the bravo of venice-第3部分
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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 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