the bravo of venice-第5章

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



〃By　my　life；　'tis　a　pity；　Matteo；　that　you　should　be　a　bravo；　the

schools　have　lost　an　excellent　teacher　of　philosophy。〃



〃Do　you　think　so？　　Why；　the　fact　is　thus；　Abellino。　　I　was　educated

in　a　monastery；　my　father　was　a　dignified　prelate　in　Lucca；　and　my

mother　a　nun　of　the　Ursuline　order；　greatly　respected　for　her

chastity　and　devotion。　　Now；　Signor；　it　was　thought　fitting　that　I

should　apply　closely　to　my　studies；　my　father；　good　man；　would　fain

have　made　me　a　light　of　the　Church；　but　I　soon　found　that　I　was

better　qualified　for　an　incendiary's　torch。　　I　followed　the　bent　of

my　genius；　yet　count　I　not　my　studies　thrown　away；　since　they　taught

me　more　philosophy　than　to　tremble　at　phantoms　created　by　my　own

imagination。　　Follow　my　example；　friend；　and　so　farewell。〃







CHAPTER　V：　　SOLITUDE。







Abellino　had　already　passed　six　weeks　in　Venice；　and　yet；　either

from　want　of　opportunity；　or　of　inclination；　he　had　suffered　his

daggers　to　remain　idle　in　their　sheaths。　　This　proceeded　partly　from

his　not　being　as　yet　sufficiently　acquainted　with　the　windings　and

turnings；　the　bye…lanes　and　private　alleys　of　the　town；　and　partly

because　he　had　hitherto　found　no　customers；　whose　murderous　designs

stood　in　need　of　his　helping　hand。



This　want　of　occupation　was　irksome　to　him　in　the　extreme；　he　panted

for　action；　and　was　condemned　to　indolence。



With　a　melancholy　heart　did　he　roam　through　Venice；　and　number　every

step　with　a　sigh。　　He　frequented　the　public　places；　the　taverns；　the

gardens；　and　every　scene　which　was　dedicated　to　amusement。　　But

nowhere　could　he　find　what　ho　soughttranquillity。



One　evening　he　had　loitered　beyond　the　other　visitants　in　a　public

garden；　situated　on　one　of　the　most　beautiful　of　the　Venetian

islands。　　He　strolled　from　arbour　to　arbour；　threw　himself　down　on

the　sea…shore；　and　watched　the　play　of　the　waves　as　they　sparkled　in

the　moonshine。



〃Four　years　ago；〃　said　he；　with　a　sigh；　〃just　such　a　heavenly

evening　was　it；　that　I　stole　from　Valeria's　lips　the　first　kiss；　and

heard　from　Valeria's　lips　for　the　first　time　the　avowal　that　she

loved　me。〃



He　was　silent；　and　abandoned　himself　to　the　melancholy　recollections

which　thronged　before　his　mind's　eye。



Everything　around　him　was　so　calm；　so　silent！　　Not　a　single　zephyr

sighed　among　the　blades　of　grass；　but　a　storm　raged　in　the　bosom　of

Abellino。



〃Four　years　ago　could　I　have　believed　that　a　time　would　come　when　I

should　play　the　part　of　a　bravo　in　Venice！　　Oh；　where　are　they

flown；　the　golden　hopes　and　plans　of　glory　which　smiled　upon　me　in

the　happy　days　of　my　youth？　　I　am　a　bravo：　　to　be　a　beggar　were　to

be　something　better。〃



〃When　my　good　old　father；　in　the　enthusiasm　of　paternal　vanity；　so

oft　threw　his　arms　around　my　neck；　and　cried；　'My　boy；　thou　wilt

render　the　name　of　Rosalvo　glorious！'　　God；　as　I　listened；　how　was

my　blood　on　fire？　　What　thought　I　not；　what　that　was　good　and　great

did　I　not　promise　myself　to　do！　　The　father　is　dead；　and　the　son　is

a　Venetian　bravo！　　When　my　preceptors　praised　and　admired　me；　and；

carried　away　by　the　warmth　of　their　feelings；　clapped　my　shoulder；

and　exclaimed；　'Count；　thou　wilt　immortalise　the　ancient　race　of

Rosalvo！'　　Ha；　in　those　blessed　moments　of　sweet　delirium；　how

bright　and　beauteous　stood　futurity　before　me！　　When；　happy　in　the

performance　of　some　good　deed；　I　returned　home；　and　saw　Valeria

hasten　to　receive　me　with　open　arms；　and　when；　while　she　clasped　me

to　her　bosom　I　heard　her　whisper　'Oh；　who　could　forbear　to　love　the

great　Rosalvo？'　　God！　oh；　God！　　Away；　away；　glorious　visions　of　the

past。　　To　look　on　you　drives　me　mad！〃



He　was　again　silent；　he　bit　his　lips　in　fury；　raised　one　emaciated

hand　to　heaven；　and　struck　his　forehead　violently　with　the　other。



〃An　assassin；　the　slave　of　cowards　and　rascals；　the　ally　of　the

