The others lay on the quay here for half a century waiting to be set up, a task beyond human skill until an engineer from Lombardy volunteered to do it on condition that he was to have any request granted.

His request was to be allowed the right of establishing a gaming-table between the columns; and the authorities had to comply, although gambling was hateful to them.

A few centuries later the gallows were placed here too.

Now there is neither gambling nor hanging; but all day long loafers sit on the steps of the columns and discuss pronto and subito and cinque and all the other topics of Venetian conversation.
I wonder how many visitors to Venice, asked whether S.Theodore on his column and the Lion of S.Mark on his, face the lagoon or the Merceria clock, would give the right answer.

The faces of both are turned towards the clock; their backs to the lagoon.