the bravo of venice-第17章

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



The　Senator　Vitalba。Let　him　only　produce　him　at　last；　and　he　may

be　a　month　beyond　his　time　if　he　choose。



Andreas。Hark！　　No。　　Silence！　silence！　　Surely　I　hear　footsteps

approaching　the　saloon。



The　words　were　scarcely　spoken　when　the　folding　doors　were　thrown

open；　and　Flodoardo　rushed　into　the　room　enveloped　in　his　mantle。

His　hair　streamed　on　the　air　in　wild　disorder；　a　deep　shade　was

thrown　over　his　face　by　the　drooping　plumes　of　his　barrette；　from

which　the　rain　was　flowing。　　Extreme　melancholy　was　impressed　on　all

his　features；　and　he　threw　gloomy　looks　around　him　as　he　bowed　his

head　in　salutation　of　the　assembly。



Every　one　crowded　round　him；　every　mouth　was　unclosed　to　question

him；　every　eye　was　fixed　on　his　face　as　if　eager　to　anticipate　his

answers。



〃Holy　Virgin！〃　exclaimed　Memmo；　〃I　am　afraid　that〃



〃Be　silent；　signor！〃　interrupted　Contarino；　sternly；　〃there　is

nothing　to　be　afraid　of。〃



〃Illustrious　Venetians！〃it　was　thus　that　Flodoardo　broke　silence；

and　he　spoke　with　the　commanding　tone　of　a　hero〃I　conclude　that

his　Highness　has　already　made　known　to　you　the　object　of　your　being

thus　assembled。　　I　come　to　put　an　end　to　your　anxiety；　but　first；

noble　Andreas；　I　must　once　more　receive　the　assurance　that　Rosabella

of　Corfu　shall　become　my　bride；　provided　I　deliver　into　your　power

the　bravo　Abellino。〃



Andreas　（examining　his　countenance　with　extreme　anxiety）。

Flodoardo；　have　you　succeeded？　　Is　Abellino　your　prisoner？



Flodoardo。If　Abellino　is　my　prisoner；　shall　Rosabella　be　my　bride？



Andreas。Bring　me　Abellino；　alive　or　dead；　and　she　is　yours。　　I

swear　it　beyond　the　power　of　retracting；　and　also　that　her　dowry

shall　be　royal！



Flodoardo。Illustrious　Venetians；　ye　have　heard　the　Doge's　oath？



All。We　are　your　witnesses。



Flodoardo　（advancing　a　few　paces　with　a　bold　air；　and　speaking　in　a

firm　voice）。Well；　then；　Abellino　is　in　my　poweris　in　YOURS。



All　（in　confusion　and　a　kind　of　uproar）。In　ours？　　Merciful　heaven！

Where　is　he？　　Abellino！



Andreas。Is　he　dead　or　living？



Flodoardo。He　still　lives。



Gonzaga　（hastily）。He　lives？



Flodoardo　（bowing　to　the　Cardinal　respectfully）。He　still　lives；

signor。



Rosabella　（pressing　Camilla　to　her　bosom）。　　Didst　thou　hear　that；

Camilla？　　Didst　thou　hear　it？　　The　villain　still　lives。　　Not　one

drop　of　blood　has　stained　the　innocent　hand　of　Flodoardo。



The　Senator　Vitalba。Signor　Contarino；　I　have　won　a　thousand

sequins　of　you。



Contarino。So　it　should　seem；　signor。



Andreas。My　son；　you　have　bound　the　Republic　to　you　for　ever；　and　I

rejoice　that　it　is　to　Flodoardo　that　she　is　indebted　for　a　service

so　essential。



Vitalba。And　permit　me；　noble　Florentine；　to　thank　you　for　this

heroic　act　in　the　name　of　the　Senate　of　Venice。　　Our　first　care

shall　be　to　seek　out　a　reward　proportioned　to　your　merits。



Flodoardo　（extending　his　arms　towards　Rosabella；　with　a　melancholy

air）。There　stands　the　only　reward　for　which　I　wish。



Andreas　（joyfully）。And　that　reward　is　your　own。　　But　where　have

you　left　the　bloodhound？　　Conduct　him　hither；　my　son；　and　let　me

look　at　him　once　more。　　When　I　last　saw　him；　he　had　the　insolence　to

tell　me；　〃Doge；　I　am　your　equal。　　This　narrow　chamber　now　holds　the

two　greatest　men　in　Venice。〃　　Now；　then；　let　me　see　how　this　other

great　man　looks　in　captivity。



Two　or　three　Senators。Where　is　he？　　Bring　him　hither。



Several　of　the　ladies　screamed　at　hearing　this　proposal。　　〃For

heaven's　sake；〃　cried　they；　〃keep　the　monster　away　from　us！　　I　shall

be　frightened　out　of　my　senses　if　he　comes　here。〃



〃Noble　ladies；〃　said　Flodoardo；　with　a　smile；　expressing　rather

sorrow　than　joy；　〃you　have　nothing　to　apprehend。　　Abellino　shall　do

