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BY ORDER OF THE CZAR. 257

marked Dolly, who was instinctively and otherwise jealous of the Russian beauty.

" Did you know she was coming to Venice ? " asked Jenny.

" No," said Philip. " I understood she was going to St. Petersburg."

" Did she know we were coming to Venice ? " Dolly asked.

" I don't quite remember ; perhaps my mother may have mentioned it," said Philip, suddenly finding his voice. " She is no doubt here for the fetes."

" No doubt," said Jenny.

They slackened speed by the Bridge of Sighs, where a barge-load of musicians were entertaining a little cluster of gondolas in which were many merry people, who joined pianissimo in the chorus of " Finiculi, Finicula."

The moon shone full upon the canal, and the scene had a soothing and fascinating effect. Philip found him- self strangely under its influence. None of the little party spoke for some time. Dolly's hand found its way to Philip's in a timid inquiring fashion. Philip struggled hard to hold it with the sincerity that had a few minutes before actuated all he had said and felt in regard to Dolly and the futute of their two lives ; but the red gondola had left behind it a trail of feverish sentiment, and he was once more in imagination traveling with a certain passenger by train from London to Dover. How mean and untrue he felt all at once, how unworthy of the confidence of the pure-spirited, high-minded, kind-hearted London girl !

" We will return now, Beppo," said Mrs. Milbanke.

" Yes, nadame," said Beppo.

The two go doliers bent their backs to their work, and the boat rushed through the moonlit waters. In a few minutes they were at the hotel.

<; It is ? showy boat, that red gondola," remarked Jenny {o Beppo, as he gave her his hand for the shore.

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