the bravo of venice-第12章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Flodoardo　entirely　withdrew　himself　from　a　world　which　was　become

odious　to　him；　since　Rosabella　was　to　be　seen　in　it　no　longer；　and

that　he　devoted　himself　in　solitude　to　the　indulgence　of　a　passion

which　he　had　vainly　endeavoured　to　subdue；　and　which；　in　the

impetuosity　of　its　course；　had　already　swallowed　up　every　other

wish；　and　every　other　sentiment。



But　let　us　for　the　moment　turn　from　the　sick　chamber　of　Rosabella；

and　visit　the　dwellings　of　the　conspirators；　who　were　now　advancing

with　rapid　strides　towards　the　execution　of　their　plans；　and　who；

with　every　hour　that　passed　over　their　heads；　became　more　numerous；

more　powerful；　and　more　dangerous　to　Andreas　and　his　beloved

Republic。



Parozzi；　Memmo；　Contarino；　Falieri；　the　chiefs　of　this　desperate

undertaking；　now　assembled　frequently　in　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga's

palace；　where　different　plans　for　altering　the　constitution　of

Venice　were　brought　forward　and　discussed。　　But　in　all　different

schemes　it　was　evident　that　the　proposer　was　solely　actuated　by

considerations　of　private　interest。　　The　object　of　one　was　to　get

free　from　the　burden　of　enormous　debts；　another　was　willing　to

sacrifice　everything　to　gratify　his　inordinate　ambition。　　The

cupidity　of　THIS　man　was　excited　by　the　treasures　of　Andreas　and　his

friends；　while　THAT　was　actuated　by　resentment　of　some　fancied

offence；　a　resentment　which　could　only　be　quenched　with　the

offender's　blood。



These　execrable　wretches；　who　aimed　at　nothing　less　than　the　total

overthrow　of　Venice；　or　at　least　of　her　government；　looked　towards

the　completion　of　their　extravagant　hopes　with　the　greater

confidence；　since　a　new　but　necessary　addition　to　the　already

existing　taxes　had　put　the　Venetian　populace　out　of　humour　with

their　rulers。



Rich　enough；　both　in　adherents　and　in　wealth；　to　realise　their

projects；　rich　enough　in　bold；　shrewd；　desperate　men；　whose　minds

were　well　adapted　to　the　contrivance　and　execution　of　revolutionary

projects；　they　now　looked　down　with　contempt　upon　the　good　old　Doge；

who　as　yet　entertained　no　suspicion　of　their　nocturnal　meetings。



Still　did　they　not　dare　to　carry　their　projects　into　effect；　till

some　principal　persons　in　the　State　should　be　prevented　by　DEATH

from　throwing　obstacles　in　their　way。　　For　the　accomplishment　of

this　part　of　their　plan　they　relied　on　the　daggers　of　the　banditti。

Dreadful　therefore　was　the　sound　in　their　ears；　when　the　bell　gave

the　signal　for　execution；　and　they　saw　their　best…founded　hopes

expire　on　the　scaffold；　which　supported　the　headless　trunks　of　the

four　bravoes。　　But　if　their　consternation　was　great　at　thus　losing

the　destined　instruments　of　their　designs；　how　extravagant　was　their

joy　when　the　proud　Abellino　dared　openly　to　declare　to　Venice　that

he　still　inhabited　the　Republic；　and　that　he　still　wore　a　dagger　at

the　disposal　of　Vice。



〃This　desperado　is　the　very　man　for　us！〃　they　exclaimed　unanimously；

and　in　rapture；　and　now　their　most　ardent　wish　was　to　enroll

Abellino　in　their　services。



Their　object　was　soon　attainedthey　sought　the　daring　ruffian；　and

he　suffered　himself　to　be　found。　　He　visited　their　meetings；　but　in

his　promises　and　demands　he　was　equally　extravagant。



The　first　and　most　earnest　wish　of　the　whole　conspiracy　was　the

death　of　Conari；　the　Procurator；　a　man　whom　the　Doge　valued　beyond

all　others；　a　man　whose　eagle　eyes　made　the　conspirators　hourly

tremble　for　their　secret；　and　whose　service　the　Doge　had　accepted；

in　preference　to　those　of　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga。　　But　the　sum　which

