the bravo of venice-第15章

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least　allow　me　to　hope。　　Noble　Andreas；　give　me　your　hand；　and

pledge　your　princely　word　that；　Abellino　once　in　your　power；　nothing

shall　prevent　me　from　being　Rosabella's　husband。



Andreas。I　swear　it；　deliver　into　my　power；　either　alive　or　dead；

this　most　dangerous　foe　of　Venice；　and　nothing　shall　prevent

Rosabella　from　being　your　wife。　　In　pledge　of　which　I　here　give　you

my　princely　hand。



Flodoardo　grasped　the　Doge's　hand　in　silence；　and　shook　it　thrice。

He　turned　to　Rosabella；　and　seemed　on　the　point　of　addressing　her；

when　he　suddenly　turned　away；　struck　his　forehead；　and　measured　the

apartment　with　disordered　and　unsteady　steps。　　The　clock　in　the

tower　of　St。　Mark's　church　struck　five。



〃Time　flies！〃　cried　Flodoardo；　〃no　more　delay；　then。　　In　four…and…

twenty　hours　will　I　produce　in　this　very　palace　this　dreaded　bravo；

Abellino。〃



Andreas　shook　his　head。　　〃Young　man；〃　said　he；　〃be　less　confident　in

your　promises；　I　shall　have　more　faith　in　your　performance。〃



Flodoardo　（serious　and　firm）。Let　things　terminate　as　they　may；

either　I　will　keep　my　word；　or　never　again　will　cross　the　threshold

of　your　palace。　　I　have　discovered　some　traces　of　the　miscreant；　and

I　trust　that　I　shall　amuse　you　to…morrow；　at　this　time　and　in　this

place；　with　the　representation　of　a　comedy；　but　should　it　prove　a

tragedy　instead；　God's　will　be　done。



Andreas。Remember　that　too　much　haste　is　dangerous；　rashness　will

destroy　even　the　frail　hopes　of　success　which　you　may　reasonably

indulge　at　present。



Flodoardo。Rashness；　my　lord？　　He　who　has　lived　as　I　have　lived；

and　suffered　what　I　have　suffered；　must　have　been　long　since　cured

of　rashness。



Rosabella　（taking　his　hand）。Yet　be　not　too　confident　of　your　own

strength；　I　beseech　you！　　Dear　Flodoardo；　my　uncle　loves　you；　and

his　advice　is　wise！　　Beware　of　Abellino's　dagger！



Flodoardo。The　best　way　to　escape　his　dagger　is　not　to　allow　him

time　to　use　it：　　within　four…and…twenty　hours　must　the　deed　be　done；

or　never。　　Now；　then；　illustrious　Prince；　I　take　my　leave　of　you。

To…morrow　I　doubt　not　to　convince　you　that　nothing　is　too　much　for

love　to　venture。



Andreas。Right；　to　venture：　　but　to　achieve？



Flodoardo。Ah；　that　must　dependHe　paused　suddenly　again　his　eyes

were　fastened　eagerly　on　those　of　Rosabella；　and　it　was　evident　that

with　every　moment　his　uneasiness　acquired　fresh　strength。　　He

resumed　his　discourse　to　Andreas；　with　a　movement　of　impatience。



〃Noble　Andreas；〃　said　he；　〃do　not　make　me　dispirited；　rather　let　me

try　whether　I　cannot　inspire　you　with　more　confidence　of　my　success。

I　must　first　request　you　to　order　a　splendid　entertainment　to　be

prepared。　　At　this　hour　in　the　afternoon　of　to…morrow　let　me　find

all　the　principal　persons　in　Venice；　both　men　and　women；　assembled

in　this　chamber；　for　should　my　hopes　be　realised；　I　would　willingly

have　spectators　of　my　triumph。　　Particularly　let　the　venerable

members　of　the　College　of　Ten　he　invited；　in　order　that　they　may　at

last　he　brought　face　to　face　with　this　terrible　Abellino；　against

whom　they　have　so　long　been　engaged　in　fruitless　warfare。〃



Andreas　（after　eyeing　him　some　time　with　a　look　of　mingled　surprise

and　uncertainty）。They　shall　be　present。



Flodoardo。I　understand；　also；　that　since　Conari's　death　you　have

been　reconciled　to　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga；　and　that　he　has　convinced

