the bravo of venice-第7章

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ladies　had　settled　the　point　among　themselves　completely　to　their

own　satisfaction；　that　Abellino　would　undoubtedly　have　assassinated

Rosabella；　had　he　not　been　prevented　by　her　uncommon　beauty。　　But

though　Abellino's　interference　had　preserved　her　life；　it　was

doubted　much　whether　this　adventure　would　be　at　all　relished　by　her

destined　bridegroom；　the　Prince　of　Monaldeschi；　a　Neapolitan　of　the

first　rank；　possessed　of　immense　wealth　and　extensive　influence。

The　Doge　had　for　some　time　been　secretly　engaged　in　negotiating　a

match　between　his　niece　and　this　powerful　nobleman；　who　was　soon

expected　to　make　his　appearance　at　Venice。　　The　motive　of　his

journey；　in　spite　of　all　the　Doge's　precautions；　had　been　divulged；

and　it　was　no　longer　a　secret　to　any　but　Rosabella；　who　had　never

seen　the　prince；　and　could　not　imagine　why　his　expected　visit　should

excite　such　general　curiosity。



Thus　far　the　story　had　been　told　much　to　Rosabella's　credit；　but　at

length　the　women　began　to　envy　her　for　her　share　in　the　adventure。

The　kiss　which　she　had　received　from　the　bravo　afforded　them　an

excellent　opportunity　for　throwing　out　a　few　malicious　insinuations。

〃She　received　a　great　service；〃　said　one；　〃and　there's　no　saying　how

far　the　fair　Rosabella　in　the　warmth　of　gratitude　may　have　been

carried　in　rewarding　her　preserver。〃　　〃Very　true；〃　observed　another；

〃and　for　my　part；　I　think　it　not　very　likely　that　the　fellow；　being

alone　with　a　pretty　girl；　whose　life　he　had　just　saved；　should　have

gone　away　contented　with　a　single　kiss。〃　　〃Come；　come；〃　interrupted

a　third；　〃do　not　let　us　judge　uncharitably；　the　fact　may　be　exactly

as　the　lady　relates　it；　though　I　MUST　say；　that　gentlemen　of

Abellino's　profession　are　not　usually　so　pretty…behaved；　and　that

this　is　the　first　time　I　ever　heard　of　a　bravo　in　the　Platonics。〃



In　short；　Rosabella　and　the　horrible　Abellino　furnished　the　indolent

and　gossiping　Venetians　with　conversation　so　long；　that　at　length

the　Doge's　niece　was　universally　known　by　the　honourable　appellation

of　the　〃Bravo's　Bride。〃



But　no　one　gave　himself　more　trouble　about　this　affair　than　the

Doge；　the　good　but　proud　Andreas。　　He　immediately　issued　orders　that

every　person　of　suspicious　appearance　should　be　watched　more　closely

than　ever；　the　night　patrols　were　doubled；　and　spies　were　employed

daily　in　procuring　intelligence　of　Abellino；　and　yet　all　was　in

vain。　　Abellino's　retreat　was　inscrutable。







CHAPTER　VIII：　　THE　CONSPIRACY。







〃Confusion！〃　exclaimed　Parozzi；　a　Venetian　nobleman　of　the　first

rank；　as　he　paced　his　chamber　with　a　disordered　air　on　the　morning

after　Matteo's　murder；　〃now　all　curses　light　upon　the　villain's

awkwardness；　yet　it　seems　inconceivable　to　me　how　all　this　should

have　fallen　out　so　untowardly。　　Has　any　one　discovered　my　designs？

I　know　well　that　Verrino　loves　Rosabella。　　Was　it　he　who　opposed

this　confounded　Abellino　to　Matteo；　and　charged　him　to　mar　my　plans

against　her？　　That　seems　likely；　and　now；　when　the　Doge　inquires　who

it　was　that　employed　assassins　to　murder　his　niece；　what　other　will

be　suspected　than　Parozzi；　the　discontented　lover；　to　whom　Rosabella

refused　her　hand；　and　whom　Andreas　hates　past　hope　of

reconciliation？　　And　now；　having　once　found　the　scentParozzi！

Parozzi！　should　the　crafty　Andreas　get　an　insight　into　your　plans；

should　he　learn　that　you　have　placed　yourself　at　the　head　of　a　troop

of　hare…brained　youthshare…brained　may　I　well　call　childrenwho；

in　order　to　avoid　the　rod；　set　fire　to　their　paternal　mansions。

Parozzi；　should　all　this　be　revealed　to　Andreas？〃



Here　his　reflections　were　interrupted。　　Memmo；　Falieri；　and

Contarino　entered　the　room；　three　young　Venetians　of　the　highest

rank；　Parozzi's　inseparable　companions；　men　depraved　both　in　mind

and　body；　spendthrifts；　voluptuaries；　well　known　to　every　usurer　in

Venice；　and　owing　more　than　their　paternal　inheritance　would　ever

