the bravo of venice-第16章

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

Come；　friends！　fill；　fill；　I　say。　　I　cannot　help　laughing　when　I

reflect　that；　by　giving　this　entertainment　to…morrow；　the　Doge

himself　kindly　affords　us　an　opportunity　of　executing　our　plans。



Parozzi。As　to　Flodoardo；　I　look　upon　him　already　as　in　his　grave；

yet　before　we　go　to…morrow　to　the　Doge's；　it　will　be　as　well　to　have

a　conference　with　Abellino。



Contarino。That　care　we　will　leave　to　you；　Parozzi；　and　in　the

meanwhile　here's　the　health　of　Abellino。



All。Abellino！



Gonzaga。And　success　to　our　enterprise　to…morrow。



Memmo。I'll　drink　THAT　toast　with　all　my　heart。



All。Success　to　to…morrow's　enterprise！



Parozzi。The　wine　tastes　well；　and　every　face　looks　gay；　pass

eight…and…forty　hours；　and　shall　we　look　as　gaily？　　We　separate

smiling；　shall　we　smile　when　two　nights　hence　we　meet　again？　　No

matter。







CHAPTER　IV。THE　DECISIVE　DAY。







The　next　morning　everything　in　Venice　seemed　as　tranquil　as　if

nothing　more　than　ordinary　was　on　the　point　of　taking　place；　and

yet；　since　her　first　foundation；　never　had　a　more　important　day

risen　on　the　Republic。



The　inhabitants　of　the　ducal　palace　were　in　motion　early。　　The

impatient　Andreas　forsook　the　couch　on　which　he　had　passed　a

sleepless　and　anxious　night；　as　soon　as　the　first　sunbeams

penetrated　through　the　lattice　of　his　chamber。　　Rosabella　had

employed　the　hours　of　rest　in　dreams　of　Flodoardo；　and　she　still

seemed　to　be　dreaming　of　him；　even　after　sleep　was　fled。　　Camilla's

love　for　her　fair　pupil　had　broken　her　repose；　she　loved　Rosabella

as　had　she　been　her　daughter；　and　was　aware　that　on　this　interesting

day　depended　the　love…sick　girl's　whole　future　happiness。　　For　some

time　Rosabella　was　unusually　gay；　she　sang　to　her　harp　the　most

lively　airs；　and　jested　with　Camilla　for　looking　so　serious　and　so

uneasy；　but　when　mid…day　approached；　her　spirits　began　to　forsake

her。　　She　quitted　her　instrument；　and　paced　the　chamber　with

unsteady　steps。　　With　every　succeeding　hour　her　heart　palpitated

with　greater　pain　and　violence；　and　she　trembled　in　expectation　of

the　scene　which　was　soon　to　take　place。



The　most　illustrious　persons　in　Venice　already　filled　her　uncle's

palace；　the　afternoon　so　much　dreaded；　and　yet　so　much　desired；　was

come；　and　the　Doge　now　desired　Camilla　to　conduct　his　niece　to　the

great　saloon；　where　she　was　expected　with　impatience　by　all　those

who　were　of　most　consequence　in　the　Republic。



Rosabella　sank　on　her　knees　before　a　statue　of　the　Virgin。　　〃Blessed

Lady！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　lifted　hands；　〃have　mercy　on　me！　　Let　all

