the bravo of venice-第3章

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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　one　of　these；　who　had　conducted　Abellino　to　this

respectable　society；　〃let　us　see　what　you　are　like。〃



As　he　said　this　he　raised　a　burning　lamp　from　the　table；　and　the

light　of　its　flame　was　thrown　full　upon　Abellino's　countenance。



〃Lord；　forgive　me　my　sins！〃　screamed　Cinthia；　〃out　upon　him！　what　an

ugly　hound　it　is！〃



She　turned　hastily　round；　and　hid　her　face　with　her　hands。　　Dreadful

was　the　look　with　which　Abellino　repaid　her　compliment。



〃Knave；〃　said　one　of　the　banditti；　〃Nature's　own　hand　has　marked　you

out　for　an　assassincome；　prithee　be　frank；　and　tell　us　how　thou

hast　contrived　so　long　to　escape　the　gibbet？　　In　what　gaol　didst

thou　leave　thy　last　fetters？　　Or　from　what　galley　hast　thou　taken

thy　departure；　without　staying　to　say　adieu？〃



Abellino；　folding　his　arms〃If　I　be　such　as　you　describe；〃　said　he；

with　an　air　of　authority；　and　in　a　voice　which　made　his　hearers

tremble；　〃'tis　for　me　all　the　better。　　Whate'er　may　be　my　future

mode　of　life；　Heaven　can　have　no　right　to　find　fault　with　it；　since

it　was　for　that　it　formed　and　fitted　me。〃



The　five　bravoes　stepped　aside；　and　consulted　together。　　The　subject

of　their　conference　is　easy　to　be　divined。　　In　the　meanwhile

Abellino　remained　quiet　and　indifferent　to　what　was　passing。



After　a　few　minutes　they　again　approached　him。　　One；　whose

countenance　was　the　most　ferocious；　and　whose　form　exhibited　the

greatest　marks　of　muscular　strength；　advanced　a　few　paces　before　the

rest；　and　addressed　Abellino　as　follows：…



〃Hear　me；　comrade。　　In　Venice　there　exist　but　five　banditti；　you　see

them　before　you；　wilt　thou　be　the　sixth？　　Doubt　not　thou　wilt　find

sufficient　employment。　　My　name　is　Matteo；　and　I　am　the　father　of

the　band：　　that　sturdy　fellow　with　the　red　locks　is　called　Baluzzo；

he；　whose　eyes　twinkle　like　a　cat's；　is　Thomaso；　an　arch…knave；　I

promise　you；　'twas　Pietrino　whose　bones　you　handled　so　roughly　to…

night；　and　yon　thick…lipped　Colossus；　who　stands　next　to　Cinthia；　is

named　Stuzza。　　Now；　then；　you　know　us　alland　since　you　are　a

penniless　devil；　we　are　willing　to　incorporate　you　in　our　society；

but　we　must　first　be　assured　that　you　mean　honestly　by　us。〃



Abellino　smiled；　or　rather　grinned；　and　murmured　hoarsely〃I　am

starving。〃



〃Answer；　fellow！　　Dost　thou　mean　honestly　by　us？〃



〃That　must　the　event　decide。〃



〃Mark　me；　knave；　the　first　suspicion　of　treachery　costs　you　your

life。　　Take　shelter　in　the　Doge's　palace；　and　girdle　yourself　round

with　all　the　power　of　the　Republicthough　clasped　in　the　Doge's

arms；　and　protected　by　a　hundred　cannons；　still　would　we　murder　you！

Fly　to　the　high　altar；　press　the　crucifix　to　your　bosom；　and　even　at

mid…day；　still　would　we　murder　you。　　Think　on　this　well；　fellow；　and

forget　not　we　are　banditti！〃



〃You　need　not　tell　me　that。　　But　give　me　some　food；　and　then　I'll

prate　with　you　as　long　as　you　please。　　At　present　I　am　starving。

Four…and…twenty　hours　have　elapsed　since　I　last　tasted　nourishment。〃



Cinthia　now　covered　a　small　table　with　her　best　provisions；　and

filled　several　silver　goblets　with　delicious　wine。



〃If　one　could　but　look　at　him　without　disgust；〃　murmured　Cinthia；

〃if　he　had　but　the　appearance　of　something　human！　　Satan　must

certainly　have　appeared　to　his　mother；　and　thence　came　her　child

into　the　world　with　such　a　frightful　countenance。　　Ugh！　it's　an

absolute　mask；　only　that　I　never　saw　a　mask　so　hideous。〃



Abellino　heeded　her　not；　he　placed　himself　at　the　table；　and　ate　and

drank　as　if　he　would　have　satisfied　himself　for　the　next　six　months。

The　banditti　eyed　him　with　looks　of　satisfaction；　and　congratulated

each　other　on　such　a　valuable　acquisition。



If　the　reader　is　curious　to　know　what　this　same　Abellino　was　like；

he　must　picture　to　himself　a　young；　stout　fellow；　whose　limbs

perhaps　might　have　been　thought　not　ill…formed；　had　not　the　most

horrible　countenance　that　ever　was　invented　by　a　caricaturist；　or

that　Milton　could　have　adapted　to　the　ugliest　of　his　fallen　angels；

entirely　marred　the　advantages　of　his　person。　　Black　and　shining；

but　long　and　straight；　his　hair　flew　wildly　about　his　brown　neck　and

yellow　face。　　His　mouth　so　wide；　that　his　gums　and　discoloured　teeth

were　visible；　and　a　kind　of　convulsive　twist；　which　scarcely　ever

was　at　rest；　had　formed　its　expression　into　an　internal　grin。　　His

eye；　for　he　had　but　one；　was　sunk　deep　into　his　head；　and　little

more　than　the　white　of　it　was　visible；　and　even　that　little　was

overshadowed　by　the　protrusion　of　his　dark　and　bushy　eyebrow。　　In

the　union　of　his　features　were　found　collected　in　one　hideous

assemblage　all　the　most　coarse　and　uncouth　traits　which　had　ever

been　exhibited　singly　in　wooden　cuts；　and　the　observer　was　left　in

doubt　whether　this　repulsive　physiognomy　expressed　stupidity　of

intellect；　or　maliciousness　of　heart；　or　whether　it　implied　them

both　together。



〃Now；　then；　I　am　satisfied；〃　roared　Abellino；　and　dashed　the　still

full　goblet　upon　the　ground。　　〃Speak！　what　would　you　know　of　me？　　I

am　ready　to　give　you　answers。〃



〃The　first　thing；〃　replied　Matteo；　〃the　first　thing　necessary　is　to

give　us　a　proof　of　your　strength；　for　this　is　of　material　importance

in　our　undertakings。　　Are　you　good　at　wrestling？〃



〃I　know　not；　try　me。〃



Cinthia　removed　the　table。



〃Now；　then；　Abellino；　which　of　us　will　you　undertake？　　Whom　among　us

dost　thou　think　that　thou　canst　knock　down　as　easily　as　yon　poor

dabbler　in　the　art；　Pietrino？〃



The　banditti　burst　into　a　loud　fit　of　laughter。



〃Now；　then；〃　cried　Abellino；　fiercely；　〃now；　then；　for　the　trial。

Why　come　you　not　on？〃



〃Fellow；〃　replied　Matteo；　〃take　my　advice；　try　first　what　you　can　do

with　me　alone；　and　learn　what　sort　of　men　you　have　to　manage。　　Think

you；　we　are　marrowless　boys；　or　delicate　signors？〃



Abellino　answered　him　by　a