the bravo of venice-第25章

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

your　guards。



Rosabella　（with　a　scream　of　agony；　springing　forward；　and　falling　at

the　feet　of　the　Doge）。Mercy；　mercy！　　Pardon　himpardon　ABELLINO！



Abellino　（in　rapture）。Sayest　thou　so？　　Ho！　ho！　then　an　angel　prays

for　Abellino　in　his　last　moments。



Rosabella　（clasping　the　Doge's　knees）。Have　mercy　on　him；　my

friend；　my　father；　he　is　a　sinner；　but　leave　him　to　the　justice　of

Heaven。　　He　is　a　sinner；　but　oh；　Rosabella　loves　him　still。



Andreas　（pushing　her　away　with　indignation）。Away；　unworthy　girl；

you　rave。



Abellino　folded　his　arms；　gazed　with　eagerness　on　what　was　passing；

and　tears　gushed　into　his　brilliant　eyes。　　Rosabella　caught　the

Doge's　hand；　as　he　turned　to　leave　her；　kissed　it　twice；　and　said；

〃If　you　have　no　mercy　on　HIM；　then　have　none　on　ME。　　The　sentence

which　you　pass　on　Abellino　will　be　mine；　'tis　for　my　own　life　that　I

plead　as　well　as　Abellino's。　　Father；　dear　father；　reject　not　my

suit；　but　spare　him。〃



Andreas　（in　an　angry　and　decided　tone）。Abellino　dies。



Abellino。And　can　you　look　on　with　dry　eyes　while　that　innocent

dove　bleeds　at　your　feet？　　Go；　barbarian；　you　never　loved　Rosabella

as　she　deserved。　　Now　she　is　yours　no　longer。　　She　is　mine；　she　is

Abellino's。



He　raised　her　from　the　ground；　and　pressed　her　pale　lips　against　his

own。



〃Rosabella；　thou　art　mine；　death　alone　can　part　us。　　Thou　lovest　me

as　I　WOULD　be　loved；　I　am　blest　whate'er　may　happen；　and　can　now　set

fortune　at　defiance。　　To　business；　then。〃



He　replaced　Rosabella；　who　was　almost　fainting；　on　the　bosom　of

Camilla；　then　advanced　into　the　middle　of　the　chamber；　and　addressed

the　assembly　with　an　undaunted　air　…



〃Venetians；　you　are　determined　to　deliver　me　up　to　the　axe　of

justice；　there　is　for　me　no　hope　of　mercy。　　'Tis　well；　act　as　you

please；　but　ere　you　sit　in　judgment　over　ME；　signors；　I　shall　take

the　liberty　of　passing　sentence　upon　some　few　of　YOU。　　Now　mark　me；

you　see　in　me　the　murderer　of　Conari；　the　murderer　of　Paolo

Manfrone；　the　murderer　of　Lomellino。　　I　deny　it　not。　　But　would　you

know　the　illustrious　persons　who　paid　me　for　the　use　of　my　dagger？〃



With　these　words　he　put　a　whistle　to　his　lips；　sounded　it；　and

instantly　the　doors　flew　open；　the　guards　rushed　in；　and　ere　they

had　time　to　recollect　themselves；　the　chief　conspirators　were　in

custody；　and　disarmed。



〃Guard　them　well；〃　said　Abellino；　in　a　terrible　voice　to　the

sentinels；　〃you　have　your　orders。　　Noble　Venetians；　look　on　these

villains；　it　is　to　them　that　you　are　indebted　for　the　loss　of　your

three　citizens。　　I　accuse　of　those　murders　one；　two；　three；　four；

and　my　good　Lord　Cardinal　there　has　the　honour　to　be　the　fifth。〃



Motionless　and　bewildered　stood　the　accused；　tale…telling　confusion

spoke　in　every　feature　that　the　charge　was　true；　and　no　one　was　bold

enough　to　contradict　Abellino。



〃What　can　all　this　mean？〃　asked　the　senators　of　each　other；　in　the

utmost　surprise　and　confusion。



〃This　is　all　a　shameful　artifice；〃　the　Cardinal　at　length　contrived

to　say；　〃the　villain；　perceiving　that　he　has　no　chance　of　escaping

punishment；　is　willing；　out　of　mere　resentment；　to　involve　us　in　his

destruction。〃



Contarino　（recovering　himself　）。In　the　wickedness　of　his　life　he

has　surpassed　all　former　miscreants；　and　now　he　is　trying　to　surpass

them　in　the　wickedness　of　his　death。



Abellino　（with　majesty）。Be　silent。　　I　know　your　whole　plot；　have

seen　your　list　of　proscriptions；　am　well　informed　of　your　whole

arrangement；　and　at　the　moment　that　I　speak　to　you　the　officers　of

justice　are　employed；　by　my　orders；　in　seizing　the　gentlemen　with

the　white　ribbons　round　their　arms；　who　this　very　night　intended　to

overturn　Venice。　　Be　silent；　for　defence　were　vain。



Andreas　（in　astonishment）Abellino；　what　is　the　meaning　of　all

this？



Abellino。Neither　more　nor　less　than　that　Abellino　has　discovered

