the bravo of venice-第2部分

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〃What　can　this　mean？〃　thought　our　mendicant。　　〃Is　yon　eavesdropper

one　of　death's　unlicensed　ministers？　　Has　he　received　the　retaining

fee　of　some　impatient　heir；　who　pants　to　possess　the　wealth　of　the

unlucky　knave　who　comes　strolling　along　yonder；　so　careless　and

unconscious？　　Be　not　so　confident；　honest　friend！　　I'm　at　your

elbow。〃



He　retired　further　into　the　shade；　and　silently　and　slowly　drew　near

the　lurker；　who　stirred　not　from　his　place。　　The　stranger　had

already　passed　them　by；　when　the　concealed　villain　sprang　suddenly

upon　him；　raised　his　right　hand　in　which　a　poniard　was　gleaming；　and

before　he　could　give　the　blow；　was　felled　to　the　earth　by　the　arm　of

the　mendicant。



The　stranger　turned　hastily　towards　them；　the　bravo　started　up　and

fled；　the　beggar　smiled。



〃How　now？〃　cried　the　stranger；　〃what　does　all　this　mean？〃



〃Oh；　'tis　a　mere　jest；　signor；　which　has　only　preserved　your　life。〃



〃What？　my　life？　　How　so？〃



〃The　honest　gentleman　who　has　just　taken　to　his　heels　stole　behind

you　with　true　cat…like　caution；　and　had　already　raised　his　dagger；

when　I　saw　him。　　You　owe　your　life　to　me；　and　the　service　is　richly

worth　one　little　piece　of　money！　　Give　me　some　alms；　signor；　for　on

my　soul　I　am　hungry；　thirsty；　cold。〃



〃Hence；　scurvy　companion！　　I　know　you　and　your　tricks　too　well。

This　is　all　a　concerted　scheme　between　you；　a　design　upon　my　purse；

an　attempt　to　procure　both　money　and　thanks；　and　under　the　lame

pretence　of　having　saved　me　from　an　assassin。　　Go；　fellow；　go！

practise　these　dainty　devices　on　the　Doge's　credulity　if　you　will；

but　with　Buonarotti　you　stand　no　chance；　believe　me。〃



The　wretched　starving　beggar　stood　like　one　petrified；　and　gazed　on

the　taunting　stranger。



〃No；　as　I　have　a　soul　to　save；　signor；　'tis　no　lie　I　tell　you！'tis

the　plain　truth；　have　compassion；　or　I　die　this　night　of　hunger。〃



〃Begone　this　instant；　I　say；　or　by　Heaven〃



The　unfeeling　man　here　drew　out　a　concealed　pistol；　and　pointed　it

at　his　preserver。



〃Merciful　Heaven！　and　is　it　thus　that　services　are　acknowledged　in

Venice？〃



〃The　watch　is　at　no　great　distance；　I　need　only　raise　my　voice　and

〃



〃Hell　and　confusion！　do　you　take　me　for　a　robber；　then？〃



〃Make　no　noise；　I　tell　you。　　Be　quietyou　had　better。〃



〃Hark　you；　signor。　　Buonarotti　is　your　name；　I　think？　　I　will　write

it　down　as　belonging　to　the　second　scoundrel　with　whom　I　have　met　in

Venice。〃



He　paused　for　a　moment；　then　continuing　in　a　dreadful　voice；　〃And

when；〃　said　he；　〃thou；　Buonarotti；　shalt　hereafter　hear　the　name　of

ABELLINOTREMBLE！〃



Abellino　turned　away；　and　left　the　hard…hearted　Venetian。







CHAPTER　II：　　THE　BANDITTI。







And　now　rushed　the　unfortunate　wildly　through　the　streets　of　Venice。

He　railed　at　fortune；　he　laughed　and　cursed　by　turns；　yet　sometimes

he　suddenly　stood　still；　seemed　as　pondering　on　some　great　and

wondrous　enterprise；　and　then　again　rushed　onwards；　as　if　hastening

to　its　execution。



Propped　against　a　column　of　the　Signoria；　he　counted　over　the　whole

sum　of　his　misfortunes。　　His　wandering　eyeballs　appeared　to　seek

comfort；　but　they　found　it　not。



〃Fate；〃　he　at　length　exclaimed　in　a　paroxysm　of　despair；　〃Fate　has

condemned　me　to　be　either　the　wildest　of　adventurers；　or　one　at　the

relation　of　whose　crimes　the　world　must　shudder。　　To　astonish　is　my

destiny。　　Rosalvo　can　know　no　medium；　Rosalvo　can　never　act　like

common　men。　　Is　it　not　the　hand　of　fate　which　has　led　me　hither？

Who　could　ever　have　dreamt　that　the　son　of　the　richest　lord　in

Naples　should　have　depended　for　a　beggar's　alms　on　Venetian　charity？

II；　who　feel　myself　possessed　of　strength　of　body　and　energy　of

soul　fit　for　executing　the　most　daring　deeds；　behold　me　creeping　in

rags　through　the　streets　of　this　inhospitable　city；　and　torturing　my

wits　in　vain　to　discover　some　means　by　which　I　may　rescue　life　from

the　jaws　of　famine！　　Those　men　whom　my　munificence　nourished；　who　at

my　table　bathed　their　worthless　souls　in　the　choicest　wines　of

Cyprus；　and　glutted　themselves　with　every　delicacy　which　the　globe's

four　quarters　could　supply；　these　very　men　now　deny　to　my　necessity

even　a　miserable　crust　of　mouldy　bread。　　Oh；　that　is　dreadful；

cruelcruel　of　mencruel　of　Heaven！〃



He　paused；　folded　his　arms；　and　sighed。



〃Yet　will　I　bear　itI　will　submit　to　my　destiny。　　I　will　traverse

