the bravo of venice-第6部分

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the　Doge's　niece　was　universally　known　by　the　honourable　appellation

of　the　〃Bravo's　Bride。〃



But　no　one　gave　himself　more　trouble　about　this　affair　than　the

Doge；　the　good　but　proud　Andreas。　　He　immediately　issued　orders　that

every　person　of　suspicious　appearance　should　be　watched　more　closely

than　ever；　the　night　patrols　were　doubled；　and　spies　were　employed

daily　in　procuring　intelligence　of　Abellino；　and　yet　all　was　in

vain。　　Abellino's　retreat　was　inscrutable。







CHAPTER　VIII：　　THE　CONSPIRACY。







〃Confusion！〃　exclaimed　Parozzi；　a　Venetian　nobleman　of　the　first

rank；　as　he　paced　his　chamber　with　a　disordered　air　on　the　morning

after　Matteo's　murder；　〃now　all　curses　light　upon　the　villain's

awkwardness；　yet　it　seems　inconceivable　to　me　how　all　this　should

have　fallen　out　so　untowardly。　　Has　any　one　discovered　my　designs？

I　know　well　that　Verrino　loves　Rosabella。　　Was　it　he　who　opposed

this　confounded　Abellino　to　Matteo；　and　charged　him　to　mar　my　plans

against　her？　　That　seems　likely；　and　now；　when　the　Doge　inquires　who

it　was　that　employed　assassins　to　murder　his　niece；　what　other　will

be　suspected　than　Parozzi；　the　discontented　lover；　to　whom　Rosabella

refused　her　hand；　and　whom　Andreas　hates　past　hope　of

reconciliation？　　And　now；　having　once　found　the　scentParozzi！

Parozzi！　should　the　crafty　Andreas　get　an　insight　into　your　plans；

should　he　learn　that　you　have　placed　yourself　at　the　head　of　a　troop

of　hare…brained　youthshare…brained　may　I　well　call　childrenwho；

in　order　to　avoid　the　rod；　set　fire　to　their　paternal　mansions。

Parozzi；　should　all　this　be　revealed　to　Andreas？〃



Here　his　reflections　were　interrupted。　　Memmo；　Falieri；　and

Contarino　entered　the　room；　three　young　Venetians　of　the　highest

rank；　Parozzi's　inseparable　companions；　men　depraved　both　in　mind

and　body；　spendthrifts；　voluptuaries；　well　known　to　every　usurer　in

Venice；　and　owing　more　than　their　paternal　inheritance　would　ever

admit　of　their　paying。



〃Why；　how　is　this；　Parozzi？〃　cried　Memmo　as　he　entered；　a　wretch

whose　every　feature　exhibited　marks　of　that　libertinism　to　which　his

life　had　been　dedicated；　〃I　can　scarce　recover　myself　from　my

astonishment。　　For　Heaven's　sake；　is　this　report　true？　　Did　you

really　hire　Matteo　to　murder　the　Doge's　niece？〃



〃I？〃　exclaimed　Parozzi；　and　hastily　turned　away　to　hide　the　deadly

paleness　which　overspread　his　countenance；　〃why　should　you　suppose

that　any　such　designssurely；　Memmo；　you　are　distracted。〃



Memmo。By　my　soul；　I　speak　but　the　plain　matter　of　fact。　　Nay；　only

ask　Falieri；　he　can　tell　you　more。



Falieri。Faith；　it　is　certain；　Parozzi；　that　Lomellino　has　declared

to　the　Doge　as　a　truth　beyond　doubting　that　you；　and　none　but　you；

were　the　person　who　instigated　Matteo　to　attempt　Rosabella's　life。



Parozzi。And　I　tell　you　again　that　Lomellino　knows　not　what　he

says。



Contarino。Well；　well；　only　be　upon　your　guard。　　Andreas　is　a

terrible　fellow　to　deal　with。



Falieri。HE　terrible。　　I　tell　you　he　is　the　most　contemptible

blockhead　that　the　universe　can　furnish！　　Courage　perhaps　he

possesses；　but　of　brains　not　an　atom。



Contarino。And　_I_　tell　you　that　Andreas　is　as　brave　as　a　lion；　and

as　crafty　as　a　fox。



