the bravo of venice-第19章

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shoulder　of　the　man　for　whom　she　had　breathed　so　many　sighs；　who　had

occupied　so　many　of　her　thoughts　by　day；　who　had　been　present　in　so

many　of　her　dreams　by　night。



As　they　gazed　in　silent　rapture　on　each　other；　they　forgot　that　they

were　mortals；　they　seemed　to　be　transported　to　a　happier；　to　a

better　world。　　Rosabella　thought　that　the　chamber　in　which　she　sat

was　transformed　into　an　earthly　Paradise；　invisible　seraphs　seemed

to　hallow　by　their　protecting　presence　the　indulgence　of　her

innocent　affection；　and　she　poured　forth　her　secret　thanks　to　Him

who　had　given　her　a　heart　susceptible　of　love。



Through　the　whole　course　of　man's　existence；　such　a　moment　as　this

occurs　but　once。　　Happy　is　he　who　sighs　for　its　arrival；　happy　is　he

who；　when　it　arrives；　has　a　soul　worthy　of　its　enjoyment；　happy　is

even　he　for　whom　that　moment　has　long　been　passed；　so　it　passed　not

unenjoyed；　for　the　recollection　of　it　still　is　precious。　　Sage

philosophers；　in　vain　do　you　assure　us　that　the　raptures　of　a　moment

like　this　are　mere　illusions　of　a　heated　imagination；　scarcely　more

solid　than　an　enchanting　dream；　which　fades　before　the　sunbeams　of

truth　and　reason。　　Alas！　does　there　exist　a　happiness　under　the　moon

which　owes　not　its　charms　in　some　degree　to　the　magic　of

imagination！



〃You　are　dear　to　me；　Flodoardo；〃　murmured　Rosabella；　for　Camilla　and

her　counsels　were　quite　forgotten；　〃oh；　you　are　very；　very　dear！〃



The　youth　only　thanked　her　by　clasping　her　still　closer　to　his

bosom；　while；　for　the　first　time；　he　sealed　her　coral　lips　with　his

own。



At　that　moment　the　door　was　suddenly　thrown　open。　　The　Doge　Andreas

re…entered　the　apartment：　　the　expected　stranger　had　been　suddenly

taken　ill；　and　Andreas　was　no　sooner　at　liberty　than　he　hastened　to

rejoin　his　favourite。　　The　rustling　of　his　garments　roused　the

lovers　from　their　dream　of　bliss。　　Rosabella　started　from

Flodoardo's　embrace　with　a　cry　of　terror；　Flodoardo　quitted　his

kneeling　posture；　yet　seemed　by　no　means　disconcerted　at　the

discovery。



Andreas　gazed　upon　them　for　some　minutes；　with　a　look　which

expressed　at　once　anger；　melancholy；　and　the　most　heartfelt

disappointment。　　He　sighed　deeply；　cast　his　eyes　towards　heaven；　and

in　silence　turned　to　leave　the　apartment。



〃Stay　yet　one　moment；　noble　Andreas；〃　cried　the　Florentine。



The　Doge　turned；　and　Flodoardo　threw　himself　at　his　feet。　　Andreas

looked　down　with　calm　and　serious　dignity　on　the　kneeling　offender；

by　whom　his　friendship　had　been　so　unworthily　rewarded；　and　by　whom

his　confidence　had　been　so　cruelly　betrayed。



〃Young　man；〃　said　he；　in　a　stern　voice；　〃the　attempt　to　excuse

yourself　must　be　fruitless。〃



〃Excuse　myself！〃　interrupted　Flodoardo；　boldly；　〃no；　my　lord；　I　need

no　excuses　for　loving　Rosabella；　'twere　for　him　to　excuse　himself

who　had　seen　Rosabella　and　NOT　loved　her；　yet；　if　it　is　indeed　a

crime　in　me　that　I　adore　Rosabella；　'tis　a　crime　of　which　Heaven

itself　will　absolve　me；　since　it　formed　Rosabella　so　worthy　to　be

adored。〃



〃You　seem　to　lay　too　much　stress　on　this　fantastic　apology；〃

answered　the　Doge；　contemptuously；　〃at　least　you　cannot　expect　that

it　should　have　much　weight　with　me。〃



〃I　say　it　once　more；　my　lord；〃　resumed　Flodoardo；　while　he　rose　from

the　ground；　〃that　I　intend　to　make　no　apology；　I　mean　not　to　excuse

my　love　for　Rosabella；　but　to　request　your　approbation　of　that　love。

Andreas；　I　adore　your　niece；　I　demand　her　for　my　bride。〃



The　Doge　started　in　astonishment　at　this　bold　and　unexpected

request。



〃It　is　true；〃　continued　the　Florentine；　〃I　am　no　more　than　a　needy；

unknown　youth；　and　it　seems　a　piece　of　strange　temerity　when　such　a

man　proposes　himself　to　espouse　the　heiress　of　the　Venetian　Doge。

But；　by　Heaven；　I　am　confident　that　the　great　Andreas　means　not　to

bestow　his　Rosabella　on　one　of　those　whose　claims　to　favour　are

overflowing　coffers；　extensive　territories；　and　sounding　titles；　or