and　defeated　a　conspiracy　against　the　constitution　of　Venice　and　the

life　of　its　Doge！　　The　bravo；　in　return　for　your　kind　intention　of

sending　him　to　destruction　in　a　few　hours；　has　preserved　you　from

it。



Vitalba　（to　the　accused）。Noble　Venetians；　you　are　silent　under

this　heavy　charge。



Abellino。They　are　wise；　for　no　defence　can　now　avail　them。　　Their

troops　are　already　disarmed；　and　lodged　in　separate　dungeons　of　the

State　prison；　visit　them　there；　and　you　will　learn　more。　　You　now

understand　probably　that　I　did　not　order　the　doors　of　this　saloon　to

be　guarded　for　the　purpose　of　seizing　the　terrible　bravo　Abellino；

but　of　taking　those　heroes　into　secure　custody。



And　now；　Venetians；　compare　together　YOUR　conduct　and　MINE。　　At　the

hazard　of　my　life　have　I　preserved　the　State　from　ruin。　　Disguised

as　a　bravo；　I　dared　to　enter　the　assembly　of　those　ruthless

villains；　whose　daggers　laid　Venice　waste。　　I　have　endured　for　your

sakes　storm；　and　rain；　and　frost；　and　heat；　I　have　watched　for　your

safety　while　you　were　sleeping。　　Venice　owes　to　my　care　her

constitution　and　your　lives；　and　yet　are　my　services　deserving　of　no

reward？　　All　this　have　I　done　for　Rosabella　of　Corfu；　and　yet　will

you　withhold　from　me　my　promised　bride？　　I　have　saved　you　from

death；　have　saved　the　honour　of　your　wives；　and　the　throats　of　your

innocent　children　from　the　knife　of　the　assassin。　　Men！　men！　and　yet

will　you　send　me　to　the　scaffold？



Look　on　this　list！　　See　how　many　among　you　would　have　bled　this

night；　had　it　not　been　for　Abellino；　and　see　where　the　miscreants

stand　by　whom　you　would　have　bled！　　Read　you　not　in　every　feature

that　they　are　already　condemned　by　heaven　and　their　own　conscience？

Does　a　single　mouth　unclose　itself　in　exculpation？　　Does　a　single

movement　of　the　head　give　the　lie　to　my　charge？　　Yet　the　truth　of

what　I　have　advanced　shall　be　made　still　more　evident。



He　turned　himself　to　the　conspirators



〃Mark　me！〃　said　he；　〃the　first　among　you　who　acknowledges　the　truth

shall　receive　a　free　pardon。　　I　swear　it；　I；　the　bravo　Abellino！〃



The　conspirators　remained　silent。　　Suddenly　Memmo　started　forward

and　threw　himself　trembling　at　the　Doge's　feet。



〃Venetians；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃Abellino　has　told　you　true。〃



〃'Tis　false；　'tis　false！〃　exclaimed　the　accused　altogether。



〃Silence！〃　cried　Abellino；　in　a　voice　of　thunder；　while　the

indignation　which　flamed　in　every　feature　struck　terror　into　his

hearers：　　〃Silence；　I　say；　and　hear　me；　or　rather　hear　the　ghosts　of

your　victims。　　Appear；　appear！〃　cried　this　dreadful　man；　in　a　tone

still　louder：　　〃'Tis　time！〃



Again　he　sounded　his　whistle。　　The　folding　doors　were　thrown　open；

and　there　stood　the　Doge's　much　lamented　friendsConari；　Lomellino；

and　Manfrone。



〃We　are　betrayed！〃　shouted　Contarino；　who　drew　out　a　concealed

dagger；　and　plunged　it　in　his　bosom　up　to　the　very　hilt。



And　now　what　a　scene　of　rapture　followed。　　Tears　streamed　down　the

silver　beard　of　Andreas；　as　he　rushed　into　the　arms　of　his　long…lost

companions；　tears　bedewed　the　cheeks　of　the　venerable　triumvirate；

as　they　once　more　clasped　the　knees　of　their　prince；　their　friend；

their　brother。　　These　excellent　men；　these　heroes；　never　had　Andreas

hoped　to　meet　them　again　till　they　should　meet　in　heaven；　and

Andreas　blessed　heaven　for　permitting　him　to　meet　them　once　more　on

earth。　　These　four　men；　who　had　valued　each　other　in　the　first　dawn

of　YOUTH；　who　had　fought　by　each　other's　sides　in　MANHOOD；　were　now

assembled　in　AGE；　and　valued　each　other　more　than　ever。　　The

spectators　gazed　with　universal　interest　on　the　scene　before　them；

and　the　good　old　senators　mingled　tears　of　joy　with　those　shed　by

the　re…united　companions。　　In　the　happy　delirium　of　this　moment；

nothing　but　Andreas　and　his　friends　were　attended　to；　no　one　was

aware　that　the　conspirators　and　the　self…murderer　Contarino　were

removed　by　the　guards　from　the　saloon；　no　one　but　Camilla　observed

Rosabel