Abellino　demanded　for　the　murder　of　this　one　man　was　enormous。



〃Give　me　the　reward　which　I　require；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　promise；　on

the　word　of　a　man　of　honour；　that　after　this　night　the　Procurator；

Conari；　shall　give　you　no　further　trouble。　　Exalt　him　to　heaven；　or

imprison　him　in　hell；　I'll　engage　to　find　and　stab　him。〃



What　could　they　do？　　Abellino　was　not　a　man　to　be　easily　beat　down

in　his　demands。　　The　Cardinal　was　impatient　to　attain　the　summit　of

his　wishes；　but　his　road　lay　straight　over　Conari's　grave！



Abellino　received　the　sum　demanded；　the　next　day　the　venerable

Conari；　the　Doge's　best　and　dearest　friend；　the　pride　and　safeguard

of　the　Republic；　was　no　longer　numbered　among　the　living。



〃'Tis　a　terrible　fellow；　this　Abellino！〃　cried　the　conspirators；

when　the　news　reached　them；　and　celebrated　the　Procurator's　death　in

triumph　at　the　Cardinal's　midnight　feast。



The　Doge　was　almost　distracted　with　terror　and　astonishment。　　He

engaged　to　give　ten　thousand　sequins　to　any　one　who　should　discover

by　whom　Conari　had　been　removed　from　the　world。　　A　proclamation　to

this　effect　was　published　at　the　corner　of　every　street　in　Venice；

and　made　known　throughout　the　territories　of　the　Republic。　　A　few

days　after　this　proclamation　had　been　made；　a　paper　was　discovered

affixed　to　the　principal　door　of　the　Venetian　Signoria。



〃VENETIANS！



〃You　would　fain　know　the　author　of　Conari's　death。　　To　spare　you

much　fruitless　trouble；　I　hereby　acknowledge　that　I；　Abellino；　was

his　assassin。



〃Twice　did　I　bury　my　dagger　in　his　heart；　and　then　sent　his　body　to

feed　the　fishes。　　The　Doge　promises　TEN　thousand　sequins　to　him　who

shall　discover　Conari's　murderer；　and　to　him　who　shall　be　clever

enough　to　SEIZE　him；　Abellino　hereby　promises　TWENTY。　　Adieu；

Signors。　　I　remain　your　faithful　servant；



〃ABELLINO。〃







CHAPTER　VI：　　THE　TWO　GREATEST　MEN　IN　VENICE。







It　must　be　superfluous　to　inform　my　readers　that　all　Venice　became

furious　at　this　new　insolence。　　Within　the　memory　of　man　had　no　one

ever　treated　with　such　derision　the　celebrated　Venetian　police；　or

set　the　Doge's　power　at　defiance　with　such　proud　temerity。　　This

occurrence　threw　the　whole　city　into　confusion；　every　one　was　on　the

look…out；　the　patrols　were　doubled；　the　sbirri　extended　their

researches　on　all　sides；　yet　no　one　could　see；　or　hear；　or　discover

the　most　distant　trace　of　Abellino。



The　priests　in　their　sermons　strove　to　rouse　the　slumbering

vengeance　of　Heaven　to　crush　this　insolent　offender。　　The　ladies

were　ready　to　swoon　at　the　very　name　of　Abellino；　for　who　could

assure　them　that；　at　some　unexpected　moment；　he　might　not　pay　THEM

the　same　compliment　which　he　had　paid　to　Rosabella？　　As　for　the　old

women；　they　unanimously　asserted　that　Abellino　had　sold　himself　to

the　Prince　of　Darkness；　by　whose　assistance　he　was　enabled　to　sport

with　the　patience　of　all　pious　Venetians；　and　deride　the　impotence

of　their　just　indignation。　　The　Cardinal　and　his　associates　were

proud　of　their　terrible　confederate；　and　looking　forward　with

confidence　to　the　triumphant　issue　of　their　undertaking。　　The

deserted　family　of　Conari　called　down　curses　on　his　murderer's　head；

and　wished　that　their　tears　might　be　changed　into　a　sea　of　sulphur；

in　whose　waves　they　might　plunge　the　monster　Abellino；　nor　did

Conari's　relations　feel　more　grief　for　his　loss　than　the　Doge　and

his　two　confidants；　who　swore　never　to　rest　till　they　had　discovered

the　lurking…place　of　this　ruthless　assassin；　and　had　punished　his

crime　with　tenfold　vengeance。



〃Yet；　after　all；〃　said　Andreas　one　evening；　as　he　sat　alone　in　his

