the bravo of venice-第14章

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vigilance　of　the　Venetian　police；　I　laugh　at　the　crafty　and　insolent

Florentine；　whose　hand　has　dragged　his　brethren　to　the　rack。　　Let

those　who　need　me；　seek　me；　they　will　find　me　everywhere！　　Let　those

who　seek　me　with　the　design　of　delivering　me　up　to　the　law；　despair

and　tremble；　they　will　find　me　nowhere；　but　_I_　shall　find　THEM；　and

that　when　they　least　expect　me！　　Venetians；　you　understand　me！　　Woe

to　the　man　who　shall　attempt　to　discover　me；　his　life　and　death

depend　upon　my　pleasure。　　This　comes　from　the　Venetian　Bravo；

ABELLINO。〃



〃A　hundred　sequins；〃　exclaimed　the　incensed　Doge；　on　reading　the

paper；　〃a　hundred　sequins　to　him　who　discovers　this　monster

Abellino；　and　a　thousand　to　him　who　delivers　him　up　to　justice。〃



But　in　vain　did　spies　ransack　every　lurking　place　in　Venice；　no

Abellino　was　to　be　found。　　In　vain　did　the　luxurious；　the

avaricious；　and　the　hungry　stretch　their　wits　to　the　utmost；　incited

by　the　tempting　promise　of　a　thousand　sequins。　　Abellino's　prudence

set　all　their　ingenuity　at　defiance。



But　not　the　less　did　every　one　assert　that　he　had　recognised

Abellino；　sometimes　in　one　disguise；　and　sometimes　in　another；　as　an

old　man；　a　gondolier；　a　woman；　or　a　monk。　　Everybody　had　seen　him

somewhere；　but；　unluckily；　nobody　could　tell　where　he　was　to　be　seen

again。







CHAPTER　IV：　　THE　VIOLET。







I　informed　my　readers；　in　the　beginning　of　the　last　chapter；　that

Flodoardo　was　become　melancholy；　and　that　Rosabella　was　indisposed；

but　I　did　not　tell　them　what　had　occasioned　this　sudden　change。



Flodoardo；　who　on　his　first　arrival　at　Venice　was　all　gaiety；　and

the　life　of　every　society　in　which　he　mingled；　lost　his　spirits　on

one　particular　day；　and　it　so　happened　that　it　was　on　the　very　same

day　that　Rosabella　betrayed　the　first　symptoms　of　indisposition。



For　on　this　unlucky　day　did　the　caprice　of　accident；　or　perhaps　the

Goddess　of　Love　（who　has　her　caprices　too　every　now　and　then）；

conduct　Rosabella　into　her　uncle's　garden；　which　none　but　the　Doge's

intimate　friends　were　permitted　to　enter；　and　where　the　Doge　himself

frequently　reposed　in　solitude　and　silence　during　the　evening　hours

of　a　sultry　day。



Rosabella；　lost　in　thought；　wandered　listless　and　unconscious　along

the　broad　and　shady　alleys　of　the　garden。　　Sometimes；　in　a　moment　of

vexation；　she　plucked　the　unoffending　leaves　from　the　hedges　and

strewed　them　upon　the　ground；　sometimes　she　stopped　suddenly；　then

rushed　forward　with　impetuosity；　then　again　stood　still；　and　gazed

upon　the　clear　blue　heaven。　　Sometimes　her　beautiful　bosom　was

heaved　with　quick　and　irregular　motion；　and　sometimes　a　half…

suppressed　sigh　escaped　from　her　lips　of　coral。



〃He　is　very　handsome！〃　she　murmured；　and　gazed　with　such　eagerness

on　vacancy；　as　though　she　had　there　seen　something　which　was　hidden

from　the　sight　of　common　observers。



〃Yet　Camilla　is　in　the　right；〃　she　resumed；　after　a　pause；　and　she

frowned　as　had　she　said　that　Camilla　was　in　the　wrong。



This　Camilla　was　her　governess；　her　friend；　her　confidante；　I　may

almost　say　her　mother。　　Rosabella　had　lost　her　parents　early。　　Her

mother　died　when　her　child　could　scarcely　lisp　her　name；　and　her

father；　Guiscardo　of　Corfu；　the　commander　of　a　Venetian　vessel；

eight　years　before　had　perished　in　an　engagement　with　the　Turks；

while　he　was　still　in　the　prime　of　life。　　Camilla；　one　of　the

worthiest　creatures　that　ever　dignified　the　name　of　woman；　supplied

to　Rosabella　the　place　of　mother；　had　brought　her　up　from　infancy；

and　was　now　her　best　friend；　and　the　person　to　whose　ear　she

confided　all　her　little　secrets。



While　Rosabella　was　still　buried　in　her　own　reflections；　the

excellent　Camilla　advanced　from　a　side　path；　and　hastened　to　join

her　pupil。　　Rosabella　started。



Rosabella。Ah！　dear　Camilla；　is　it　you？　　What　brings　you　hither？



Camilla。You　often　call　me　your　guardian　angel；　and　guardian　angels

