection of their hearths and homes. Thereply of the assembly was unanimous; and shouts were raised:
"Let us arm ourselves! Let us equip and man what galleys are in thearsenal! Let us sally out to the combat! It is better to die in thedefence of our country, than to perish here from want."
A universal conscription was at once ordered, new taxes were imposed,and the salaries of the magistrates and civil functionaries suspended.All business came to a standstill, and property fell to a fourth of itsformer value. The imposts were not found adequate to produce the sumsrequired, and a new loan, at five per cent, was decreed. All subscribedto the utmost of their ability, raising the enormous sum of 6,294,040lire. A new captain general was elected, and the government nominatedTaddeo Giustiniani to the post.
The fortification of the city, with earthworks, was commenced. Lines ofdefence were drawn from Lido to San Spirito, and two wooden towersconstructed at the former point, to guard the pass of San Nicolo.Events succeeded each other with the greatest rapidity, and all thesematters were settled within thirty-six hours of the fall of Chioggia.In all respects the people, at first, yielded implicit obedience to theorder of the council. They enrolled themselves for service. Theysubscribed to the loan. They laboured at the outworks. But from themoment the appointment of Taddeo Giustiniani was announced, they grewsullen. It was not that they objected to the new captain general, whowas a popular nobleman, but every man felt that something more thanthis was required, in such an emergency, and that the best man thatVenice could produce should be at the helm.
The sailors of the port were the first to move in the matter, andshouts for Vettore Pisani were heard in the streets. Others took up thecry, and soon a large multitude assembled in the Piazza, and withmenacing shouts, demanded that Pisani should be freed and appointed. Soserious did the tumult become, that the council were summoned in haste.Pisani--so popular with the lower class that they called him theirfather--was viewed with corresponding dislike and distrust by thenobles, who were at once jealous of his fame and superiority, and werealarmed at a popularity which could have made him, had he chosen it,the master of the state.
It was not, therefore, until after some hours of stormy debate, thatthey decided to give in to the wishes of the crowd, which wascontinually growing larger and more threatening; and it was late in theevening before the senators deputed by the council, followed by theexulting populace, hurried to the prison to apprise Pisani that he wasfree, and that the doge and senate were expecting him. Pisani heard themessage without emotion, and placidly replied that he should prefer topass the night where he was in reflection, and would wait on theseignory in the morning.
At daybreak on Friday, the 19th of August, the senatorial delegates andthe people, accompanied by the other officers who had been involved inthe disgrace of Pisani, and who had now been freed, reappeared at thegates of the prison. These were immediately opened, and Pisaniappeared, with his usual expression of cheerfulness and good humour onhis face. He was at once lifted on to the shoulders of some sailors,and borne in triumph to the palace, amid t
he deafening cheers of thepopulace. On the staircase he was met by the doge and senators, whosaluted him cordially. Mass was heard in the chapel, and Pisani and thecouncil then set to business, and were for some time closeted together.
The crowd waited outside the building, continuing to shout, and whenPisani issued out from the palace, he was seized and carried in triumphto his house in San Fantino. As he was passing the Campanile of SaintMark, his old pilot, Marino Corbaro, a remarkably able seaman, but aperpetual grumbler against those in authority, met him, and elbowinghis way through the crowd, drew close to him, loudly shouting at thesame time:
"Now is the time, admiral, for revenging yourself, by seizing thedictatorship of this city. Behold, all are at your service. All arewilling, at this very instant, to proclaim you prince, if you choose."
The loyalty of Pisani's nature was so affronted by this offer, that, ina fury of rage, he leaned forward and struck Corbaro a heavy blow withhis fist, and then raising his voice shouted to those about him:
"Let none who wish me well say, 'Viva Pisani!' but, 'Viva San Marco!'"
And the populace then shouted, "Viva San Marco and our Father Pisani!"
No sooner had Pisani reached his house than the news was bruited about,that the admiral had been merely appointed governor of Lido, and thatGiustiniani remained in command of the navy. The people were furious;and a deputation of 600 waited upon Pisani and said:
"We are yours. Command us as you will."
