the bravo of venice-第10章

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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；