the bravo of venice-第5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！



his　dagger　in　his　heart。



Without　uttering　a　single　cry；　sank　the　banditti　captain　at　the　feet

of　Abellino：　　the　death…rattle　was　heard　in　his　throat；　and　after　a

few　horrible　convulsions　all　was　over。



Now　did　Matteo's　murderer　look　again　towards　the　arbour；　and　beheld

Rosabella　half　senseless；　as　she　lay　on　the　bank　of　turf。



〃Your　life　is　safe；　beautiful　Rosabella；〃　said　he；　〃there　lies　the

villain　bleeding；　who　conducted　me　hither　to　murder　you。　　Recover

yourself；　return　to　your　uncle；　the　Doge；　and　tell　him　that　you　owe

your　life　to　Abellino。〃



Rosabella　could　not　speak。　　Trembling；　she　stretched　her　arms

towards　him；　grasped　his　hand；　and　pressed　it　to　her　lips　in　silent

gratitude。



Abellino　gazed　with　delight　and　wonder　on　the　lovely　sufferer；　and

in　such　a　situation；　who　could　have　beheld　her　without　emotion？

Rosabella　had　scarcely　numbered　seventeen　summers；　her　light　and

delicate　limbs；　enveloped　in　a　thin　white　garment；　which　fell　around

her　in　a　thousand　folds；　her　blue　and　melting　eyes；　whence　beamed

the　expression　of　purest　innocence；　her　forehead；　white　as　ivory；

overshadowed　the　ringlets　of　her　bright　dark　hair；　cheeks；　whence

terror　had　now　stolen　the　roses；　such　was　Rosabella；　a　creature　in

whose　formation　partial　Nature　seemed　to　have　omitted　nothing　which

might　constitute　the　perfection　of　female　lovelinesssuch　was　she；

and　being　such；　the　wretched　Abellino　may　be　forgiven　if　for　some

few　minutes　he　stood　like　one　enchanted；　and　bartered　for　those　few

minutes　the　tranquillity　of　his　heart　for　ever。



〃By　Him　who　made　me；〃　cried　he　at　length；　〃oh！　thou　art　fair；

Rosabella；　Valeria　was　not　fairer。〃



He　bowed　himself　down　to　her；　and　imprinted　a　burning　kiss　on　the

pale　cheeks　of　the　beauty。



〃Leave　me；　thou　dreadful　man；〃　she　stammered　in　terror；　〃oh；　leave

me。〃



〃Ah；　Rosabella；　why　art　thou　so　beauteous；　and　why　am　IKnowest

thou　who　kissed　thy　cheek；　Rosabella？　　Go；　tell　thy　uncle；　the　proud

Doge'TWAS　THE　BRAVO；　ABELLINO；〃　he　said；　and　rushed　out　of　the

arbour。







CHAPTER　VII：　　THE　BRAVO'S　BRIDE。







It　was　not　without　good　reason　that　Abellino　took　his　departure　in

such　haste。　　He　had　quitted　the　spot　but　a　few　minutes；　when　a　large

party　accidentally　strolled　that　way；　and　discovered　with

astonishment　the　corpse　of　Matteo；　and　Rosabella　pale　and　trembling

in　the　arbour。



A　crowd　immediately　collected　itself　round　them。　　It　increased　with

every　moment；　and　Rosabella　was　necessitated　to　repeat　what　had

happened　to　her　for　the　satisfaction　of　every　newcomer。



In　the　meanwhile　some　of　the　Doge's　courtiers；　who　happened　to　be

among　the　crowd；　hastened　to　call　her　attendants　together；　her

gondola　was　already　waiting　for　her；　and　the　terrified　girl　soon

reached　her　uncle's　palace　in　safety。



In　vain　was　an　embargo　laid　upon　every　other　gondola；　in　vain　did

they　examine　every　person　who　was　in　the　gardens　of　Dolabella　at　the

time；　when　the　murdered　assassin　was　first　discovered。　　No　traces

could　be　found　of　Abellino。



The　report　of　this　strange　adventure　spread　like　wildfire　through

Venice。　　Abellino；　for　Rosabella　had　preserved　but　too　well　in　her

memory　that　dreadful　name；　and　by　the　relation　of　her　danger　had

given　it　universal　publicity；　Abellino　was　the　object　of　general

wonder　and　curiosity。　　Every　one　pitied　the　poor　Rosabella　for　what

she　had　suffered；　execrated　the　villain　who　had　bribed　Matteo　to

murder　her；　and　endeavoured　to　connect　the　different　circumstances

together　by　the　help　of　one　hypothesis　or　other；　among　which　it

