第44章

"Guard them well," said Abellino, in a terrible voice to the sentinels; "you have your orders. Noble Venetians, look on these villains; it is to them that you are indebted for the loss of your three citizens. I accuse of those murders one, two, three, four, and my good Lord Cardinal there has the honour to be the fifth."Motionless and bewildered stood the accused; tale-telling confusion spoke in every feature that the charge was true, and no one was bold enough to contradict Abellino.

"What can all this mean?" asked the senators of each other, in the utmost surprise and confusion.

"This is all a shameful artifice," the Cardinal at length contrived to say; "the villain, perceiving that he has no chance of escaping punishment, is willing, out of mere resentment, to involve us in his destruction."Contarino (recovering himself ).--In the wickedness of his life he has surpassed all former miscreants, and now he is trying to surpass them in the wickedness of his death.

Abellino (with majesty).--Be silent. I know your whole plot, have seen your list of proscriptions, am well informed of your whole arrangement, and at the moment that I speak to you the officers of justice are employed, by my orders, in seizing the gentlemen with the white ribbons round their arms, who this very night intended to overturn Venice. Be silent, for defence were vain.

Andreas (in astonishment)--Abellino, what is the meaning of all this?

Abellino.--Neither more nor less than that Abellino has discovered and defeated a conspiracy against the constitution of Venice and the life of its Doge! The bravo, in return for your kind intention of sending him to destruction in a few hours, has preserved you from it.

Vitalba (to the accused).--Noble Venetians, you are silent under this heavy charge.

Abellino.--They are wise, for no defence can now avail them. Their troops are already disarmed, and lodged in separate dungeons of the State prison; visit them there, and you will learn more. You now understand probably that I did not order the doors of this saloon to be guarded for the purpose of seizing the terrible bravo Abellino, but of taking those heroes into secure custody.

And now, Venetians, compare together YOUR conduct and MINE. At the hazard of my life have I preserved the State from ruin. Disguised as a bravo, I dared to enter the assembly of those ruthless villains, whose daggers laid Venice waste. I have endured for your sakes storm, and rain, and frost, and heat; I have watched for your safety while you were sleeping. Venice owes to my care her constitution and your lives; and yet are my services deserving of no reward? All this have I done for Rosabella of Corfu, and yet will you withhold from me my promised bride? I have saved you from death, have saved the honour of your wives, and the throats of your innocent children from the knife of the assassin. Men! men! and yet will you send me to the scaffold?

Look on this list! See how many among you would have bled this night, had it not been for Abellino, and see where the miscreants stand by whom you would have bled! Read you not in every feature that they are already condemned by heaven and their own conscience?

Does a single mouth unclose itself in exculpation? Does a single movement of the head give the lie to my charge? Yet the truth of what I have advanced shall be made still more evident.

He turned himself to the conspirators"Mark me!" said he, "the first among you who acknowledges the truth shall receive a free pardon. I swear it, I, the bravo Abellino!"The conspirators remained silent. Suddenly Memmo started forward and threw himself trembling at the Doge's feet.

"Venetians," he exclaimed, "Abellino has told you true.""'Tis false, 'tis false!" exclaimed the accused altogether.

"Silence!" cried Abellino, in a voice of thunder, while the indignation which flamed in every feature struck terror into his hearers: "Silence, I say, and hear me, or rather hear the ghosts of your victims. Appear, appear!" cried this dreadful man, in a tone still louder: "'Tis time!"Again he sounded his whistle. The folding doors were thrown open, and there stood the Doge's much lamented friends--Conari, Lomellino, and Manfrone.

"We are betrayed!" shouted Contarino, who drew out a concealed dagger, and plunged it in his bosom up to the very hilt.