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the bravo of venice-第9节

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gold; and enable us to lead a jolly life。



Pietrino。Right; lad; you speak my thoughts exactly。



Thomaso。We are bravoes; it's true; but what then?  We are honest

fellows; and the devil take him who dares to say we are not。

However; at any rate; we must keep within doors for a few days; lest

we should be discovered; for I warrant you the Doge's spies are

abroad in search of us by this。  But as soon as the pursuit is over;

be it our first business to find out Matteo's murderer; and throttle

him out of hand as a warning to all others。



All。Bravo; bravissimo。



Pietrino。And from this day forth I vote that Thomaso should be our

captain。



Struzza。Aye; in Matteo's stead。



All。Right; right。



Abellino。To which I say amen with all my heart。  Now; then; all is

decided。









BOOK THE SECOND。









CHAPTER I:  THE BIRTHDAY。







In solitude and anxiety; with barred windows and bolted doors; did

the banditti pass the day immediately succeeding Matteo's murder;

every murmur in the street appeared to them a cause of apprehension;

every footstep which approached their doors made them tremble till

it had passed them。



In the meanwhile the ducal palace blazed with splendour and

resounded with mirth。  The Doge celebrated the birthday of his fair

niece; Rosabella; and the feast was honoured by the presence of the

chief persons of the city; of the foreign ambassadors; and of many

illustrious strangers who were at that time resident in Venice。



On this occasion no expense had been spared; no source of pleasure

had been neglected。  The arts contended with each other for

superiority; the best poets in Venice celebrated this day with

powers excelling anything which they had before exhibited; for the

subject of their verses was Rosabella; the musicians and virtuosi

surpassed all their former triumphs; for their object was to obtain

the suffrage of Rosabella。  The singular union of all kinds of

pleasure intoxicated the imagination of every guest; and the genius

of delight extended his influence over the whole assembly; over the

old man and the youth; over the matron and the virgin。



The venerable Andreas had seldom been in such high spirits as on

this occasion。  He was all life; smiles of satisfaction played round

his lips; gracious and condescending to every one; he made it his

chief care to prevent his rank from being felt。  Sometimes he

trifled with the ladies; whose beauty formed the greatest ornament

of this entertainment; sometimes he mingled among the masks; whose

fantastic appearance and gaiety of conversation enlivened the ball…

room by their variety; at other times he played chess with the

generals and admirals of the Republic; and frequently he forsook

everything to gaze with delight on Rosabella's dancing; or listen in

silent rapture to Rosabella's music。



Lomellino; Conari; and Paolo Manfrone; the Doge's three confidential

friends and counsellors; in defiance of their grey hairs; mingled in

the throng of youthful beauties; flirted first with one and then

with another; and the arrows of raillery were darted and received on

both sides with spirit and good humour。



〃Now; Lomellino;〃 said Andreas to his friend; who entered the saloon

in which the Doge was at that time accidentally alone with his

niece; 〃you seem in gayer spirits this evening than when we were

lying before Scardona; and had so hard a game to play against the

Turks。〃



Lomellino。I shall not take upon me to deny that; signor。  I still

think with a mixture of terror and satisfaction on the night when we

took Scardona; and carried the half…moon before the city walls。  By

my soul; our Venetians fought like lions。



Andreas。Fill this goblet to their memory; my old soldier; you have

earned your rest bravely。



Lomellino。Aye; signor; and oh; it is so sweet to rest on laurels。

But in truth; 'tis to you that I am indebted for mine; it is you who

have immortalised me。  No soul on earth would have known that

Lomellino existed; had he not fought in Dalmatia and Sicilia under

the banners of the great Andreas; and assisted him in raising

eternal trophies in honour of the Republic。



Andreas。My good Lomellino; the Cyprus wine must have heated your

imagination。



Lomellino。Nay; I know well I ought not to call you great; and

praise you thus openly to your face; but faith; signor; I am grown

too old for it to be worth my while to flatter。  That is a business

which I leave to our young courtiers; who have never yet come within

the smell of powder; and never have fought for Venice and Andreas。



Andreas。You are an old enthusiast。  Think you the Emperor is of

the same opinion?



