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Two evenings had elapsed since the Doge's entertainment. On the second, Parozzi sat in his own apartment, with Memmo and Falieri. Dimly burnt the lights; lowering and tempestuous were the skies without; gloomy and fearful were the souls of the libertines within.
Parozzi (after a long silence).--What, are you both dreaming? Ho, there, Memmo, Falieri, fill your goblets.
Memmo (with indifference).--Well, to please you--. But I care not for wine to-night.
Falieri.--Nor I. Methinks it tastes like vinegar: yet the wine itself is good: 'tis our ill temper spoils it.
Parozzi.--Confound the rascals.
Memmo.--What, the banditti?
Parozzi.--Not a trace of them can be found. It is enough to kill one with vexation.
Falieri.--And in the meanwhile the time runs out, our projects will get wind, and then we shall sit quietly in the State prisons of Venice, objects of derision to the populace and ourselves. I could tear my flesh for anger. (A universal silence.)
Parozzi (striking his hand against the table passionately).-- Flodoardo, Flodoardo.
Falieri.--In a couple of hours I must attend the Cardinal Gonzaga, and what intelligence shall I have to give him?
Memmo.--Come, come, Contarino cannot have been absent so long without cause; I warrant you he will bring some news with him when he arrives.
Falieri.--Pshaw, pshaw! My life on't he lies at this moment at Olympia's feet, and forgets us, the Republic, the banditti, and himself.
Parozzi.--And so neither of you know anything of this Flodoardo?
Memmo.--No more than of what happened on Rosabella's birthday.
Falieri.--Well, then, I know one thing more about him; Parozzi is jealous of him.
Parozzi.--I? Ridiculous, Rosabella may bestow her hand on the German Emperor, or a Venetian gondolier, without its giving me the least anxiety.
Falieri.--Ha! ha! ha!
Memmo.--Well, one thing at least even envy must confess; Flodoardo is the handsomest man in Venice. I doubt whether there's a woman in the city who can resist him.
Parozzi.--And I should doubt it too, if women had as little sense as you have, and looked only at the shell without minding the kernel -
Memmo.--Which unluckily is exactly the thing which women always do -
Falieri.--The old Lomellino seems to be extremely intimate with this Flodoardo. They say he was well acquainted with his father.
Memmo.--It was he who presented him to the Doge.
Parozzi.--Hark!--Surely some one knocked at the palace door?
Memmo.--It can be none but Contarino. Now, then, we shall hear whether he has discovered the banditti.
Falieri (starting from his chair).--I'll swear to that footstep, it's Contarino.
The doors were thrown open. Contarino entered hastily, enveloped in his cloak.
"Good evening, sweet gentlemen," said he, and threw his mantle aside. And Memmo, Parozzi, and Falieri started back in horror.
"Good God!" they exclaimed, "what has happened? You are covered with blood?"
"A trifle!" cried Contarino; "is that wine? quick, give me a goblet of it, I expire with thirst."
Falieri (while he gives him a cup).--But, Contarino, you bleed?
Contarino.--You need not tell me that. I did not do it myself, I promise you.
Parozzi.--First let us bind up your wounds, and then tell us what has happened to you. It is as well that the servants should remain ignorant of your adventure; I will be your surgeon myself.
Contarino.--What has happened to me, say you? Oh! a joke, gentlemen, a mere joke. Here, Falieri, fill the bowl again.
Memmo.--I can scarcely breathe for terror.
Contarino.--Very possibly; neither should I, were I Memmo instead of being Contarino. The wound bleeds plenteously it's true, but it's by no means dangerous (he tore open his doublet, and uncovered his bosom). There, look, comrades; you see it's only a cut of not more than two inches deep.
Memmo (shuddering).--Mercy on me! the very sight of it makes my blood run cold.
Parozzi brought ointments and linen, and bound up the wound of his associate.
Contarino.--Old Horace is in the right. A philosopher can be anything he pleases, a cobbler, a king, or a physician. Only observe with what dignified address the philosopher Parozzi spreads that plaster for me. I thank you, friend; that's enough: and now, comrades, place yourselves in a circle round me, and listen to the wonders which I am going to relate.
Falieri.--Proceed.