Pisani told them that it was for the republic, and not for him, tocommand their services. The deputation then went to the council, anddeclared, in the name of fifty thousand Venetians, that not a man wouldembark on the galleys until Pisani received his command, as captaingeneral of all the forces of the republic, by land and sea. The Councilof Ten, finding it impossible to resist the popular demand, andterrified at the idea of the tumult that a refusal would arouse, atlast agreed to their request.
Fortunately for the republic, the four days which elapsed between thefall of Chioggia, and the appointment of Pisani to the supreme command,had not been utilized by the enemy. Carrara and Doria had always beenat variance as to their plans of operations, and, as usual, theydiffered now. The Lord of Padua urged the necessity for following uptheir success by an instant attack upon Venice, while Doria insistedupon carrying out his original plan, and trusting as much to starvationas to military operations. He, however, gradually pushed forward twooutposts, at Poreja and Malamocco, and on the latter island, at adistance of three miles from Venice, he erected a battery, many ofwhose shot fell at San Spirito.
Francis had borne his share in the events which had led to theinstallation of Pisani in the supreme command. He had at firstinstigated the sailors of Polani to raise a cry in the streets for therestoration of the admiral, and had gone about with two or three of hisfriends, mingling with knots of persons, and urging that the only hopeof the republic lay in the energy and talent of Pisani. Even Matteo hadjoined him, although Taddeo Giustiniani was his own uncle. But, as thelad said, "what matters it about relationship now? What will become ofrelationship, if the Genoese and Paduans land here, raze the city tothe ground, and scatter us over the face of the earth? No. When itcomes to a question of ordinary command, of course I should go with myfamily; but when Venice is in danger, and only one man can save her, Ishould vote for him, whoever the other may be."
Polani had also exerted the great influence he possessed among thecommercial classes, and had aided the efforts of Francis, by givingleave to the sailors of all his ships in port to go on shore. A fewhours after Pisani's release the merchant, accompanied by Francis,called upon him.
"Welcome, my friends," he said heartily.
"Well, you see, Messer Hammond, that I was a true prophet, and that Ihave had my share of the dungeon. However, we need not talk of thatnow. I am up to my eyes in business."
"I have no doubt of that, admiral," Polani said. "I have called tooffer every ship I have in the harbour, for the defence of the city. Imyself will continue to pay their crews, as at present. Use the vesselsas you like. Make fire ships of them if you will. I can afford theloss."
"Thanks, my friend," the admiral said. "We shall find a use for them,never fear.
"As for you, Messer Hammond, even in my prison I heard of your gallantfeat, in recapturing the Pluto and three other ships from the Genoese,and thus retrieving, to some extent, the losses of Pola. I hope to wipeoff the rest of the score before long. I shall find a command for you,in a day or two. Age and rank go for nothing now. I am going to put thebest men in the best position.
"I have just appointed that old rascal, Corbaro, vice admiral of theLido. He is a grumbling old scoundrel, and would have had me get up arevolution today, for which I had to knock him down; but he is one ofthe best sailors Venice ever turned out, and just the man for theplace."
"I would rather act as a general aide-de-camp to you, admiral, thanhave a separate command, if you will allow me," Francis said. "I amstill too young to command, and should be thwarted by rivalry andjealousies. I would, therefore, far rather act under your immediateorders, if you will allow me."
"So be it, then, lad. Come to me tomorrow, and I have no doubt I shallhave plenty for you to do. At present, I cannot say what course I mayadopt, for in truth, I don't know what position I shall hold. Thepeople do not seem content with my having only the government of Lido;but for myself, I care nothing whether I hold that command, or that ofcaptain general. It is all one to me, so that I can serve the republic.And Giustiniani is an able man, and will no doubt do his business well.
"You do not think so, young man?" he broke off, when Francis shook hishead.
"I do not, indeed, sir. He has erected two wooden towers at the mouthof the Lido, which the first stone from a Genoese ballista would knockto splinters; and has put up a fence to San Spirito, which a Genoesesoldier in full armour could jump over."
