the bravo of venice-第10章

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with　her　thoughts。　　Many　a　maiden　now　enjoyed　less　tranquil

slumbers；　many　an　experienced　coquette　sighed　as　she　laid　on　her

colour　at　the　looking　glass；　many　a　prude　forgot　the　rules　which　she

had　imposed　upon　herself；　and　daily　frequented　the　gardens　and　walks

in　which　report　gave　her　the　hope　of　meeting　Flodoardo。



But　from　the　time　that；　placing　himself　at　the　head　of　the　sbirri；

he　had　dared　to　enter　boldly　the　den　of　the　banditti；　and　seize　them

at　the　hazard　of　his　life；　he　was　scarcely　more　an　object　of

attention　among　the　women　than　among　the　men。　　Greatly　did　they

admire　his　courage　and　unshaken　presence　of　mind　while　engaged　in　so

perilous　an　adventure；　but　still　more　were　they　astonished　at　his

penetration　in　discovering　where　the　bravoes　concealed　themselves；

an　attempt　which　foiled　even　the　keen　wits　of　the　so　much　celebrated

police　of　Venice。



The　Doge　Andreas　cultivated　the　acquaintance　of　this　singular　young

man　with　increasing　assiduity；　and　the　more　he　conversed　with　him；

the　more　deserving　of　consideration　did　Flodoardo　appear。　　The

action　by　which　he　had　rendered　the　Republic　a　service　so　essential

was　rewarded　by　a　present　that　would　not　have　disgraced　Imperial

gratitude；　and　one　of　the　most　important　offices　of　the　State　was

confided　to　his　superintendence。



Both　favours　were　conferred　unsolicited；　but　no　sooner　was　the

Florentine　apprised　of　the　Doge's　benevolent　care　of　him；　than　with

modesty　and　respect　he　requested　to　decline　the　proposed　advantages。

The　only　favour　which　he　requested　was；　to　be　permitted　to　live　free

and　independent　in　Venice　during　a　year；　at　the　end　of　which　he

promised　to　name　that　employment　which　he　esteemed　the　best　adapted

to　his　abilities　and　inclination。



Flodoardo　was　lodged　in　the　magnificent　palace　of　his　good　old

patron；　Lomellino；　here　he　lived　in　the　closest　retirement；　studied

the　most　valuable　parts　of　ancient　and　modern　literature；　remained

for　whole　days　together　in　his　own　apartment；　and　was　seldom　to　be

seen　in　public　except　upon　some　great　solemnity。



But　the　Doge；　Lomellino；　Manfrone；　and　Conari；　men　who　had

established　the　fame　of　Venice　on　so　firm　a　basis　that　it　would

require　centuries　to　undermine　it；　men　in　whose　society　one　seemed

to　be　withdrawn　from　the　circle　of　ordinary　mortals；　and　honoured　by

the　intercourse　of　superior　beings；　men　who　now　graciously　received

the　Florentine　stranger　into　their　intimacy；　and　resolved　to　spare

no　pains　in　forming　him　to　support　the　character　of　a　great　man；　it

could　not　long　escape　the　observation　of　men　like　these；　that

Flodoardo's　gaiety　was　assumed；　and　that　a　secret　sorrow　preyed　upon

his　heart。



In　vain　did　Lomellino；　who　loved　him　like　a　father；　endeavour　to

discover　the　source　of　his　melancholy；　in　vain　did　the　venerable

Doge　exert　himself　to　dispel　the　gloom　which　oppressed　his　young

favourite。　　Flodoardo　remained　silent　and　sad。



And　Rosabella？　　Rosabella　would　have　belied　her　sex　had　she　remained

gay　while　Flodoardo　sorrowed。　　Her　spirits　were　flown；　her　eyes　were

frequently　obscured　with　tears。　　She　grew　daily　paler　and　paler；

till　the　Doge；　who　doted　on　her；　was　seriously　alarmed　for　her

health。　　At　length　Rosabella　grew　really　ill；　a　fever　fixed　itself

upon　her；　she　became　weak；　and　was　confined　to　her　chamber；　and　her

complaint　baffled　the　skill　of　the　most　experienced　physicians　in

Venice。



In　the　midst　of　these　unpleasant　circumstances　in　which　Andreas　and

his　friends　now　found　themselves；　an　incident　occurred　one　morning；