greatest　villains　that　the　Venetian　sun　ever　shines　upon；　such　is

now　the　great　Rosalvo。　　Fie；　ah；　fie　on't；　and　yet　to　this　wretched

lot　hath　fatality　condemned　me。〃



Suddenly　he　sprang　from　the　ground　after　a　long　silence；　his　eyes

sparkled；　his　countenance　was　changed；　he　drew　his　breath　easier。



〃Yes；　by　Heaven；　yes。　　Great　as　Count　Rosalvo；　that　can　I　be　no

longer；　but　from　being　great　as　a　Venetian　bravo；　what　prevents　me？

Souls　in　bliss；〃　he　exclaimed；　and　sank　on　his　knee；　while　he　raised

his　folded　hands　to　heaven；　as　if　about　to　pronounce　the　most　awful

oath；　〃Spirit　of　my　father；　spirit　of　Valeria；　I　will　not　become

unworthy　of　you。　　Hear　me；　if　your　ghosts　are　permitted　to　wander

near　me；　hear　me　swear　that　the　bravo　shall　not　disgrace　the　origin；

nor　render　vain　the　hopes　which　soothed　you　in　the　bitterness　of

death。　　No；　sure　as　I　live；　I　will　be　the　only　dealer　in　this

miserable　trade；　and　posterity　shall　be　compelled　to　honour　that

name；　which　my　actions　shall　render　illustrious。〃



He　bowed　his　forehead　till　it　touched　the　earth；　and　his　tears

flowed　plenteously。　　Vast　conceptions　swelled　his　soul；　he　dwelt　on

wondrous　views；　till　their　extent　bewildered　his　brain；　yet　another

hour　elapsed；　and　he　sprang　from　the　earth　to　realise　them。



〃I　will　enter　into　no　compact　against　human　nature　with　five

miserable　cut…throats。　　ALONE　will　I　make　the　Republic　tremble；　and

before　eight　days　are　flown；　these　murderous　knaves　shall　swing　upon

a　gibbet。　　Venice　shall　no　longer　harbour　FIVE　banditti；　ONE　and　ONE

only　shall　inhabit　here；　and　that　one　shall　beard　the　Doge　himself；

shall　watch　over　right　and　wrong；　and　according　as　he　judges；　shall

reward　and　punish。　　Before　eight　days　are　flown；　the　State　shall　be

purified　from　the　presence　of　these　outcasts　of　humanity；　and　then

shall　I　stand　here　alone。　　Then　must　every　villain　in　Venice；　who

hitherto　has　kept　the　daggers　of　my　companions　in　employment；　have

recourse　to　me；　then　shall　I　know　the　names　and　persons　of　all　those

cowardly　murderers；　of　all　those　illustrious　profligates；　with　whom

Matteo　and　his　companions　carry　on　the　trade　of　blood。　　And　then

Abellino！　　Abellino；　that　is　the　name。　　Hear　it；　Venice；　hear　it；

and　tremble。〃



Intoxicated　with　the　wildness　of　his　hopes；　he　rushed　out　of　the

garden。　　He　summoned　a　gondolier；　threw　himself　into　the　boat；　and

hastened　to　the　dwelling　of　Cinthia；　where　the　inhabitants　already

were　folded　in　the　arms　of　sleep。







CHAPTER　VI：　　ROSABELLA；　THE　DOGE'S　LOVELY　NIECE。







〃Hark；　comrade；〃　said　Matteo　the　next　morning　to　Abellino；　〃to…day

thou　shalt　make　thy　first　step　in　our　profession。〃



〃To…day！〃　hoarsely　murmured　Abellino；　〃and　on　whom　am　I　to　show　my

skill？〃



〃Nay；　to　say　truth；　'tis　but　a　woman；　but　one　must　not　give　too

difficult　a　task　to　a　young　beginner。　　I　will　myself　accompany　you；

and　see　how　you　conduct　yourself　in　the　first　trial。〃



〃Hum！〃　said　Abellino；　and　measured　Matteo　with　his　eye　from　head　to

foot。



〃To…day；　about　four　o'clock；　thou　shalt　follow　me　to　Dolabella's

gardens；　which　are　situated　on　the　south　side　of　Venice。　　We　must

both　be　disguised；　you　understand。　　In　these　gardens　are　excellent

baths；　and　after　using　the　baths；　the　Doge's　niece；　the　lovely

Rosabella　of　Corfu；　frequently　walks　without　attendants。　　And　then

you　conceive　me？〃



〃And　you　will　accompany　me？〃



〃I　will　be　a　spectator　of　your　first　adventure；　'tis　thus　I　deal　by

every　one。〃



〃And　how　many　inches　deep　must　I　plunge　my　dagger？〃



〃To　the　hilt；　boy；　to　the　very　hilt！　　Her　death　is　required；　and　the

payment　will　be　princely；　Rosabella　in　the　grave；　we　are　rich　for

life。〃



Every　other　point　was　soon　adjusted。　　Noon　was　now　past；　the　clock

in　the　neighbouring　church　of　the　Benedictines　struck　four；　and

Mattes　and　Abellino　were　already　forth。　　They　arrived　at　the　gardens

of　Dolabella；　which　that　day　were　unusually　crowded。　　Every　shady

avenue　was　thronged　with　peopl