"'"Well, Signor Antonio," said Pietro, getting up, so that the boat rocked under him, "I'm going to earn three zecchini. I'm bound for the top of the tower of San Marco, and then down again, to hand those flowers to the beautiful Dogaressa."
"'"Is not this to risk your neck, comrade Pietro?" Antonio enquired.
"'"Well," said Pietro, "of course one risks one's neck more or less. And then, this time, one has to go up in the middle of all those confounded fireworks! The Greek does say that they won't singe a hair of one's whiskers. Still----" and Pietro gave a shrug.
"'Antonio had got into the boat beside him, and now saw that he was close to the machinery, and the rope which rose out of the sea. Other ropes, for moving the machinery, went disappearing off in the darkness.
"'"Listen, comrade Pietro," said Antonio, after a brief silence; "would it not suit you better to earn ten zecchini, and not risk your life?"
"'"Of course," said Pietro, with a hearty laugh.
"'"Well," said Antonio, "here are ten zecchini; change clothes with me, and let me take your place. I'll go aloft instead of you. Do, now, good comrade Pietro!"
"'Pietro shook his head dubiously, and, weighing the money in his hand, said: "You are very kind, Signer Antonio, to call a poor devil like me your comrade still; and you are generous too. I want the money, of course; but what one risks his neck for is the putting the flowers into the beautiful Dogaressa's hand, and hearing her sweet voice. But however, as it is you, Signer Antonio, be it as you wish."
"'They changed clothes rapidly, and scarcely was this done when Pietro cried, "Get into the machine; there goes the signal!"
"At that moment the sea glowed with the flaming reflection of thousands of flashes, and the shores re-echoed to thousands of crackling detonations. Antonio flew up, with the rapidity of the storm-wind, amongst the crackling, hissing fireworks, reached the gallery without so much as a singe, and hovered before the Dogaressa, She had risen and come forward; he felt her breath on his cheek--he handed her the flowers; but, blissful as that instant was with the most unutterable rapture of heaven, the burning torture of love seized him as with red-hot arms. Out of his senses--mad with longing, rapture, torture--he seized the Dogaressa's hand, pressed burning kisses on it, and cried, in a tone of inconsolable sorrow, "Annunziata!" Then the machinery, like a blind minister of destiny, tore him away from her, down to the sea, where he fell into Pietro's arms--who was waiting for him in the boat--stupefied and exhausted.