which　raised　their　uneasiness　to　the　very　highest　pitch。　　Never　had

so　bold　and　audacious　an　action　been　heard　of　in　Venice；　as　that

which　I　am　going　to　relate。



The　four　banditti；　whom　Flodoardo　had　seized；　Pietrino；　Struzza；

Baluzza；　and　Thomaso；　had　been　safely　committed　to　the　Doge's

dungeons；　where　they　underwent　a　daily　examination；　and　looked　upon

every　sun　that　rose　as　the　last　that　would　ever　rise　for　THEM。

Andreas　and　his　confidential　counsellors　now　flattered　themselves

that　the　public　tranquillity　had　nothing　more　to　apprehend；　and　that

Venice　was　now　completely　purified　of　the　miscreants；　whom　gold

could　bribe　to　be　the　instruments　of　revenge　and　cruelty；　when　all

at　once　the　following　address　was　discovered；　affixed　to　most　of　the

remarkable　statues；　and　pasted　against　the　corners　of　the　principal

streets；　and　pillars　of　the　public　buildings：…





〃VENETIANS！



〃Struzza；　Thomaso；　Pietrino；　Baluzza；　and　Matteo；　five　as　brave　men

as　the　world　ever　produced；　who；　had　they　stood　at　the　head　of

armies；　would　have　been　called　HEROES；　and　now　being　called

BANDITTI；　are　fallen　victims　to　the　injustice　of　State　policy。

These　men；　it　is　true；　exist　for　you　no　longer；　but　their　place　is

supplied　by　him；　whose　name　is　affixed　to　this　paper；　and　who　will

stand　by　his　employers　with　body　and　with　soul。　　I　laugh　at　the

vigilance　of　the　Venetian　police；　I　laugh　at　the　crafty　and　insolent

Florentine；　whose　hand　has　dragged　his　brethren　to　the　rack。　　Let

those　who　need　me；　seek　me；　they　will　find　me　everywhere！　　Let　those

who　seek　me　with　the　design　of　delivering　me　up　to　the　law；　despair

and　tremble；　they　will　find　me　nowhere；　but　_I_　shall　find　THEM；　and

that　when　they　least　expect　me！　　Venetians；　you　understand　me！　　Woe

to　the　man　who　shall　attempt　to　discover　me；　his　life　and　death

depend　upon　my　pleasure。　　This　comes　from　the　Venetian　Bravo；

ABELLINO。〃



〃A　hundred　sequins；〃　exclaimed　the　incensed　Doge；　on　reading　the

paper；　〃a　hundred　sequins　to　him　who　discovers　this　monster

Abellino；　and　a　thousand　to　him　who　delivers　him　up　to　justice。〃



But　in　vain　did　spies　ransack　every　lurking　place　in　Venice；　no

Abellino　was　to　be　found。　　In　vain　did　the　luxurious；　the

avaricious；　and　the　hungry　stretch　their　wits　to　the　utmost；　incited

by　the　tempting　promise　of　a　thousand　sequins。　　Abellino's　prudence

set　all　their　ingenuity　at　defiance。



But　not　the　less　did　every　one　assert　that　he　had　recognised

Abellino；　sometimes　in　one　disguise；　and　sometimes　in　another；　as　an

old　man；　a　gondolier；　a　woman；　or　a　monk。　　Everybody　had　seen　him

somewhere；　but；　unluckily；　nobody　could　tell　where　he　was　to　be　seen

again。







CHAPTER　IV：　　THE　VIOLET。







I　informed　my　readers；　in　the　beginning　of　the　last　chapter；　that

Flodoardo　was　become　melancholy；　and　that　Rosabella　was　indisposed；

but　I　did　not　tell　them　what　had　occasioned　this　sudden　change。



Flodoardo；　who　on　his　first　arrival　at　Venice　was　all　gaiety；　and

the　life　of　every　society　in　which　he　mingled；　lost　his　spirits　on

one　particular　day；　and　it　so　happened　that　it　was　on　the　very　same

day　that　Rosabella　betrayed　the　first　symptoms　of　indisposition。



For　on　this　unlucky　day　did　the　caprice　of　accident；　or　perhaps　the

Goddess　of　Love　（who　has　her　caprices　too　every　now　and　then）；

conduct　Rosabella　into　her　uncle's　garden；　which　none　but　the　Doge's

intimate　friends　were　permitted　to　enter；　and　where　the　Doge　himself

frequently　reposed　in　solitude　and　silence　during　the　evening　hours

of　a　sultry　day。



Rosabella；　lost　in　thought；　wandered　listless　and　unconscious　along

the　broad　and　shady　alleys　of　the　garden。　　Sometimes；　in　a　moment　of

