the bravo of venice-第21部分

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BRIDE。〃　　And　he　pointed　to　Rosabella。



〃Oh；　my　best　friend；〃　she　answered；　〃how　shall　I　express　my　thanks

to　you　for　having　thus　put　an　end　to　my　terrors？　　I　shall　tremble　no

more　at　hearing　Abellino　named。　　Rosabella　shall　now　be　called　the

Bravo's　Bride　no　longer。〃



Falieri。Is　Abellino　already　in　this　palace？



Flodoardo。He　is。



Vitalba。Then　why　do　you　not　produce　him？　　Why　do　you　trifle　so

long　with　our　impatience？



Flodoardo。Be　patient。　　It's　now　time　that　the　play　should　begin。

Be　seated；　noble　Andreas。　　Let　all　the　rest　arrange　themselves

behind　the　Doge。　　Abellino's　coming！



At　that　word　both　old　and　young；　both　male　and　female；　with　the

rapidity　of　lightning；　flew　to　take　shelter　behind　Andreas。　　Every

heart　beat　anxiously；　but　as　to　the　conspirators；　while　expecting

Abellino's　appearance；　they　suffered　the　torments　of　the　damned。



Grave　and　tranquil　sat　the　Doge　in　his　chair；　like　a　judge　appointed

to　pass　sentence　on　this　King　of　the　Banditti。　　The　spectators　stood

around　in　various　groups；　all　hushed　and　solemn；　as　if　they　were

waiting　to　receive　their　final　judgment。　　The　lovely　Rosabella；　with

all　the　security　of　angels　whose　innocence　have　nothing　to　fear；

reclined　her　head　on　Camilla's　shoulder　and　gazed　on　her　heroic

lover　with　looks　of　adoration。　　The　conspirators；　with　pallid　cheeks

and　staring　eyes；　filled　up　the　background；　and　a　dead　and　awful

silence　prevailed　through　the　assembly；　scarcely　interrupted　by　a

single　breath。



〃And　now；　then；〃　said　Flodoardo；　〃prepare　yourselves；　for　this

terrible　Abellino　shall　immediately　appear　before　you。　　Do　not

tremble；　he　shall　do　no　one　harm。〃



With　these　words　he　turned　away　from　the　company；　advanced　towards

the　folding…doors。　　He　paused　for　a　few　moments；　and　concealed　his

face　in　his　cloak。



〃Abellino！〃　cried　he　at　length；　raising　his　head；　and　extending　his

arm　towards　the　door。　　At　that　name　all　who　heard　it　shuddered

involuntarily；　and　Rosabella　advanced　unconsciously　a　few　steps

towards　her　lover。　　She　trembled　more　for　Flodoardo　than　herself。



〃Abellino！〃　the　Florentine　repeated；　in　a　loud　and　angry　tone；　threw

from　him　his　mantle　and　barrette；　and　had　already　laid　his　hand　on

the　lock　of　the　door　to　open　it；　when　Rosabella　uttered　a　cry　of

terror。



〃Stay；　Flodoardo！〃　she　cried；　rushing　towards　him；　andHa！

Flodoardo　was　gone；　and　there；　in　his　place；　stood　Abellino；　and

shouted　out；　〃Ho！　ho！〃







CHAPTER　VI。APPARITIONS。







Instantly　a　loud　cry　of　terror　resounded　through　the　apartment。

Rosabella　sank　fainting　at　the　bravo's　feet；　the　conspirators　were