Lomellino。Unless Charles the Fifth is deceived by those about him;

or is too proud to allow the greatness of an enemy; he must say;

perforce; 〃There is but one man on earth whom I fear; and who is

worthy to contend with me; and that man is Andreas。〃



Andreas。I suspect he will be sorely displeased when he receives my

answer to the message by which he notified to me the imprisonment of

the French king。



Lomellino。Displeased he will be; signor; no doubt of it; but what

then?  Venice need not fear his displeasure; while Andreas still

lives。  But when you and your heroes are once gone to your eternal

restthen; alas for thee; poor Venice。  I fear your golden times

will soon come to their conclusion。



Andreas。What!  Have we not many young officers of great promise?



Lomellino。Alas; what are most of them?  Heroes in the fields of

Venus。  Heroes at a drinking…bout。  Effeminate striplings; relaxed

both in mind and body。  But how am I running on; forgetful。  Ah;

when one is grown old; and conversing with an Andreas; it is easy to

forget everything else。  My lord; I sought you with a request; a

request; too; of consequence。



Andreas。You excite my curiosity。



Lomellino。About a week ago there arrived here a young Florentine

nobleman called Flodoardo; a youth of noble appearance and great

promise。



Andreas。Well?



Lomellino。His father was one of my dearest friends。  He is dead

now; the good old generous nobleman。  In our youth we served

together on board the same vessel; and many a turbaned head has

fallen beneath his sword。  Ah; he was a brave soldier。



Andreas。While celebrating the father's bravery; you seem to have

quite forgotten the son。



Lomellino。His son is arrived in Venice; and wishes to enter into

the service of the Republic。  I entreat you; give the young man some

respectable situation; he will prove the boast of Venice when we

shall be in our graves; on that would I hazard my existence。



Andreas。Has he sense and talent?



Lomellino。That he has; a heart like his father's。  Will it please

you to see and converse with him?  He is yonder; among the masks in

the great saloon。  One thing I must tell you; as a specimen of his

designs。  He has heard of the banditti who infest Venice; and he

engages that the first piece of service which he renders the

Republic shall be the delivering into the hands of justice those

concealed assassins; who hitherto have eluded the vigilance of our

police。



Andreas。Indeed!  I doubt that promise will be too much for his

power to perform。  Flodoardo; I think you called him?  Tell him I

would speak with him。



Lomellino。Oh! then I have gained at least the HALF of my cause;

and I believe the WHOLE of it; for to see Flodoardo and not to like

him is as difficult as to look at Paradise and not wish to enter。

To see Flodoardo and to hate him is as unlikely as that a blind man

should hate the kind hand which removes the cataract from his eyes;

and pours upon them the blessings of light and beauties of nature。



Andreas (smiling)。In the whole course of our acquaintance;

Lomellino; never did I hear you so enthusiastic!  Go; then; conduct

this prodigy hither。



Lomellino。I hasten to find him。  And as for you; signora; look to

yourself! look to yourself; I say!



Rosabella。Nay; prithee; Lomellino; bring your hero hither without

delay; you have raised my curiosity to the height。



Lomellino quitted the saloon。



Andreas。How comes it that you rejoin not the dancers; my child?



Rosabella。I am weary; and; besides; curiosity now detains me here;

for I would fain see this Flodoardo; whom Lomellino thinks deserving

of such extraordinary praise。  Shall I tell you the truth; my dear

uncle?  I verily believe that I am already acquainted with him。

There was a mask in a Grecian habit; whose appearance was so

striking; that it was impossible for him to remain confounded with

the crowd。  The least attentive eye must have singled him out from

among a thousand。  It was a tall light figure; so graceful in every

movement; then his dancing was quite perfection。



Andreas (smiling; and threatening with his finger)。Child; child!



Rosabella。Nay; my dear uncle; what I say is m

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