"Well, we shall see, Messer Hammond," the admiral said, smiling. "Ifear you have one bad quality among your many good ones, and that isthat you are a partisan. But go along now. I have no more time to spareto you."
No sooner had Pisani obtained the supreme command, than he set to workin earnest to provide for the safety of the city, the reorganization ofthe navy, and the conversion of the new levies into soldiers andsailors. The hulls of forty galleys, which were lying in the arsenals,were taken in hand, and two-thirds of them were equipped and ready forsea in three days.
The population was full of ardour and enthusiasm, and crowded to theoffices to register their names for service. The women brought theirjewels, to be melted down into money; and all vied with each other inzeal.
Pisani's first task, after seeing the galleys put in hand, was toexamine the defences Giustiniani had erected. He at once pronounced thetwo wooden towers--of which Francis had spoken so disrespectfully--tobe utterly useless, and ordered two tall towers, of solid masonry, tobe erected in their stead.
Giustiniani was indignant at this condemnation of his work; and he andhis friends so worked upon the minds of those who were to carry out thework, that they laid down their tools, and refused to embark upon suchuseless operations. The news was brought to Pisani by one of hisfriends, and, starting in his gondola, he was soon upon the spot.
He wasted no time in remonstrating with the workmen on their conduct,but, seizing a trowel, lifted a heavy stone into its place, shouting:
"Let him who loves Saint Mark follow my example!"
The success of the appeal was instantaneous. The workmen grasped theirtools. A host of volunteers seized the stones and carried them to theirplaces. When they were exhausted, fresh workmen took their places, andin the incredibly short time of four days, the two castles werefinished.
The workmen were next set to level the paling and earthwork, from Lidoto San Spirito, and in the course of a fortnight the lofty and massivestone walls were erected. By this time, something like a fleet was atPisani's disposal. In spite of the conduct of Taddeo Giustiniani,Pisani, with his usual magna
nimity, gave him the command of three largeships, mounting the heaviest guns in the arsenal. The light boats wereunder the command of Giovanni Barberigo. Federigo Cornaro was stationedwith a force of galleys at San Spirito. Nicholo Gallieano was chargedwith the defence of the Lazaretto, San Clemente, Santa Elena, and theneighbourhood; while on the strand between Lido and Malamocco, behindthe main wall, were the mercenaries, eight thousand strong, underJacopo Cavalli. Heavy booms were placed across all the canals by whichit was likely that the enemy's fleet might advance.
Francis found his office, under the energetic admiral, no sinecure. Hewas kept constantly moving from one point to the other, to see that allwas going on well, and to report the progress made. The work neverceased, night or day, and for the first week neither Francis, nor hiscommander, ever went to bed, contenting themselves with such chancesleep as they could snatch.
Having wasted eight precious days, the enemy, on the 24th of August,advanced to the attack. A Genoese force, under Doria's brother, landedupon San Nicolo; while the Paduans attacked San Spirito and SantaMarta. They found the besieged in readiness. Directly the alarm wasgiven, the Venetians flocked to the threatened points, and repulsed theenemy with slaughter.
The latter then attempted to make a junction of their forces, butCornaro with his galleys occupied the canal, drove back the boats inwhich they intended to cross, and defeated the attempt. Doria had feltcertain that the movement, which was attempted under cover of night,would succeed, and his disappointment was extreme.
The Lord of Padua was so disgusted that he withdrew his troops to themainland. Doria remained before Venice until the early part of October,but without making another attack. Indeed, the defences had long beforebecome so formidable, that attack was well-nigh hopeless. At the end ofthat time he destroyed all his works and fell back upon Chioggia, anddetermined to wait there until Venice was starved into surrender.
The suffering in the city was intense. It was cut off from all accessto the mainland behind, but occasionally a ship, laden with provisionsfrom Egypt or Syria, managed to evade the Genoese galleys. Theseprecarious supplies, however, availed but little for the wants of thestarving city, eked out though they were by the exertions of thesailors, who occasionally sailed across the lagoon, landed on themainland, and cut off the supplies sent from Padua and elsewhere to theGenoese camp.
