--Mercy, mercy! Pardon him--pardon ABELLINO!
Abellino (in rapture).--Sayest thou so? Ho! ho! then an angel prays
for Abellino in his last moments.
Rosabella (clasping the Doge's knees).--Have mercy on him, my
friend, my father, he is a sinner; but leave him to the justice of
Heaven. He is a sinner, but oh, Rosabella loves him still.
Andreas (pushing her away with indignation).--Away, unworthy girl;
you rave.
Abellino folded his arms, gazed with eagerness on what was passing,
and tears gushed into his brilliant eyes. Rosabella caught the
Doge's hand, as he turned to leave her, kissed it twice, and said,
"If you have no mercy on HIM, then have none on ME. The sentence
which you pass on Abellino will be mine; 'tis for my own life that I
plead as well as Abellino's. Father, dear father, reject not my
suit, but spare him."
Andreas (in an angry and decided tone).--Abellino dies.
Abellino.--And can you look on with dry eyes while that innocent
dove bleeds at your feet? Go, barbarian; you never loved Rosabella
as she deserved. Now she is yours no longer. She is mine, she is
Abellino's.
He raised her from the ground, and pressed her pale lips against his
own.
"Rosabella, thou art mine; death alone can part us. Thou lovest me
as I WOULD be loved; I am blest whate'er may happen, and can now set
fortune at defiance. To business, then."
He replaced Rosabella, who was almost fainting, on the bosom of
Camilla, then advanced into the middle of the chamber, and addressed
the assembly with an undaunted air -
"Venetians, you are determined to deliver me up to the axe of
justice; there is for me no hope of mercy.
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