to…day　end　well！〃



Pale　as　death　did　she　enter　the　chamber　in　which；　on　the　day　before；

she　had　acknowledged　her　love　for　Flodoardo；　and　Flodoardo　had　sworn

to　risk　his　life　to　obtain　her。　　Flodoardo　was　not　yet　arrived。



The　assembly　was　brilliant；　the　conversation　was　gay。　　They　talked

over　the　politics　of　the　day；　and　discussed　the　various　occurrences

of　Europe。　　The　Cardinal　and　Contarino　were　engaged　in　a　conference

with　the　Doge；　while　Memmo；　Parozzi；　and　Falieri　stood　silent

together；　and　revolved　the　project　whose　execution　was　to　take　place

at　midnight。



The　weather　was　dark　and　tempestuous。　　The　wind　roared　among　the

waters　of　the　canal；　and　the　vanes　of　the　palace…towers　creaked

shrilly　and　discordantly。　　One　storm　of　rain　followed　hard　upon

another。



The　clock　struck　four。　　The　cheeks　of　Rosabella；　if　possible；　became

paler　than　before。　　Andreas　whispered　something　to　his　chamberlain。

In　a　few　minutes　the　tread　of　armed　men　seemed　approaching　the　doors

of　the　saloon；　and　soon　after　the　clattering　of　weapons　was　heard。



Instantly　a　sudden　silence　reigned　through　the　whole　assembly。　　The

young　courtiers　broke　off　their　love…speeches　abruptly；　and　the

ladies　stopped　in　their　criticisms　upon　the　last　new　fashions。　　The

statesmen　dropped　their　political　discussions；　and　gazed　on　each

other　in　silence　and　anxiety。



The　Doge　advanced　slowly　into　the　midst　of　the　assembly。　　Every　eye

was　fixed　upon　him。　　The　hearts　of　the　conspirators　beat　painfully。



〃Be　not　surprised；　my　friends；〃　said　Andreas；　〃at　these　unusual

precautions；　they　relate　to　nothing　which　need　interfere　with　the

pleasures　of　this　society。　　You　have　all　heard　but　too　much　of　the

bravo　Abellino；　the　murderer　of　the　Procurator　Conari；　and　of　my

faithful　counsellors　Manfrone　and　Lomellino；　and　to　whose　dagger　my

illustrious　guest　the　Prince　of　Monaldeschi　has　but　lately　fallen　a

victim。　　This　miscreant；　the　object　of　aversion　to　every　honest　man

in　Venice；　to　whom　nothing　is　sacred　or　venerable；　and　who　has

hitherto　set　at　defiance　the　whole　vengeance　of　the　Republicbefore

another　hour　expires；　perhaps　this　outcast　of　hell　may　stand　before

you　in　this　very　saloon。〃



All　（astonished）。Abellino？　　What；　the　bravo　Abellino？



Gonzaga。Of　his　own　accord！



Andreas。No；　not　of　his　own　accord；　in　truth。　　But　Flodoardo　of

Florence　has　undertaken　to　render　this　important　service　to　the

Republic；　to　seize　Abellino；　cost　what　it　may；　and　conduct　him

hither　at　the　risk　of　his　life。



A　Senator。The　engagement　will　be　difficult　to　fulfil。　　I　doubt

much　Flodoardo's　keeping　his　promise。



Another。But　if　he　SHOULD　perform　it；　the　obligation　which

Flodoardo　will　lay　upon　the　Republic　will　not　be　trifling。



A　Third。Nay；　we　shall　be　all　his　debtors；　nor　do　I　know　how　we　can

reward　Flodoardo　for　so　important　a　service。



Andreas。Be　that　my　task。　　Flodoardo　has　demanded　my　niece　in

marriage　if　he　performs　his　promise。　　Rosabella　shall　be　his　reward。



All　gazed　on　each　other　in　silence；　some　with　looks　expressing　the

most　heartfelt　satisfaction；　and　others　with　glances　of　envy　and

surprise。



Falieri　（in　a　low　voice）。Parozzi；　how　will　this　end？



Memmo。As　I　live；　the　very　idea　makes　me　shake　as　if　I　had　a　fever。



Parozzi　（smiling　contemptuously）。It's　very　likely　that　Abellino

should　suffer　himself　to　be　caught！



Contarino。Pray　inform　me；　signors；　have　any　of　you　ever　met　this

Abellino　face　to　face？



Several　Noblemen　at　once。Not　I。　　Never。



A　Senator。He　is　a　kind　of　spectre；　who　only　appears　now　and　then；

when　he　is　least　expected　and　desired。



Rosabella。I　saw　him　once；　never　again　shall　I　forget　the　monster。



Andreas。And　my　interview　with　him　is　too　well　known　to　make　it

needful　for　me　to　relate　it。



Memmo。I　have　heard　a　thousand　stories　about　this　miscreant；　the

one　more　wonderful　than　the　other；　and　for　my　own　part　I　verily

believe　that　he　is　Satan　himself　in　a　human　form。　　I　must　say　that　I

think　it　would　be　wiser　not　to　let　him　be　brought　in　among　us；　for

he　is　capable　of　strangling　us　all　as　we　stand　here；　one　after