would　have　been　difficult　to　decide　which　was　the　most　improbable。



Every　one　who　heard　the　adventure；　told　it　again；　and　every　one　who

told　it；　added　something　of　his　own；　till　at　length　it　was　made　into

a　complete　romantic　novel；　which　might　have　been　entitled　with　great

propriety；　〃The　Power　of　Beauty；〃　for　the　Venetian　gentlemen　and

ladies　had　settled　the　point　among　themselves　completely　to　their

own　satisfaction；　that　Abellino　would　undoubtedly　have　assassinated

Rosabella；　had　he　not　been　prevented　by　her　uncommon　beauty。　　But

though　Abellino's　interference　had　preserved　her　life；　it　was

doubted　much　whether　this　adventure　would　be　at　all　relished　by　her

destined　bridegroom；　the　Prince　of　Monaldeschi；　a　Neapolitan　of　the

first　rank；　possessed　of　immense　wealth　and　extensive　influence。

The　Doge　had　for　some　time　been　secretly　engaged　in　negotiating　a

match　between　his　niece　and　this　powerful　nobleman；　who　was　soon

expected　to　make　his　appearance　at　Venice。　　The　motive　of　his

journey；　in　spite　of　all　the　Doge's　precautions；　had　been　divulged；

and　it　was　no　longer　a　secret　to　any　but　Rosabella；　who　had　never

seen　the　prince；　and　could　not　imagine　why　his　expected　visit　should

excite　such　general　curiosity。



Thus　far　the　story　had　been　told　much　to　Rosabella's　credit；　but　at

length　the　women　began　to　envy　her　for　her　share　in　the　adventure。

The　kiss　which　she　had　received　from　the　bravo　afforded　them　an

excellent　opportunity　for　throwing　out　a　few　malicious　insinuations。

〃She　received　a　great　service；〃　said　one；　〃and　there's　no　saying　how

far　the　fair　Rosabella　in　the　warmth　of　gratitude　may　have　been

carried　in　rewarding　her　preserver。〃　　〃Very　true；〃　observed　another；

〃and　for　my　part；　I　think　it　not　very　likely　that　the　fellow；　being

alone　with　a　pretty　girl；　whose　life　he　had　just　saved；　should　have

gone　away　contented　with　a　single　kiss。〃　　〃Come；　come；〃　interrupted

a　third；　〃do　not　let　us　judge　uncharitably；　the　fact　may　be　exactly

as　the　lady　relates　it；　though　I　MUST　say；　that　gentlemen　of

Abellino's　profession　are　not　usually　so　pretty…behaved；　and　that

this　is　the　first　time　I　ever　heard　of　a　bravo　in　the　Platonics。〃



In　short；　Rosabella　and　the　horrible　Abellino　furnished　the　indolent

and　gossiping　Venetians　with　conversation　so　long；　that　at　length

the　Doge's　niece　was　universally　known　by　the　honourable　appellation

of　the　〃Bravo's　Bride。〃



But　no　one　gave　himself　more　trouble　about　this　affair　than　the

Doge；　the　good　but　proud　Andreas。　　He　immediately　issued　orders　that

every　person　of　suspicious　appearance　should　be　watched　more　closely

than　ever；　the　night　patrols　were　doubled；　and　spies　were　employed

daily　in　procuring　intelligence　of　Abellino；　and　yet　all　was　in

vain。　　Abellino's　retreat　was　inscrutable。







CHAPTER　VIII：　　THE　CONSPIRACY。







〃Confusion！〃　exclaimed　Parozzi；　a　Venetian　nobleman　of　the　first

rank；　as　he　paced　his　chamber　with　a　disordered　air　on　the　morning

after　Matteo's　murder；　〃now　all　curses　light　upon　the　villain's

awkwardness；　yet　it　seems　inconceivable　to　me　how　all　this　should

have　fallen　out　so　untowardly。　　Has　any　one　discovered　my　designs？

I　know　well　that　Verrino　loves　Rosabella。　　Was　it　he　who　opposed

this　confounded　Abellino　to　Matteo；　and　charged　him　to　mar　my　plans

against　her？　　That　seems　likely；　and　now；　when　the　Doge　inquires　who

it　was　that　employed　assassins　to　murder　his　niece；　what　other　will

be　suspected　than　Parozzi；　the　discontented　lover；　to　whom　Rosabella

refused　her　hand；　and　whom　Andreas　hates　past　hope　of

reconciliation？　　And　now；　having　once　found　the　scentParozzi！