admit　of　their　paying。



〃Why；　how　is　this；　Parozzi？〃　cried　Memmo　as　he　entered；　a　wretch

whose　every　feature　exhibited　marks　of　that　libertinism　to　which　his

life　had　been　dedicated；　〃I　can　scarce　recover　myself　from　my

astonishment。　　For　Heaven's　sake；　is　this　report　true？　　Did　you

really　hire　Matteo　to　murder　the　Doge's　niece？〃



〃I？〃　exclaimed　Parozzi；　and　hastily　turned　away　to　hide　the　deadly

paleness　which　overspread　his　countenance；　〃why　should　you　suppose

that　any　such　designssurely；　Memmo；　you　are　distracted。〃



Memmo。By　my　soul；　I　speak　but　the　plain　matter　of　fact。　　Nay；　only

ask　Falieri；　he　can　tell　you　more。



Falieri。Faith；　it　is　certain；　Parozzi；　that　Lomellino　has　declared

to　the　Doge　as　a　truth　beyond　doubting　that　you；　and　none　but　you；

were　the　person　who　instigated　Matteo　to　attempt　Rosabella's　life。



Parozzi。And　I　tell　you　again　that　Lomellino　knows　not　what　he

says。



Contarino。Well；　well；　only　be　upon　your　guard。　　Andreas　is　a

terrible　fellow　to　deal　with。



Falieri。HE　terrible。　　I　tell　you　he　is　the　most　contemptible

blockhead　that　the　universe　can　furnish！　　Courage　perhaps　he

possesses；　but　of　brains　not　an　atom。



Contarino。And　_I_　tell　you　that　Andreas　is　as　brave　as　a　lion；　and

as　crafty　as　a　fox。



Falieri。Pshaw！　pshaw！　　Everything　would　go　to　rack　and　ruin　were

it　not　for　the　wiser　heads　of　this　triumvirate　of　counsellors；　whom

Heaven　confound！　　Deprive　him　of　Paolo　Manfrone；　Conari；　and

Lomellino；　and　the　Doge　would　stand　there　looking　as　foolish　as　a

schoolboy　who　was　going　to　be　examined　and　had　forgotten　his　lesson。



Parozzi。Falieri　is　in　the　right。



Memmo。Quite；　quite。



Falieri。And　then　Andreas　is　as　proud　as　a　beggar　grown　rich　and

dressed　in　his　first　suit　of　embroidery。　　By　St。　Anthony；　he　is

become　quite　insupportable。　　Do　you　not　observe　how　he　increases　the

number　of　his　attendants　daily？



Memmo。Nay；　that　is　an　undoubted　fact。



Contarino。And　then；　to　what　an　unbounded　extent　has　he　carried　his

influence。　　The　Signoria；　the　Quaranti；　the　Procurators　of　St。　Mark；

the　Avocatori；　all　think　and　act　exactly　as　it　suits　the　Doge's

pleasure　and　convenience！　　Every　soul　of　them　depends　as　much　on

that　one　man's　honour　and　caprices　as　puppets　do　who　nod　or　shake

their　wooden　heads　just　as　the　fellow　behind　the　curtain　thinks

proper　to　move　the　wires。



Parozzi。And　yet　the　populace　idolises　this　Andreas。



Memmo。Ay；　that　is　the　worst　part　of　the　story。



Falieri。But　never　credit　me　again　if　he　does　not　experience　a

reverse　of　fortune　speedily。



Contarino。That　might　happen　would　we　but　set　our　shoulders　to　the

wheel　stoutly。　　But　what　do　we　do？　　We　pass　our　time　in　taverns；

drink　and　game；　and　throw　ourselves　headlong　into　such　an　ocean　of

debts；　that　the　best　swimmer　must　sink　at　last。　　Let　us　resolve　to

make　the　attempt。　　Let　us　seek　recruits　on　all　sides；　let　us　labour

with　all　our　might　and　main。　　Things　must　change；　or　if　they　do　not；

take　my　word　for　it；　my　friends；　this　world　is　no　longer　a　world　for

us。



Memmo。Nay；　it's　a　melancholy　truth；　that　during　the　last　half…year

my　creditors　have　been　ready　to　beat　my　door　down　with　knocking。　　I

am　awakened　out　of　my　sleep　in　the　morning；　and　lulled　to　rest　again

at　night　with　no　other　music　than　their　eternal　clamour。



　Parozzi。Ha！　ha！　ha！　　As　for　me；　I　need　not　tell　you　how　I　am

suited。



Falieri。Had　we　been　less　extravagant；　we　might　at　this　moment　have

been　sitting　quietly　in　our　palaces；　but　as　things　stand　now　…



Parozzi。Well；　as　things　stand　nowI　verily　believe　that　Falieri

is　going　to　moralise。



Contarino。That　is　ever　the　way　with　old　sinners　when　they　have

lost　the　power　to　sin　any　longer。　　Then　they　are　ready　enough　to

weep　over　their　past　life；　and　talk　loudly　about　repentance　and

reformation。　　Now；　for　my　own　part；　I　am　perfectly　well　satisfied

with　my　wanderings　from　the　common　beaten　paths　of　morality　and

prudence。　　They　serve　to　convince　me　that　I　am　not