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.




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