the bravo of venice-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





Camilla。You　often　call　me　your　guardian　angel；　and　guardian　angels

should　always　be　near　the　object　of　their　care。



Rosabella。Camilla；　I　have　been　thinking　over　your　arguments；　I

cannot　deny　that　all　you　have　said　to　me　is　very　true；　and　very

wise；　but　still　…



Camilla。But　still；　though　your　prudence　agrees　with　me；　your　heart

is　of　a　contrary　opinion。



Rosabella。It　is；　indeed。



Camilla。Nor　do　I　blame　your　heart　for　differing　from　me；　my　poor

girl。　　I　have　acknowledged　to　you　without　disguise　that　were　_I_　at

your　time　of　life；　and　were　such　a　man　as　Flodoardo　to　throw　himself

in　my　way；　I　could　not　receive　his　attentions　with　indifference。　　It

cannot　be　denied　that　this　young　stranger　is　uncommonly　pleasing；

and；　indeed；　for　any　woman　whose　heart　is　disengaged；　an　uncommonly

DANGEROUS　companion。　　There　is　something　very　prepossessing　in　his

appearance；　his　manners　are　elegant；　and　short　as　has　been　his　abode

in　Venice；　it　is　already　past　doubting　that　there　are　many　noble　and

striking　features　in　his　character。　　But　alas；　after　all；　he　is　but

a　poor　nobleman；　and　it　is　not　very　probable　that　the　rich　and

powerful　Doge　of　Venice　will　ever　bestow　his　niece　on　one　who；　to

speak　plainly；　arrived　here　little　better　than　a　beggar。　　No；　no；

child；　believe　me；　a　romantic　adventurer　is　no　fit　husband　for

Rosabella　of　Corfu。



Rosabella。Dear　Camilla；　who　was　talking　about　husbands？　　What　I

feel　for　Flodoardo　is　merely　affection；　friendship。



Camilla。Indeed！　　Then　you　would　be　perfectly　satisfied；　should

some　one　of　our　wealthy　ladies　bestow　her　hand　on　Flodoardo？



Rosabella　（hastily）。Oh！　Flodoardo　would　not　ACCEPT　her　hand；

Camilla；　of　that　I　am　sure。



Camilla。Child；　child；　you　would　willingly　deceive　yourself。　　But

be　assured　that　a　girl　who　loves　ever　connects；　perhaps

unconsciously；　the　wish　for　an　eternal　UNION　with　the　idea　of

eternal　AFFECTION。　　Now　this　is　a　wish　which　you　cannot　indulge　in

regard　to　Flodoardo　without　seriously　offending　your　uncle；　who；

good　man　as　he　is；　must　still　submit　to　the　severe　control　of

politics　and　etiquette。



Rosabella。I　know　all　that；　Camilla；　but　can　I　not　make　you

comprehend　that　I　am　not　in　love　with　Flodoardo；　and　do　not　mean　to

be　in　love　with　him；　and　that　love　has　nothing　at　all　to　do　in　the

business？　　I　repeat　to　you；　what　I　feel　for　him　is　nothing　but

sincere　and　fervent　friendship；　and　surely　Flodoardo　deserves　that　I

should　feel　that　sentiment　for　him。　　Deserves　it；　said　I？　　Oh；　what

does　Flodoardo　NOT　deserve？



Camilla。Ay；　ay；　friendship；　indeed；　and　love。　　Oh；　Rosabella；　you

know　not　how　often　these　deceivers　borrow　each　other's　mask　to

ensnare　the　hearts　of　unsuspecting　maidens。　　You　know　not　how　often

love　finds　admission；　when　wrapped　in　friendship's　cloak；　into　that

bosom；　which；　had　he　approached　under　his　own　appearance；　would　have

been　closed　against　him　for　ever。　　In　short；　my　child；　reflect　how

much　you　owe　to　your　uncle；　reflect　how　much　uneasiness　this

inclination　would　cost　him；　and　sacrifice　to　duty　what　at　present　is

a　mere　caprice；　but　which；　if　encouraged；　might　make　too　deep　an

impression　on　your　heart　to　be　afterwards　removed　by　your　best

efforts。



Rosabella。You　say　right；　Camilla。　　I　really　believe　myself　that　my

prepossession　in　Flodoardo's　favour　is　merely　an　accidental　fancy；

of　which　I　shall　easily　get　the　better。　　No；　no；　I　am　not　in　love

with　Flodoardoof　that　you　may　rest　assured。　　I　even　think　that　I

rather　feel　an　antipathy　towards　him；　since　you　have　shown　me　the

possibility　of　his　making　me　prove　a　cause　of　uneasiness　to　my　kind；

my　excellent　uncle。



Camilla　（smiling）。Are　your　sentiments　of　duty　and　gratitude　so

very　strong？



Rosabella。Oh；　that　they　are；　Camilla；　and　so　you　will　say　yourself

hereafter。　　This　disagreeable　Flodoardoto　give　me　so　much

vexation！　　I　wish　he　had　never　come　to　Venice。　　I　declare　I　do　not

like　him　at　all。



Camilla。Nowhat！　　Not　like　Flodoardo？



Rosabella　（casting　down　her　eyes）。No；　not　at　all。　　Not　that　I　wish

him　ill；　either；　for　you　know；　Camilla；　there's　no　reason　why　I

should　hate　this　poor　Flodoardo！



Camilla。Well；　we　will　resume　this　subject　when　I　return。　　I　have

business；　and　the　gondola　waits　for　me。　　Farewell；　my　child；　and　do

not　lay　aside　your　resolution　as　hastily　as　you　took　it　up。



Camilla　departed；　and　Rosabella　remained　melancholy　and　uncertain。

