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"And if I refuse?" said he. The Count made a significant gesture. "I am not so foolish as to threaten a man of your mettle. But perhaps you are unaware what the consequences would be to the lady." Polixena, at this, struggling to her feet, addressed a few impassioned words to the Count and her father; but the latter put her aside with an obdurate gesture. The Count turned to Tony.
Polixena at this burst into tears, and Tony said to himself: "Why in heaven does she not bid me show the letter?" Then he remembered that it had no superscription, and that the words it contained, supposing them to have been addressed to himself, were hardly of a nature to disarm suspicion.
I'll not accept your sacrifice. I will not lift a finger to help another man to marry you." "Oh, madman, madman!" she murmured. Tony, with crossed arms, faced her squarely, and she leaned against the wall a few feet off from him. Her breast throbbed under its lace and falbalas, and her eyes swam with terror and entreaty. "Polixena, I love you!" he cried.
"Oh, my poor boy, my poor love 'I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, POLIXENA!" He thought she had turned light-headed, and advanced to her with soothing words; but she held him quietly at arm's length, and as he gazed he read the truth in her face. He fell back from her, and a sob broke from him as he bowed his head on his hands.
The Senator, at this, would have burst forth again; but the Count, stepping between, answered quickly: "His grievance against you is that you have been detected in secret correspondence with his daughter, the most noble Polixena Cador, the betrothed bride of this gentleman, the most illustrious Marquess Zanipolo " and he waved a deferential hand at the frowning hidalgo of the cape and ruff.
And they think you rich my father does, and the others I don't know why, unless you have shown your money too freely and the English are all rich, are they not? And oh, oh do you understand? Oh, I can't bear your eyes!" She dropped into a chair, her head on her arms, and Tony in a flash was at her side. "My poor child, my poor Polixena!" he cried, and wept and clasped her.
Polixena" he read; but hardly had he seized the sense of the words when a hand fell on his shoulder, and a stern-looking man in a cocked hat, and bearing a kind of rod or mace, pronounced a few words in Venetian.
"Why, my cock, that's very handsome of you, considering the rope's at your throats. But we'll not take advantage of your generosity, for I fear Mr. Bracknell has already trespassed on it too long. You pack of galley-slaves, you!" he spluttered suddenly, "decoying young innocents with that devil's bait of yours " His eye fell on Polixena, and his voice softened unaccountably.
He exchanged a word or two with the mace-bearer and again turned to Tony. "You have been seen concealing a letter about your person " "And what of that?" says Tony furiously. "Gently, gently, my master. A letter handed to you by the page of Donna Polixena Cador. A black business! Oh, a very black business! This Cador is one of the most powerful nobles in Venice I beseech you, not a word, sir!
There was a perceptible pause, during which Tony, while appearing to look straight before him, managed to deflect an interrogatory glance toward Polixena. Her reply was a faint negative motion, accompanied by unmistakable signs of apprehension. "Poor girl!" he thought, "she is in a worse case than I imagined, and whatever happens I must keep her secret." He turned to the Senator with a deep bow.
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