who　vainly　decorate　their　insignificance　with　the　glory　obtained　by

the　titles　of　their　ancestors；　glory　of　which　they　are　themselves

incapable　of　acquiring　a　single　ray。　　I　acknowledge　freely　that　I

have　as　yet　performed　no　actions　which　make　me　deserving　of　such　a

reward　as　Rosabella；　but　it　shall　not　be　long　ere　I　WILL　perform

such　actions；　or　perish　in　the　attempt。〃



The　Doge　turned　from　him　with　a　look　of　displeasure。



〃Oh；　be　not　incensed　with　him；　dear　uncle；〃　said　Rosabella。　　She

hastened　to　detain　the　Doge；　threw　her　white　arms　around　his　neck

fondly；　and　concealed　in　his　bosom　the　tears　with　which　her

countenance　was　bedewed。



〃Make　your　demands；〃　continued　Flodoardo；　still　addressing　himself

to　the　Doge；　〃say　what　you　wish　me　to　do；　and　what　you　would　have　me

become；　in　order　to　obtain　from　you　the　hand　of　Rosabella。　　Ask　what

you　will；　I　will　look　on　the　task；　however　difficult；　as　nothing

more　than　sport　and　pastime。　　By　Heaven；　I　would　that　Venice　were　at

this　moment　exposed　to　the　most　imminent　danger；　and　that　ten

thousand　daggers　were　unsheathed　against　your　life；　Rosabella　my

rewardhow　certain　should　I　be　to　rescue　Venice；　and　strike　the　ten

thousand　daggers　down。〃



〃I　have　served　the　Republic　faithfully　and　fervently　for　many　a　long

year；〃　answered　Andreas；　with　a　bitter　smile；　〃I　have　risked　my　life

without　hesitation；　I　have　shed　my　blood　with　profusion；　I　asked

nothing　for　my　reward　but　to　pass　my　old　age　in　soft　tranquillity；

and　of　this　reward　have　I　been　cheated。　　My　bosom　friends；　the

companions　of　my　youth；　the　confidants　of　my　age；　have　been　torn

from　me　by　the　daggers　of　banditti；　and　you；　Flodoardo；　you；　on　whom

I　heaped　all　favours；　have　now　deprived　me　of　this　my　only　remaining

comfort。　　Answer　me；　Rosabella；　hast　thou　in　truth　bestowed　thy

heart　on　Flodoardo　irrevocably？〃



One　hand　of　Rosabella's　still　rested　on　her　uncle's　shoulder；　with

the　other　she　clasped　Flodoardo's　and　pressed　it　fondly　against　her

heartyet　Flodoardo　seemed　still　unsatisfied。　　No　sooner　had　the

Doge's　question　struck　his　ear；　than　his　countenance　became

dejected；　and　though　his　hand　returned　the　pressure　of　Rosabella's；

he　shook　his　head　mournfully；　with　an　air　of　doubt；　and　cast　on　her

a　penetrating　look；　as　would　he　have　read　the　secrets　of　her　inmost

soul。



Andreas　withdrew　himself　gently　from　Rosabella's　arm；　and　for　some

time　paced　the　apartment　slowly；　with　a　countenance　sad　and　earnest。

Rosabella　sank　upon　a　sofa　which　stood　near　her；　and　wept。

Flodoardo　eyed　the　Doge；　and　waited　for　his　decision　with

impatience。



Thus　passed　some　minutes。　　An　awful　silence　reigned　through　the

chamber；　Andreas　seemed　to　be　labouring　with　some　resolution　of

dreadful　importance。　　The　lovers　wished；　yet　dreaded；　the　conclusion

of　the　scene；　and　with　every　moment　their　anxiety　became　more

painful。



〃Flodoardo！〃　at　length　said　the　Doge；　and　suddenly　stood　still　in

the　middle　of　the　chamber。　　Flodoardo　advanced　with　a　respectful

air。　　〃Young　man；〃　he　continued；　〃I　am　at　length　resolved；　Rosabella

loves　you；　nor　will　I　oppose　the　decision　of　her　heart；　but

Rosabella　is　much　too　precious　to　admit　of　my　bestowing　her　on　the

first　who　thinks　fit　to　demand　her。　　The　man　to　whom　I　give　her　must

be　worthy　such　a　gift。　　She　must　be　the　reward　of　his　services；　nor

can　he　do　services　so　great　that　such　a　reward　will　not　overpay

them。　　Your　claims　on　the　Republic's　gratitude　are　as　yet　but

trifling；　an　opportunity　now　offers　of　rendering　as　an　essential

service。　　The　murderer　of　Conari；　Manfrone；　and　Lomellinogo；　bring

him　hither！　　Alive　or　dead；　thou　must　bring　to　this　palace　the

terrible　banditti…king；　ABELLINO！〃



At　this　unexpected　conclusion　of　a　speech　on　which　his　happiness　or

despair　depended；　Flodoardo　started　back。　　The　colour　fled　from　his

cheeks。



〃My　noble　lord！〃　he　said　at　length；　hesitating；　〃you　know　well　that…

…〃



〃I　know　well；〃　interrupted　Andreas；　〃ho