for I warrant you the doge's spies are abroad in search of us by this. But as soon as the pursuit is over, be it our first business to find out Matteo's murderer, and throttle him out of hand as a warning to all others.'

All. "Bravo! bravissimo!"

Pietrino. "And from this day forth I vote, that Thomaso should be our captain."

Abellino. "To which I say amen with all my heart. Now then all is decided."

END OF THE FIRST BOOK.

BOOK THE SECOND

CHAPTER I.

THE BIRTHDAY.

IN solitude and anxiety, with barred windows and bolted doors, did the banditti pass the day immediately succeeding Matteo's murder; every murmur in the street appeared to them a cause of apprehension; every footstep which approached their doors made them tremble till it had passed them.

In the mean while the ducal palace blazed with splendour and resounded with mirth. The doge celebrated the birthday of his fair niece, Rosabella; and the feast was honoured by the presence of the chief persons of the city, of the foreign ambassadors, and of many illustrious strangers who were at that time resident in Venice.

On this occasion no expense had been spared, no source of pleasure had been neglected. The arts contended with each other for superiority; the best poets in Venice celebrated this day with powers excelling any thing which they had before exhibited, for the subject of their verses was Rosabella; the musicians and virtuosi surpassed all their former triumphs, for their object was to obtain the suffrage of Rosabella. The singular union of all kinds of pleasure intoxicated the imagination of every guest; and the genius of delight extended his influence over the whole assembly, over the old man and the youth, over the matron and the virgin.

The venerable Andreas had seldom been seen in such high spirits as on this occasion. He was all life; smiles of satisfaction played round his lips; gracious and condescending to every one, he made it his chief care to pre

vent his rank from being felt. Sometimes he trifled with the ladies, whose beauty formed the greatest ornament of this entertainment; sometimes he mingled among the masks, whose fantastic appearance and gaiety of conversation enlivened the ball-room by their variety; at other times he played chess with the generals and admirals of the republic; and frequently he forsook every thing to gaze with delight on Rosabella's dancing, or listen in silent rapture to Rosabella's music.

Lomellino, Conari, and Paolo Manfrone, the doge's three confidential friends and counsellors, in defiance of their grey hairs, mingled in the throng of youthful beauties, flirted first with one, and then with another, and the arrows of raillery were darted and received on both sides with spirit and good humour.

66

Now, Lomellino," said Andreas to his friend, who entered the saloon, in which the doge was at that time accidentally alone with his niece, " you seem in gayer spirits this evening than when we were lying before Scardona, and had so hard a game to play against the Turks."

Lomellino." I shall not take upon me to deny that, signor. I still think with a mixture of terror and satisfaction on the night when we took Scardona, and carried the half-moon before the city walls. By my soul, our Venetians fought like lions."

Andreas. "Fill this goblet to their memory, my old soldier; you have earned your rest bravely."

Lomellino. 66 Ay, signor, and oh, it is so sweet to rest on laurels! But, in truth, 't is to you that I am indebted for mine; it is you who have immortalised me. No soul on earth would have known that Lomellino existed, had he not fought in Dalmatia and Sicilia under the banners of the great Andreas, and assisted him in raising eternal trophies in honour of the republic."

Andreas.

My good Lomellino, the Cyprus wine has heated your imagination."

Lomellino. Nay, I know well I ought not to call you great, and praise you thus openly to your face; but faith, signor, I am grown too old for it to be worth my while to flatter. That is a business which I leave to our young

courtiers, who have never yet come within the smell of powder, and never have fought for Venice and Andreas.” Andreas. "You are an old enthusiast! Think you the emperor is of the same opinion?"

Lomellino." Unless Charles the Fifth is deceived by those about him, or is too proud to allow the greatness of an enemy, he must say, perforce, There is but one man on earth whom I fear, and who is worthy to contend with me, and that man is Andreas.'

Andreas. "I suspect he will be sorely displeased when he receives my answer to the message by which he notified to me the imprisonment of the French king."

Lomellino." Displeased he will be, signor, no doubt of it; but what then? Venice need not fear his displeasure, while Andreas still lives. But when you and your heroes are once gone to your eternal rest-thẹn, alas! for thee, poor Venice. I fear your golden times will soon come to

their conclusion."

Andreas. "What! Have we not many young officers of great promise ?”

Lomellino. "Alas! what are most of them? Heroes in the fields of Venus! Heroes at a drinking bout ! Effeminate striplings, relaxed both in mind and body! But how I am running on, forgetful-Ah! when one is grown old, and conversing with an Andreas, it is easy to forget every thing else. My lord, I sought you with a request; a request, too, of consequence."

Andreas. "You excite my curiosity.”

Lomellino. "About a week ago, there arrived here a young Florentine nobleman called Flodoardo, a youth of noble appearance and great promise.”

Andreas. "Well?"

Lomellino. "His father was one of my dearest friends; he is dead now, the good old generous nobleman ! In our youth we served together on board the same vessel, and many a turbaned head has fallen beneath his sword. Ah, he was a brave soldier!"

Andreas. "While celebrating the father's bravery, you seem to have quite forgotten the son."

Lomellino." His son is arrived in Venice, and wishes

I entreat you,

to enter into the service of the republic. give the young man some respectable situation; he will prove the boast of Venice, when we shall be in our graves; on that would I hazard my existence!"

Andreas. "Has he sense and talent?"

He is

Lomellino. "That he has, and a heart like his father's. Will it please you to see and converse with him? yonder, among the masks in the great saloon.

One thing

I must tell you, as a specimen of his designs. He has heard of the banditti who infest Venice; and he engages, that the first piece of service which he renders the republic shall be the delivering into the hands of justice these concealed assassins, who hitherto have eluded the vigilance of our police.'

Andreas. "Indeed! I doubt that promise will be too much for his power to perform. Flodoardo, I think you

called him? Tell him I would speak with him.”

Lomellino. "Oh, then I have gained at least the half of my cause, and, I believe, the whole of it; for to see Flodoardo, and not to like him, is as difficult as to look at Paradise, and not wish to enter. To see Flodoardo, and to hate him, is as unlikely as that a blind man should hate the kind hand which removes the cataract from his eyes, and pours upon them the blessings of light, and beauties of nature."

Andreas (smiling). "In the whole course of our acquaintance, Lomellino, never did I hear you so enthusiastic. Go, then; conduct this prodigy hither."

Lomellino. "I hasten to find him. And as for you, signora, look to yourself! look to yourself, I say!"

Rosabella. "Nay, prithee, Lomellino, bring your hero hither without delay; you have raised my curiosity to the height."

Lomellino quitted the saloon.

Andreas. "How comes it that you rejoin not the dancers, my child?”

Rosabella. "I am weary, and, besides, curiosity now detains me here, for I would fain see this Flodoardo, whom Lomellino thinks deserving of such extraordinary praise. Shall I tell you the truth, my dear uncle? I verily believe