Contarino.--As soon as it was twilight, I stole out, wrapped in my cloak, determined if possible to discover some of the banditti. I knew not their persons, neither were they acquainted with mine. An extravagant undertaking, perhaps, you will tell me; but I was resolved to convince you that everything which a man DETERMINES to do, may be done. I had some information respecting the rascals, though it was but slight, and on these grounds I proceeded. I happened by mere accident to stumble upon a gondolier, whose appearance excited my curiosity. I fell into discourse with him. I was soon convinced that he was not ignorant of the lurking-place of the bravoes, and by means of some gold and many fair speeches, I at length brought him to confess that though not regularly belonging to the band, he had occasionally been employed by them. I immediately made a bargain with him; he conducted me in his gondola through the greatest part of Venice, sometimes right, sometimes left, till I lost every idea as to the quarter of the town in which I found myself. At length he insisted on binding my eyes with his handkerchief, and I was compelled to submit. Half an hour elapsed before the gondola stopped. He told me to descend, conducted me through a couple of streets, and at length knocked at a door, where he left me still blindfolded. The door was opened; my business was inquired with great caution, and after some demur I was at length admitted. The handkerchief was now withdrawn from my eyes, and I found myself in a small chamber, surrounded by four men of not the most creditable appearance, and a young woman, who (it seems) had opened the door for me.
Falieri.--You are a daring fellow, Contarino.
Contarino.--Here was no time to be lost. I instantly threw my purse on the table, promised them mountains of gold, and fixed on particular days, hours, and signals which were necessary to facilitate our future intercourse. For the present I only required that Manfrone, Conari, and Lomellino should be removed with all possible expedition.
All.--Bravo.
Contarino.--So far everything went exactly as we could have wished, and one of my new associates was just setting out to guide me home, when we were surprised by an unexpected visit.
Parozzi.--Well?
Memmo (anxiously).--Go on, for God's sake!
Contarino.--A knocking was heard at the door; the girl went to inquire the cause. In an instant she returned pale as a corpse, and "Fly! fly!" cried she.
Falieri.--What followed?
Contarino.--Why then followed a whole legion of sbirri and police- officers, and who should be at their head but the Florentine stranger.
All.--Flodoardo? What, Flodoardo?
Contarino.--Flodoardo.
Falieri.--What demon could have guided him thither?
Parozzi.--Hell and furies! Oh, that I had been there.
Memmo.--There, now, Parozzi, you see at least that Flodoardo is no coward.
Falieri.--Hush, let us hear the rest.
Contarino.--We stood as if we had been petrified; not a soul could stir a finger. "In the name of the Doge and the Republic," cried Flodoardo, "yield yourselves and deliver your arms." "The devil shall yield himself sooner than we," exclaimed one of the banditti, and forced a sword from one of the officers. The others snatched their muskets from the walls; and as for me, my first care was to extinguish the lamp so that we could not tell friends from foes. But still the confounded moonshine gleamed through the window- shutters, and shed a partial light through the room. "Look to yourself, Contarino," thought I; "if you are found here, you will be hanged for company," and I drew my sword and made a plunge at Flodoardo; but, however well intended, my thrust was foiled by his sabre, which he whirled around with the rapidity of lightning. I fought like a madman, but all my skill was without effect on this occasion, and before I was aware of it, Flodoardo ripped open my bosom. I felt myself wounded, and sprang back. At that moment two pistols were fired, and the flash discovered to me a small side door, which they had neglected to beset. Through this I stole unperceived into the adjoining chamber, burst open the grated window, sprang below unhurt, crossed a courtyard, climbed two or three garden walls, gained the canal, where a gondola fortunately was waiting, persuaded the boatman to convey me with all speed to the Place of St. Mark, and thence hastened hither, astonished to find myself still alive. There's an infernal adventure for you.
Parozzi.--I shall go mad.
Falieri.--Everything we design is counteracted; the more trouble we give ourselves, the further we are from the goal.
Memmo.--I confess it seems to me as if Heaven gave us warning to desist. How say you?
Contarino.--Pshaw, these are trifles! Such accidents should only serve to sharpen our wits. The more obstacles I encounter, the firmer is my resolution to surmount them.
Falieri.--Do the banditti know who you are?
Contarino.--No; they are not only ignorant of my name, but suppose me to be a mere instrument of some powerful man, who has been injured by the ducal confederates.
Memmo.--Well, Contarino, in my mind you should thank Heaven that you have escaped so well.
Falieri.--But since he is an absolute stranger in Venice, how could Flodoardo discover the lurking place of the banditti?
Contarino.--I know not; probably by mere accident like myself, but by the Power that made me, he shall pay dearly for this wound.
Falieri.--Flodoardo is rather too hasty in making himself remarked.
Parozzi.--Flodoardo must die.
Contarino (filling a goblet).--May his next cup contain poison.
Falieri.--I shall do myself the honour of becoming better acquainted with the gentleman.
Contarino.--Memmo, we must needs have full purses, or our business will hang on hand wofully.
When does your uncle take his departure to a better world?
Memmo.--To-morrow evening, and yet--ugh, I tremble.
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