the bravo of venice-第4章

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



Abellino　answered　him　by　a　scornful　laugh。　　Matteo　became　furious。

His　companions　shouted　aloud；　and　clapped　their　hands。



〃To　business！〃　said　Abellino；　〃I'm　now　in　a　right　humour　for　sport！

Look　to　yourselves；　my　lads。〃　　And　in　the　same　instant　he　collected

his　forces　together；　threw　the　gigantic　Matteo　over　his　head　as　had

he　been　an　infant；　knocked　Struzza　down　on　the　right　hand；　and

Pietrino　on　the　left；　tumbled　Thomaso　to　the　end　of　the　room　head

over　heels；　and　stretched　Baluzzo　without　animation　upon　the

neighbouring　benches。



Three　minutes　elapsed　ere　the　subdued　bravoes　could　recover

themselves。　　Loudly　shouted　Abellino；　while　the　astonished　Cinthia

gazed　and　trembled　at　the　terrible　exhibition。



〃By　the　blood　of　St。　Januarius！〃　cried　Matteo　at　length；　rubbing　his

battered　joints；　〃the　fellow　is　our　master！　　Cinthia；　take　care　to

give　him　our　best　chamber。〃



〃He　must　have　made　a　compact　with　the　devil！〃　grumbled　Thomaso；　and

forced　his　dislocated　wrist　back　into　its　socket。



No　one　seemed　inclined　to　hazard　a　second　trial　of　strength。　　The

night　was　far　advanced；　or　rather　the　grey　morning　already　was

visible　over　the　sea。　　The　banditti　separated；　and　each　retired　to

his　chamber。







CHAPTER　IV：　　THE　DAGGERS。







Abellino；　this　Italian　Hercules；　all　terrible　as　he　appeared　to　be；

was　not　long　a　member　of　this　society　before　his　companions　felt

towards　him　sentiments　of　the　most　unbounded　esteem。　　All　loved；　all

valued　him；　for　his　extraordinary　talents　for　a　bravo's　trade；　to

which　he　seemed　peculiarly　adapted；　not　only　by　his　wonderful

strength　of　body；　but　by　the　readiness　of　his　wit；　and　his　never…

failing　presence　of　mind。　　Even　Cinthia　was　inclined　to　feel　some

little　affection　for　him；　buthe　really　was　too　ugly。



Matteo；　as　Abellino　was　soon　given　to　understand；　was　the　captain　of

this　dangerous　troop。　　He　was　one　who　carried　villainy　to　the

highest　pitch　of　refinement；　incapable　of　fear；　quick　and　crafty；

and　troubled　with　less　conscience　than　a　French　financier。　　The

booty　and　price　of　blood；　which　his　associates　brought　in　daily；

were　always　delivered　up　to　him：　　he　gave　each　man　his　share；　and

retained　no　larger　portion　for　himself　than　was　allotted　to　the

others。　　The　catalogue　of　those　whom　he　had　despatched　into　the

other　world　was　already　too　long　for　him　to　have　repeated　it：　　many

names　had　slipped　his　memory；　but　his　greatest　pleasure　in　his　hour

of　relaxation　was　to　relate　such　of　these　murderous　anecdotes　as　he

still　remembered；　in　the　benevolent　intention　of　inspiring　his

hearers　with　a　desire　to　follow　his　example。　　His　weapons　were　kept

separate　from　the　rest；　and　occupied　a　whole　apartment。　　Here　were

to　be　found　daggers　of　a　thousand　different　fashions；　WITH　guards

and　WITHOUT　them；　two；　three；　and　four…edged。　　Here　were　stored　air…

guns；　pistols；　and　blunderbusses；　poisons　of　various　kinds　and

operating　in　various　ways；　garments　fit　for　every　possible　disguise；

whether　to　personate　the　monk；　the　Jew；　or　the　mendicant；　the

soldier；　the　sailor；　or　the　gondolier。



One　day　he　summoned　Abellino　to　attend　him　in　his　armoury。



〃Mark　me；〃　said　he；　〃thou　wilt　turn　out　a　brave　fellow；　that　I　can

see　already。　　It　is　now　time　that　you　should　earn　that　bread　for

yourself　which　hitherto　you　have　owed　to　our　bounty。　　Look！　　Here

thou　hast　a　dagger　of　the　finest　steel；　you　must　charge　for　its　use

by　the　inch。　　If　you　plunge　it　only　one　inch　deep　into　the　bosom　of

his　foe；　your　employer　must　reward　you　with　only　one　sequin：　　if　two

inches；　with　ten　sequins；　if　three；　with　twenty；　if　the　whole

dagger；　you　may　then　name　your　own　price。　　Here　is　next　a　glass

poniard；　whomsoever　this　pierces；　that　man's　death　is　certain。　　As

soon　as　the　blow　is　given；　you　must　break　the　dagger　in　the　wound。

The　flesh　will　close　over　the　point　which　has　been　broken　off；　and

