double, old man,
All their legs on the waggle, like flies, and their armour a-chink
as they ran!

Old _Shylock_ turns up quite permiskus, and always upon the full
trot;
He seemed mixed up with Portias, and Doges, smart gals, and the
dickens knows wot.
All kep waving their arms like mad semy-phores, doin' the akrybat
prank,
As if they was swimming in nothink, or 'ailing a 'bus for the Bank.

I sez to a party beside me, "Old man, wot the doose does it _mean_?"
Sez he, "A dry attic, yer know, of wich Venice, yer see, wos the
Queen.
That cove in a nightcap's the Doge; for an old 'un he _can_ move
about.
They had G.O.M.'s, mate, in Venice; of that there is not the least
doubt.

"That's VETTORE PISANI, the Hadmiral; t'other is General ZENO
Defending the State, I persoom, and they're 'aving a fust-class
old beano.
Wy PEDRO THE SECOND, of Cyprus, and _Portia_ is made a rum blend
With Turps Siccory's Revels, and so on, no doubt we shall twig at
the hend."

I sez, "Thankee! that's werry instructive. You _do_ know a lot,
mate, _you_ do!"
Then the fight at Chioggia came on. Sech a rum pully-haully all