the bravo of venice-第15节

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〃VENETIANS！



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

much　fruitless　trouble；　I　hereby　acknowledge　that　I；　Abellino；　was

his　assassin。



〃Twice　did　I　bury　my　dagger　in　his　heart；　and　then　sent　his　body　to

feed　the　fishes。　　The　Doge　promises　TEN　thousand　sequins　to　him　who

shall　discover　Conari's　murderer；　and　to　him　who　shall　be　clever

enough　to　SEIZE　him；　Abellino　hereby　promises　TWENTY。　　Adieu；

Signors。　　I　remain　your　faithful　servant；



〃ABELLINO。〃







CHAPTER　VI：　　THE　TWO　GREATEST　MEN　IN　VENICE。







It　must　be　superfluous　to　inform　my　readers　that　all　Venice　became

furious　at　this　new　insolence。　　Within　the　memory　of　man　had　no　one

ever　treated　with　such　derision　the　celebrated　Venetian　police；　or

set　the　Doge's　power　at　defiance　with　such　proud　temerity。　　This

occurrence　threw　the　whole　city　into　confusion；　every　one　was　on　the

look…out；　the　patrols　were　doubled；　the　sbirri　extended　their

researches　on　all　sides；　yet　no　one　could　see；　or　hear；　or　discover

the　most　distant　trace　of　Abellino。



The　priests　in　their　sermons　strove　to　rouse　the　slumbering

vengeance　of　Heaven　to　crush　this　insolent　offender。　　The　ladies

were　ready　to　swoon　at　the　very　name　of　Abellino；　for　who　could

assure　them　that；　at　some　unexpected　moment；　he　might　not　pay　THEM

the　same　compliment　which　he　had　paid　to　Rosabella？　　As　for　the　old

women；　they　unanimously　asserted　that　Abellino　had　sold　himself　to

the　Prince　of　Darkness；　by　whose　assistance　he　was　enabled　to　sport

with　the　patience　of　all　pious　Venetians；　and　deride　the　impotence

of　their　just　indignation。　　The　Cardinal　and　his　associates　were

proud　of　their　terrible　confederate；　and　looking　forward　with

confidence　to　the　triumphant　issue　of　their　undertaking。　　The

deserted　family　of　Conari　called　down　curses　on　his　murderer's　head；

and　wished　that　their　tears　might　be　changed　into　a　sea　of　sulphur；

in　whose　waves　they　might　plunge　the　monster　Abellino；　nor　did

Conari's　relations　feel　more　grief　for　his　loss　than　the　Doge　and

his　two　confidants；　who　swore　never　to　rest　till　they　had　discovered

the　lurking…place　of　this　ruthless　assassin；　and　had　punished　his

crime　with　tenfold　vengeance。



〃Yet；　after　all；〃　said　Andreas　one　evening；　as　he　sat　alone　in　his

private　chamber；　〃after　all；　it　must　be　confessed　that　this　Abellino

is　a　singular　man。　　He　who　can　do　what　Abellino　has　done　must

possess　both　such　talents　and　such　courage　as；　stood　he　at　the　head

of　an　army；　would　enable　him　to　conquer　half　the　world。　　Would　that

I　could　once　get　a　sight　of　him！〃



〃Look　up；　then！〃　roared　Abellino；　and　clapped　the　Doge　on　the

shoulder。　　Andreas　started　from　his　seat。　　A　colossal　figure　stood

before　him；　wrapped　in　a　dark　mantle　above　which　appeared　a

countenance　so　hideous　and　forbidding；　that　the　universe　could　not

have　produced　its　equal。



〃Who　art　thou？〃　stammered　out　the　Doge。



〃Thou　seest　me；　and　canst　doubt？　　Well；　then；　I　am　Abellino；　the

good　friend　of　your　murdered　Conari；　the　Republic's　most　submissive

slave。〃



The　brave　Andreas；　who　had　never　trembled　in　fight　by　land　or　by

sea；　and　for　whom　no　danger　had　possessed　terrors　sufficient　to

shake　his　undaunted　resolution；　the　brave　Andreas　now　forgot　for　a

few　moments　his　usual　presence　of　mind。　　Speechless　did　he　gaze　on

the　daring　assassin；　who　stood　before　him　calm　and　haughty；

unappalled　by　the　majesty　of　the　greatest　man　in　Venice。



Abellino　nodded　to　him　with　an　air　of　familiar　protection；　and

graciously　condescended　to　grin　upon　him　with　a　kind　of　half…

friendly　smile。



〃Abellino；〃　said　the　Doge；　at　length；　endeavouring　to　recollect

himself；　〃thou　art　a　fearfula　detestable　man。〃



〃Fearful？〃　answered　the　bravo；　〃dost　thou　think　me　so？　　Good；　that

glads　me　to　the　very　heart！　　Detestable？　that　may　be　so；　or　it　may

not。　　I　confess；　the　sign　which　I　hang　out　gives　no　great　promise　of

good　entertainment　within；　but　yet；　Andreas；　one　thing　is　certain。

You　and　I　stand　on　the　same　line；　for　at　this　moment　we　are　the　two

greatest　men　in　Venice；　you　in　your　way；　I　in　mine。〃



The　Doge　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　bravo's　familiar　tone。