The price of provisions was so enormous, that the bulk of the peoplewere famishing, and even in the houses of the wealthy the pressure wasgreat. The nobility, however, did their utmost for their starvingcountrymen, and the words of Pietro Mocenigo, speaking in the name ofthe doge to the popular assembly, were literally carried into effect.
"Let all," he said, "who are pressed by hunger, go to the dwellings ofthe patricians. There you will find friends and brothers, who willdivide with you their last crust."
So desperate, indeed, did the position become, that a motion was madeby some members of the council for emigrating from the lagoons, andfounding a new home in Candia or Negropont; but this proposal was atonce negatived, and the Venetians declared that, sooner than abandontheir city, they would bury themselves under her ruins.
So October and November passed. Carlo Zeno had not yet arrived, but bysome letters which had been captured with a convoy of provisions, itwas learned that he had been achieving the most triumphant success, hadswept the seas from Genoa to Constantinople, had captured a Genoesegalleon valued at three hundred thousand ducats, and was at Candia.
This intelligence revived the hopes of Venice, and on the 16th ofNovember Luigi Moroceni was despatched to order him, in the name of thegovernment, peremptorily to hasten to the rescue of Venice. Almost atthe same time, Giovanni Barberigo, with his light craft, surprised andcaptured three of the enemy's vessels, killing many of the sailors, andtaking a hundred and fifty prisoners. The success was not in itselfimportant, but it raised the hopes of the Venetians, as being the firsttime they had taken the offensive. Pisani himself had endeavoured toreconnoitre the position of the enemy, but had each time been sharplyrepulsed, losing ten boats and thirty men upon one occasion, when thedoge's nephew, Antonio Gradenigo, was also killed by the enemy; but inspite of this, he advised government to make a great effort to recoverChioggia.
He admitted that the chances of failure were great. Still, hemaintained that success was possible, and it was better that theVenetians should die fighting than by hunger.
As the result of his expeditions, he had found that Doria had at leastthirty thousand men, fifty great ships, and from seven to eight hundredlight craft. Moreover his troops were in high spirits, well fed, andwell cared for, and should therefore be, man to man, more than a matchfor the starving soldiers of Venice. Nevertheless, there was apossibility of success, as Zeno would doubtless arrive by the time thesiege had fairly commenced.
After much debate, the council determined that the undertaking shouldbe attempted. To stir the people to the utmost exertion, the senate, onthe 1st of December, published a decree that the thirty plebeians, whoshould most liberally meet the urgent necessities of the state by theproffer of their persons or estates, should, after peace was made, beraised to the rank of nobility, and summoned to the great council; thatthirty-five thousand ducats of gold should be distributed annuallyamong those who were not elected, and their heirs, forever; that anyforeign merchant, who should display peculiar zeal for the cause of therepublic, should be admitted to the full privileges of citizenship; andthat, on the other hand, such Venetians as might endeavour to elude aparticipation in the common burdens, and hardships, should be held byso doing to have forfeited all their civil rights.
Seventy-five candidates came forward. Some offered money, some personalservice or the service of their sons and relatives; some presentedgalleys and offered to pay their crews. Immense efforts were made, andby the 21st of December sixty ships, four hundred boats of all sizes,and thirty-four war galleys were equipped. The doge, although justseventy-three years old, signified his wish to assume the supremecommand of the expedition, Pisani acting as his lieutenant and admiral.
During the long weeks the siege continued, Francis saw little of thePolanis, his duties keeping him constantly near Pisani, with whom hetook such meals as the time would afford, sleeping in his house, inreadiness for instant service. Maria had returned to her father'shouse, for her husband was in command of the outpost nearest to theenemy, and was therefore constantly away from home. Maria's spiritswere higher than ever. She made light of the hardships in the way offood, bantered Francis when he came on his business engagements, andaffected to treat him with extreme respect, as the trusted lieutenantof Pisani. Giulia, too, kept up her spirits, and no one would havethought, listening to the lively talk of the two girls with theirfather and Francis, that Venice was besieged by an overwhelming force,and reduced to the direst straits by hunger.
