Page:Peterson's Magazine 1842, Volume I.pdf/74

.

all my life, even to its secrets. I need not hesitate to tell you then that the Lady Beatrice, after having resisted ‘every persuasion on my part to induce her to elope, has at length deen driven to this alternative by the tyranny of her uncle. She has sent her nurse to tell me that if I will have @ gondola near the Duke's palace toward midnight, she will be ready there with her companion to fy. On you, therefore, I depend, Wemust move with great caution, else our plot will be discovered, for thia place is full of spies. I have chosen this public spat to conyerse with you as less likely to awaken suspicion. Be ready with a gondola to take me up neur the Rialto abulf hour before midnight. We will then hasten to the Vivaldo palace, receive our fair eharge, and skim over the lagunes to the main land. If we can once getout of the Venetian territory all will be safe. I have been to the main land and provided horses there for our party. You will not fail ie. Wait at tho Rialto for me.”

‘The man bowed in acknowledgment, muffied himself up carelessly, and then sauntereil out among the gay groups on the promenade. In a few minutes he was lost to sight, when the Signor moved in en opposite di- rection.

‘At that very hour two men were busily engaged in conversation in the Vivaldo palace. One of them is al- ready known to the reader in the person of Beatrice’s guardian—the other was a harsh, sinister looking young man of about eight-and-twenty. ‘This latter individual was the nephew of the Duke. He was speaking at the time,

“You say well, uncle, sharp measures must be used, if we cannot prevail otherwise. ‘I'he girl I am deter- mined to possess, even though Sathanus and all his Iegions should come up against me. Nor should we ‘hesitate to punish the lover for his presumption. I have Wonght hither a good bravo, who is even now waiting without—he has done one or two jobs for me before, I saw the Signor myself to-day, and the story goes that he ie about to join the army of the emperor. He hud a quarrel luckily to-day, as I have learnt by the spies I set to wateh him the instant I knew he wosin Venice. Now this gives us the game.”

“ How ?” said the uncle, pretending not to understand his nephew.

“Thus, uncle mine,” said the speaker, with a sardo- nic grin, “I will set my bravo bere on him. He will be stabbed to-night, wherever he can be found, or, if not to- night, tomorrow. The blow will be attributed to his ‘antagonist in this quarrel, and so the Signor will be got out of the way without suspicion attaching tous. We aball gain two things beside, by thie—we shall punish the presumption of the fellow, and leave the road for my- ‘self into Beatrice’s affections open.” ~ ‘The Duke made no verbal reply, but he smiled at the speaker with @ peculiar meaning. The younger man

63 waited no longer, but withdrew for a few minutes. When he returned he said nothing, but gave a significant nod. The Duke knew by the gesture that the fate of the Signor was sealed,

The last chime of the eleventh hour bad been struck when a stealthy figure might have been scon creeping afier the Signor as be took his way from the front of the Ducal palace toward the Rialto, The lover suuntered leisurely along, for it wanted yet a full half hour to the time when he bad appointed to meet his servant. Ashe passed the colonnade of St. Mark, whose masty pillars still eltest the magnificence of their builders, he paused a minute to took hack an the scene be was leaving. ‘The hum of many tongues still rose up from the crowded thoroughfare, although the groups were rapidly thinning away. Qur hero looked at the motley assembly # mo- ment, and then raised his eyes to the moon which was sailing peacefully across the firmament. The stealthy figure which we have pointed out ecized the opportunity to draw noisclessly near to the Signor, who, unconscious that any one dogged his footsteps, continued gazing at the placid mistress of night in rept delight. Several minutes thus passed during which the bravo~for the figure wee his—approached nearer and nearer to the lover, At length the bravo stood directly behind his victim, Quick as lightning he plucked = dagger from ita hiding place in his bosam, raised it aloft until it flashed in the cold moonshine, and then drove it swiftly and unertingly into the back of our hero. The Signor gave a groan and fell as if dead to the eurth. A group hurd by heard the fall and rushed hastily toward. hia; but ere they had reached the prostrate man the bravo had disappeared behind the neighboring pillars and escaped undetected into the crowd on the promensde.

“Is he dead 1” said ono of those who had come up, as the body of the wounded man was lifted up.

“He breathes yet—but the blood is flowing fast,—I fear it is a mortal wound; docs any one know him?” was the reply. :

“A leech—~a leech—make way for the lecch,” shouted a voice outside the group, for, by this time, a crowd, Tunning from all quarters, had gathered around the wounded man.

The leech jostled his way through the erowd, ap- proached the patient, and stooping dewn bent over him.

“Does any one know him?” he said, looking around the crowd.

“None, I believe,” said the man who hai sakod that question previously, “but here is a purse of good ducats which rolled from his pocket in his fall.”

will be a friend to the poor youth, He is badly woun- ded, I see; it may be even unto death. But we will do I that mortal can do for him—for, saith not Hippocrates ‘Tend ye the sick and suffering, though they be strun-
 * Ab!” said the leech, extending his hand for it, “I