which　will　keep　its　quarters　till　the　day　of　resurrection！　　Lastly；

observe　this　metallic　dagger；　its　cavity　conceals　a　subtle　poison；

which；　whenever　you　touch　this　spring；　will　immediately　infuse　death

into　the　veins　of　him　whom　the　weapon's　point　hath　wounded。　　Take

these　daggers。　　In　giving　them　I　present　you　with　a　capital　capable

of　bringing　home　to　you　most　heavy　and　most　precious　interest。〃



Abellino　received　the　instruments　of　death；　but　his　hand　shook　as　it

grasped　them。



〃Possessed　of　such　unfailing　weapons；　of　what　immense　sums　must　your

robberies　have　made　you　master！〃



〃Scoundrel！〃　interrupted　Matteo；　frowning　and　offended；　〃amongst　us

robbery　is　unknown。　　What？　　Dost　take　us　for　common　plunderers；　for

mere　thieves；　cut…purses；　housebreakers；　and　villains　of　that　low；

miserable　stamp？〃



〃Perhaps　what　you　wish　me　to　take　you　for　is　something　worse；　for；

to　speak　openly；　Matteo；　villains　of　that　stamp　are　contented　within

plundering　a　purse　or　a　casket；　which　can　easily　be　filled　again；

but　that　which　we　take　from　others　is　a　jewel　which　a　man　never　has

but　once；　and　which　stolen　can　never　be　replaced。　　Are　we　not；　then；

a　thousand　times　more　atrocious　plunderers？〃



〃By　the　house　at　Loretto；　I　think　you　have　a　mind　to　moralise；

Abellino？〃



〃Hark　ye；　Matteo；　only　one　question。　　At　the　Day　of　Judgment；　which

think　you　will　hold　his　head　highest；　the　thief　or　the　assassin？〃



〃Ha！　ha！　ha！〃



〃Think　not　that　Abellino　speaks　thus　from　want　of　resolution。　　Speak

but　the　word；　and　I　murder　half　the　senators　of　Venice；　but　still〃



〃Fool！　know；　the　bravo　must　be　above　crediting　the　nurse's

antiquated　tales　of　vice　and　virtue。　　What　is　virtue？　　What　is　vice？

Nothing　but　such　things　as　forms　of　government；　custom；　manners；　and

education　have　made　sacred：　　and　that　which　men　are　able　to　make

honourable　at　one　time；　it　is　in　their　power　to　make　dishonourable

at　another；　whenever　the　humour　takes　them；　had　not　the　senate

forbidden　us　to　give　opinions　freely　respecting　the　politics　of

Venice；　there　would　have　been　nothing　wrong　in　giving　such　opinions；

and　were　the　senate　to　declare　that　it　is　right　to　give　such

opinions；　that　which　to…day　is　thought　a　crime　would　be　thought

meritorious　to…morrow。　　Then；　prithee；　let　us　have　no　more　of　such

doubts　as　these。　　We　are　men；　as　much　as　the　Doge　and　his　senators；

and　have　reasons　as　much　as　THEY　have　to　lay　down　the　law　of　right

and　wrong；　and　to　alter　the　law　of　right　and　wrong；　and　to　decree

what　shall　be　vice；　and　what　shall　be　virtue。〃



Abellino　laughed。　　Matteo　proceeded　with　increased　animation　…



〃Perhaps　you　will　tell　me　that　your　trade　is　DISHONOURABLE！　　And

what；　then；　is　the　thing　called　HONOUR！　　　'Tis　a　word；　an　empty

sound；　a　mere　fantastic　creature　of　the　imagination！　　Ask；　as　you

traverse　some　frequented　street；　in　what　honour　consists？　　The

usurer　will　answer'To　be　honourable　is　to　be　rich；　and　he　has　most

honour　who　can　heap　up　the　greatest　quantity　of　sequins。'　　'By　no

means；'　cries　the　voluptuary；　'honour　consists　in　being　beloved　by　a

very　handsome　woman；　and　finding　no　virtue　proof　against　your

attacks。'　　'How　mistaken！'　interrupts　the　general；　'to　conquer　whole

cities；　to　destroy　whole　armies；　to　ruin　all　provinces；　THAT　indeed

brings　REAL　honour。'　　The　man　of　learning　places　his　renown　in　the

number　of　pages　which　he　has　either　written　or　read；　the　tinker；　in

the　number　of　pots　and　kettles　which　he　has　made　or　mended；　the　nun；

in　the　number　of　GOOD　things　which　she　has　done；　or　BAD　things　which

she　has　resisted；　the　coquette；　in　the　list　of　her　admirers；　the

Republic；　in　the　extent　of　her　provinces；　and　thus；　my　friend；　every

one　thinks　that　honour　consists　in　something　different　from　the

rest。　　And　why；　then；　should　not　the　bravo　think　that　honour

consists　in　reaching　the　perfection　of　his　trade；　and　in　guiding　a

dagger　to　the　heart　of　an　enemy　with　unerring　aim？〃



〃By　my　life；　'tis　a　pity；　Matteo；　that　you