Volume VI Part 96 (1/2)

”In future all goods for Lombardy will be e the Republic Mezzola is in the territories of the Duke of Modeoods will be placed in storehouses, which will be erected

”In this e shall shorten the journey and decrease the freights, and the Modenese Govern sum, barely equivalent to a fourth of e pay to Venice

”In spite of all this, I feel sure that if the Venetian Govern their willingness to take two per cent henceforth, the proposal would be accepted, for we Austrians dislike novelties

”I shall not lay the matter before the Town Council for four or five days, as there is no hurry for us; but you had better make haste, that you may be the first to inforoes as I should wish I hope to receive an order fro the decree just as I aovernor was delighted to hear that everything had been finished before ht He assured me that the consul should not have official information before Saturday In the meanwhile the consul's uneasy state ofto set his mind at ease

Saturday came and Councillor Rizzi told h spirits over it, and said that the loss of Venice was the gain of Trieste The consul came in just then, and said that the loss would be a mere trifle for Venice, while the first-shi+pwreck would cost more to Trieste than ten years' duty The consul see, but that was the part he had to play In all sreat account of trifles

I went to dine with the consul, who privately confessed his doubts and fears on the matter

I asked him how the Venetians would parry the blow, and he replied,--

”They will have a number of very learned consultations, and then they will do nothing at all, and the Austrians will send their goods wherever they please”

”But the Government is such a wise one”

”Or rather has the reputation of wisdom”

”Then you think it lives on its reputation?”

”Yes; like all your mouldy institutions, they continue to be simply because they have been Old Governments are like those ancient dykes which are rotten at the base, and only stay in position by their weight and bulk”

The consul was in the right He wrote to his chief the same day, and in the course of the next week he heard that their excellencies had received inforo by extraordinary channels

For the present his duties would be confined to sending in any additional information on the same subject

”I told you so,” said the consul; ”nohat do you think of the wisdoes?”

”I think Bedla”

In three weeks the consul received orders to give rant of a hundred ducats, and to allow e me to deserve well of the State

From that time I felt sure I should be allowed to return in the course of the year, but I was

This new present, and the monthly payment of ten sequins put me at my ease, for I had expensive tastes of which I could not cure ht that I was now in the pay of the Tribunal which had punished me, and which I had defied It seemed to me a triumph, and I determined to do all inincident, which delighted everyone in Trieste