I turned toward the
staircase, but two men were coming down it. I dodged back and
tried the door through which I had been brought, but it was
fastened with great bars and I could not loosen them. The
gondolier was on me with his knife, but I met him with a kick on
the body which stretched him on his back. His dagger flew with a
clatter across the marble floor. I had no time to seize it, for
there were half a dozen of them now clutching at me. As I rushed
through them the little steward thrust his leg before me and I
fell with a crash, but I was up in an instant, and breaking from
their grasp I burst through the very middle of them and made for
a door at the other end of the hall. I reached it well in front
of them, and I gave a shout of triumph as the handle turned
freely in my hand, for I could see that it led to the outside and
that all was clear for my escape. But I had forgotten this
strange city in which I was. Every house is an island. As I
flung open the door, ready to bound out into the street, the
light of the hall shone upon the deep, still, black water which
lay flush with the topmost step.
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