"Yes, senorita," was Giusippe's simple answer. "And they say, too, she was beautiful. My ancestor was of the _pater-nostereri_; he was a maker of beads for rosaries. Then there were the _margaritai_, who made small beads; and the _fuppialume_, who made large blown beads. Each man was a skilled artist, you see, and did some one special thing. The _phiolari_ made vases, cups, and glass for windows; the _cristallai_ optical glass; and the _specchiai_ mirrors. No strangers were allowed to visit the glass works, and all apprentices must pass a rigid examination not only as to their skill, but as to their previous personal history. In 1495 the glass houses at Murano extended for a mile along a single street and the great furnaces roared night and day, so you can imagine how much glass was made on the island." "My!" gasped Jean breathlessly. "Absolute loyalty to the art was demanded of every man engaged in it," Giusippe said. "And you can see, senor, that this was necessary. Any workman carrying the secrets elsewhere was first warned to return to Venice; then, if he refused, his nearest relative was imprisoned; if he still refused to obey he was tracked down and killed. Often glass-makers were found in Padua, Ravenna, and other places stabbed through the heart, and the word _Traitor_ was fastened to the dagger." Jean shuddered. "Do not tremble, senorita," Giusippe said. "It was a just punishment. You see the Council of Ten felt that the prosperity of the Venetians depended upon keeping their art away from all the outside world which was so eager to learn it. All knew the penalty for disloyalty. The decree read: "'_If any workman conveys his art to a strange country to the detriment of the Republic he shall be sent an order to return to Venice. Failing to obey his nearest of kin shall be imprisoned. If he still persists in remaining abroad and plying his art an emissary shall be charged to kill him._' "In this way the secrets of glass-making were kept in Venice and the Republic soon became famous and prosperous. As the reputation of the Venetian glass-makers spread an immense trade was established. My grandfather has often told me of the great numbers of beads which were sent everywhere throughout the East--sometimes to Africa and even to India. In 1764 twenty-two great furnaces were kept busy supplying the beads that were demanded. Frequently, they say, as many as forty-four thousand barrels were turned out in a single week." "Why, I should think that everybody in the world would have been covered with beads!" Jean exclaimed, smiling. "Ah, I can tell you something stranger than that, senorita. So popular did Venetian glass of every variety become that a foreign prince created a great sensation by appearing in Paris with curls of finely spun black glass." Jean and Uncle Bob laughed merrily.