"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 does--much 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!"