Authors: James Fenimore Cooper
"Thou dost not judge as the world judges, Carlo. I had feared thou
might'st feel shame at being the husband of a jailor's daughter; nay, I
will not hide the secret longer, since thou speakest so calmly, I have
wept that it should be so."
"Then thou hast neither understood the world nor me. Were thy father of
the Senate, or of the Council of Three, could the grievous fact be
known, thou would'st have cause to sorrow. But, Gelsomina, the canals
are getting dusky, and I must leave thee."
The reluctant girl saw the truth of what he said, and applying a key,
she opened the door of the covered bridge. A few turnings and a short
descent brought the Bravo and his companion to the level of the quays.
Here the former took a hurried leave and quitted the prison.
"But they who blunder thus are raw beginners."
DON JUAN.
The hour had come for the revels of the Piazza, and for the movement of
the gondolas. Maskers glided along the porticoes as usual; the song and
cry were heard anew, and Venice was again absorbed in delusive gaiety.
When Jacopo issued from the prison on the quay, he mingled with the
stream of human beings that was setting towards the squares, protected
from observation by the privileged mask. While crossing the lower bridge
of the canal of St. Mark, he lingered an instant, to throw a look at the
glazed gallery he had just quitted, and then moved forward with the
crowd—the image of the artless and confiding Gelsomina uppermost in his
thoughts. As he passed slowly along the gloomy arches of the Broglio,
his eye sought the person of Don Camillo Monforte. They met at the angle
of the little square, and exchanging secret signs, the Bravo moved on
unnoticed.
Hundreds of boats lay at the foot of the Piazzetta. Among these Jacopo
sought his own gondola, which he extricated from the floating mass, and
urged into the stream. A few sweeps of the oar, and he lay at the side
of La Bella Sorrentina. The padrone paced the deck, enjoying the cool of
the evening with Italian indolence, while his people, grouped on the
forecastle, sang, or rather chanted, a song of those seas. The greetings
were blunt and brief, as is usual among men of that class. But the
padrone appeared to expect the visit, for he led his guest far from the
ears of his crew, to the other extremity of the felucca.
"Hast thou aught in particular, good Roderigo?" demanded the mariner,
who knew the Bravo by a sign, and yet who only knew him by that
fictitious name. "Thou seest we have not passed the time idly, though
yesterday was a festa."
"Art thou ready for the gulf?"
"For the Levant, or the pillars of Hercules, as shall please the Senate.
We have got our yard aloft since the sun went behind the mountains, and
though we may seem careless of delay, an hour's notice will fit us for
the outside of the Lido."
"Then take the notice."
"Master Roderigo, you bring your news to an overstocked market. I have
already been informed that we shall be wanted to-night."
The quick movement of suspicion made by the Bravo escaped the
observation of the padrone, whose eye was running over the felucca's
gear, with a sailor's habitual attention to that part of his vessel,
when there was question of its service.
"Thou art right, Stefano. But there is little harm in repeated caution.
Preparation is the first duty in a delicate commission."'
"Will you look for yourself, Signor Roderigo?" said the mariner, in a
lower tone. "La Bella Sorrentina is not the Bucentaur, nor a galley of
the Grand Master of Malta; but, for her size, better rooms are not to be
had in the palace of the Doge. When they told me there was a lady in the
freight, the honor of Calabria was stirred in her behalf."
"'Tis well. If they have named to thee all the particulars, thou wilt
not fail to do thyself credit."
"I do not say that they have shown me half of them, good Signore,"
interrupted Stefano. "The secresy of your Venetian shipments is my
greatest objection to the trade. It has more than once happened to me,
that I have lain weeks in the canals, with my hold as clean as a
friar's conscience, when orders have come to weigh, with some such cargo
as a messenger, who has got into his berth as we cleared the port, to
get out of it on the coast of Dalmatia, or among the Greek islands."
"In such cases thou hast earned thy money easily."