you　no　harm；　but　he　needs　must　come　hither　to　claim　THE　BRAVO'S

BRIDE。〃　　And　he　pointed　to　Rosabella。



〃Oh；　my　best　friend；〃　she　answered；　〃how　shall　I　express　my　thanks

to　you　for　having　thus　put　an　end　to　my　terrors？　　I　shall　tremble　no

more　at　hearing　Abellino　named。　　Rosabella　shall　now　be　called　the

Bravo's　Bride　no　longer。〃



Falieri。Is　Abellino　already　in　this　palace？



Flodoardo。He　is。



Vitalba。Then　why　do　you　not　produce　him？　　Why　do　you　trifle　so

long　with　our　impatience？



Flodoardo。Be　patient。　　It's　now　time　that　the　play　should　begin。

Be　seated；　noble　Andreas。　　Let　all　the　rest　arrange　themselves

behind　the　Doge。　　Abellino's　coming！



At　that　word　both　old　and　young；　both　male　and　female；　with　the

rapidity　of　lightning；　flew　to　take　shelter　behind　Andreas。　　Every

heart　beat　anxiously；　but　as　to　the　conspirators；　while　expecting

Abellino's　appearance；　they　suffered　the　torments　of　the　damned。



Grave　and　tranquil　sat　the　Doge　in　his　chair；　like　a　judge　appointed

to　pass　sentence　on　this　King　of　the　Banditti。　　The　spectators　stood

around　in　various　groups；　all　hushed　and　solemn；　as　if　they　were

waiting　to　receive　their　final　judgment。　　The　lovely　Rosabella；　with

all　the　security　of　angels　whose　innocence　have　nothing　to　fear；

reclined　her　head　on　Camilla's　shoulder　and　gazed　on　her　heroic

lover　with　looks　of　adoration。　　The　conspirators；　with　pallid　cheeks

and　staring　eyes；　filled　up　the　background；　and　a　dead　and　awful

silence　prevailed　through　the　assembly；　scarcely　interrupted　by　a

single　breath。



〃And　now；　then；〃　said　Flodoardo；　〃prepare　yourselves；　for　this

terrible　Abellino　shall　immediately　appear　before　you。　　Do　not

tremble；　he　shall　do　no　one　harm。〃



With　these　words　he　turned　away　from　the　company；　advanced　towards

the　folding…doors。　　He　paused　for　a　few　moments；　and　concealed　his

face　in　his　cloak。



〃Abellino！〃　cried　he　at　length；　raising　his　head；　and　extending　his

arm　towards　the　door。　　At　that　name　all　who　heard　it　shuddered

involuntarily；　and　Rosabella　advanced　unconsciously　a　few　steps

towards　her　lover。　　She　trembled　more　for　Flodoardo　than　herself。



〃Abellino！〃　the　Florentine　repeated；　in　a　loud　and　angry　tone；　threw

from　him　his　mantle　and　barrette；　and　had　already　laid　his　hand　on

the　lock　of　the　door　to　open　it；　when　Rosabella　uttered　a　cry　of

terror。



〃Stay；　Flodoardo！〃　she　cried；　rushing　towards　him；　andHa！

Flodoardo　was　gone；　and　there；　in　his　place；　stood　Abellino；　and

shouted　out；　〃Ho！　ho！〃







CHAPTER　VI。APPARITIONS。







Instantly　a　loud　cry　of　terror　resounded　through　the　apartment。

Rosabella　sank　fainting　at　the　bravo's　feet；　the　conspirators　were

almost　suffocated　with　rage；　terror；　and　astonishment；　the　ladies

made　signs　of　the　cross；　and　began　in　all　haste　to　repeat　their

paternosters；　the　senators　stood　rooted　to　their　places　like　so　many

statues；　and　the　Doge　doubted　the　information　of　his　ears　and　eyes。



Calm　and　terrible　stood　the　bravo　before　them；　in　all　the　pomp　of

his　strange　and　awful　ugliness；　with　his　bravo's　habit；　his　girdle

filled　with　pistols　and　poniards；　his　distorted　yellow　countenance；

his　black　and　bushy　eyebrows；　his　lips　convulsed；　his　right　eye

covered　by　a　large　patch；　and　his　left　half　buried　among　the

wrinkles　of　flesh　which　swelled　around　it。　　He　gazed　around　him　for

a　few　moments　in　silence；　and　then　approached　the　stupefied　Andreas。



〃Ho！　ho！〃　he　roared　in　a　voice　like　thunder；　〃you　wish　to　see　the

bravo　Abellino？　　Doge　of　Venice；　here　he　stands；　and　is　come　to

claim　his　bride。〃



Andreas　gazed　with　looks　of　horror　on　this　model　for　demons；　and　at

length　stammered　out　with　difficulty；　〃It　cannot　be　real；　I　must

surely　be　the　sport　of　some　terrible　dream。〃



〃Without　there；　guards！〃　exclaimed　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga；　and　would

