the bravo of venice-第15部分

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〃Forgotten；　lady？　　Never；　neverevery　word　and　look　of　yours　is

stamped　on　my　memory；　never　to　be　effaced。　　I　cannot　forget　a

transaction　in　which　YOU　bore　a　part：　　I　cannot　forget　the　scene

that　passed　between　us；　every　circumstance　is　too　precious　and

sacred。　　As　to　PARDON〃he　took　her　extended　hand　and　pressed　it

respectfully　to　his　lips〃I　would　to　Heaven；　dear　lady；　that　you

had　in　truth　injured　me　much；　that　I　might　have　much　to　forgive　you。

Alas！　I　have　at　present　nothing　to　pardon。〃



Both　were　now　silent。　　At　length　Rosabella　resumed　the　conversation

by　saying〃You　have　made　a　long　absence　from　Venice；　did　you　travel

far？〃



〃I　did。〃



〃And　received　much　pleasure　from　your　journey？〃



〃Much；　for　everywhere　I　heard　the　praises　of　Rosabella。〃



〃Count　Flodoardo；〃　she　interrupted　him　with　a　look　of　reprehension；

but　in　a　gentle　voice；　〃would　you　again　offend　me？〃



〃That　will　soon　be　out　of　my　power。　　Perhaps　you　can　guess　what　are

my　present　intentions。〃



〃To　resume　your　travels　soon？〃



〃Exactly　so；　and　the　next　time　that　I　quit　Venice；　to　return　to　it

no　more。〃



〃No　more？〃　she　repeated；　eagerly。　　〃Oh；　not　so；　Flodoardo！　　Ah；　can

you　leave　me？〃She　stopped；　ashamed　of　her　imprudence。　　〃Can　you

leave　my　uncle？　　I　meant　to　say。　　You　do　but　jest；　I　doubt　not。〃



〃By　my　honour；　lady；　I　never　was　more　in　earnest。〃



〃And　whither；　then；　do　you　mean　to　go？〃



〃To　Malta；　and　assist　the　knights　in　their　attacks　upon　the　corsairs

of　Barbary。　　Providence；　perhaps；　may　enable　me　to　obtain　the

command　of　a　galley；　then　will　I　call　my　vessel　'Rosabella；'　then

shall　the　war…cry　be　still　'Rosabella；'　that　name　will　render　me

invincible。〃



〃Oh！　this　is　a　mockery；　Count。　　I　have　not　deserved　that　you　should

sport　with　my　feelings　so　cruelly。〃



〃It　is　to　SPARE　your　feelings；　signora；　that　I　am　now　resolved　to

fly　from　Venice；　my　presence　might　cause　you　some　uneasy　moments。　　I

am　not　the　happy　man　whose　sight　is　destined　to　give　you　pleasure；　I

will；　at　least；　avoid　giving　you　pain。〃



〃And　you　really　can　resolve　to　abandon　the　Doge；　whose　esteem　for

you　is　so　sincere；　whose　friendship　has　always　been　so　warm？〃



〃I　value　his　friendship　highly；　but　it　is　not　sufficient　to　make　me

happy；　and　could　he　lay　kingdoms　at　my　feet；　still　would　his

friendship　be　insufficient　to　make　me　happy。〃



〃Does；　then；　your　happiness　require　so　much？〃



〃It　doesmuch　more　than　I　have　mentioned；　infinitely　more。　　But　one

boon　can　make　me　happy；　I　have　begged　for　it　on　my　knees。〃　　He

caught　her　hand　and　pressed　it　eagerly　to　his　lips。　　〃I　have　begged

for　it；　Rosabella；　and　my　suit　has　been　rejected。〃



〃You　are　a　strange　enthusiast；〃　she　said　with　difficulty；　and

scarcely　knew　what　she　said；　while　Flodoardo　drew　her　gently　nearer

to　him；　and　murmured　in　a　supplicating　voice；　〃Rosabella！〃



〃What　would　you　of　me？〃



〃My　happiness！〃



She　gazed　upon　him　for　a　moment　undecided；　then　hastily　drew　away

her　hand；　and　exclaimed；　〃Leave　me；　this　moment；　I　command　you。

Leave　me；　for　Heaven's　sake！〃



Flodoardo　clasped　his　hands　together　in　despair　and　anguish。　　He

bowed　his　head　in　token　of　obedience。　　He　left　her　with　slow　steps

and　a　melancholy　air；　and　as　he　passed　the　threshold；　turned　to　bid

her　farewell　for　ever。　　Suddenly　she　rushed　towards　him；　caught　his

hand；　and　pressed　it　to　her　heart。



〃Flodoardo；〃　she　cried；　〃I　am　thine！〃　and　sank　motionless　at　his

feet。







CHAPTER　II：　　A　DANGEROUS　PROMISE。







And　now　who　was　so　blessed　as　the　fortunate　Flodoardo？　　The　victory

was　his　own；　he　had　heard　the　wished…for　sentence　pronounced　by　the

lips　of　Rosabella。　　He　raised　her　from　the　ground；　and　placed　her　on

a　sofa。　　Her　blue　eyes　soon　unclosed　themselves　once　more；　and　the

first　object　which　they　beheld　was　Flodoardo　kneeling　at　her　feet；

while　with　one　arm　he　encircled　her　waist。　　Her　head　sank　upon　the

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

heart