the bravo of venice-第14节

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and　his　eye　flamed　brighter。



Rosabella　trembled；　her　eyes　could　no　longer　sustain　the　fire　of　his

glances；　and　a　modest　blush　overspread　her　face　and　bosom。



〃Rosabella！〃　at　length　murmured　Flodoardo；　unconsciously；

〃Flodoardo！〃　sighed　Rosabella；　in　the　same　tone。



〃Give　me　that　violet！〃　he　exclaimed；　eagerly；　then　sank　at　her　feet；

and　in　a　tone　of　the　most　humble　supplication　repeated；　〃Oh；　give　it

to　me！〃



Rosabella　held　the　flower　fast。



〃Ask　for　it　what　thou　wilt。　　If　a　throne　can　purchase　it；　I　will　pay

that　price；　or　perish。　　Rosabella；　give　me　that　flower！〃



She　stole　one　look　at　the　handsome　suppliant　and　dared　not　hazard　a

second。



〃My　repose；　my　happiness；　my　lifenay；　even　my　glory；　all　depend　on

the　possession　of　that　little　flower。　　Let　that　be　mine；　and　here　I

solemnly　renounce　all　else　which　the　world　calls　precious。〃



The　flower　trembled　in　her　snowy　hand。　　Her　fingers　clasped　it　less

firmly。



〃You　hear　me；　Rosabella？　　I　kneel　at　your　feet；　and　am　I　then　in

vain　a　beggar？〃



The　word　〃beggar〃　recalled　to　her　memory　Camilla　and　her　prudent

counsels。　　〃What　am　I　doing？〃　she　said　to　herself。　　〃Have　I

forgotten　my　promise；　my　resolution？　　Fly；　Rosabella；　fly；　or　this

hour　makes　you　faithless　to　yourself　and　duty。〃



She　tore　the　flower　to　pieces；　and　threw　it　contemptuously　on　the

ground。



〃I　understand　you；　Flodoardo；〃　said　she；　〃and　having　understood　you；

will　never　suffer　this　subject　to　be　renewed。　　Here　let　us　part；　and

let　me　not　again　be　offended　by　a　similar　presumption。　　Farewell！〃



She　turned　from　him　with　disdain；　and　left　Flodoardo　rooted　to　his

place　with　sorrow　and　astonishment。







CHAPTER　V：　　THE　ASSASSIN。







Scarcely　had　she　reached　her　chamber　ere　Rosabella　repented　her

having　acted　so　courageously。　　It　was　cruel　in　her；　she　thought；　to

have　given　him　so　harsh　an　answer。　　She　recollected　with　what

hopeless　and　melancholy　looks　the　poor　thunderstruck　youth　had

followed　her　steps　as　she　turned　to　leave　him。　　She　fancied　that　she

saw　him　stretched　despairing　on　the　earth；　his　hair　dishevelled；　his

eyes　filled　with　tears。　　She　heard　him　term　her　the　murderess　of　his

repose；　pray　for　death　as　his　only　refuge；　and　she　saw　him　with

every　moment　approach　towards　the　attainment　of　his　prayer　through

the　tears　which　he　shed　on　her　account。　　Already　she　heard　those

dreadful　words〃Flodoardo　is　no　more。〃　　Already　she　saw　the

sympathising　multitude　weep　round　the　tomb　of　him　whom　all　the

virtuous　loved；　and　whom　the　wicked　dreaded；　whom　all　his　friends

adored；　and　whom　even　his　enemies　admired。



〃Alas！　alas！〃　cried　she；　〃this　was　but　a　wretched　attempt　to　play

the　heroine。　　Already　does　my　resolution　fail　me。　　Ah；　Flodoardo！　　I

meant　not　what　I　said。　　I　love　youlove　you　now；　and　must　love　you

always；　though　Camilla　may　chide；　and　though　my　good　uncle　may　hate

me。〃



In　a　few　days　after　this　interview　she　understood　that　an

extraordinary　alteration　had　taken　place　in　Flodoardo's　manner　and

appearance；　that　he　had　withdrawn　himself　from　all　general　society；

and　that　when　the　solicitations　of　his　intimate　friends　compelled

him　to　appear　in　their　circle；　his　spirits　seemed　evidently

depressed　by　the　weight　of　an　unconquerable　melancholy。



This　intelligence　was　like　the　stroke　of　a　poniard　to　the　feeling

heart　of　Rosabella。　　She　fled　for　shelter　to　the　solitude　of　her

chamber；　there　indulged　her　feelings　without　restraint；　and

lamented；　with　showers　of　repentant　tears；　her　harsh　treatment　of

Flodoardo。



The　grief　which　preyed　in　secret　on　her　soul　soon　undermined　her

health。　　No　one　could　relieve　her　sufferings；　for　no　one　knew　the

cause　of　her　melancholy；　or　the　origin　of　her　illness。　　No　wonder；

then；　that　Rosabella's　situation　at　length　excited　the　most　bitter

anxiety　in　the　bosom　of　her　venerable　uncle。　　No　wonder；　too；　that

Flodoardo　entirely　withdrew　himself　from　a　world　which　was　become

odious　to　him；　since　Rosabella　was　to　be　seen　in　it　no　longer；　and

that　he　devoted　himself　in　solitude　to　the　indulgence　of　a　passion

which　he　had　vainly　endeavoured　to　subdue；　and　which；　in　the

impetuosity　of　its　course；　had　already　swallowed　up　every　other

wish；　and　every　other　sentiment。



But　let　us　for　the　moment　turn　from　the　sick　chamber　of　Rosabella；

and　visit　the　dwellings　of　the　conspirators；　who　were　now　advancing

with　rapid　strides　towards　the　execution　of　their　plans；　and　who；

with　every　hour　that　passed　over　their　heads；　became　more　numerous；

more　powerful；　and　more　dangerous　to　Andreas　and　his　beloved

Republic。



Parozzi；　Memmo；　Contarino；　Falieri；　the　chiefs　of　this　desperate

undertaking；　now　assembled　frequently　in　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga's

