244 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.
" It is a joy to see you," said the Italian ; " I will attend to the luggage."
" Is your gondola here? "
" Close by," said Beppo, " and I have my comrade with me."
" That is good," said Walter, handing him the wraps, which were of the lightest, and at the same time giving him his tickets for the baggage.
Beppo was a gondolier, picturesquely attired. He spoke English with a soft purring kind of accent. Walter Mil- banke had employed him during his previous visits to Venice ; and on this occasion had also hired Beppo and a comrade, with a special gondola, to be at the disposal of the party during their stay. He had also commissioned an especial uniform, with a bit of color in it, on account of the royal festivities.
When first Walter had suggested the Italian trip and the Venetian holiday, he had not counted upon arriving at Venice on the occasion of a royal function and a fine art exhibition ; but on discovering that Venice was to be en fte he secured the best suites of rooms at the Hotel Beau Rivage and a gondola and gondoliers. The larger of the two hotels on the quay was already full of guests, when he made his dispositions for their stay in Venice ; but the same proprietary controlled the smaller house, and here the Mil- banke rooms were ample, and almost facing the grand statue of Victor Emanuel, which the King and Queen of Italy were to inaugurate, and in connection with which ceremony the city was to revive some of her ancient glories in the way of fete and pageantry.
Presently the Milbankes and the lovers stepped into the Venetian cab. It was lying by the station steps. It had no wheels, nor any horse. It was not li the gondola of the London streets ; " it was the gondola of Venice, solemn looking enough, but not so solemn as others with their