The greater part of Polani's ships were now in the service of thestate. Those which remained, were constantly engaged in running acrossto the Dalmatian coast, and bringing in cargoes of provisions throughthe cordon of the Genoese galleys.
The light gondola which, after being repaired, had been lying for twoyears under cover in Messer Polani's yard, had again been made useful.Giuseppi had returned to his old work, and he and another powerfuloarsman made the light boat fly through the water, as Francis carriedthe orders of the admiral to the various posts. He had also been in itupon several of the reconnoitring expeditions, in the canals leading toChioggia, and although hotly chased he had, on each occasion, left hispursuers behind. The evening before the expedition was to start Pisanisaid to him:
"I think you have brought me more news, with that fast little craft ofyours, than I have been able to obtain even at the cost of some hardfighting, and a good many lives. I wish that you would make anexcursion for me tonight, and find out, if you can, whether the enemyhave moved their position since the last time I reconnoitred them. Iparticularly wish to learn if they have strong forces near the outletsof the channels of Chioggia, and Brondolo, and the Canal
of Lombardy.You know my plans, and with such a host of recruits as I shall havewith me, it is all important that there should be no failure at first.Veterans can stand defeat, but a reverse is fatal to young troops.Heaven knows, they will have enough to bear, with wet, cold, exposure,and hunger, and success will be necessary to keep up their spirits. Donot push your adventure too far. Run no risk if you can help it. Iwould not, for much, that harm befell you."
Francis at once accepted the commission, and left the admiral in orderto make his preparations.
"Giuseppi," he said, as he took his place in the boat, "I want you tofind for me, for service tonight, a gondolier who is a native ofChioggia, and who knows every foot of the country round, and everywinding of the canals. He must be intelligent and brave, for the riskwill be no slight one."
"I think I know such a man, Messer Francisco; but if he happens to beaway, there will be no difficulty in finding another, for there aremany fishermen here who escaped before the Genoese captured Chioggia."
"When will you see him?"
"As soon as you have landed me at Messer Polani's."
"Go and fetch him, Giuseppi; and if you can find one or two oldfishermen of Chioggia, bring them also with you. I want to gain as muchinformation as possible regarding the country."
"Is it true that the fleet starts tomorrow, Francisco?" Maria asked ashe entered. "Everyone says so."
"It is quite true. There will be no further change. The orders havebeen all issued, and you may rely upon it that we are going to sea."
"And when will you return?"
"That's another matter altogether," Francis laughed. "It may be a week,it may be three months."
"But I thought we were going to fight the Genoese galleys. It does notseem to me that a week is wanted to do that. A day to go to Chioggia, aday to fight, and a day to return. What can you want more than thatfor?"
"I do not think that we are going to fight the Genoese galleys,"Francis answered. "Certainly we shall not do so if we can help it. Theyare vastly stronger than we are; but I do not know that we need fearthem for all that."
"What do you mean, Francisco? You do not mean to fight--they are vastlystronger than you are--and yet you do not fear them. You are not givento speak in riddles; but you have puzzled me this time."
"Well, I will explain myself a little," Francis said; "but you mustremember that it is a secret, and not to be whispered to anyone."
"That is right," Maria said. "I love a secret, especially a statesecret.
"Giulia, come and sit quite close, so that he can whisper it into ourears, and even the walls shall not hear it.
"Now, sir, explain yourself!"
"I will explain it without telling you," Francis said. "Have you notgone to see African lions, who were very much stronger and fiercer thanyourself, and yet you did not fear them?"
"Because they have been in cages," Maria said. "But what has that to dowith it?"
"It explains the whole matter," Francis said. "We do not mean to fightthe Genoese fleet, if we can help it; but we are going to try to putthem in a cage, and then we shall not be afraid of them."