almost　suffocated　with　rage；　terror；　and　astonishment；　the　ladies

made　signs　of　the　cross；　and　began　in　all　haste　to　repeat　their

paternosters；　the　senators　stood　rooted　to　their　places　like　so　many

statues；　and　the　Doge　doubted　the　information　of　his　ears　and　eyes。



Calm　and　terrible　stood　the　bravo　before　them；　in　all　the　pomp　of

his　strange　and　awful　ugliness；　with　his　bravo's　habit；　his　girdle

filled　with　pistols　and　poniards；　his　distorted　yellow　countenance；

his　black　and　bushy　eyebrows；　his　lips　convulsed；　his　right　eye

covered　by　a　large　patch；　and　his　left　half　buried　among　the

wrinkles　of　flesh　which　swelled　around　it。　　He　gazed　around　him　for

a　few　moments　in　silence；　and　then　approached　the　stupefied　Andreas。



〃Ho！　ho！〃　he　roared　in　a　voice　like　thunder；　〃you　wish　to　see　the

bravo　Abellino？　　Doge　of　Venice；　here　he　stands；　and　is　come　to

claim　his　bride。〃



Andreas　gazed　with　looks　of　horror　on　this　model　for　demons；　and　at

length　stammered　out　with　difficulty；　〃It　cannot　be　real；　I　must

surely　be　the　sport　of　some　terrible　dream。〃



〃Without　there；　guards！〃　exclaimed　the　Cardinal　Gonzaga；　and　would

have　hastened　to　the　folding　doors；　when　Abellino　put　his　back

against　them；　snatched　a　pistol　from　his　girdle；　and　pointed　it　at

the　Cardinal's　bosom。



〃The　first；〃　cried　he；　〃who　calls　for　the　guard；　or　advances　one

step　from　the　place　on　which　he　stands；　expires　that　moment。　　Fools！

Do　ye　think　I　would　have　delivered　myself　up；　and　desired　that

guards　might　beset　these　doors；　had　I　feared　their　swords；　or

intended　to　escape　from　your　power？　　No；　I　am　content　to　be　your

prisoner；　but　not　through　compulsion！　　I　am　content　to　be　your

prisoner；　and　it　was　with　that　intent　that　I　came　hither。　　No　mortal

should　have　the　glory　of　seizing　Abellino。　　If　justice　required　him

to　be　delivered　up；　it　was　necessary　that　he　should　be　delivered　up

by　himself！　　Or　do　ye　take　Abellino　for　an　ordinary　ruffian；　who

passes　his　time　in　skulking　from　the　sbirri；　and　who　murders　for　the

sake　of　despicable　plunder？　　No；　by　heaven；　no！　　Abellino　was　no

such　common　villain。　　It's　true　I　was　a　bravo；　but　the　motives　which

induced　me　to　become　one　were　great　and　striking。〃



Andreas　（clasping　his　hands　together）。Almighty　God！　can　all　this

be　possible？



An　awful　silence　again　reigned　through　the　saloon。　　All　trembled

while　they　listened　to　the　voice　of　the　terrible　assassin；　who

strode　through　the　chamber　proud　and　majestic　as　the　monarch　of　the

infernal　world。



Rosabella　opened　her　eyes；　their　first　look　fell　upon　the　bravo。



〃Oh；　God　of　mercy！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃he　is　still　there。　　Methought；

