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EFORE the final assault upon the city, Dandolo insisted upon an agreement as to the partition of the empire. It was quite understood by the Venetians, who proved in the sequel to have entirely misapprehended the resources, the strength, and the weakness of the Byzantine possessions, that he who held Constantinople held the key of the East. It was their policy not to be the holders of the key, because those who held had to defend; but to be on such terms of friendship with the holders as did not necessarily mean an alliance, so that, should a change of masters take place, the Venetians might be fettered by no troublesome bonds of obligation. Venice fought for her own hand. Other nations were continually led astray by illusory hopes of allies and friends bound by ties of gratitude. And yet even to this nineteenth century, and the middle of it, treaties have proved useless, when the interest of any signatory power was backed by strength. Nor can we wonder at the perfidy of the middle ages, when we have seen the perfidy of Russia;