the bravo of venice-第6章

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of　Dolabella；　which　that　day　were　unusually　crowded。　　Every　shady

avenue　was　thronged　with　people　of　both　sexes；　every　arbour　was

occupied　by　persons　most　distinguished　in　Venice。　　In　every　corner

sighed　lovesick　couples；　as　they　waited　for　the　wished　approach　of

twilight；　and　on　every　side　did　strains　of　vocal　and　instrumental

music　pour　their　harmony　on　the　enchanted　ear。



Abellino　mingled　with　the　crowd。　　A　most　respectable　looking　peruke

concealed　the　repulsive　ugliness　of　his　features；　he　imitated　the

walk　and　manners　of　a　gouty　old　man；　and　supported　himself　by　a

crutch；　as　he　walked　slowly　through　the　assembly。　　His　habit；　richly

embroidered；　procured　for　him　universally　a　good　reception；　and　no

one　scrupled　to　enter　into　conversation　with　him　respecting　the

weather；　the　commerce　of　the　Republic；　or　the　designs　of　its

enemies；　and　on　none　of　these　subjects　was　Abellino　found　incapable

of　sustaining　the　discourse。



By　these　means　he　soon　contrived　to　gain　intelligence　that　Rosabella

was　certainly　in　the　gardens；　how　she　was　habited；　and　in　what

quarter　he　was　most　likely　to　find　her。



Thither　he　immediately　bent　his　course；　and　hard　at　his　heels

followed　Matteo。



Alone；　and　in　the　most　retired　arbour；　sat　Rosabella　of　Corfu；　the

fairest　maid　in　Venice。



Abellino　drew　near　the　arbour；　he　tottered；　as　he　passed　its

entrance；　like　one　oppressed　with　sudden　faintness；　and　attracted

Rosabella's　attention。



〃Alas；　alas！〃　cried　he；　〃is　there　no　one　at　hand　who　will　take

compassion　on　the　infirmity　of　a　poor　old　man？〃



The　Doge's　fair　niece　quitted　the　arbour　hastily；　and　flew　to　give

assistance　to　the　sufferer。



〃What　ails　you；　my　good　father？〃　she　inquired　in　a　melodious　voice；

and　with　a　look　of　benevolent　anxiety。



Abellino　pointed　towards　the　arbour；　Rosabella　led　him　in；　and

placed　him　on　a　seat　of　turf。



〃God　reward　you；　lady；〃　stammered　Abellino；　faintly。　　He　raised　his

eyes；　they　met　Rosabella's；　and　a　blush　crimsoned　her　pale　cheeks。



Rosabella　stood　in　silence　before　the　disguised　assassin；　and

trembled　with　tender　concern　for　the　old　man's　illness；　and　oh；　that

expression　of　interest　ever　makes　a　lovely　women　look　so　much　more

lovely！　　She　bent　her　delicate　form　over　the　man　who　was　bribed　to

murder　her；　and　after　a　while　asked　him；　in　gentlest　tone；　〃Are　you

not　better？〃



〃Better？〃　stammered　the　deceiver；　with　a　feeble　voice；　〃betteroh；

yes；　yes；　yes。　　Youyou　are　the　Doge's　niecethe　noble　Rosabella

of　Corfu？〃



〃The　same；　my　good　old　man。〃



〃Oh；　lady；　I　have　somewhat　to　tell　you。　　Be　on　your　guard；　Start

not！　　What　I　would　say　is　of　the　utmost　consequence；　and　demands　the

utmost　prudence。　　Ah；　God；　that　there　should　live　men　so　cruel！

Lady；　your　life　is　in　danger。〃



The　maiden　started　back；　the　colour　fled　from　her　cheeks。



〃Do　you　wish　to　behold　your　assassin？　　You　shall　not　die；　but　if　you

value　your　life；　be　silent。〃



Rosabella　knew　not　what　to　think；　the　presence　of　the　old　man

terrified　her。



〃Fear　nothing；　lady；　fear　nothing；　you　have　nothing　to　fear；　while　I

am　with　you。　　Before　you　quit　this　arbour　you　shall　see　the　assassin

expire　at　your　feet。〃



Rosabella　made　a　movement　as　if　she　would　have　fled；　but　suddenly

the　person　who　sat　beside　her　was　no　longer　an　infirm　old　man。　　He

who　a　minute　before　had　scarcely　strength　to　mutter　out　a　few

sentences；　and　reclined　against　the　arbour　trembling　like　an　aspen；

sprang　up　with　the　force　of　a　giant；　and　drew　her　back　with　one　arm。



〃For　the　love　of　heaven！〃　she　cried；　〃release　me。　　Let　me　fly！〃



〃Lady；　fear　nothing；　_I_　protect　you。〃　　This　said；　Abellino　placed　a

whistle　at　his　lips；　and　blew　it　shrilly。



Instantly　sprang　Matteo　from　his　concealment　in　a　neighbouring　clump

of　trees；　and　rushed　into　the　arbour。　　Abellino　threw　Rosabella　on

the　bank　of　turf；　advanced　a　few　steps　to　meet　Matteo；　and　plunged