palace；　where　different　plans　for　altering　the　constitution　of

Venice　were　brought　forward　and　discussed。　　But　in　all　different

schemes　it　was　evident　that　the　proposer　was　solely　actuated　by

considerations　of　private　interest。　　The　object　of　one　was　to　get

free　from　the　burden　of　enormous　debts；　another　was　willing　to

sacrifice　everything　to　gratify　his　inordinate　ambition。　　The

cupidity　of　THIS　man　was　excited　by　the　treasures　of　Andreas　and　his

friends；　while　THAT　was　actuated　by　resentment　of　some　fancied

offence；　a　resentment　which　could　only　be　quenched　with　the

offender's　blood。



These　execrable　wretches；　who　aimed　at　nothing　less　than　the　total

overthrow　of　Venice；　or　at　least　of　her　government；　looked　towards

the　completion　of　their　extravagant　hopes　with　the　greater

confidence；　since　a　new　but　necessary　addition　to　the　already

existing　taxes　had　put　the　Venetian　populace　out　of　humour　with

their　rulers。



Rich　enough；　both　in　adherents　and　in　wealth；　to　realise　their

projects；　rich　enough　in　bold；　shrewd；　desperate　men；　whose　minds

were　well　adapted　to　the　contrivance　and　execution　of　revolutionary

projects；　they　now　looked　down　with　contempt　upon　the　good　old　Doge；

who　as　yet　entertained　no　suspicion　of　their　nocturnal　meetings。



Still　did　they　not　dare　to　carry　their　projects　into　effect；　till

some　principal　persons　in　the　State　should　be　prevented　by　DEATH

from　throwing　obstacles　in　their　way。　　For　the　accomplishment　of

this　part　of　their　plan　they　relied　on　the　daggers　of　the　banditti。

Dreadful　therefore　was　the　sound　in　their　ears；　when　the　bell　gave

the　signal　for　execution；　and　they　saw　their　best…founded　hopes

expire　on　the　scaffold；　which　supported　the　headless　trunks　of　the

four　bravoes。　　But　if　their　consternation　was　great　at　thus　losing

the　destined　instruments　of　their　designs；　how　extravagant　was　their

joy　when　the　proud　Abellino　dared　openly　to　declare　to　Venice　that

he　still　inhabited　the　Republic；　and　that　he　still　wore　a　dagger　at

the　disposal　of　Vice。



〃This　desperado　is　the　very　man　for　us！〃　they　exclaimed　unanimously；

and　in　rapture；　and　now　their　most　ardent　wish　was　to　enroll

Abellino　in　their　services。



Their　object　was　soon　attainedthey　sought　the　daring　ruffian；　and

he　suffered　himself　to　be　found。　　He　visited　their　meetings；　but　in

his　promises　and　demands　he　was　equally　extravagant。



The　first　and　most　earnest　wish　of　the　whole　conspiracy　was　the

death　of　Conari；　the　Procurator；　a　man　whom　the　Doge　valued　beyond

all　others；　a　man　whose　eagle　eyes　made　the　conspirators　hourly

tremble　for　their　secret；　and　whose　service　the　Doge　had　accepted；

in　preference　to　those　of　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga。　　But　the　sum　which

Abellino　demanded　for　the　murder　of　this　one　man　was　enormous。



〃Give　me　the　reward　which　I　require；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　promise；　on

the　word　of　a　man　of　honour；　that　after　this　night　the　Procurator；

Conari；　shall　give　you　no　further　trouble。　　Exalt　him　to　heaven；　or

imprison　him　in　hell；　I'll　engage　to　find　and　stab　him。〃



What　could　they　do？　　Abellino　was　not　a　man　to　be　easily　beat　down

in　his　demands。　　The　Cardinal　was　impatient　to　attain　the　summit　of

his　wishes；　but　his　road　lay　straight　over　Conari's　grave！



Abellino　received　the　sum　demanded；　the　next　day　the　venerable

Conari；　the　Doge's　best　and　dearest　friend；　the　pride　and　safeguard

of　the　Republic；　was　no　longer　numbered　among　the　living。



〃'Tis　a　terrible　fellow；　this　Abellino！〃　cried　the　conspirators；

when　the　news　reached　them；　and　celebrated　the　Procurator's　death　in

triumph　at　the　Cardinal's　midnight　feast。



The　Doge　was　almost　distracted　with　terror　and　astonishment。　　He

engaged　to　give　ten　thousand　sequins　to　any　one　who　should　discover

by　whom　Conari　had　been　removed　from　the　world。　　A　proclamation　to

this　effect　was　published　at　the　corner　of　every　street　in　Venice；

and　made　known　throughout　the　territories　of　the　Republic。　　A　few

days　after　this　proclamation　had　been　made；　a　paper　was　discovered

affixed　to　the　principal　door　of　the　Venetian　Signoria。



〃VENETIANS！



〃You　would　fain　know　the　author　of　Conari's　death。　　To　spare　you

much　fru