Part 14 (1/2)
”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, n.o.ble 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 friends.h.i.+p 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 t.i.tles, or who vainly decorate their insignificance with the glory obtained by the t.i.tles 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 reward--how 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 pa.s.s 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--yet Flodoardo seemed still unsatisfied. No sooner had the Doge's question struck his ear, than his countenance became dejected; and though his hand returned the pressure of Rosabella's, he shook his head mournfully, with an air of doubt, and cast on her a penetrating look, as would he have read the secrets of her inmost soul.
Andreas withdrew himself gently from Rosabella's arm, and for some time paced the apartment slowly, with a countenance sad and earnest.
Rosabella sank upon a sofa which stood near her, and wept.
Flodoardo eyed the Doge, and waited for his decision with impatience.
Thus pa.s.sed some minutes. An awful silence reigned through the chamber; Andreas seemed to be labouring with some resolution of dreadful importance. The lovers wished, yet dreaded, the conclusion of the scene, and with every moment their anxiety became more painful.
”Flodoardo!” at length said the Doge, and suddenly stood still in the middle of the chamber. Flodoardo advanced with a respectful air. ”Young man,” he continued, ”I am at length resolved; Rosabella loves you, nor will I oppose the decision of her heart; but Rosabella is much too precious to admit of my bestowing her on the first who thinks fit to demand her. The man to whom I give her must be worthy such a gift. She must be the reward of his services; nor can he do services so great that such a reward will not overpay them. Your claims on the Republic's grat.i.tude are as yet but trifling; an opportunity now offers of rendering as an essential service. The murderer of Conari, Manfrone, and Lomellino--go, bring him hither! Alive or dead, thou must bring to this palace the terrible banditti-king, ABELLINO!”
At this unexpected conclusion of a speech on which his happiness or despair depended, Flodoardo started back. The colour fled from his cheeks.
”My n.o.ble lord!” he said at length, hesitating, ”you know well that- -”
”I know well,” interrupted Andreas, ”how difficult a task I enjoin, when I require the delivery of Abellino. For myself I swear that I had rather a thousand times force my pa.s.sage with a single vessel through the whole Turkish fleet, and carry off the admiral's s.h.i.+p from the midst of them, than attempt to seize this Abellino, who seems to have entered into a compact with Lucifer himself: who is to be found everywhere and nowhere; whom so many have seen, but whom no one knows; whose cautious subtlety has brought to shame the vigilance of our State inquisitors, of the College of Ten, and of all their legions of spies and sbirri; whose very name strikes terror into the hearts of the bravest Venetians, and from whose dagger I myself am not safe upon my throne. I know well, Flodoardo, how much I ask; but I know also how much I proffer. You seem irresolute? You are silent? Flodoardo, I have long watched you with attention. I have discovered in you marks of a superior genius, and therefore I am induced to make such a demand. If any one is able to cope with Abellino, thou art the man. I wait your answer.”