Thetumulthadsubsided，thelightshaddiedawaywithinthepalace，andthestranger，whomInowrecognized，stoodaloneupontheflags。Heshookwithinconceivableagitation，andhiseyeglancedaroundinsearchofagondola。Icouldnotdolessthanofferhimtheserviceofmyown；andheacceptedthecivility。Havingobtainedanoaratthewater-gate，weproceededtogethertohisresidence，whileherapidlyrecoveredhisself-possession，andspokeofourformerslightacquaintanceintermsofgreatapparentcordiality。
TherearesomesubjectsuponwhichItakepleasureinbeingminute。Thepersonofthestranger-letmecallhimbythistitle，whotoalltheworldwasstillastranger-thepersonofthestrangerisoneofthesesubjects。Inheighthemighthavebeenbelowratherthanabovethemediumsize：althoughthereweremomentsofintensepassionwhenhisframeactually_expanded_andbeliedtheassertion。Thelight，almostslendersymmetryofhisfigure，promisedmoreofthatreadyactivitywhichheevincedattheBridgeofSighs，thanofthatHerculeanstrengthwhichhehasbeenknowntowieldwithoutaneffort，uponoccasionsofmoredangerousemergency。Withthemouthandchinofadeity-singular，wild，full，liquideyes，whoseshadowsvariedfrompurehazeltointenseandbrilliantjet-andaprofusionofcurling，blackhair，fromwhichaforeheadofunusualbreadthgleamedforthatintervalsalllightandivory-hiswerefeaturesthanwhichIhaveseennonemoreclassicallyregular，except，perhaps，themarbleonesoftheEmperorCommodus。Yethiscountenancewas，nevertheless，oneofthosewhichallmenhaveseenatsomeperiodoftheirlives，andhaveneverafterwardsseenagain。Ithadnopeculiar-ithadnosettledpredominantexpressiontobefasteneduponthememory；acountenanceseenandinstantlyforgotten-butforgottenwithavagueandnever-ceasingdesireofrecallingittomind。Notthatthespiritofeachrapidpassionfailed，atanytime，tothrowitsowndistinctimageuponthemirrorofthatface-butthatthemirror，mirror-like，retainednovestigeofthepassion，whenthepassionhaddeparted。
Uponleavinghimonthenightofouradventure，hesolicitedme，inwhatIthoughtanurgentmanner，tocalluponhim_very_earlythenextmorning。Shortlyaftersunrise，IfoundmyselfaccordinglyathisPalazzo，oneofthosehugestructuresofgloomy，yetfantasticpomp，whichtowerabovethewatersoftheGrandCanalinthevicinityoftheRialto。Iwasshownupabroadwindingstaircaseofmosaics，intoanapartmentwhoseunparalleledsplendorburstthroughtheopeningdoorwithanactualglare，makingmeblindanddizzywithluxuriousness。
Iknewmyacquaintancetobewealthy。ReporthadspokenofhispossessionsintermswhichIhadevenventuredtocalltermsofridiculousexaggeration。ButasIgazedaboutme，IcouldnotbringmyselftobelievethatthewealthofanysubjectinEuropecouldhavesuppliedtheprincelymagnificencewhichburnedandblazedaround。
Although，asIsay，thesunhadarisen，yettheroomwasstillbrilliantlylightedup。Ijudgefromthiscircumstance，aswellasfromanairofexhaustioninthecountenanceofmyfriend，thathehadnotretiredtobedduringthewholeoftheprecedingnight。Inthearchitectureandembellishmentsofthechamber，theevidentdesignhadbeentodazzleandastound。Littleattentionhadbeenpaidtothe_decora_ofwhatistechnicallycalled_keeping_，ortotheproprietiesofnationality。Theeyewanderedfromobjecttoobject，andresteduponnone-neitherthe_grotesques_oftheGreekpainters，northesculpturesofthebestItaliandays，northehugecarvingsofuntutoredEgypt。Richdraperiesineverypartoftheroomtrembledtothevibrationoflow，melancholymusic，whoseoriginwasnottobediscovered。Thesenseswereoppressedbymingledandconflictingperfumes，reekingupfromstrangeconvolutecensers，togetherwithmultitudinousflaringandflickeringtonguesofemeraldandvioletfire。Theraysofthenewlyrisensunpouredinuponthewhole，throughwindows，formedeachofasinglepaneofcrimson-tintedglass。Glancingtoandfro，inathousandreflections，fromcurtainswhichrolledfromtheircorniceslikecataractsofmoltensilver，thebeamsofnaturalglorymingledatlengthfitfullywiththeartificiallight，andlaywelteringinsubduedmassesuponacarpetofrich，liquid-lookingclothofChiligold。