the bravo of venice-第15章

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like　him　at　all。



Camilla。Nowhat！　　Not　like　Flodoardo？



Rosabella　（casting　down　her　eyes）。No；　not　at　all。　　Not　that　I　wish

him　ill；　either；　for　you　know；　Camilla；　there's　no　reason　why　I

should　hate　this　poor　Flodoardo！



Camilla。Well；　we　will　resume　this　subject　when　I　return。　　I　have

business；　and　the　gondola　waits　for　me。　　Farewell；　my　child；　and　do

not　lay　aside　your　resolution　as　hastily　as　you　took　it　up。



Camilla　departed；　and　Rosabella　remained　melancholy　and　uncertain。

She　built　castles　in　the　air；　and　destroyed　them　as　soon　as　built。

She　formed　wishes；　and　condemned　herself　for　having　formed　them。

She　looked　round　her　frequently　in　search　of　something；　but　dared

not　confess　to　herself　what　it　was　of　which　she　was　in　search。



The　evening　was　sultry；　and　Rosabella　was　compelled　to　shelter

herself　from　the　sun's　overpowering　heat。　　In　the　garden　was　a　small

fountain；　bordered　by　a　bank　of　moss；　over　which　the　magic　hands　of

art　and　nature　had　formed　a　canopy　of　ivy　and　jessamine。　　Thither

she　bent　her　steps。　　She　arrived　at　the　fountain；　and　instantly　drew

back；　covered　with　blushes；　for　on　the　bank　of　moss；　shaded　by　the

protecting　canopy；　whose　waving　blossoms　were　reflected　on　the

fountain；　Flodoardo　was　seated；　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　a　roll　of