"Diamine! Master Roderigo, if I had a friend in Venice to give timely
advice, the felucca might be ballasted with articles that would bring a
profit on the other shore. Of what concern is it to the Senate, when I
do my duty to the nobles faithfully, that I do my duty at the same time
to the good woman and her little brown children left at home in
Calabria?"
"There is much reason in what thou sayest, Stefano; but thou knowest the
Republic is a hard master. An affair of this nature must be touched with
a gentle hand."
"None know it better than I, for when they sent the trader with all his
movables out of the city, I was obliged to throw certain casks into the
sea, to make room for his worthless stuffs. The Senate owes me just
compensation for that loss, worthy Signor Roderigo!"
"Which thou would'st be glad to repair to-night?"
"Santissima Maria! You may be the Doge himself, Signore, for anything I
know of your countenance; but I could swear at the altar you ought to be
of the Senate for your sagacity! If this lady will not be burdened with
many effects, and there is yet time, I might humor the tastes of the
Dalmatians with certain of the articles that come from the countries
beyond the pillars of Hercules!"
"Thou art the judge of the probability thyself, since they told thee of
the nature of thy errand."
"San Gennaro of Napoli open my eyes!—They said not a word beyond this
little fact, that a youthful lady, in whom the Senate had great
interest, would quit the city this night for the eastern coast. If it is
at all agreeable to your conscience, Master Roderigo, I should be happy
to hear who are to be her companions?"
"Of that thou shalt hear more in proper season. In the meantime, I would
recommend to thee a cautious tongue, for St. Mark makes no idle jokes
with those who offend him. I am glad to see thee in this state of
preparation, worthy padrone, and wishing thee a happy night, and a
prosperous voyage, I commit thee to thy patron. But hold—ere I quit
thee, I would know the hour that the land-breeze will serve?"
"You are exact as a compass in your own matters, Signore, but of little
charity to thy friends! With the burning sun of to-day we should have
the air of the Alps about the turn of the night."
"'Tis well. My eye shall be on thee. Once more, addio!"
"Cospetto! and thou hast said nothing of the cargo?"
"'Twill not be so weighty in bulk as in value," carelessly answered
Jacopo, shoving his gondola from the side of the felucca. The fall of
his oar into the water succeeded, and as Stefano stood, meditating the
chances of his speculation on his deck, the boat glided away towards the
quay with a swift but easy movement.
Deceit, like the windings of that subtle animal the fox, often crosses
its own path. It consequently throws out those by whom it is practised,
as well as those who art meant to be its victims. When Jacopo parted
from Don Camillo, it was with an understanding that he should adopt all
the means that his native sagacity or his experience might suggest, to
ascertain in what manner the council intended to dispose of the person
of Donna Yioletta. They had separated on the Lido, and as none knew of
their interview but him, and none would probably suspect their recent
alliance, the Bravo entered on his new duty with some chances of
success, that might otherwise have been lost. A change of its agents, in
affairs of peculiar delicacy, was one of the ordinary means taken by the
Republic to avoid investigation. Jacopo had often been its instrument
in negotiating with the mariner, who, as has been so plainly intimated,
had frequently been engaged in carrying into effect its secret, and
perhaps justifiable measures of police; but in no instance had it ever
been found necessary to interpose a second agent between the
commencement and the consummation of its bargains, except in this. He
had been ordered to see the padrone, and to keep him in preparation for
immediate service; but since the examination of Antonio before the
council, his employers had neglected to give him any further
instructions. The danger of leaving the bride within reach of the agents
of Don Camillo was so obvious, that this unusual caution had been
considered necessary. It was under this disadvantage, therefore, that
Jacopo entered on the discharge of his new and important duties.
That cunning, as has just been observed, is apt to overreach itself, has
passed into a proverb; and the case of Jacopo and his employers was one
in point to prove its truth. The unusual silence of those who ordinarily
sought him on similar occasions, had not been lost on the agent; and the
sight of the felucca, as he strayed along the quays, gave an accidental
direction to his inquiries. The manner in which they were aided by the
cupidity of the Calabrian, has just been related.