Falieri。Pshaw！　pshaw！　　Everything　would　go　to　rack　and　ruin　were

it　not　for　the　wiser　heads　of　this　triumvirate　of　counsellors；　whom

Heaven　confound！　　Deprive　him　of　Paolo　Manfrone；　Conari；　and

Lomellino；　and　the　Doge　would　stand　there　looking　as　foolish　as　a

schoolboy　who　was　going　to　be　examined　and　had　forgotten　his　lesson。



Parozzi。Falieri　is　in　the　right。



Memmo。Quite；　quite。



Falieri。And　then　Andreas　is　as　proud　as　a　beggar　grown　rich　and

dressed　in　his　first　suit　of　embroidery。　　By　St。　Anthony；　he　is

become　quite　insupportable。　　Do　you　not　observe　how　he　increases　the

number　of　his　attendants　daily？



Memmo。Nay；　that　is　an　undoubted　fact。



Contarino。And　then；　to　what　an　unbounded　extent　has　he　carried　his

influence。　　The　Signoria；　the　Quaranti；　the　Procurators　of　St。　Mark；

the　Avocatori；　all　think　and　act　exactly　as　it　suits　the　Doge's

pleasure　and　convenience！　　Every　soul　of　them　depends　as　much　on

that　one　man's　honour　and　caprices　as　puppets　do　who　nod　or　shake

their　wooden　heads　just　as　the　fellow　behind　the　curtain　thinks

proper　to　move　the　wires。



Parozzi。And　yet　the　populace　idolises　this　Andreas。



Memmo。Ay；　that　is　the　worst　part　of　the　story。



Falieri。But　never　credit　me　again　if　he　does　not　experience　a

reverse　of　fortune　speedily。



Contarino。That　might　happen　would　we　but　set　our　shoulders　to　the

wheel　stoutly。　　But　what　do　we　do？　　We　pass　our　time　in　taverns；

drink　and　game；　and　throw　ourselves　headlong　into　such　an　ocean　of

debts；　that　the　best　swimmer　must　sink　at　last。　　Let　us　resolve　to

make　the　attempt。　　Let　us　seek　recruits　on　all　sides；　let　us　labour

with　all　our　might　and　main。　　Things　must　change；　or　if　they　do　not；

take　my　word　for　it；　my　friends；　this　world　is　no　longer　a　world　for

us。



Memmo。Nay；　it's　a　melancholy　truth；　that　during　the　last　half…year

my　creditors　have　been　ready　to　beat　my　door　down　with　knocking。　　I

am　awakened　out　of　my　sleep　in　the　morning；　and　lulled　to　rest　again

at　night　with　no　other　music　than　their　eternal　clamour。



　Parozzi。Ha！　ha！　ha！　　As　for　me；　I　need　not　tell　you　how　I　am

suited。



Falieri。Had　we　been　less　extravagant；　we　might　at　this　moment　have

been　sitting　quietly　in　our　palaces；　but　as　things　stand　now　…



Parozzi。Well；　as　things　stand　nowI　verily　believe　that　Falieri

is　going　to　moralise。



Contarino。That　is　ever　the　way　with　old　sinners　when　they　have

lost　the　power　to　sin　any　longer。　　Then　they　are　ready　enough　to

weep　over　their　past　life；　and　talk　loudly　about　repentance　and

reformation。　　Now；　for　my　own　part；　I　am　perfectly　well　satisfied

with　my　wanderings　from　the　common　beaten　paths　of　morality　and

prudence。　　They　serve　to　convince　me　that　I　am　not　one　of　your

every…day　men；　who　sit　cramped　up　in　the　chimney…corner；　lifeless；

phlegmatic；　and　shudder　when　they　hear　of　any　extraordinary

occurrence。　　Nature　evidently　has　intended　me　to　be　a　libertine；　and

I　am　determined　to　fulfil　my　destination。　　Why；　if　spirits　like　ours

were　not　produced　every　now　and　then；　the　world　would　absolutely　go

fast　asleep；　but　we　rouse　it　by　deranging　the　old　order　of　things；

force　mankind　to　quicken　their　snail's　pace；　furnish　a　million　of

idlers　with　riddles　which　they　puzzle　their　brains　about　without

being　able　to　comprehend；　infuse　some　hundreds　of　new　ideas　into　the