every　path　and　go　through　every　degree　of　human　wretchedness；　and

whate'er　may　be　my　fate；　I　will　still　be　myself；　and　whate'er　may　be

my　fate；　I　will　still　act　greatly！　　Away；　then；　with　the　Count

Rosalvo；　whom　all　Naples　idolised；　nownow；　I　am　the　beggar

Abellino。　　A　beggarthat　name　stands　last　in　the　scale　of　worldly

rank；　but　first　in　the　list　of　the　famishing；　the　outcast；　and　the

unworthy。〃



Something　rustled　near　him。　　Abellino　gazed　around。　　He　was　aware　of

the　bravo；　whom　he　struck　to　the　ground　that　night；　and　whom　two

companions　of　a　similar　stamp　had　now　joined。　　As　they　advanced；

they　cast　inquiring　glances　around　them。　　They　were　in　search　of

some　one。



〃It　is　of　me　that　they　are　in　search；〃　said　Abellino；　then　advanced

a　few　steps；　and　whistled。



The　ruffians　stood　still；　they　whispered　together；　and　seemed　to　be

undecided。



Abellino　whistled　a　second　time。



〃'Tis　he；〃　he　could　hear　one　of　them　say　distinctly；　and　in　a　moment

after　they　advanced　slowly　towards　him。



Abellino　kept　his　place；　but　unsheathed　his　sword。　　The　three

unknown　（they　were　masked）　stopped　a　few　paces　from　him。



〃How　now；　fellow！〃　quoth　one　of　them；　〃what　is　the　matter？　　Why

stand　you　on　your　guard？〃



Abellino。It　is　as　well　that　you　should　be　made　to　keep　your

distance；　for　I　know　you；　you　are　certain　honest　gentlemen；　who　live

by　taking　away　the　lives　of　others。



The　First　Ruffian。Was　not　your　whistling　addressed　to　us？



Abellino。It　was。



A　Ruffian。And　what　would　you　with　us？



Abellino。Hear　me！　　I　am　a　miserable　wretch；　and　starving；　give　me

an　alms　out　of　your　booty！



A　Ruffian。An　alms？　　Ha！　ha！　ha！　　By　my　soul　that　is　whimsical！

Alms　from　us；　indeed！Oh；　by　all　means！　　No　doubt；　you　shall　have

alms　in　plenty。



Abellino。Or　else　give　me　fifty　sequins；　and　I'll　bind　myself　to

your　service　till　I　shall　have　worked　out　my　debt。



A　Ruffian。Aye？　and　pray；　then；　who　may　you　be？



Abellino。A　starving　wretch；　the　Republic　holds　none　more

miserable。　　Such　am　I　at　present；　but　hereafterI　have　powers；

knaves。　　This　arm　could　pierce　a　heart；　though　guarded　by　three

breastplates；　this　eye；　though　surrounded　by　Egyptian　darkness；

could　still　see　to　stab　sure。



A　Ruffian。Why；　then；　did　you　strike　me　down；　even　now？



Abellino。In　the　hope　of　being　paid　for　it；　but　though　I　saved　his

life；　the　scoundrel　gave　me　not　a　single　ducat。



A　Ruffian。No？　　So　much　the　better。　　But　hark　ye；　comrade；　are　you

sincere？



Abellino。Despair　never　lies。



A　Ruffian。Slave；　shouldst　thou　be　a　traitor　…



Abellino。My　heart　would　be　within　reach　of　your　hands；　and　your

daggers　would　be　as　sharp　as　now。



The　three　dangerous　companions　again　whispered　among　themselves　for

a　few　moments；　after　which　they　returned　their　daggers　into　the

sheath。



〃Come　on；　then；〃　said　one　of　them；　〃follow　us　to　our　home。　　It　were

unwise　to　talk　over　certain　matters　in　the　open　streets。〃



〃I　follow　you；〃　was　Abellino's　answer；　〃but　tremble　should　any　one

of　you　dare　to　treat　me　as　a　foe。　　Comrade；　forgive　me　that　I　gave

your　ribs　somewhat　too　hard　a　squeeze　just　now；　I　will　be　your　sworn

brother　in　recompense。〃



〃We　are　on　honour；〃　cried　the　banditti　with　one　voice；　〃no　harm

shall　happen　to　you。　　He　who　does　you　an　injury　shall　be　to　us　as　a

foe。　　A　fellow　of　your　humour　suits　us　well；　follow　us；　and　fear

not。〃



And　on　they　went；　Abellino　marching　between　two　of　them。　　Frequent

were　the　looks　of　suspicion　which　he　cast　around　him；　but　no　ill

design　was　perceptible　in　the　banditti。　　They　guided　him　onwards；

till　they　reached　a　canal；　loosened　a　gondola；　placed　themselves　in

it；　and　rowed　till　they　had　gained　the　most　remote　quarter　of

Venice。　　They　landed；　threaded　several　by…streets；　and　at　length

knocked　at　the　door　of　a　house　of　inviting　appearance。　　It　was

opened　by　a　young　woman；　who　conducted　them　into　a　plain　but

comfortable　chamber。　　Many　were　the　looks　of　surprise　and　inquiry

which　she　cast　on　the　bewildered；　half…pleased；　half…anxious

Abellino；　who　knew　not　whither　he　had　been　conveyed；　and　still

thought　it　unsafe　to　confide　entirely　in　the　promises　of　the

banditti。







CHAPTER　III：　　THE　TRIAL　OF　STRENGTH。







Scarcely　were　the　bravoes　seated；　when　Cinthia　（for　that　was　the

young　woman's　name）　was　again　summoned　to　the　door；　and　the　company

was　now　increased　by　two　new…comers；　who　examined　their　unknown

guest　from　head　to　foot。



〃Now；　then；〃　cried