private　chamber；　〃after　all；　it　must　be　confessed　that　this　Abellino

is　a　singular　man。　　He　who　can　do　what　Abellino　has　done　must

possess　both　such　talents　and　such　courage　as；　stood　he　at　the　head

of　an　army；　would　enable　him　to　conquer　half　the　world。　　Would　that

I　could　once　get　a　sight　of　him！〃



〃Look　up；　then！〃　roared　Abellino；　and　clapped　the　Doge　on　the

shoulder。　　Andreas　started　from　his　seat。　　A　colossal　figure　stood

before　him；　wrapped　in　a　dark　mantle　above　which　appeared　a

countenance　so　hideous　and　forbidding；　that　the　universe　could　not

have　produced　its　equal。



〃Who　art　thou？〃　stammered　out　the　Doge。



〃Thou　seest　me；　and　canst　doubt？　　Well；　then；　I　am　Abellino；　the

good　friend　of　your　murdered　Conari；　the　Republic's　most　submissive

slave。〃



The　brave　Andreas；　who　had　never　trembled　in　fight　by　land　or　by

sea；　and　for　whom　no　danger　had　possessed　terrors　sufficient　to

shake　his　undaunted　resolution；　the　brave　Andreas　now　forgot　for　a

few　moments　his　usual　presence　of　mind。　　Speechless　did　he　gaze　on

the　daring　assassin；　who　stood　before　him　calm　and　haughty；

unappalled　by　the　majesty　of　the　greatest　man　in　Venice。



Abellino　nodded　to　him　with　an　air　of　familiar　protection；　and

graciously　condescended　to　grin　upon　him　with　a　kind　of　half…

friendly　smile。



〃Abellino；〃　said　the　Doge；　at　length；　endeavouring　to　recollect

himself；　〃thou　art　a　fearfula　detestable　man。〃



〃Fearful？〃　answered　the　bravo；　〃dost　thou　think　me　so？　　Good；　that

glads　me　to　the　very　heart！　　Detestable？　that　may　be　so；　or　it　may

not。　　I　confess；　the　sign　which　I　hang　out　gives　no　great　promise　of

good　entertainment　within；　but　yet；　Andreas；　one　thing　is　certain。

You　and　I　stand　on　the　same　line；　for　at　this　moment　we　are　the　two

greatest　men　in　Venice；　you　in　your　way；　I　in　mine。〃



The　Doge　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　bravo's　familiar　tone。



〃Nay；　nay；〃　continued　Abellino；　〃no　smiles　of　disbelief；　if　you

please。　　Allow　me；　though　a　bravo；　to　compare　myself　to　a　Doge；

truly；　I　think　there's　no　great　presumption　in　placing　myself　on　a

level　with　a　man　whom　I　hold　in　my　power；　and　who　therefore　is　in

fact　beneath　me。〃



The　Doge　made　a　movement；　as　he　would　have　left　him。



〃Not　so　fast；〃　said　Abellino；　laughing　rudely；　and　he　barred　the

Doge's　passage。　　〃Accident　seldom　unites　in　so　small　a　space　as　this

chamber　a　pair　of　such　great　men。　　Stay　where　you　are；　for　I　have

not　done　with　you　yet；　we　must　have　a　little　conversation。〃



〃Hear　me；　Abellino；〃　said　the　Doge；　mustering　up　all　the　dignity

which　he　possessed；　〃thou　hast　received　great　talents　from　Nature：

why　dost　thou　employ　them　to　so　little　advantage？　　I　here　promise

you；　on　my　most　sacred　word；　pardon　for　the　past；　and　protection　for

the　future；　will　you　but　name　to　me　the　villain　who　bribed　you　to

assassinate　Conari；　abjure　your　bloody　trade；　and　accept　an　honest

employment　in　the　service　of　the　Republic。　　If　this　offer　is

rejected；　at　least　quit　with　all　speed　the　territory　of　Venice；　or　I

swear〃



〃Ho！　ho！〃　interrupted　Abellino；　〃pardon　and　protection；　say　you？　　It

is　long　since　I　thought　it　worth　my　while　to　care　for　such　trifles。

Abellino　is　able　to　protect　himself　without　foreign　aid；　and；　as　to

pardon；　mortals　cannot　give　absolution　for　sins　like　mine。　　On　that

day；　when　all　men　must　give　in　the　list　of　their　offences；　then；

too；　will　I　give　in　mine；　but　till　then　never。　　You　would　know　the

name　of　him　who　bribed　me　to　be　Conari's　murderer？　　Well；　well；　you

shall　know　it；　but　not　to…day。　　I　must　quit　with　all　speed　the

Venetian　territory？　and　wherefore；　through　fear　of　thee？　　Ho！　ho！

Through　fear　of