vexation；　she　plucked　the　unoffending　leaves　from　the　hedges　and

strewed　them　upon　the　ground；　sometimes　she　stopped　suddenly；　then

rushed　forward　with　impetuosity；　then　again　stood　still；　and　gazed

upon　the　clear　blue　heaven。　　Sometimes　her　beautiful　bosom　was

heaved　with　quick　and　irregular　motion；　and　sometimes　a　half…

suppressed　sigh　escaped　from　her　lips　of　coral。



〃He　is　very　handsome！〃　she　murmured；　and　gazed　with　such　eagerness

on　vacancy；　as　though　she　had　there　seen　something　which　was　hidden

from　the　sight　of　common　observers。



〃Yet　Camilla　is　in　the　right；〃　she　resumed；　after　a　pause；　and　she

frowned　as　had　she　said　that　Camilla　was　in　the　wrong。



This　Camilla　was　her　governess；　her　friend；　her　confidante；　I　may

almost　say　her　mother。　　Rosabella　had　lost　her　parents　early。　　Her

mother　died　when　her　child　could　scarcely　lisp　her　name；　and　her

father；　Guiscardo　of　Corfu；　the　commander　of　a　Venetian　vessel；

eight　years　before　had　perished　in　an　engagement　with　the　Turks；

while　he　was　still　in　the　prime　of　life。　　Camilla；　one　of　the

worthiest　creatures　that　ever　dignified　the　name　of　woman；　supplied

to　Rosabella　the　place　of　mother；　had　brought　her　up　from　infancy；

and　was　now　her　best　friend；　and　the　person　to　whose　ear　she

confided　all　her　little　secrets。



While　Rosabella　was　still　buried　in　her　own　reflections；　the

excellent　Camilla　advanced　from　a　side　path；　and　hastened　to　join

her　pupil。　　Rosabella　started。



Rosabella。Ah！　dear　Camilla；　is　it　you？　　What　brings　you　hither？



Camilla。You　often　call　me　your　guardian　angel；　and　guardian　angels

should　always　be　near　the　object　of　their　care。



Rosabella。Camilla；　I　have　been　thinking　over　your　arguments；　I

cannot　deny　that　all　you　have　said　to　me　is　very　true；　and　very

wise；　but　still　…



Camilla。But　still；　though　your　prudence　agrees　with　me；　your　heart

is　of　a　contrary　opinion。



Rosabella。It　is；　indeed。



Camilla。Nor　do　I　blame　your　heart　for　differing　from　me；　my　poor

girl。　　I　have　acknowledged　to　you　without　disguise　that　were　_I_　at

your　time　of　life；　and　were　such　a　man　as　Flodoardo　to　throw　himself

in　my　way；　I　could　not　receive　his　attentions　with　indifference。　　It

cannot　be　denied　that　this　young　stranger　is　uncommonly　pleasing；

and；　indeed；　for　any　woman　whose　heart　is　disengaged；　an　uncommonly

DANGEROUS　companion。　　There　is　something　very　prepossessing　in　his

appearance；　his　manners　are　elegant；　and　short　as　has　been　his　abode

in　Venice；　it　is　already　past　doubting　that　there　are　many　noble　and

striking　features　in　his　character。　　But　alas；　after　all；　he　is　but

a　poor　nobleman；　and　it　is　not　very　probable　that　the　rich　and

powerful　Doge　of　Venice　will　ever　bestow　his　niece　on　one　who；　to

speak　plainly；　arrived　here　little　better　than　a　beggar。　　No；　no；

child；　believe　me；　a　romantic　adventurer　is　no　fit　husband　for

Rosabella　of　Corfu。



Rosabella。Dear　Camilla；　who　was　talking　about　husbands？　　What　I

feel　for　Flodoardo　is　merely　affection；　friendship。



Camilla。Indeed！　　Then　you　would　be　perfectly　satisfied；　should

some　one　of　our　wealthy　ladies　bestow　her　hand　on　Flodoardo？



Rosabella　（hastily）。Oh！　Flodoardo　would　not　ACCEPT　her　hand；

Camilla；　of　that　I　am　sure。



Camilla。Child；　child；　you　would　willingly　deceive　yourself。　　But

be　assured　that　a　girl　who　loves　ever　connects；　perhaps

unconsciously；　the　wish　for　an　eternal　UNION　with　the　idea　of

eternal　AFFECTION。　　Now　this　is　a　wish　which　you　cannot　indulge　in

regard　to　Flodoardo　without　seriously　offending　your　uncle；　who；

good　man　as　he　is；　must　still　submit　to　the　severe　control　of

politics　and