parchment。



Rosabella　hesitated　whether　she　should　retire　or　stay。　　Flodoardo

started　from　his　place；　apparently　in　no　less　confusion　than

herself；　and　relieved　her　from　her　indecision　by　taking　her　hand

with　respect；　and　conducting　her　to　the　seat　which　he　had　just

quitted。



Now；　then；　she　could　not　possibly　retire　immediately；　unless　she

meant　to　violate　every　common　principle　of　good　breeding。



Her　hand　was　still　clasped　in　Flodoardo's；　but　it　was　so　natural　for

him　to　take　it；　that　she　could　not　blame　him　for　having　done　so。

But　what　was　she　next　to　do？　　Draw　her　hand　away？　　Why　should　she；

since　he　did　her　hand　no　harm　by　keeping　it；　and　the　keeping　it

seemed　to　make　him　so　happy？　　And　how　could　the　gentle　Rosabella

resolve　to　commit　an　act　of　such　unheard…of　cruelty　as　wilfully　to

deprive　any　one　of　a　pleasure　which　made　him　so　happy；　and　which　did

herself　no　harm？



〃Signora；〃　said　Flodoardo；　merely　for　the　sake　of　saying　something；

〃you　do　well　to　enjoy　the　open　air。　　The　evening　is　beautiful。〃



〃But　I　interrupt　your　studies；　my　lord；〃　said　Rosabella。



〃By　no　means；〃　answered　Flodoardo；　and　there　this　interesting

conversation　came　to　a　full　stop。　　Both　looked　down；　both　examined

the　heaven　and　the　earth；　the　trees　and　the　flowers；　in　the　hopes　of

finding　some　hints　for　renewing　the　conversation；　but　the　more

anxiously　they　sought　them；　the　more　difficult　did　it　seem　to　find

what　they　sought；　and　in　this　painful　embarrassment　did　two　whole

precious　minutes　elapse。



〃Ah；　what　a　beautiful　flower！〃　suddenly　cried　Rosabella；　in　order　to

break　the　silence；　then　stooped　and　plucked　a　violet　with　an

appearance　of　the　greatest　eagerness；　though；　in　fact；　nothing　at

that　moment　could　have　been　more　a　matter　of　indifference。



〃It　is　a　very　beautiful　flower；　indeed；〃　gravely　observed　Flodoardo；

and　was　out　of　all　patience　with　himself　for　having　made　so　flat　a

speech。



〃Nothing　can　surpass　this　purple；〃　continued　Rosabella；　〃red　and

blue　so　happily　blended；　that　no　painter　can　produce　so　perfect　a

union。〃



〃Red　and　bluethe　one　the　symbol　of　happiness；　the　other　of

affection。　　Ah；　Rosabella！　how　enviable　will　be　that　man's　lot　on

whom　your　hand　shall　bestow　such　a　flower。　　Happiness　and　affection

are　not　more　inseparably　united　than　the　red　and　blue　which　purple

that　violet。〃



〃You　seem　to　attach　a　value　to　the　flower　of　which　it　is　but　little

deserving。〃



〃Might　I　but　know　on　whom　Rosabella　will　one　day　bestow　what　that

flower　expresses。　　Yet；　this　is　a　subject　which　I　have　no　right　to

discuss。　　I　know　not　what　has　happened　to　me　to…day。　　I　make　nothing

but　blunders　and　mistakes。　　Forgive　my　presumption；　lady。　　I　will

hazard　such　forward　inquiries　no　more。〃



He　was　silent。　　Rosabella　was　silent　also。



But　though　they　could　forbid　their　lips　to　betray　their　hidden

affection；　though　Rosabella　said　not〃Thou　art　he　on　whom　this

flower　shall　be　bestowed：〃　though　Flodoardo's　words　had　not

expressed〃Rosabella；　give　me　that　violet；　and　that　which　it

implies〃oh；　their　eyes　were　far　from　being　silent。　　Those

treacherous　interpreters　of　secret　feelings　acknowledged　more　to

each　other　than　their　hearts　had　yet　acknowledged　to　themselves。



Flodoardo　and　Rosabella　gazed　on　each　other　with　looks　which　made

all　speech　unnecessary。　　Sweet；　tender；　and　enthusiastic　was　the

smile　which　played　around　Rosabella's　lips　when　her　eyes　met　those

of　the　youth　whom　she　had　selected　from　the　rest　of　mankind；　and

with　mingled　emotions　of　hope　and　fear　did　the　youth　study　the

meaning　of　that　smile。　　He　understood　it；　and　his　heart　beat　louder；

and　his　eye　flamed　brighter。



Rosabella　trembled；　her　eyes　could　no　longer　sustain　the　fire　of　his

glances；　and　a　modest　blush　overspread　her　face　and　bosom。



〃Rosabella！〃　at　length　murmured　Flodoardo；　unconsciously；

〃Flodoardo！〃　sighed　Rosabella；　in　the　same　tone。



〃Give　me　that　violet！〃　he　exclaimed；　eagerly；　then　sank　at　her　feet；

and　in　a　tone　of　the　most　humble　supplication　repeated；　〃Oh；　give　it

to　me！〃



Rosabella　held　the　flower　fast。



〃Ask　for　it　what　thou　wilt。　　If　a　throne　can　purchase　it；　I　will　pay

that　price；　or　perish。　　Rosabella；　give　me　that　flower！〃



She　stole　one　look　at　the　handsome　suppliant　and　dared　not　hazard　a

second。



〃My　repose；　my　happiness；　my　lifenay；　even　my　glory；　all　depend　on

the　possession　of　that　little　flower。　　Let　that　be　mine；　and　here　I

solemnly　renounce　all　else　which　the　world　calls　precious。〃



The　flower　trembled　in　her　snowy　hand。　　Her　fingers　clasped　it　less

firmly。



〃You　hear　me；　Rosabella？　　I　kneel　at　your　feet；　and　am　I　then　in

vain　a　beggar？〃



The　word　〃beggar〃　recalled　to　her　memory　Camilla　and　her　prudent

counsels。　　〃What　am　I　doing？〃　she　said　to　herself。　　〃Have　I

forgotten　my　promise；　my　resolution？　　Fly；　Rosabella；　fly；　or　this

hour　makes　you　faithless　to　yourself　and　duty。〃



She　tore　the　flower　to　pieces；　and　threw　it　contemptuously　on　the

ground。



〃I　understand　you；　Flodoardo；〃　said　she；　〃and　having　understood　you；

will　never　suffer　this　subject　to　be　renewed。　　Here　let　us　part；　and

let　me　not　again　be　offended　by　a　similar　presumption。　　Farewell！〃



She　turned　from　him　with　disdain；　and　left　Flodoardo　rooted　to　his

place　with　sorrow　and　astonishment。







CHAPTER　V：　　THE　ASSASSIN。







Scarcely　had　she　reached　her　chamber　ere　Rosabella　repented　her

having　acted　so　courageously。　　It　was　cruel　in　her；　she　thought；　to

have　given　him　so　harsh　an　answer。　　She　recollected　with　what

hopeless　and　melancholy　looks　the　poor　thunderstruck　youth　had

followed　her　steps　as　she　turned　to　leave　him。　　She　fancied　that　she

saw　him　stretched　despairing　on　the　earth；　his　hair　dishevelled；　his

eyes　filled　with　tears。　　She　heard　him　term　her　the　murderess　of　his

repose；　pray　for　death　as　his　only　refuge；　and　she　saw　him　with

every　moment　approach　towards　the　attainment　of　his　prayer　through

the　tears　which　he　shed　on　her　account。　　Already　she　heard　those

dreadful　words〃Flodoardo　is　no　more。〃　　Already　she　saw　the

sympathising　multitude　weep　round　the　tomb　of　him　whom　all　the

virtuous　loved；　and　whom　the　wicked　dreaded；　whom　all　his　friends

adored；　and　whom　even　his　enemies　admired。



〃Alas！　alas！〃　cried　she；　〃this　was　but　a　wretched　attempt　to　play

the　heroine。　　Already　does　my　resolution　fail　me。　　Ah；　Flodoardo！　　I

meant　not　what　I　said。　　I　love　youlove　you　now；　and　must　love　you

always；　though　Camilla　may　chide；　and　though　my　good　uncle　may　hate

me。〃



In　a　few　days　after　this　interview　she　understood　that　an

extraordinary　alteration　h