the bravo of venice-第20章

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cheeks。



〃My　noble　lord！〃　he　said　at　length；　hesitating；　〃you　know　well　that…

…〃



〃I　know　well；〃　interrupted　Andreas；　〃how　difficult　a　task　I　enjoin；

when　I　require　the　delivery　of　Abellino。　　For　myself　I　swear　that　I

had　rather　a　thousand　times　force　my　passage　with　a　single　vessel

through　the　whole　Turkish　fleet；　and　carry　off　the　admiral's　ship

from　the　midst　of　them；　than　attempt　to　seize　this　Abellino；　who

seems　to　have　entered　into　a　compact　with　Lucifer　himself：　　who　is

to　be　found　everywhere　and　nowhere；　whom　so　many　have　seen；　but　whom

no　one　knows；　whose　cautious　subtlety　has　brought　to　shame　the

vigilance　of　our　State　inquisitors；　of　the　College　of　Ten；　and　of

all　their　legions　of　spies　and　sbirri；　whose　very　name　strikes

terror　into　the　hearts　of　the　bravest　Venetians；　and　from　whose

dagger　I　myself　am　not　safe　upon　my　throne。　　I　know　well；　Flodoardo；

how　much　I　ask；　but　I　know　also　how　much　I　proffer。　　You　seem

irresolute？　　You　are　silent？　　Flodoardo；　I　have　long　watched　you

with　attention。　　I　have　discovered　in　you　marks　of　a　superior

genius；　and　therefore　I　am　induced　to　make　such　a　demand。　　If　any

one　is　able　to　cope　with　Abellino；　thou　art　the　man。　　I　wait　your

answer。〃



Flodoardo　paced　the　chamber　in　silence。　　Dreadful　was　the　enterprise

proposed。　　Woe　to　him　should　Abellino　discover　his　purpose。　　But

Rosabella　was　the　reward。　　He　cast　a　look　on　the　beloved　one；　and

resolved　to　risk　everything。



He　advanced　towards　the　Doge。



Andreas。Now；　then；　Flodoardoyour　resolution？



Flodoardo。Should　I　deliver　Abellino　into　your　power；　do　you

solemnly　swear　that　Rosabella　shall　be　my　bride？



Andreas。She　shall！　and　NOT　TILL　THEN。



Rosabella。Ah！　　Flodoardo；　I　fear　this　undertaking　will　end

fatally。　　Abellino　is　so　crafty；　so　dreadful。　　Oh！　look　well　to

yourself；　for　should　you　meet　with　the　detested　monster；　whose

dagger　…



Flodoardo　（interrupting　her　hastily）。Oh！　silence；　Rosabellaat

least　allow　me　to　hope。　　Noble　Andreas；　give　me　your　hand；　and

pledge　your　princely　word　that；　Abellino　once　in　your　power；　nothing

shall　prevent　me　from　being　Rosabella's　husband。



Andreas。I　swear　it；　deliver　into　my　power；　either　alive　or　dead；

this　most　dangerous　foe　of　Venice；　and　nothing　shall　prevent

Rosabella　from　being　your　wife。　　In　pledge　of　which　I　here　give　you

my　princely　hand。



Flodoardo　grasped　the　Doge's　hand　in　silence；　and　shook　it　thrice。

He　turned　to　Rosabella；　and　seemed　on　the　point　of　addressing　her；

when　he　suddenly　turned　away；　struck　his　forehead；　and　measured　the

apartment　with　disordered　and　unsteady　steps。　　The　clock　in　the

tower　of　St。　Mark's　church　struck　five。



〃Time　flies！〃　cried　Flodoardo；　〃no　more　delay；　then。　　In　four…and…

twenty　hours　will　I　produce　in　this　very　palace　this　dreaded　bravo；

Abellino。〃



Andreas　shook　his　head。　　〃Young　man；〃　said　he；　〃be　less　confident　in

your　promises；　I　shall　have　more　faith　in　your　performance。〃



Flodoardo　（serious　and　firm）。Let　things　terminate　as　they　may；

either　I　will　keep　my　word；　or　never　again　will　cross　the　threshold

of　your　palace。　　I　have　discovered　some　traces　of　the　miscreant；　and

I　trust　that　I　shall　amuse　you　to…morrow；　at　this　time　and　in　this

place；　with　the　representation　of　a　comedy；　but　should　it　prove　a

tragedy　instead；　God's　will　be　done。



Andreas。Remember　that　too　much　haste　is　dangerous；　rashness　will

destroy　even　the　frail　hopes　of　success　which　you　may　reasonably

indulge　at　present。



Flodoardo。Rashness；　my　lord？　　He　who　has　lived　as　I　have　lived；

and　suffered　what　I　have　suffered；　must　have　been　long　since　cured

of　rashness。



Rosabella　（taking　his　hand）。Yet　be　not　too　confident　of　your　own

strength；　I　beseech　you！　　Dear　Flodoardo；　my　uncle　loves　you；　and

his　advice　is　wise！　　Beware　of　Abellino's　dagger！



Flodoardo。The　best　way　to　escape　his　dagger　is　not　to　allow　him

time　to　use　it：　　within　four…and…twenty　hours　must　the　deed　be　done；

