United States or Tunisia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Abellino drew near the arbour; he tottered, as he passed its entrance, like one oppressed with sudden faintness, and attracted Rosabella's attention. "Alas, alas!" cried he, "is there no one at hand who will take compassion on the infirmity of a poor old man?" The Doge's fair niece quitted the arbour hastily, and flew to give assistance to the sufferer.
This was reassuring in one way, as tending to show that nobody knew anything about it, and therefore the trouble was not so great as it might have been; but the name, the name? At last Abellino himself came to help them in their search. Alexander used to go every Sunday to the church which Dame Kramm frequented, and, leaning against a column, would watch to see with whom the spinster conversed.
It is well enough to lay aside my mask among friends; but among strangers no, no! Are not these carnival times? I don't see why I shouldn't disguise myself as Abellino or Karl Moor, when Messieurs Gohier, Sieyes, Roger Ducos, Moulin and Barras are masquerading as kings of France." "And you entered the city masked?" "The city, the hotel, the dining-room.
Luckily for me, my father died betimes, and I went with my mother to Paris. My name displeased me, and as the most fashionable name just then happened to be Abellino, I changed my name Bélá into it. On the other hand, I could not forget the Hungarian language. But it does not matter. I know the nigger lingo just as well. It is no disparagement to a real gentleman."
In vain did the luxurious, the avaricious, and the hungry stretch their wits to the utmost, incited by the tempting promise of a thousand sequins. Abellino's prudence set all their ingenuity at defiance. But not the less did every one assert that he had recognised Abellino, sometimes in one disguise, and sometimes in another, as an old man, a gondolier, a woman, or a monk.
In the happy delirium of this moment, nothing but Andreas and his friends were attended to; no one was aware that the conspirators and the self-murderer Contarino were removed by the guards from the saloon; no one but Camilla observed Rosabella, who threw herself sobbing on the bosom of the handsome bravo, and repeated a thousand times, "Abellino, then, is not a murderer!"
"To-day!" hoarsely murmured Abellino; "and on whom am I to show my skill?" "Nay, to say truth, 'tis but a woman; but one must not give too difficult a task to a young beginner. I will myself accompany you, and see how you conduct yourself in the first trial." "Hum!" said Abellino, and measured Matteo with his eye from head to foot.
Say a word in my favour, then, good Lord Cardinal. Address not thyself to ME, miscreant. What canst thou and I have to do together? Venerable Andreas, delay no longer; let the guards be called in. Abellino. What? Is there then no hope for me? Does no one feel compassion for the wretched Abellino? What! ALL! 'Tis enough. Then my fate is decided call in your guards. Mercy, mercy!
On the third Sunday Abellino appeared upon the scene also. The worthy spinster told him the marvellous story of how Fanny and her aunt had unexpectedly disappeared one night without telling her whither they had gone, which was not very nice of them; but she suspected that they had flitted to Mr.
"Mon cher Abellino!" said Fennimore, who chanced to be standing by him, and never had his thin drawling voice seemed so offensive, "it looks very much as if you owed me a thousand ducats. Ha, ha, ha!"
Word Of The Day