too；　that　Flodoardo　…。　　No；　no；　it　could　not　be！　　I　was　deceived　by

witchcraft。〃



Abellino　advanced　towards　her；　and　attempted　to　raise　her。　　She

shrunk　from　his　touch　with　horror。



〃No；　Rosabella；〃　said　the　bravo；　in　an　altered　voice；　〃what　you　saw

was　no　illusion。　　Your　favoured　Flodoardo　is　no　other　than　Abellino

the　bravo。〃



〃It　is　false！〃　interrupted　Rosabella；　starting　from　the　ground　in

despair；　and　throwing　herself　for　refuge　on　Camilla's　bosom。

〃Monster！　thou　canst　not　be　Flodoardo！　such　a　fiend　can　never　have

been　such　a　seraph。　　Flodoardo's　actions　were　good　and　glorious　as　a

demi…god's！　'Twas　of　him　that　I　learned　to　love　good　and　glorious

actions；　and　'twas　he　who　encouraged　me　to　attempt　them　myself；　his

heart　was　pure　from　all　mean　passions；　and　capable　of　conceiving　all

great　designs。　　Never　did　he　scruple；　in　the　cause　of　virtue；　to

endure　fatigue　and　pain；　and　to　dry　up　the　tears　of　suffering

innocencethat　was　Flodoardo's　proudest　triumph！　　Flodoardo　and

thou！　　Wretch；　whom　many　a　bleeding　ghost　has　long　since　accused

before　the　throne　of　heaven；　darest　thou　to　profane　the　name　of

Flodoardo！〃



Abellino　（proud　and　earnest）。Rosabella；　wilt　thou　forsake　me？

Wilt　thou　retract　thy　promise？　　Look；　Rosabella；　and　be　convinced：

I；　the　bravo；　and　thy　Flodoardo　are　the　same。



He　said；　removing　the　patch　from　his　eye；　and　passed　a　handkerchief

over　his　face　once　or　twice。　　In　an　instant　his　complexion　was

altered；　his　bushy　eyebrows　and　straight　black　hair　disappeared；　his

features　were　replaced　in　their　natural　symmetry；　and　lo！　the

handsome　Florentine　stood　before　the　whole　assembly；　dressed　in　the

habit　of　the　bravo　Abellino。



Abellino。Mark　me；　Rosabella！　　Seven　times　over；　and　seven　times

again；　will　I　change　my　appearance；　even　before　your　eyes；　and　that

so　artfully　that；　study　me　as　you　will；　the　transformation　shall

deceive　you。　　But　change　as　I　may；　of　one　thing　be　assured：　　I　am

the　man　whom　you　loved　as　Flodoardo。



The　Doge　gazed　and　listened　without　being　able　to　recover　from　his

confusion；　but　every　now　and　then　the　words　〃Dreadful！　dreadful！〃

escaped　from　his　lips；　and　he　wrung　his　hands　in　agony。　　Abellino

approached　Rosabella；　and　said　in　the　tone　of　supplication：

〃Rosabella；　wilt　thou　break　thy　promise？　　Am　I　no　longer　dear　to

thee？〃



Rosabella　was　unable　to　answer；　she　stood　like　one　changed　to　a

statue；　and　fixed　her　motionless　eyes　on　the　bravo。



Abellino　took　her　cold　hand　and　pressed　it　to　his　lips。



〃Rosabella；〃　said　he；　〃art　thou　still　mine？〃



Rosabella。Flodoardo；　oh！　that　I　had　never　loved；　had　never　seen

thee！



Abellino。Rosabella　wilt　thou　still　be　the　bride　of　Flodoardo？　wilt

thou　be　〃the　Bravo's　Bride？〃



Love　struggled　with　abhorrence　in　Rosabella's　bosom；　and　painful　was

the　contest。



Abellino。Hear　me；　beloved　one！　　It　was　for　thee　that　I　have

discovered　myselfthat　I　have　delivered　myself　into　the　hands　of

justice。　　For　theeoh；　what　would　I　not　do　for　thee！　　Rosabella；　I

wait　but　to　hear　one　syllable　from　your　lips；　speak　but　a　decisive

yes　or　no；　and　all　is　ended。　　Rosabella；　dost　thou　love　me　still？



And　still　she　answered　not；　but　she　threw　upon　him　a　look　innocent

and　tender　as　ever　beamed　from　the　eye　of　an　angel；　and　that　look

betrayed　but　too　plainly　that　the　miscreant　was　still　master　of　her

heart。　　She　turned　from　him　hastily；　threw　herself　into　Camilla's

arms；　and　exclaimed；　〃God　forgive　you；　man；　for　torturing　me　so

cruelly！〃



The　Doge　had　by　this　time　recovered　from　his　stupor。　　He　started

from　his　chair；　threats　flashed　from　his　eyes；　and　h