you　how　unjust　were　the　prejudices　with　which　Conari　had　inspired

you　against　the　nobilityParozzi；　Contarino；　and　the　rest　of　that

society。　　During　my　late　excursions　I　have　heard　much　in　praise　of

these　young　men；　which　makes　me　wish　to　show　myself　to　them　in　a

favourable　light。　　If　you　have　no　objection；　let　me　beg　you　to

invite　them　also。



Andreas。You　shall　be　gratified。



Flodoardo。One　thing　more；　which　had　nearly　escaped　my　memory。　　Let

no　one　know　the　motive　of　this　entertainment　till　the　whole　company

is　assembled。　　Then　let　guards　be　placed　around　the　palace；　and；

indeed；　it　may　be　as　well　to　place　them　even　before　the　doors　of　the

saloon；　for　in　truth　this　Abellino　is　such　a　desperate　villain；　that

too　many　precautions　cannot　be　taken　against　him。　　The　sentinels

must　have　their　pieces　loaded；　and；　above　all　things；　they　must　be

strictly　charged；　on　pain　of　death；　to　let　every　one　enter；　but　no

one　quit　the　chamber。



Andreas。All　this　shall　be　done　punctually。



Flodoardo。I　have　nothing　more　to　say。　　Noble　Andreas；　farewell。

Rosabella；　to…morrow；　when　the　clock　strikes　five；　we　shall　meet

again；　or　never。



He　said；　and　rushed　out　of　the　apartment。　　Andreas　shook　his　head；

while　Rosabella　sank　upon　her　uncle's　bosom；　and　wept　bitterly。







CHAPTER　III。THE　MIDNIGHT　MEETING。







〃Victory！〃　shouted　Parozzi；　as　he　rushed　into　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga's