"Do not trifle with us, sir," Maria said sternly. "How can you putGenoese galleys in a cage?"
"We cannot put them in a cage, but we can cage them up," Francis said."Pisani's intention is, if possible, to close all the entrances to thecanals round Chioggia. Thus, not only will the Genoese galleys beunable to sally out to attack us, but the whole of the Genoese armywill be cooped up, and we shall then do to them what they have beendoing to us, namely, starve them out!"
"Capital, capital!" Maria said, clapping her hands. "Your Pisani is agrand man, Francisco. And if he can do this for us, there is nothingwhich we would not do to show our gratitude. But you won't find iteasy; besides, in the game of starving out, are we likely to win? Thecontest will not be even, for they start on it full men and strong,while our people are half starved already."
"I do not regard success as certain," Francis replied; "and Pisanihimself acknowledges the chances are very great against us. Still, itis possible; and as nothing else seems possible, we are going toattempt it."
Polani looked grave, when he heard of the mission which Francis wasgoing to undertake. Giulia's bright colour fled at once, and Maria saidangrily:
"You have no right to be always running into danger, Francisco. You arenot a Venetian, and there is no reason why you should be always runningrisks greater than those which most Venetians are likely to encounter.You ought to think of us who care for you, if you don't choose to thinkof yourself."
"I did not volunteer for the service," Francis said. "I was asked bythe admiral to undertake it, and even had I wished it, I could hardlyhave refused. The admiral selected me, not from any merit on my part,but because he knows that my boat is one of the fastest on the lagoons,and that I can easily run away from any of the Genoese rowboats. Heparticularly ordered me to run no unnecessary risks."
"That is all very well," Maria said; "but you know very well that youwill run risks, and put yourself in the way of danger, if there is achance of doing so.
"You should tell him not to go, father!"
"I cannot do that, Maria; for the service he has undertaken is a veryimportant one to Venice. Everything depends upon the success ofPisani's attempt, and undertaken, as it is, against great odds, it isof the utmost importance that there should be no mistake as to theposition of the enemy. Whether Francis was wise or not, in acceptingPisani's offer that he should act as his aide-de-camp, may be doubted;but now that he has undertaken it, he must carry out his orders,especially as it is now too late to make other arrangements, did hedraw back.
"If you will come into my room, Francisco, I will give you a chart ofthe passages around Chioggia. You can study that, and you will then thebetter understand the information you may receive, from the men you areexpecting."
Half an hour later Giuseppi arrived with the gondolier he had spokenof, and two old fishermen, and from their explanations, and a study ofthe map, Francis gained an exact idea of the localities. From hisprevious expeditions he had learned where the Genoese were generallyposted, and something of the strength of the forces at the variouspoints.
In truth, they kept but a careless watch. Feeling convinced that theVenetians possessed no forces capable of attacking him, and that theirsurrender must now be a matter of a few days only, Doria took noprecautions. His troops were all quartered in the houses of Chioggia,his galleys moored alongside its quays, and the utmost he did was topost small bodies of men, with rowboats, at the entrances to thepassages from the sea, and up the lagoons, to give warning of anysudden attempt on the part of Barberigo, with his light flotilla, tomake a dash at the galleys, and endeavour to burn them.
Having obtained all the information he could from the old fishermen,Francis dismissed them.
"It is evident," he said to Giuseppi, "that we can hardly hope tosucceed in passing the boats at the entrance to the canal seaward, orby going up the lagoon. The only plan that I can see is for us to landon the island of Pelestrina, which is held by us, to carry the boatacross it, and to embark in the Malamocco channel. In this way, weshould be within their cordon of boats, and can row fearlessly eitherout to the entrances, or to Chioggia itself. We are not likely to bedetected, and if we are, we must make a race of it to Pelestrina."
The gondolier agreed that the scheme was practicable, and Francisordered Giuseppi and him to remove the burdens, and every bit of woodthat could be dispensed with from the gondola, so as to facilitate itstransport.