Jacopo had no sooner touched the quay and secured his boat, than he
hastened again to the Broglio. It was now filled by maskers and the
idlers of the Piazzetta. The patricians had withdrawn to the scenes of
their own pleasures, or, in furtherance of that system of mysterious
sway which it was their policy to maintain, they did not choose to
remain exposed to the common eye, during the hours of license which were
about to follow.
It would seem that Jacopo had his instructions, for no sooner did he
make sure that Don Camillo had retired, than he threaded the throng with
the air of a man whose course was decided. By this time, both the
squares were full, and at least half of those who spent the night in
those places of amusement, were masked. The step of the Bravo, though so
unhesitating, was leisurely, and he found time, in passing up the
Piazzetta, to examine the forms, and, when circumstances permitted, the
features of all he met. He proceeded, in this manner, to the point of
junction between the two squares, when his elbow was touched by a light
hand.
Jacopo was not accustomed, unnecessarily, to trust his voice in the
square of St. Mark, and at that hour. But his look of inquiry was
returned by a sign to follow. He had been stopped by one whose figure
was so completely concealed by a domino, as to baffle all conjecture
concerning his true character. Perceiving, however, that the other
wished to lead him to a part of the square that was vacant, and which
was directly on the course he was about to pursue, the Bravo made a
gesture of compliance and followed. No sooner were the two apart from
the pressure of the crowd, and in a place where no eaves-dropper could
overhear their discourse without detection, than the stranger stopped.
He appeared to examine the person, stature, and dress of Jacopo, from
beneath his mask, with singular caution, closing the whole with a sign
that meant recognition. Jacopo returned his dumb show, but maintained a
rigid silence.
"Just Daniel!" muttered the stranger, when he found that his companion
was not disposed to speak; "one would think, illustrious Signore, that
your confessor had imposed a penance of silence, by the manner in which
you refuse to speak to your servant."
"What would'st thou?"
"Here am I, sent into the piazza, among knights of industry, valets,
gondoliers, and all other manner of revellers that adorn this Christian
land, in search of the heir of one of the most ancient and honorable
houses of Venice."
"How knowest thou I am he thou seekest?"
"Signore, there are many signs seen by a wise man, that escape the
unobservant. When young cavaliers have a taste for mingling with the
people in honorable disguise, as in the case of a certain patrician of
this Republic, they are to be known by their air, if not by their
voices."
"Thou art a cunning agent, Hosea; but the shrewdness of thy race is its
livelihood!"
"It is its sole defence against the wrongs of the oppressor, young
noble. We are hunted like wolves, and it is not surprising that we
sometimes show the ferocity of the beasts yon take us for. But why
should I tell the wrongs of my people to one who believes life is a
masquerade!"
"And who would not be sorry, ingenious Hosea, were it composed only of
Hebrews! But thy errand; I have no gage unredeemed, nor do I know that I
owe thee gold."
"Righteous Samuel! your cavaliers of the Senate are not always mindful
of the past, Signore, or these are words that might have been spared. If
your excellency is inclined to forget pledges, the fault is not of my
seeking; but as for the account that has been so long growing between
us, there is not a dealer on the Rialto that will dispute the proofs."
"Well, be it so—would'st thou dun my father's son in the face of the
revellers in St. Mark?"
"I would do no discredit to any come of that illustrious race, Signore,
and therefore we will say no more of the matter; always relying that, at
the proper moment, you will not question your own hand and seal."
"I like thy prudence, Hebrew. It is a pledge thou comest on some errand
less ungracious than common. As I am pressed for time, 'twill be a favor
wert thou to name it."
Hosea examined, in a covert but very thorough manner, the vacant spot
around them, and drawing nearer to the supposed noble, he continued:
"Signore, your family is in danger of meeting with a great loss! It is
known to you that the Senate has altogether and suddenly removed Donna
Violetta from the keeping of the faithful and illustrious senator your
father."
Though Jacopo started slightly, the movement was so natural for a
disappointed lover, that it rather aided than endangered his disguise.