should　always　be　near　the　object　of　their　care。



Rosabella。Camilla；　I　have　been　thinking　over　your　arguments；　I

cannot　deny　that　all　you　have　said　to　me　is　very　true；　and　very

wise；　but　still　…



Camilla。But　still；　though　your　prudence　agrees　with　me；　your　heart

is　of　a　contrary　opinion。



Rosabella。It　is；　indeed。



Camilla。Nor　do　I　blame　your　heart　for　differing　from　me；　my　poor

girl。　　I　have　acknowledged　to　you　without　disguise　that　were　_I_　at

your　time　of　life；　and　were　such　a　man　as　Flodoardo　to　throw　himself

in　my　way；　I　could　not　receive　his　attentions　with　indifference。　　It

cannot　be　denied　that　this　young　stranger　is　uncommonly　pleasing；

and；　indeed；　for　any　woman　whose　heart　is　disengaged；　an　uncommonly

DANGEROUS　companion。　　There　is　something　very　prepossessing　in　his

appearance；　his　manners　are　elegant；　and　short　as　has　been　his　abode

in　Venice；　it　is　already　past　doubting　that　there　are　many　noble　and

striking　features　in　his　character。　　But　alas；　after　all；　he　is　but

a　poor　nobleman；　and　it　is　not　very　probable　that　the　rich　and

powerful　Doge　of　Venice　will　ever　bestow　his　niece　on　one　who；　to

speak　plainly；　arrived　here　little　better　than　a　beggar。　　No；　no；

child；　believe　me；　a　romantic　adventurer　is　no　fit　husband　for

Rosabella　of　Corfu。



Rosabella。Dear　Camilla；　who　was　talking　about　husbands？　　What　I

feel　for　Flodoardo　is　merely　affection；　friendship。



Camilla。Indeed！　　Then　you　would　be　perfectly　satisfied；　should

some　one　of　our　wealthy　ladies　bestow　her　hand　on　Flodoardo？



Rosabella　（hastily）。Oh！　Flodoardo　would　not　ACCEPT　her　hand；

Camilla；　of　that　I　am　sure。



Camilla。Child；　child；　you　would　willingly　deceive　yourself。　　But

be　assured　that　a　girl　who　loves　ever　connects；　perhaps

unconsciously；　the　wish　for　an　eternal　UNION　with　the　idea　of

eternal　AFFECTION。　　Now　this　is　a　wish　which　you　cannot　indulge　in

regard　to　Flodoardo　without　seriously　offending　your　uncle；　who；

good　man　as　he　is；　must　still　submit　to　the　severe　control　of

politics　and　etiquette。



Rosabella。I　know　all　that；　Camilla；　but　can　I　not　make　you

comprehend　that　I　am　not　in　love　with　Flodoardo；　and　do　not　mean　to

be　in　love　with　him；　and　that　love　has　nothing　at　all　to　do　in　the

business？　　I　repeat　to　you；　what　I　feel　for　him　is　nothing　but

sincere　and　fervent　friendship；　and　surely　Flodoardo　deserves　that　I

should　feel　that　sentiment　for　him。　　Deserves　it；　said　I？　　Oh；　what

does　Flodoardo　NOT　deserve？



Camilla。Ay；　ay；　friendship；　indeed；　and　love。　　Oh；　Rosabella；　you

know　not　how　often　these　deceivers　borrow　each　other's　mask　to

ensnare　the　hearts　of　unsuspecting　maidens。　　You　know　not　how　often

love　finds　admission；　when　wrapped　in　friendship's　cloak；　into　that

bosom；　which；　had　he　approached　under　his　own　appearance；　would　have

been　closed　against　him　for　ever。　　In　short；　my　child；　reflect　how

much　you　owe　to　your　uncle；　reflect　how　much　uneasiness　this

inclination　would　cost　him；　and　sacrifice　to　duty　what　at　present　is

a　mere　caprice；　but　which；　if　encouraged；　might　make　too　deep　an

impression　on　your　heart　to　be　afterwards　removed　by　your　best

efforts。



Rosabella。You　say　right；　Camilla。　　I　really　believe　myself　that　my

prepossession　in　Flodoardo's　favour　is　merely　an　accidental　fancy；

of　which　I　shall　easily　get　the　better。　　No；　no；　I　am　not　in　love

with　Flodoardoof　that　you　may　rest　assured。　　I　even　think　that　I

rather　feel　an　antipathy　towards　him；　since　you　have　shown　me　the

possibility　of　his　making　me　prove　a　cause　of　uneasiness　to　my　kind；

my　excellent　uncle。



Camilla　（smiling）。Are　your　sentiments　of　duty　and　gratitude　so

very　strong？



Rosabella。Oh；　that　they　are；　Camilla；　and　so　you　will　say　yourself

hereafter。　　This　disagreeable　Flodoardoto　give　me　so　much

vexation！　　I　wish　he　had　never　come　to　Venice。　　I　declare　I　do　not

like　him　at　all。



Camilla。Nowhat！　　Not　like　Flodoardo？



Rosabella　（casting　down　her　eyes）。No；　not　at　all。　　Not　that　I　wish

him　ill；　e