or　never。　　Now；　then；　illustrious　Prince；　I　take　my　leave　of　you。

To…morrow　I　doubt　not　to　convince　you　that　nothing　is　too　much　for

love　to　venture。



Andreas。Right；　to　venture：　　but　to　achieve？



Flodoardo。Ah；　that　must　dependHe　paused　suddenly　again　his　eyes

were　fastened　eagerly　on　those　of　Rosabella；　and　it　was　evident　that

with　every　moment　his　uneasiness　acquired　fresh　strength。　　He

resumed　his　discourse　to　Andreas；　with　a　movement　of　impatience。



〃Noble　Andreas；〃　said　he；　〃do　not　make　me　dispirited；　rather　let　me

try　whether　I　cannot　inspire　you　with　more　confidence　of　my　success。

I　must　first　request　you　to　order　a　splendid　entertainment　to　be

prepared。　　At　this　hour　in　the　afternoon　of　to…morrow　let　me　find

all　the　principal　persons　in　Venice；　both　men　and　women；　assembled

in　this　chamber；　for　should　my　hopes　be　realised；　I　would　willingly

have　spectators　of　my　triumph。　　Particularly　let　the　venerable

members　of　the　College　of　Ten　he　invited；　in　order　that　they　may　at

last　he　brought　face　to　face　with　this　terrible　Abellino；　against

whom　they　have　so　long　been　engaged　in　fruitless　warfare。〃



Andreas　（after　eyeing　him　some　time　with　a　look　of　mingled　surprise

and　uncertainty）。They　shall　be　present。



Flodoardo。I　understand；　also；　that　since　Conari's　death　you　have

been　reconciled　to　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga；　and　that　he　has　convinced

you　how　unjust　were　the　prejudices　with　which　Conari　had　inspired

you　against　the　nobilityParozzi；　Contarino；　and　the　rest　of　that

society。　　During　my　late　excursions　I　have　heard　much　in　praise　of

these　young　men；　which　makes　me　wish　to　show　myself　to　them　in　a

favourable　light。　　If　you　have　no　objection；　let　me　beg　you　to

invite　them　also。



Andreas。You　shall　be　gratified。



Flodoardo。One　thing　more；　which　had　nearly　escaped　my　memory。　　Let

no　one　know　the　motive　of　this　entertainment　till　the　whole　company

is　assembled。　　Then　let　guards　be　placed　around　the　palace；　and；

indeed；　it　may　be　as　well　to　place　them　even　before　the　doors　of　the

saloon；　for　in　truth　this　Abellino　is　such　a　desperate　villain；　that

too　many　precautions　cannot　be　taken　against　him。　　The　sentinels

must　have　their　pieces　loaded；　and；　above　all　things；　they　must　be

strictly　charged；　on　pain　of　death；　to　let　every　one　enter；　but　no

one　quit　the　chamber。



Andreas。All　this　shall　be　done　punctually。



Flodoardo。I　have　nothing　more　to　say。　　Noble　Andreas；　farewell。

Rosabella；　to…morrow；　when　the　clock　strikes　five；　we　shall　meet

again；　or　never。



He　said；　and　rushed　out　of　the　apartment。　　Andreas　shook　his　head；

while　Rosabella　sank　upon　her　uncle's　bosom；　and　wept　bitterly。







CHAPTER　III。THE　MIDNIGHT　MEETING。







〃Victory！〃　shouted　Parozzi；　as　he　rushed　into　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga's

chamber；　where　the　chief　conspirators　were　all　assembled；　〃our　work

goes　on　bravely。　　Flodoardo　returned　this　morning　to　Venice；　and

Abellino　has　already　received　the　required　sum。〃



Gonzaga。Flodoardo　does　not　want　talents；　I　had　rather　he　should

live　and　join　our　party。　　He　is　seldom　off　his　guard　…



Parozzi。Such　vagabonds　may　well　be　cautious；　they　must　not　forget

themselves；　who　have　so　much　to　conceal　from　others。



Falieri。Rosabella；　as　I　understand；　by　no　means　sees　this

Florentine　with　unfavourable　eyes。



Parozzi。Oh；　wait　till　to…morrow；　and　then　he　may　make　love　to　the

devil　and　his　grandmother；　if　he　likes　it。　　Abellino　by　that　time

will　have　wrung　his　neck　round；　I　warrant　you。



Contarino。It　is　strange　that；　in　spite　of　all　inquiries；　I　can

learn　but　little　at　Florence　respecting　this　Flodoardo。　　My　letters

inform　me　that　some　time　ago　there　did　exist　a　family　of　that　name；

but　it　has　been　long　extinct；　or　if　any　of　its　descendants　are　still

in　being　at　Florence；　their　existence　is　quite　a　secret。



Gonzaga。Are　you　all　invited　to　the　Doge's　tomorrow？



Contarino。All　of　us；　without　exception。



Gonzaga。That　is　well。　　It　seems　tha