〃Nay；　nay；〃　continued　Abellino；　〃no　smiles　of　disbelief；　if　you

please。　　Allow　me；　though　a　bravo；　to　compare　myself　to　a　Doge；

truly；　I　think　there's　no　great　presumption　in　placing　myself　on　a

level　with　a　man　whom　I　hold　in　my　power；　and　who　therefore　is　in

fact　beneath　me。〃



The　Doge　made　a　movement；　as　he　would　have　left　him。



〃Not　so　fast；〃　said　Abellino；　laughing　rudely；　and　he　barred　the

Doge's　passage。　　〃Accident　seldom　unites　in　so　small　a　space　as　this

chamber　a　pair　of　such　great　men。　　Stay　where　you　are；　for　I　have

not　done　with　you　yet；　we　must　have　a　little　conversation。〃



〃Hear　me；　Abellino；〃　said　the　Doge；　mustering　up　all　the　dignity

which　he　possessed；　〃thou　hast　received　great　talents　from　Nature：

why　dost　thou　employ　them　to　so　little　advantage？　　I　here　promise

you；　on　my　most　sacred　word；　pardon　for　the　past；　and　protection　for

the　future；　will　you　but　name　to　me　the　villain　who　bribed　you　to

assassinate　Conari；　abjure　your　bloody　trade；　and　accept　an　honest

employment　in　the　service　of　the　Republic。　　If　this　offer　is

rejected；　at　least　quit　with　all　speed　the　territory　of　Venice；　or　I

swear〃



〃Ho！　ho！〃　interrupted　Abellino；　〃pardon　and　protection；　say　you？　　It

is　long　since　I　thought　it　worth　my　while　to　care　for　such　trifles。

Abellino　is　able　to　protect　himself　without　foreign　aid；　and；　as　to

pardon；　mortals　cannot　give　absolution　for　sins　like　mine。　　On　that

day；　when　all　men　must　give　in　the　list　of　their　offences；　then；

too；　will　I　give　in　mine；　but　till　then　never。　　You　would　know　the

name　of　him　who　bribed　me　to　be　Conari's　murderer？　　Well；　well；　you

shall　know　it；　but　not　to…day。　　I　must　quit　with　all　speed　the

Venetian　territory？　and　wherefore；　through　fear　of　thee？　　Ho！　ho！

Through　fear　of　Venice？　　Ha；　Abellino　fears　not　Venice；　'tis　Venice

that　fears　Abellino！　　You　would　have　me　abjure　my　profession？　　Well；

Andreas；　there　is　one　condition；　which；　perhaps〃



〃Name　it；〃　cried　the　Doge；　eagerly；　〃will　ten　thousand　sequins

purchase　your　departure　from　the　Republic？〃



〃I　would　gladly　give　you　twice　as　much　myself；　could　you　recall　the

insult　of　offering　Abellino　so　miserable　a　bribe！　　No；　Andreas；　but

one　price　can　pay　me：　　give　me　your　niece　for　my　bride。　　I　love

Rosabella；　the　daughter　of　Guiscard　of　Corfu。〃



〃Monsterwhat　insolence！〃



〃Ho！　ho！　　Patience；　patience；　good　uncle；　that　is　to　be。　　Will　you

accept　my　terms？〃



〃Name　what　sum　will　satisfy　you；　and　it　shall　be　yours　this　instant；

so　you　will　only　relieve　Venice　from　your　presence。　　Though　it

should　cost　the　Republic　a　million　she　will　be　a　gainer；　if　her　air

is　no　longer　poisoned　by　your　breath。〃



〃Indeed！　　Why；　in　fact；　a　million　is　not　so　great　a　sum；　for　look

you；　Andreas；　I　have　just　sold　for　near　HALF　a　million　the　lives　of

your　two　dear　friends；　Manfrone　and　Lomellino。　　Now　give　me

Rosabella；　and　I　break　the　bargain。〃



〃Miscreant！　　Has　Heaven　no　lightnings？〃



〃You　will　not？　　Mark　me！　　In　four…and…twenty　hours　shall　Manfrone

and　Lomellino　be　food　for　fishes。　　Abellino　has　said　it。　　Away！〃



And　with　these　words　he　drew　a　pistol　from　under　his　cloak；　and

flashed　it　in　the　Doge's　face。　　Blinded　by　the　powder；　and　confused

by　the　unexpected　explosion；　Andreas　started　back；　and　sunk

bewildered　on　a　neighbouring　sofa。　　He　soon　recovered　from　his

astonishment。　　He　sprang　from　his　seat　to　summon　his　guards　and

seize　Abellino；　but　Abellino　had　already　disappeared。



On　that　same　evening　were　Parozzi　and　his　confederates　assembled　in

the　palace　of　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga。　　The　table　was　spread　with　the

most　luxurious　profusion；　and　they　arranged　over　their　flowing

goblets　plans　for　the　Republic's　ruin。　　The　Cardinal　related　how　he

had　of　late　contrived　to　insinuate　himself　into　the　Doge's　good

graces；　and　had　succeeded　in　impressing　him　with　an　opinion　that　the

chiefs　of　the　confederacy　were　fit　men　to　hold　offices　of　important

trust。　　Contarino　boasted　that　he　doubted　not　before　long　to　be

appointed　to　the　vacant　procuratorship。　　Parozzi　reckoned　for　HIS

share　upon　Rosabella's　hand；　and　the　place　either　of　Lomellino　or

Manfrone；　when　once　those　two　chief　obstacles　to　his　hope　should　be

removed。　　Such　was　the　conversation　in　which　they　were　engaged；　when

the　clock　struck　twelve；　the　doors　flew　wide；　and　Abellino　stood

before　them。



〃Wine；　there！〃　cried　he；　〃the　work　is　done。　　Manfrone　and　Lomellino

are　at　supper　with　the　worms。　　And　I　have　thrown　the　Doge　himself

into　such　a　fit　of　terror　that　I　warrant　he　will　not　recover　himself

easily。　　Now　answer　are　you　content　with　me；　you　bloodhounds？〃



〃Next；　then；　for　Flodoardo！〃　shouted　Parozzi。



〃Flodoardo！〃　muttered　Abellino　between　his　teeth；　〃humhu