She　built　castles　in　the　air；　and　destroyed　them　as　soon　as　built。

She　formed　wishes；　and　condemned　herself　for　having　formed　them。

She　looked　round　her　frequently　in　search　of　something；　but　dared

not　confess　to　herself　what　it　was　of　which　she　was　in　search。



The　evening　was　sultry；　and　Rosabella　was　compelled　to　shelter

herself　from　the　sun's　overpowering　heat。　　In　the　garden　was　a　small

fountain；　bordered　by　a　bank　of　moss；　over　which　the　magic　hands　of

art　and　nature　had　formed　a　canopy　of　ivy　and　jessamine。　　Thither

she　bent　her　steps。　　She　arrived　at　the　fountain；　and　instantly　drew

back；　covered　with　blushes；　for　on　the　bank　of　moss；　shaded　by　the

protecting　canopy；　whose　waving　blossoms　were　reflected　on　the

fountain；　Flodoardo　was　seated；　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　a　roll　of

parchment。



Rosabella　hesitated　whether　she　should　retire　or　stay。　　Flodoardo

started　from　his　place；　apparently　in　no　less　confusion　than

herself；　and　relieved　her　from　her　indecision　by　taking　her　hand

with　respect；　and　conducting　her　to　the　seat　which　he　had　just

quitted。



Now；　then；　she　could　not　possibly　retire　immediately；　unless　she

meant　to　violate　every　common　principle　of　good　breeding。



Her　hand　was　still　clasped　in　Flodoardo's；　but　it　was　so　natural　for

him　to　take　it；　that　she　could　not　blame　him　for　having　done　so。

But　what　was　she　next　to　do？　　Draw　her　hand　away？　　Why　should　she；

since　he　did　her　hand　no　harm　by　keeping　it；　and　the　keeping　it

seemed　to　make　him　so　happy？　　And　how　could　the　gentle　Rosabella

resolve　to　commit　an　act　of　such　unheard…of　cruelty　as　wilfully　to

deprive　any　one　of　a　pleasure　which　made　him　so　happy；　and　which　did

herself　no　harm？



〃Signora；〃　said　Flodoardo；　merely　for　the　sake　of　saying　something；

〃you　do　well　to　enjoy　the　open　air。　　The　evening　is　beautiful。〃



〃But　I　interrupt　your　studies；　my　lord；〃　said　Rosabella。



〃By　no　means；〃　answered　Flodoardo；　and　there　this　interesting

conversation　came　to　a　full　stop。　　Both　looked　down；　both　examined

the　heaven　and　the　earth；　the　trees　and　the　flowers；　in　the　hopes　of

finding　some　hints　for　renewing　the　conversation；　but　the　more

anxiously　they　sought　them；　the　more　difficult　did　it　seem　to　find

what　they　sought；　and　in　this　painful　embarrassment　did　two　whole

precious　minutes　elapse。



〃Ah；　what　a　beautiful　flower！〃　suddenly　cried　Rosabella；　in　order　to

break　the　silence；　then　stooped　and　plucked　a　violet　with　an

appearance　of　the　greatest　eagerness；　though；　in　fact；　nothing　at

that　moment　could　have　been　more　a　matter　of　indifference。



〃It　is　a　very　beautiful　flower；　indeed；〃　gravely　observed　Flodoardo；

and　was　out　of　all　patience　with　himself　for　having　made　so　flat　a

speech。



〃Nothing　can　surpass　this　purple；〃　continued　Rosabella；　〃red　and

blue　so　happily　blended；　that　no　painter　can　produce　so　perfect　a

union。〃



〃Red　and　bluethe　one　the　symbol　of　happiness；　the　other　of

affection。　　Ah；　Rosabella！　how　enviable　will　be　that　man's　lot　on

whom　your　hand　shall　bestow　such　a　flower。　　Happiness　and　affection

are　not　more　inseparably　united　than　the　red　and　blue　which　purple

that　violet。〃



〃You　seem　to　attach　a　value　to　the　flower　of　which　it　is　but　little

deserving。〃



〃Might　I　but　know　on　whom　Rosabella　will　one　day　bestow　what　that

flower　expresses。　　Yet；　this　is　a　subject　which　I　have　no　right　to

discuss。　　I　know　not　what　has　happened　to　me　to…day。　　I　make　nothing

but　blunders　and　mistakes。　　Forgive　my　presumption；　lady。　　I　will

hazard　such　forward　inquiries　no　more。〃



He　was　silent。　　Rosabella　was　silent　also。



But　though　they　could　forbid　their　lips　to　betray　their　hidden

affection；　though　Rosabella　said　not〃Thou　art　he　on　whom　this

flower　shall　be　bestowed：〃　though　Flodoardo's　words　had　not

expressed〃Rosabella；　give　me　that　violet；　and　that　which　it

implies〃oh；　their　eyes　were　far　from　being　silent。　　Those

treacherous　interpreters　of　secret　feelings　acknowledged　more　to

each　other　than　their　hearts　had　yet　acknowledged　to　themselves。



Flodoardo　and　Rosabella　gazed　on　each　other　with　looks　which　made

all　speech　unnecessary。　　Sweet；　tender；　and　enthusiastic　was　the

smile　which　played　around　Rosabella's　lips　when　her　eyes　met　those

of　the　youth　whom　she　had　selected　from　the　rest　of　mankind；　and

with　mingled　emotions　of　hope　and　fear　did　the　youth　study　the

meaning　of　that　smile。　　He　understood　it；　and　his　heart　beat　louder；

and　his　eye　flamed　brighter。



Rosabella　trembled；　her　e