Parozzi！　should　the　crafty　Andreas　get　an　insight　into　your　plans；

should　he　learn　that　you　have　placed　yourself　at　the　head　of　a　troop

of　hare…brained　youthshare…brained　may　I　well　call　childrenwho；

in　order　to　avoid　the　rod；　set　fire　to　their　paternal　mansions。

Parozzi；　should　all　this　be　revealed　to　Andreas？〃



Here　his　reflections　were　interrupted。　　Memmo；　Falieri；　and

Contarino　entered　the　room；　three　young　Venetians　of　the　highest

rank；　Parozzi's　inseparable　companions；　men　depraved　both　in　mind

and　body；　spendthrifts；　voluptuaries；　well　known　to　every　usurer　in

Venice；　and　owing　more　than　their　paternal　inheritance　would　ever

admit　of　their　paying。



〃Why；　how　is　this；　Parozzi？〃　cried　Memmo　as　he　entered；　a　wretch

whose　every　feature　exhibited　marks　of　that　libertinism　to　which　his

life　had　been　dedicated；　〃I　can　scarce　recover　myself　from　my

astonishment。　　For　Heaven's　sake；　is　this　report　true？　　Did　you

really　hire　Matteo　to　murder　the　Doge's　niece？〃



〃I？〃　exclaimed　Parozzi；　and　hastily　turned　away　to　hide　the　deadly

paleness　which　overspread　his　countenance；　〃why　should　you　suppose

that　any　such　designssurely；　Memmo；　you　are　distracted。〃



Memmo。By　my　soul；　I　speak　but　the　plain　matter　of　fact。　　Nay；　only

ask　Falieri；　he　can　tell　you　more。



Falieri。Faith；　it　is　certain；　Parozzi；　that　Lomellino　has　declared

to　the　Doge　as　a　truth　beyond　doubting　that　you；　and　none　but　you；

were　the　person　who　instigated　Matteo　to　attempt　Rosabella's　life。



Parozzi。And　I　tell　you　again　that　Lomellino　knows　not　what　he

says。



Contarino。Well；　well；　only　be　upon　your　guard。　　Andreas　is　a

terrible　fellow　to　deal　with。



Falieri。HE　terrible。　　I　tell　you　he　is　the　most　contemptible

blockhead　that　the　universe　can　furnish！　　Courage　perhaps　he

possesses；　but　of　brains　not　an　atom。



Contarino。And　_I_　tell　you　that　Andreas　is　as　brave　as　a　lion；　and

as　crafty　as　a　fox。



Falieri。Pshaw！　pshaw！　　Everything　would　go　to　rack　and　ruin　were

it　not　for　the　wiser　heads　of　this　triumvirate　of　counsellors；　whom

Heaven　confound！　　Deprive　him　of　Paolo　Manfrone；　Conari；　and

Lomellino；　and　the　Doge　would　stand　there　looking　as　foolish　as　a

schoolboy　who　was　going　to　be　examined　and　had　forgotten　his　lesson。



Parozzi。Falieri　is　in　the　right。



Memmo。Quite；　quite。



Falieri。And　then　Andreas　is　as　proud　as　a　beggar　grown　rich　and

dressed　in　his　first　suit　of　embroidery。　　By　St。　Anthony；　he　is

become　quite　insupportable。　　Do　you　not　observe　how　he　increases　the

number　of　his　attendants　daily？



Memmo。Nay；　that　is　an　undoubted　fact。



Contarino。And　then；　to　what　an　unbounded　extent　has　he　carried　his

influence。　　The　Signoria；　the　Quaranti；　the　Procurators　of　St。　Mark；

the　Avocatori；　all　think　and　act　exactly　as　it　suits　the　Doge's

pleasure　and　convenience！　　Every　soul　of　them　depends　as　much　on

that　one　man's　honour　and　caprices　as　puppets　do　who　nod　or　shake

their　wooden　heads　just　as　the　fellow　behind　the　curtain　thinks

proper　to　move　the　wires。



Parozzi。And　yet　the　populace　idolises　this　Andreas。



Memmo。Ay；　that　is　the　worst　part　of　the　story。



Falieri。But　never　credit　me　again　if　he　does　not　experience　a

reverse　of　fortune　speedily。



Contarino。That　might　happen　would　we　but　set　our　shoulders　to　the

wheel　stoutly。　　But　what　do　we　do？　　We　pass　our　time　in　taverns；

drink　and　game；　and　throw　ourselves　headlong　into　such　an　ocean　of

debts；　that　the　best　swimmer　must　sink　at　last。　　Let　us　resolve　to

make　the　attempt。　　Let　us　seek　recruits　on　all　sides；　let　us　labour

with　all　our　might　and　main。　　Things　must　change；　or　if　they　do　not；

take　my　word　for　it；　my　frie