the bravo of venice-第18章

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object　which；　wherever　he　went；　still　pursued　him。　　He　had　now　been

absent　for　three　whole　weeks。　　No　one　knew　in　what　quarter　he　was

wandering；　and　it　was　during　this　absence　that　the　so…long　expected

Prince　of　Monaldeschi　arrived　at　Venice　to　claim　Rosabella　as　his

bride。



His　appearance；　to　which　a　month　before　Andreas　looked　forward　with

such　pleasing　expectation；　now　afforded　but　little　satisfaction　to

the　Doge。　　Rosabella　was　too　ill　to　receive　her　suitor's　visits；　and

he　did　not　allow　her　much　time　to　recover　her　health；　for　six　days

after　his　arrival　at　Venice　the　Prince　was　found　murdered　in　a

retired　part　of　one　of　the　public　gardens。　　His　sword　lay　by　him

unsheathed　and　bloody；　his　tablets　were　gone；　but　one　leaf　had　been

torn　from　them　and　fastened　on　his　breast。　　It　was　examined；　and

found　to　contain　the　following　lines；　apparently　written　in　blood：…





〃Let　no　one　pretend　to　Rosabella's　hand；　who　is　not　prepared　to

share　the　fate　of　Monaldeschi。

〃The　Bravo；

〃ABELLINO。〃





〃Oh；　where　shall　I　now　fly　for　comfort？　for　protection？〃　exclaimed

the　Doge　in　despair；　when　this　dreadful　news　was　announced。　　〃Why；

why；　is　Flodoardo　absent？〃



Anxiously　did　he　now　desire　the　youth's　return；　to　support　him　under

the　weight　of　these　heavy　misfortunes；　nor　was　it　long　before　that

desire　was　gratified。　　Flodoardo　returned。



〃Welcome；　noble　youth！〃　said　the　Doge；　when　he　saw　the　Florentine

enter　his　apartment。　　〃You　must　not　in　future　deprive　me　of　your

presence　for　so　long。　　I　am　now　a　poor　forsaken　old　man。　　You　have

heard　that　Lomellinothat　Manfrone〃



〃I　know　all；〃　answered　Flodoardo；　with　a　melancholy　air。



〃Satan　has　burst　his　chains；　and　now　inhabits　Venice　under　the　name

of　Abellino；　robbing　me　of　all　that　my　soul　holds　precious。

Flodoardo；　for　Heaven's　love；　be　cautious；　often；　during　your

absence；　have　I　trembled　lest　the　miscreant's　dagger　should　have

deprived　me　too　of　YOU。　　I　have　much　to　say　to　you；　my　young　friend；

but　I　must　defer　it　till　the　evening。　　A　foreigner　of　consequence

has　appointed　this　hour　for　an　audience；　and　I　must　hasten　to

receive　himbut　in　the　evening〃



He　was　interrupted　by　the　appearance　of　Rosabella；　who；　with

tottering　steps　and　pale　cheeks；　advanced　slowly　into　the　apartment。

She　saw　Flodoardo；　and　a　faint　blush　overspread　her　countenance。

Flodoardo　rose　from　his　seat；　and　welcomed　her　with　an　air　of

distant　respect。



〃Do　not　go　yet；〃　said　the　Doge；　〃perhaps　in　half　an　hour　I　may　be　at

liberty：　　in　the　meanwhile　I　leave　you　to　entertain　my　poor

Rosabella。　　She　has　been　very　ill　during　your　absence；　and　I　am

still　uneasy　about　her　health。　　She　kept　her　bed　till　yesterday；　and

truly　I　think　she　has　left　it　too　soon。〃



The　venerable　Doge　quitted　the　apartment；　and　the　lovers　once　more

found　themselves　alone。　　Rosabella　drew　near　the　window；　Flodoardo

at　length　ventured　to　approach　it　also。



〃Signora；〃　said　he；　〃are　you　still　angry　with　me？〃



〃I　am　not　angry　with　you；〃　stammered　out　Rosabella；　and　blushed　as

she　recollected　the　garden　scene。



〃And　you　have　quite　forgiven　my　transgression？〃



〃Your　transgression？〃　repeated　Rosabella；　with　a　faint　smile；　〃yes；

if　it　was　a　transgression；　I　have　quite　forgiven　it。　　Dying　people

ought　to　pardon　those　who　have　trespassed　against　them；　in　order

that　they；　in　their　turn；　may　be　pardoned　their　trespasses　against

Heavenand　I　am　dying；　I　feel　it。〃



〃Signora！〃



〃Nay；　'tis　past　a　doubt。　　It's　true；　I　have　quitted　my　sick…bed

since　yesterday；　but　I　know　well　that　I　am　soon　to　return　to　it；

never　to　leave　it　more。　　And　thereforetherefore；　I　now　ask　your

pardon；　signor；　for　the　vexation　which　I　was　obliged　to　cause　to　you

the　last　time　we　met。〃



Flodoardo　replied　not。



〃Will　you　not　forgive　me？　　You　must　be　very　difficult　to　appease

very　revengeful！〃



Flodoardo　replied　not。



