"By Him who made me," cried he at length, "oh! thou art fair,
Rosabella; Valeria was not fairer."
He bowed himself down to her, and imprinted a burning kiss on the
pale cheeks of the beauty.
"Leave me, thou dreadful man," she stammered in terror; "oh, leave
me."
"Ah, Rosabella, why art thou so beauteous, and why am I--Knowest
thou who kissed thy cheek, Rosabella? Go, tell thy uncle, the proud
Doge--'TWAS THE BRAVO, ABELLINO," he said, and rushed out of the
arbour.
CHAPTER VII: THE BRAVO'S BRIDE.
It was not without good reason that Abellino took his departure in
such haste. He had quitted the spot but a few minutes, when a large
party accidentally strolled that way, and discovered with
astonishment the corpse of Matteo, and Rosabella pale and trembling
in the arbour.
A crowd immediately collected itself round them. It increased with
every moment, and Rosabella was necessitated to repeat what had
happened to her for the satisfaction of every newcomer.
In the meanwhile some of the Doge's courtiers, who happened to be
among the crowd, hastened to call her attendants together; her
gondola was already waiting for her, and the terrified girl soon
reached her uncle's palace in safety.
In vain was an embargo laid upon every other gondola; in vain did
they examine every person who was in the gardens of Dolabella at the
time, when the murdered assassin was first discovered. No traces
could be found of Abellino.
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