his　dagger　in　his　heart。



Without　uttering　a　single　cry；　sank　the　banditti　captain　at　the　feet

of　Abellino：　　the　death…rattle　was　heard　in　his　throat；　and　after　a

few　horrible　convulsions　all　was　over。



Now　did　Matteo's　murderer　look　again　towards　the　arbour；　and　beheld

Rosabella　half　senseless；　as　she　lay　on　the　bank　of　turf。



〃Your　life　is　safe；　beautiful　Rosabella；〃　said　he；　〃there　lies　the

villain　bleeding；　who　conducted　me　hither　to　murder　you。　　Recover

yourself；　return　to　your　uncle；　the　Doge；　and　tell　him　that　you　owe

your　life　to　Abellino。〃



Rosabella　could　not　speak。　　Trembling；　she　stretched　her　arms

towards　him；　grasped　his　hand；　and　pressed　it　to　her　lips　in　silent

gratitude。



Abellino　gazed　with　delight　and　wonder　on　the　lovely　sufferer；　and

in　such　a　situation；　who　could　have　beheld　her　without　emotion？

Rosabella　had　scarcely　numbered　seventeen　summers；　her　light　and

delicate　limbs；　enveloped　in　a　thin　white　garment；　which　fell　around

her　in　a　thousand　folds；　her　blue　and　melting　eyes；　whence　beamed

the　expression　of　purest　innocence；　her　forehead；　white　as　ivory；

overshadowed　the　ringlets　of　her　bright　dark　hair；　cheeks；　whence

terror　had　now　stolen　the　roses；　such　was　Rosabella；　a　creature　in

whose　formation　partial　Nature　seemed　to　have　omitted　nothing　which

might　constitute　the　perfection　of　female　lovelinesssuch　was　she；

and　being　such；　the　wretched　Abellino　may　be　forgiven　if　for　some

few　minutes　he　stood　like　one　enchanted；　and　bartered　for　those　few

minutes　the　tranquillity　of　his　heart　for　ever。



〃By　Him　who　made　me；〃　cried　he　at　length；　〃oh！　thou　art　fair；

Rosabella；　Valeria　was　not　fairer。〃



He　bowed　himself　down　to　her；　and　imprinted　a　burning　kiss　on　the

pale　cheeks　of　the　beauty。



〃Leave　me；　thou　dreadful　man；〃　she　stammered　in　terror；　〃oh；　leave

me。〃



〃Ah；　Rosabella；　why　art　thou　so　beauteous；　and　why　am　IKnowest

thou　who　kissed　thy　cheek；　Rosabella？　　Go；　tell　thy　uncle；　the　proud

Doge'TWAS　THE　BRAVO；　ABELLINO；〃　he　said；　and　rushed　out　of　the

arbour。







CHAPTER　VII：　　THE　BRAVO'S　BRIDE。







It　was　not　without　good　reason　that　Abellino　took　his　departure　in

such　haste。　　He　had　quitted　the　spot　but　a　few　minutes；　when　a　large

party　accidentally　strolled　that　way；　and　discovered　with

astonishment　the　corpse　of　Matteo；　and　Rosabella　pale　and　trembling

in　the　arbour。



A　crowd　immediately　collected　itself　round　them。　　It　increased　with

every　moment；　and　Rosabella　was　necessitated　to　repeat　what　had

happened　to　her　for　the　satisfaction　of　every　newcomer。



In　the　meanwhile　some　of　the　Doge's　courtiers；　who　happened　to　be

among　the　crowd；　hastened　to　call　her　attendants　together；　her

gondola　was　already　waiting　for　her；　and　the　terrified　girl　soon

reached　her　uncle's　palace　in　safety。



In　vain　was　an　embargo　laid　upon　every　other　gondola；　in　vain　did

they　examine　every　person　who　was　in　the　gardens　of　Dolabella　at　the

time；　when　the　murdered　assassin　was　first　discovered。　　No　traces

could　be　found　of　Abellino。



The　report　of　this　strange　adventure　spread　like　wildfire　through

Venice。　　Abellino；　for　Rosabella　had　preserved　but　too　well　in　her

memory　that　dreadful　name；　and　by　the　relation　of　her　danger　had

given　it　universal　publicity；　Abellino　was　the　object　of　general

wonder　and　curiosity。　　Every　one　pitied　the　poor　Rosabella　for　what

she　had　suffered；　execrated　the　villain　who　had　bribed　Matteo　to

murder　her；　and　endeavoured　to　connect　the　different　circumstances

together　by　the　help　of　one　hypothesis　or　other；　among　which　it

would　have　been　difficult　to　decide　which　was　the　most　improbable。



Every　one　who　heard　the　adventure；　told　it　again；　and　every　one　who

told　it；　added　something　of　his　own；　till　at　length　it　was　made　into

a　complete　romantic　novel；　which　might　have　been　entitled　with　great

propriety；　〃The　Power　of　Beauty；〃　for　the　Venetian　gentlemen　and

ladies　had　settled　the　point　among　themselves　completely　to　their

own　satis