〃Will　you　refuse　my　offered　hand？　　Shall　all　be　forgotten？〃



〃Forgotten；　lady？　　Never；　neverevery　word　and　look　of　yours　is

stamped　on　my　memory；　never　to　be　effaced。　　I　cannot　forget　a

transaction　in　which　YOU　bore　a　part：　　I　cannot　forget　the　scene

that　passed　between　us；　every　circumstance　is　too　precious　and

sacred。　　As　to　PARDON〃he　took　her　extended　hand　and　pressed　it

respectfully　to　his　lips〃I　would　to　Heaven；　dear　lady；　that　you

had　in　truth　injured　me　much；　that　I　might　have　much　to　forgive　you。

Alas！　I　have　at　present　nothing　to　pardon。〃



Both　were　now　silent。　　At　length　Rosabella　resumed　the　conversation

by　saying〃You　have　made　a　long　absence　from　Venice；　did　you　travel

far？〃



〃I　did。〃



〃And　received　much　pleasure　from　your　journey？〃



〃Much；　for　everywhere　I　heard　the　praises　of　Rosabella。〃



〃Count　Flodoardo；〃　she　interrupted　him　with　a　look　of　reprehension；

but　in　a　gentle　voice；　〃would　you　again　offend　me？〃



〃That　will　soon　be　out　of　my　power。　　Perhaps　you　can　guess　what　are

my　present　intentions。〃



〃To　resume　your　travels　soon？〃



〃Exactly　so；　and　the　next　time　that　I　quit　Venice；　to　return　to　it

no　more。〃



〃No　more？〃　she　repeated；　eagerly。　　〃Oh；　not　so；　Flodoardo！　　Ah；　can

you　leave　me？〃She　stopped；　ashamed　of　her　imprudence。　　〃Can　you

leave　my　uncle？　　I　meant　to　say。　　You　do　but　jest；　I　doubt　not。〃



〃By　my　honour；　lady；　I　never　was　more　in　earnest。〃



〃And　whither；　then；　do　you　mean　to　go？〃



〃To　Malta；　and　assist　the　knights　in　their　attacks　upon　the　corsairs

of　Barbary。　　Providence；　perhaps；　may　enable　me　to　obtain　the

command　of　a　galley；　then　will　I　call　my　vessel　'Rosabella；'　then

shall　the　war…cry　be　still　'Rosabella；'　that　name　will　render　me

invincible。〃



〃Oh！　this　is　a　mockery；　Count。　　I　have　not　deserved　that　you　should

sport　with　my　feelings　so　cruelly。〃



〃It　is　to　SPARE　your　feelings；　signora；　that　I　am　now　resolved　to

fly　from　Venice；　my　presence　might　cause　you　some　uneasy　moments。　　I

am　not　the　happy　man　whose　sight　is　destined　to　give　you　pleasure；　I

will；　at　least；　avoid　giving　you　pain。〃



〃And　you　really　can　resolve　to　abandon　the　Doge；　whose　esteem　for

you　is　so　sincere；　whose　friendship　has　always　been　so　warm？〃



〃I　value　his　friendship　highly；　but　it　is　not　sufficient　to　make　me

happy；　and　could　he　lay　kingdoms　at　my　feet；　still　would　his

friendship　be　insufficient　to　make　me　happy。〃



〃Does；　then；　your　happiness　require　so　much？〃



〃It　doesmuch　more　than　I　have　mentioned；　infinitely　more。　　But　one

boon　can　make　me　happy；　I　have　begged　for　it　on　my　knees。〃　　He

caught　her　hand　and　pressed　it　eagerly　to　his　lips。　　〃I　have　begged

for　it；　Rosabella；　and　my　suit　has　been　rejected。〃



〃You　are　a　strange　enthusiast；〃　she　said　with　difficulty；　and

scarcely　knew　what　she　said；　while　Flodoardo　drew　her　gently　nearer

to　him；　and　murmured　in　a　supplicating　voice；　〃Rosabella！〃



〃What　would　you　of　me？〃



〃My　happiness！〃



She　gazed　upon　him　for　a　moment　undecided；　then　hastily　drew　away

her　hand；　and　exclaimed；　〃Leave　me；　this　moment；　I　command　you。

Leave　me；　for　Heaven's　sake！〃



Flodoardo　clasped　his　hands　together　in　despair　and　anguish。　　He

bowed　his　head　in　token　of　obedience。　　He　left　her　with　slow　steps

and　a　melancholy　air；　and　as　he　passed　the　threshold；　turned　to　bid

her　farewell　for　ever。　　Suddenly　she　rushed　towards　him；　caught　his

hand；　and　pressed　it　to　her　heart。



〃Flodoardo；〃　she　cried；　〃I　am　thine！〃　and　sank　motionless　at　his

feet。







CHAPTER　II：　　A　DANGEROUS　PROMISE。







And　now　who　was　so　blessed　as　the　fortunate　Flodoardo？　　The　victory

was　his　own；　he　had　heard　the　wished…for　sentence　pronounced　by　the

lips　of　Rosabella。　　He　raised　her　from　the　ground；　and　placed　her　on

a　sofa。　　Her　blue　eyes　soon　unclosed　themselves　once　more；　and　the

first　object　which　they　beheld　was　Flodoardo　kneeling　at　her　feet；

while　with　one　arm　he　encircled　her　waist。　　Her　head　sank　upon　the

shoulder　of　the　man　for　whom　she　had