the bravo of venice-第24章

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〃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；　Rosabella！　　Seven　times　over；　and　seven　times

again；　will　I　change　my　appearance；　even　before　your　eyes；　and　that

so　artfully　that；　study　me　as　you　will；　the　transformation　shall

deceive　you。　　But　change　as　I　may；　of　one　thing　be　assured：　　I　am

the　man　whom　you　loved　as　Flodoardo。



The　Doge　gazed　and　listened　without　being　able　to　recover　from　his

confusion；　but　every　now　and　then　the　words　〃Dreadful！　dreadful！〃

escaped　from　his　lips；　and　he　wrung　his　hands　in　agony。　　Abellino

approached　Rosabella；　and　said　in　the　tone　of　supplication：

〃Rosabella；　wilt　thou　break　thy　promise？　　Am　I　no　longer　dear　to

thee？〃



Rosabella　was　unable　to　answer；　she　stood　like　one　changed　to　a

statue；　and　fixed　her　motionless　eyes　on　the　bravo。



Abellino　took　her　cold　hand　and　pressed　it　to　his　lips。



〃Rosabella；〃　said　he；　〃art　thou　still　mine？〃



Rosabella。Flodoardo；　oh！　that　I　had　never　loved；　had　never　seen

thee！



Abellino。Rosabella　wilt　thou　still　be　the　bride　of　Flodoardo？　wilt

thou　be　〃the　Bravo's　Bride？〃



Love　struggled　with　abhorrence　in　Rosabella's　bosom；　and　painful　was

the　contest。



Abellino。Hear　me；　beloved　one！　　It　was　for　thee　that　I　have

discovered　myselfthat　I　have　delivered　myself　into　the　hands　of

justice。　　For　theeoh；　what　would　I　not　do　for　thee！　　Rosabella；　I

wait　but　to　hear　one　syllable　from　your　lips；　speak　but　a　decisive

yes　or　no；　and　all　is　ended。　　Rosabella；　dost　thou　love　me　still？



And　still　she　answered　not；　but　she　threw　upon　him　a　look　innocent

and　tender　as　ever　beamed　from　the　eye　of　an　angel；　and　that　look

betrayed　but　too　plainly　that　the　miscreant　was　still　master　of　her

heart。　　She　turned　from　him　hastily；　threw　herself　into　Camilla's

arms；　and　exclaimed；　〃God　forgive　you；　man；　for　torturing　me　so

cruelly！〃



The　Doge　had　by　this　time　recovered　from　his　stupor。　　He　started

from　his　chair；　threats　flashed　from　his　eyes；　and　his　lips　trembled

with　passion。　　He　rushed　towards　Abellino；　but　the　senators　threw

themselves　in　his　passage；　and　held　him　back　by　force。　　In　the

meanwhile　the　bravo　advanced　towards　him　with　the　most　insolent

composure；　and　requested　him　to　calm　his　agitation。



〃Doge　of　Venice；〃　said　he；　〃will　you　keep　your　promise？　　That　you

gave　it　to　me；　these　noble　lords　and　ladies　can　testify。〃



Andreas。Monster！　miscreant！　　Oh！　how　artfully　has　this　plan　been

laid　to　ensnare　me！　　Tell　me；　Venetians；　to　SUCH　a　creditor　am　I

obliged　to　discharge　my　fearful　debt？　　Long　has　he　been　playing　a

deceitful　bloody　part；　the　bravest　of　our　citizens　have　fallen

beneath　his　dagger；　and　it　was　the　price　of　their　blood　which　has

enabled　him　to　act　the　nobleman　in　Venice。　　Then　comes　he　to　me　in

disguise　of　a　man　of　honour；　seduces　the　heart　of　my　unfortunate

Rosabella；　obtains　my　promise　by　an　artful　trick；　and　now　claims　the

maiden　for　his　bride；　in　the　hope　that　the　husband　of　the　Doge's

niece　will　easily　obtain　an　absolution　for　his　crimes。　　Tell　me；

Venetians；　ought　I　to　keep　my　word　with　this　miscreant？



All　the　Senators。No；　no；　by　no　means。



Abellino　（with　solemnity）。If　you　have　once　pledged　your　word；　you

ought　to　keep　it；　though　given　to　the　Prince　of　Darkness。　　Oh；　fie；

fie！　　Abellino；　how　shamefully　hast　thou　been　deceived　in　thy

reckoning。　　I　thought　I　had　to　do　with　men　of　honour。　　Oh！　how

grossly　have　I　been　mistaken。　　（In　a　terrible　voice。）Once　again；

and　for　the　last　time；　I　ask　you；　Doge　of　Venice；　wilt　thou　break

thy　princely　word？



Andreas　（in　the　tone　of　authority）。Give　up　your　arms。



Abellino。And　you　will　really　withhold　from　me　my　just　reward？

Shall　it　be　in　vain　that　I　delivered　Abellino　into　your　power？



Andreas。It　was　to　the　brave　Flodoardo　that　I　promised　Rosabella。

I　never　entered　into　any　engagement　with　the　murderer　Abellino。　　Let

Flodoardo　claim　my　niece；　and　she　is　his；　but　Abellino　can　have　no

claim　to　her。　　Again　I　say　lay　down　your　arms。



Abellino　（laughing　wildly）。The　murderer　Abellino；　say　you？　　Ho！

ho！　　Be　it　your　care　to　keep　your　own　promises；　and　trouble　not

yourself　about　my　murders；　they　are　MY　affair；　and　I　warrant　I　shall

find　a　word　or　two　to　say　in　defence　of　them；　when　the　judgment　day

arrives。



Gonzaga　（to　the　Doge）。What　dreadful　blasphemy。



Abellino。Oh；　good　Lord　Cardinal；　intercede　in　my　behalf；　you　know

me　well；　I　have　always　acted　by　you　like　a　man　of　honour；　that　at

least　you　cannot　deny。　　Say　a　word　in　my　favour；　then；　good　Lord

Cardinal。



Gonzaga　（angrily；　and　with　imperious　dignity）。Address　not　thyself

to　ME；　miscreant。　　What　canst　thou　and　I　have　to　do　together？

Venerable　Andreas；　delay　no　longer；　let　the　guards　be　called　in。



Abellino。What？　　Is　there　then　no　hope　for　me？　　Does　no　one　feel

compassion　for　the　wretched　Abellino？　　What！　NO　ONE？（a　pause）All

are　silent？ALL！　　'Tis　enough。　　Then　my　fate　is　decidedcall　in

your　g