Rosabella opened her eyes; their first look fell upon the bravo.
"Oh, God of mercy!" she exclaimed, "he is still there. Methought,
too, that Flodoardo -. No, no; it could not be! I was deceived by
witchcraft."
Abellino advanced towards her, and attempted to raise her. She
shrunk from his touch with horror.
"No, Rosabella," said the bravo, in an altered voice, "what you saw
was no illusion. Your favoured Flodoardo is no other than Abellino
the bravo."
"It is false!" interrupted Rosabella, starting from the ground in
despair, and throwing herself for refuge on Camilla's bosom.
"Monster! thou canst not be Flodoardo! such a fiend can never have
been such a seraph. Flodoardo's actions were good and glorious as a
demi-god's! 'Twas of him that I learned to love good and glorious
actions, and 'twas he who encouraged me to attempt them myself; his
heart was pure from all mean passions, and capable of conceiving all
great designs. Never did he scruple, in the cause of virtue, to
endure fatigue and pain, and to dry up the tears of suffering
innocence--that was Flodoardo's proudest triumph! Flodoardo and
thou--! Wretch, whom many a bleeding ghost has long since accused
before the throne of heaven, darest thou to profane the name of
Flodoardo!"
Abellino (proud and earnest).--Rosabella, wilt thou forsake me?
Wilt thou retract thy promise? Look, Rosabella, and be convinced:
I, the bravo, and thy Flodoardo are the same.
He said, removing the patch from his eye, and passed a handkerchief
over his face once or twice. In an instant his complexion was
altered, his bushy eyebrows and straight black hair disappeared, his
features were replaced in their natural symmetry, and lo! the
handsome Florentine stood before the whole assembly, dressed in the
habit of the bravo Abellino.
Abellino.--Mark me, Rosabella! Seven times over, and seven times
again, will I change my appearance, even before your eyes, and that
so artfully that, study me as you will, the transformation shall
deceive you. But change as I may, of one thing be assured: I am
the man whom you loved as Flodoardo.
The Doge gazed and listened without being able to recover from his
confusion, but every now and then the words "Dreadful! dreadful!"
escaped from his lips, and he wrung his hands in agony. Abellino
approached Rosabella, and said in the tone of supplication:
"Rosabella, wilt thou break thy promise? Am I no longer dear to
thee?"
Rosabella was unable to answer; she stood like one changed to a
statue, and fixed her motionless eyes on the bravo.