chamber；　where　the　chief　conspirators　were　all　assembled；　〃our　work

goes　on　bravely。　　Flodoardo　returned　this　morning　to　Venice；　and

Abellino　has　already　received　the　required　sum。〃



Gonzaga。Flodoardo　does　not　want　talents；　I　had　rather　he　should

live　and　join　our　party。　　He　is　seldom　off　his　guard　…



Parozzi。Such　vagabonds　may　well　be　cautious；　they　must　not　forget

themselves；　who　have　so　much　to　conceal　from　others。



Falieri。Rosabella；　as　I　understand；　by　no　means　sees　this

Florentine　with　unfavourable　eyes。



Parozzi。Oh；　wait　till　to…morrow；　and　then　he　may　make　love　to　the

devil　and　his　grandmother；　if　he　likes　it。　　Abellino　by　that　time

will　have　wrung　his　neck　round；　I　warrant　you。



Contarino。It　is　strange　that；　in　spite　of　all　inquiries；　I　can

learn　but　little　at　Florence　respecting　this　Flodoardo。　　My　letters

inform　me　that　some　time　ago　there　did　exist　a　family　of　that　name；

but　it　has　been　long　extinct；　or　if　any　of　its　descendants　are　still

in　being　at　Florence；　their　existence　is　quite　a　secret。



Gonzaga。Are　you　all　invited　to　the　Doge's　tomorrow？



Contarino。All　of　us；　without　exception。



Gonzaga。That　is　well。　　It　seems　that　my　recommendations　have

obtained　some　weight　with　him；　since　his　triumvirate　has　been

removed。　　And　in　the　evening　a　masked　ball　is　to　be　given。　　Did　not

the　Doge's　chamberlain　say　so？



Falieri。He　did。



Memmo。I　only　hope　there　is　no　trick　in　all　this。　　If　he　should

have　been　given　a　hint　of　our　conspiracy！　　Mercy　on　us！　my　teeth

chatter　at　the　thought。



Gonzaga。Absurd！　　By　what　means　should　our　designs　have　been　made

known　to　him？　　The　thing　is　impossible。



Memmo。Impossible？　　What；　when　there's　scarce　a　cutpurse；

housebreaker；　or　vagabond　in　Venice　who　has　not　been　enlisted　in　our

service；　would　it　be　so　strange　if　the　Doge　discovered　a　little　of

the　business？　　A　secret　which　is　known　to　so　many；　how　should　it

escape　his　penetration？



Contarino。Simpleton！　the　same　thing　happens　to　him　which　happens

to　betrayed　husbands。　　Everyone　can　see　the　horns　except　the　man　who

carries　them。　　And　yet　I　confess　it　is　full　time　that　we　should

realise　our　projects；　and　prevent　the　possibility　of　our　being

betrayed。



Falieri。You　are　right；　friend；　everything　is　ready　now。　　The

sooner　that　the　blow　is　struck　the　better。



Parozzi。Nay；　the　discontented　populace；　which　at　present　sides

with　us；　would　be　perfectly　well　pleased　if　the　sport　began　this

very　night；　delay　the　business　longer；　and　their　anger　against

Andreas　will　cool；　and　render　them　unfit　for　our　purpose。



Contarino。Then　let　us　decide　the　game　at　once；　be　to…morrow　the

important　day。　　Leave　the　Doge　to　my　disposal。　　I'll　at　least　engage

to　bury　my　poniard　in　his　heart；　and　then　let　the　business　end　as　it

may；　one　of　two　things　must　happen：　　either　we　shall　rescue

ourselves　from　all　trouble　and　vexation；　by　throwing　everything　into

uproar　and　confusion；　or　else　we　shall　sail　with　a　full　wind　from

this　cursed　world　to　another。



Parozzi。Mark　me；　friends；　we　must　go　armed　to　the　Doge's

entertainment。



Gonzaga。All　the　members　of　the　College　of　Ten　have　been

particularly　invited　…



Falieri。Down　with　every　man　of　them！



Memmo。Aye；　aye！　　Fine　talking；　but　suppose　it　should　turn　out　to

be　down　with　ourselves？



Falieri。Thou　white…livered　wretch！　　Stay　at　home；　then；　and　take

care　of　your　worthless　existence。　　But　if　our　attempt　succeeds；　come

not　to　us　to　reimburse　you　for　the　sums　which　you　have　already

advanced。　　Not　a　sequin　shall　be　paid　you　back；　depend　on't。



Memmo。You　wrong　me；　Falieri；　if　you　wish　to　prove　my　courage；　draw

your　sword　and　measure　it　against　mine。　　I　am　as　brave　as　yourself；

but；　thank　Heaven；　I　am　not　quite　so　hot…headed。



Gonzaga。Nay；　even　suppose　that　the　event　should　not　answer　our

expectations？　　Andreas　once　dead；　let　the　populace　storm　as　it

pleases；　the　protection　of　his　Holiness　will　sanction　our

proceedings。



Memmo。The　Pope？　　May　we　count　on　his　protection？



Gonzaga　（throwing　him　a　letter）。Read　there；　unbeliever。　　The　Pope；

I　tell　you；　must　protect　us；　since　one　of　our　objects　is　professed

to　be　the　assertion　of　the　rights　of　St。　Peter's　Chair　in　Venice。

Prithee；　Memmo；　tease　us　no　more　with　such　doubts；　but　let

Contarino's　proposal　be　adopted　at　once。　　Our　confederates　must　be

summoned　to　Parozzi's　palace　with　all　diligence；　and　there　furnished

with　such　weapons　as　are　necessary。　　Let　the　stroke　of　midnight　be

the　signal　for　Contarino's　quitting　the　ball…room；　and　hastening　to

seize　the　arsenal。　　Salviati；　who　commands　there；　is　in　our

interest；　and　will　throw　open　the　gates　at　the　first　summons。



Falieri。The　admiral　Adorna；　as　soon　as　he　hears　the　alarm…bell；

will　immediately　lead　his　people　to　our　assistance。



Parozzi。Oh；　our　success　is　certain。



Contarino。Only　let　us　take　care　to　make　the　confusion　as　general

as　possible。　　Our　adversaries　must　be　kept　in　the　dark　who　are　their

friends　and　who　their　foes；　and　all　but　our　own　party　must　be　left

ignorant　as　to　the　authors；　the　origin；　and　the　object　of　the

uproar。



Parozzi。Heaven；　I　am　delighted　at　finding　the　business　at　length

so　near　the　moment　of　execution！



Falieri。Parozzi；　have　you　distributed　the　white　ribbons　by　which

we　are　to　recognise　our　partisans？



Parozzi。That　was　done　some　days　ago。



Contarino。Then　there　is　no　more　necessary　to　be　said　on　the

subject。　　Comrades；　fill　your　goblets。　　We　will　not　meet　again

together　till　our　work　has　been　completed。



Memmo。And　yet　methinks　it　would　not　be　unwise　to　consider　the

matter　over　again　coolly。



Contarino。Pshaw！　consideration　and　prudence　have　nothing　to　do

with　a　rebellion；　despair　and　rashness　in　this　case　are　better

counsellors。　　The　work　once　begun；　the　constitution　of　Venice　once

boldly　overturned；　so　that　no　one　can　tell　who　is　master　and　who　is

subject；　then　consideration　will　be　of　service　in　instructing　us　how

far　it　may　be　necessary　for　our　interest　to　push　the　confusion。

Come；　friends！　fill；　fill；　I　say。　　I　cannot　hel