have　hastened　to　the　folding　doors；　when　Abellino　put　his　back

against　them；　snatched　a　pistol　from　his　girdle；　and　pointed　it　at

the　Cardinal's　bosom。



〃The　first；〃　cried　he；　〃who　calls　for　the　guard；　or　advances　one

step　from　the　place　on　which　he　stands；　expires　that　moment。　　Fools！

Do　ye　think　I　would　have　delivered　myself　up；　and　desired　that

guards　might　beset　these　doors；　had　I　feared　their　swords；　or

intended　to　escape　from　your　power？　　No；　I　am　content　to　be　your

prisoner；　but　not　through　compulsion！　　I　am　content　to　be　your

prisoner；　and　it　was　with　that　intent　that　I　came　hither。　　No　mortal

should　have　the　glory　of　seizing　Abellino。　　If　justice　required　him

to　be　delivered　up；　it　was　necessary　that　he　should　be　delivered　up

by　himself！　　Or　do　ye　take　Abellino　for　an　ordinary　ruffian；　who

passes　his　time　in　skulking　from　the　sbirri；　and　who　murders　for　the

sake　of　despicable　plunder？　　No；　by　heaven；　no！　　Abellino　was　no

such　common　villain。　　It's　true　I　was　a　bravo；　but　the　motives　which

induced　me　to　become　one　were　great　and　striking。〃



Andreas　（clasping　his　hands　together）。Almighty　God！　can　all　this

be　possible？



An　awful　silence　again　reigned　through　the　saloon。　　All　trembled

while　they　listened　to　the　voice　of　the　terrible　assassin；　who

strode　through　the　chamber　proud　and　majestic　as　the　monarch　of　the

infernal　world。



Rosabella　opened　her　eyes；　their　first　look　fell　upon　the　bravo。



〃Oh；　God　of　mercy！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃he　is　still　there。　　Methought；

too；　that　Flodoardo　…。　　No；　no；　it　could　not　be！　　I　was　deceived　by

witchcraft。〃



Abellino　advanced　towards　her；　and　attempted　to　raise　her。　　She

shrunk　from　his　touch　with　horror。



〃No；　Rosabella；〃　said　the　bravo；　in　an　altered　voice；　〃what　you　saw

was　no　illusion。　　Your　favoured　Flodoardo　is　no　other　than　Abellino

the　bravo。〃



〃It　is　false！〃　interrupted　Rosabella；　starting　from　the　ground　in

despair；　and　throwing　herself　for　refuge　on　Camilla's　bosom。

〃Monster！　thou　canst　not　be　Flodoardo！　such　a　fiend　can　never　have

been　such　a　seraph。　　Flodoardo's　actions　were　good　and　glorious　as　a

demi…god's！　'Twas　of　him　that　I　learned　to　love　good　and　glorious

actions；　and　'twas　he　who　encouraged　me　to　attempt　them　myself；　his

heart　was　pure　from　all　mean　passions；　and　capable　of　conceiving　all

great　designs。　　Never　did　he　scruple；　in　the　cause　of　virtue；　to

endure　fatigue　and　pain；　and　to　dry　up　the　tears　of　suffering

innocencethat　was　Flodoardo's　proudest　triumph！　　Flodoardo　and

thou！　　Wretch；　whom　many　a　bleeding　ghost　has　long　since　accused

before　the　throne　of　heaven；　darest　thou　to　profane　the　name　of

Flodoardo！〃



Abellino　（proud　and　earnest）。Rosabella；　wilt　thou　forsake　me？

Wilt　thou　retract　thy　promise？　　Look；　Rosabella；　and　be　convinced：

I；　the　bravo；　and　thy　Flodoardo　are　the　same。



He　said；　removing　the　patch　from　his　eye；　and　passed　a　handkerchief

over　his　face　once　or　twice。　　In　an　instant　his　complexion　was

altered；　his　bushy　eyebrows　and　straight　black　hair　disappeared；　his

features　were　replaced　in　their　natural　symmetry；　and　lo！　the

handsome　Florentine　stood　before　the　whole　assembly；　dressed　in　the

habit　of　the　bravo　Abellino。



Abellino。Mark　me；　Ros