another；　without　mercy。



〃Gracious　Heaven！〃　screamed　several　of　the　ladies；　〃you　don't　say

so？　　What；　strangle　us　in　this　very　chamber？〃



Contarino。The　principal　point　is；　whether　Flodoardo　will　get　the

better　of　HIM；　or　HE　of　Flodoardo。　　Now　I　would　lay　a　heavy　wager

that　the　Florentine　will　return　without　having　finished　the

business。



A　Senator。And　_I_　would　engage；　on　the　contrary；　that　there　is　but

one　man　in　Venice　who　is　capable　of　seizing　Abellino；　and　that　THAT

man　is　Flodoardo　of　Florence。　　The　moment　that　I　became　acquainted

with　him；　I　prophesied　that　one　day　or　other　he　would　play　a

brilliant　part　in　the　annals　of　history。



Another　Senator。I　think　with　you；　signor。　　Never　was　I　so　struck

with　a　man　at　first　sight　as　I　was　with　Flodoardo。



Contarino。A　thousand　sequins　on　Abellino's　not　being　taken；　unless

death　should　have　taken　him　first。



The　First　Senator。A　thousand　sequins　on　Flodoardo　seizing　him　…



Andreas。And　delivering　him　up　to　me；　either　alive　or　dead。



Contarino。Illustrious　signors；　you　are　witnesses　of　the　wager。　　My

Lord　Vitalba；　there　is　my　hand　on　it。　　A　thousand　sequins！



The　Senator。Done。



Contarino　（smiling）。Many　thanks　for　your　gold；　signor。　　I　look　on

it　as　already　in　my　purse。　　Flodoardo　is　a　clever　gentleman；　no

doubt；　yet　I　would　advise　him　to　take　good　care　of　himself；　for　he

will　find　that　Abellino　knows　a　trick　or　two；　or　I　am　much　mistaken。



Gonzaga。May　I　request　your　Highness　to　inform　me　whether　Flodoardo

is　attended　by　the　sbirri？



Andreas。No；　he　is　alone。　　Near　four…and…twenty　hours　have　elapsed

since　he　set　out　in　pursuit　of　the　bravo。



Gonzaga　（to　Contarino；　with　a　smile　of　triumph）。I　wish　you　joy　of

your　thousand　sequins；　signor。



Contarino　（bowing　respectfully）。Since　your　Excellency　prophesies

it　I　can　no　longer　doubt　my　success。



Memmo。I　begin　to　recover　myself！　　Well；　well！　let　us　see　the　end。



Three…and…twenty　hours　had　elapsed　since　Flodoardo　had　entered　into

the　rash　engagement。　　The　four…and…twentieth　now　hastened　to　its

completion；　and　yet　Flodoardo　came　not。







CHAPTER　V。THE　CLOCK　STRIKES　FIVE。







The　Doge　became　uneasy。　　The　senator　Vitalba　began　to　tremble　for

his　thousand　sequins；　and　the　conspirators　could　not　restrain　their

spiteful　laughter；　when　Contarino　gravely　declared　that　he　would

gladly　lose；　not　ONE　thousand　sequins；　but　twenty；　if　the　loss　of

his　wager　through　Abellino's　being　captured　might　but　secure　the

general　safety　of　the　Republic。



〃Hark！〃　cried　Rosabella；　〃the　clock　strikes　five！〃



All　listened　to　the　chimes　in　the　tower　of　St。　Mark's　Church；　and

trembled　as　they　counted　the　strokes。　　Had　not　Camilla　supported

her；　Rosabella　would　have　sank　upon　the　ground。　　The　destined　hour

was　past；　and　still　Flodoardo　came　not！



The　venerable　Andreas　felt　a　sincere　affection　for　the　Florentine；

he　shuddered　as　he　dwelt　upon　the　probability　that　Abellino's　dagger

had　prevailed。



Rosabella　advanced　towards　her　uncle　as　if　she　would　have　spoken　to

him；　but　anxiety　fettered　her　tongue；　and　tears　forced　themselves

into　her　eyes。　　She　struggled　for　a　while　to　conceal　her　emotions；

but　the　effort　was　too　much　for　her。　　She　threw　herself　on　a　sofa；

wrung　her　hands；　and　prayed　to　the　God　of　mercy　for　help　and

comfort。



The　rest　of　the　company　either　formed　groups　of　whisperers；　or

strolled　up　and　down　the　apartment　in　evident　uneasiness。　　They

would　willingly　have　appeared　gay　and　unconcerned；　but　they　found　it

impossible　to　assume　even　an　affectation　of　gaiety；　and　thus　elapsed

another　hour；　and　still　Flodoardo　came　not。



At　that　moment　the　evening　sun　broke　through　the　clouds；　and　a　ray

of　its　setting　glory　was　thrown　full　upon　the　countenance　of

Rosabella。　　She　started　from　the　sofa；　extended　her　arms　towards　the

radiant　orb；　and　exclaimed；　while　a　smile　of　hope　played　round　her

lips；　〃God　is　merciful；　God　will　have　mercy　on　me。〃



Contarino。Was　it　at　five　o'clock　that　Flodoardo　engaged　to　produce

Abellino？　　It　is　now　a　full　hour　beyond　his　time。