heads　of　the　great　multitude；　and；　in　short；　are　as　useful　to　the

world　as　tempests　are；　which　dissipate　those　exhalations　with　which

Nature　otherwise　would　poison　herself。



Falieri。Excellent　sophistry；　by　my　honour。　　Why；　Contarino；

ancient　Rome　has　had　an　irreparable　loss　in　not　having　numbered　you

among　her　orators。　　It　is　a　pity；　though；　that　there　should　be　so

little　that's　solid　wrapped　up　in　so　many　fine…sounding　words。　　Now

learn　that　while　you；　with　this　rare　talent　of　eloquence；　have　been

most　unmercifully　wearing　out　the　patience　of　your　good…natured

hearers；　Falieri　has　been　in　ACTION。　　The　Cardinal　Gonzaga　is

discontented　with　the　governmentHeaven　knows　what　Andreas　has　done

to　make　him　so　vehemently　his　enemybut；　in　short；　Gonzaga　now

belongs　to　our　party。



Parozzi　（with　astonishment　and　delight）。Falieri；　are　you　in　your

senses？　　The　Cardinal　Gonzaga？



Falieri。Is　ours；　and　ours　both　body　and　soul。　　I　confess　I　was

first　obliged　to　rhodomontade　a　good　deal　to　him　about　our

patriotism；　our　glorious　designs；　our　love　for　freedom；　and　so

forth；　in　short；　Gonzaga　is　a　hypocrite；　and　therefore　is　Gonzaga

the　fitter　for　us。



Contarino　（clasping　Falieri's　hand）。Bravo；　my　friend！　　Venice

shall　see　a　second　edition　of　Catiline's　conspiracy。　　Now；　then；　it

is　MY　turn　to　speak；　for　I　have　not　been　idle　since　we　parted。　　In

truth；　I　have　as　yet　CAUGHT　nothing；　but　I　have　made　myself　master

of　an　all…powerful　net；　with　which　I　doubt　not　to　capture　the　best

half　of　Venice。　　You　all　know　the　Marchioness　Olympia？



Parozzi。Does　not　each　of　us　keep　a　list　of　the　handsomest　women　in

the　Republic；　and　can　we　have　forgotten　number　one？



Falieri。Olympia　and　Rosabella　are　the　goddesses　of　Venice；　our

youths　burn　incense　on　no　other　altars。



Contarino。Olympia　is　my　own。



Falieri。How？



Parozzi。Olympia？



Contarino。Why；　how　now？　　Why　stare　ye　as　had　I　prophesied　to　you

that　the　skies　were　going　to　fall？　　I　tell　you　Olympia's　heart　is

mine；　and　that　I　possess　her　entire　and　most　intimate　confidence。

Our　connection　must　remain　a　profound　secret；　but　depend　on　it；

whatever　_I_　wish　SHE　wishes　also；　and　you　know　she　can　make　half

the　nobility　in　Venice　dance　to　the　sound　of　her　pipe；　let　her　play

what　tune　she　pleases。



Parozzi。Contarino；　you　are　our　master。



Contarino。And　you　had　not　the　least　suspicion　how　powerful　an　ally

I　was　labouring　to　procure　for　you？



Parozzi。I　must　blush　for　myself　while　I　listen　to　you；　since　as

yet　I　have　done　nothing。　　Yet　this　I　must　say　in　my　excuse：　　Had

Matteo；　bribed　by　my　gold；　accomplished　Rosabella's　murder；　the　Doge

would　have　been　robbed　of　that　chain　with　which　he　holds　the　chief

men　in　Venice　attached　to　his　government。　　Andreas　would　have　no

merit；　were　Rosabella　once　removed。　　The　most　illustrious　families

would　care　no　longer　for　his　friendship　with　their　hopes　of　a

connection　with　him　by　means　of　his　niece　buried　in　her　grave。

Rosabella　will　one　day　be　the　Doge's　heiress。



Memmo。All　that　I　can　do　for　you　in　this　business　is　to　provide　you

with　pecuniary　supplies。　　My　old　miserable　uncle；　whose　whole

property　becomes　mine　at　his　death；　has　brimful　coffers；　and　the　old

miser　dies　whenever　I　say　the　word。



　Falieri。You　have　suffered　him　to　live　too　long　already。