Heinrich Zschokke

“ Monsieur Hautmartin, I deem it an honor to call thee my son-in-law.”
Then Marietta went out and wept bitterly, and hated the beautiful cup with all her heart.
But the justice, drawing the palm of his flabby hand over his nose, spoke thus judiciously:
“Mother Manon, hurry nothing. The dove will at length, when it learns to know me better, give way. I am not impetuous. I have some skill among women, and before a quarter of a year passes by I will insinuate myself into Marietta’s good graces.” ”

“ There is one moral monster the less on earth. I have committed no sin by this murder; I have but performed a sacred duty. Aid me, thou Great and Good, for arduous is the task before me. Ah, should that task be gone through with success, and Rosabella be the reward of my labours—Rosabella? What, shall the Doge’s niece bestow on the outcast Abellino? Oh, madman that I am to hope it, never can I reach the goal of my wishes! No, never was there frenzy to equal mine. To attach myself at first sight to—Yet Rosabella alone is capable of thus enchanting at first sight—Rosabella and Valeria? ”

“ Philip saw that his companion was of high rank and a little tipsy, and answered: "I sing better over a glass of wine in a warm room, than when up to my waist in snow."
They had now reached Mary Street, and Philip sang and blew the horn.
"Ha! that's but a poor performance," exclaimed the mask, who had accompanied him thither. "Give me the horn! I shall blow so well that you'll half die with delight."
Philip yielded to the mask's wishes, and let him sing the verses and blow. For four or five times all was done as if the stranger had been a watchman all his life. ”

“ A queen would not be ashamed to raise it to her lips. Only see: the edge is of dazzling gold, and the flowers upon it could not bloom more beautifully in the garden, although they are only painted. And in the midst of this Paradise! pray see, Marietta, how the apples are smiling on the trees. They are verily tempting. And Adam cannot withstand it, as the enchanting Eve offers him one for food! And do see how prettily the little frisking lamb skips around the old tiger, and the snow-white dove with her golden throat stands there before the vulture, as if she would caress him. ”

“ Disguised as a bravo, I dared to enter the assembly of those ruthless villains, whose daggers laid Venice waste. I have endured for your sakes storm, and rain, and frost, and heat; I have watched for your safety while you were sleeping. Venice owes to my care her constitution and your lives; and yet are my services deserving of no reward? All this have I done for Rosabella of Corfu, and yet will you withhold from me my promised bride? I have saved you from death, have saved the honour of your wives, and the throats of your innocent children from the knife of the assassin. Men! men! ”

“ I honor the Marshal, and, for my part, do not like to give him pain."
The Widow looked at him for some time in speechless amazement.
"If you have indeed any regard for me," continued Philip, "you will go with the Marshal to Poland, to visit your relations. 'T is better that we should not meet so often. A beautiful woman is beautiful—but a pure and virtuous woman is more beautiful still."
"Prince!" cried the astonished Widow, "are you really in earnest? Have you ever loved me, or have you all along deceived?" ”

“ His movements were but the fearful imaginings of Marietta. Now she returned again on her way toward the palms; but his sleep might perhaps be only dissembled—swiftly she ran toward the cottage—but who would flee for a mere probability? She trod more boldly the path toward the palms.
With these fluctuations of her timid and joyous spirit, between fright and curiosity, with these to-and-fro trippings between the house and the palm-trees, she at length nearly approached the sleeper; at the same time curiosity became more powerful than fear. ”

“ Ha, Abellino fears not Venice; ’tis Venice that fears Abellino! You would have me abjure my profession? Well, Andreas, there is one condition, which, perhaps—”
“Name it,” cried the Doge, eagerly; “will ten thousand sequins purchase your departure from the Republic?”
“I would gladly give you twice as much myself, could you recall the insult of offering Abellino so miserable a bribe! No, Andreas, but one price can pay me: give me your niece for my bride. I love Rosabella, the daughter of Guiscard of Corfu.”
“Monster—what insolence!”
“Ho! ho! Patience, patience, good uncle, that is to be. ”

“ Philip laid a purse upon the table.
"There are two-and-twenty dollars that I have saved. I can do very well without them; take them for a New Year's gift, and then we can all three enter on the new year without a debt or a care. God grant that we may end it in health and happiness! Heaven in its goodness will provide for both you and me!"
Tears came into Mother Katharine's eyes as she kissed her son; old Gottlieb said: "Philip, you are the prop and stay of our old age. Continue to be honest and good, and to love your parents, so will a blessing rest on you. ”

“ Now, who else should it be but the archwicked Colin.
So it was he who had annoyed the gentle maiden, and given her so much trouble with Monsieur Hautmartin, because he bore a grudge against her; he had been the one who had teased her with flowers, in order to torture her curiosity. Wherefore? He hated Marietta. He behaved himself always most shamefully toward the poor child. He avoided her when he could; and when he could not, he grieved the good-natured little one. With all the other maidens of Napoule he was more chatty, friendly, courteous, than toward Marietta. ”

“ Lomellino.—I shall not take upon me to deny that, signor. I still think with a mixture of terror and satisfaction on the night when we took Scardona, and carried the half-moon before the city walls. By my soul, our Venetians fought like lions.
Andreas.—Fill this goblet to their memory, my old soldier; you have earned your rest bravely.
Lomellino.—Aye, signor, and oh, it is so sweet to rest on laurels. But in truth, ’tis to you that I am indebted for mine; it is you who have immortalised me. ”

“ The father is dead, and the son is a Venetian bravo! When my preceptors praised and admired me, and, carried away by the warmth of their feelings, clapped my shoulder, and exclaimed, ‘Count, thou wilt immortalise the ancient race of Rosalvo!’ Ha, in those blessed moments of sweet delirium, how bright and beauteous stood futurity before me! When, happy in the performance of some good deed, I returned home, and saw Valeria hasten to receive me with open arms, and when, while she clasped me to her bosom I heard her whisper ‘Oh, who could forbear to love the great Rosalvo?’ God! ”

“ When Philip had finished his narrative, the Prince clapped him on the shoulder and said: "Philip, listen! You're a sensible fellow. I can confide in you, and I am satisfied with you. What you have done in my name with the Chamberlain Pilzou, the Countess Bonau, the Marshal and his wife, Colonel Kali, and the Minister of Finance—I will maintain—as if I had done it myself. But, on the other hand, you must take all the blame of my doings with the horn and staff. As a penalty for your verses, you shall lose your office of watchman. ”

“ Marietta could not satisfy herself with looking. “Had I such a cup, mother!” said she, “it is far too beautiful to drink out of: I would place my flowers in it and constantly peep into Paradise. We are at the fair in Vence, but when I look on the picture I feel as if I were in Paradise.”
So spoke Marietta, and called her companions to the spot, to share her admiration of the cup: but the young men soon joined the maidens, until at length almost half the inhabitants of Napoule were assembled before the wonderfully beautiful cup. ”

“ Andreas.—Be that my task. Flodoardo has demanded my niece in marriage if he performs his promise. Rosabella shall be his reward.
All gazed on each other in silence; some with looks expressing the most heartfelt satisfaction, and others with glances of envy and surprise.
Falieri (in a low voice) .—Parozzi, how will this end?
Memmo.—As I live, the very idea makes me shake as if I had a fever.
Parozzi (smiling contemptuously) .—It’s very likely that Abellino should suffer himself to be caught!
Contarino.—Pray inform me, signors, have any of you ever met this Abellino face to face? ”

“ Have you no pity for the disconsolate Widow?"
Philip answered very politely: "Beautiful widows find no lack of comforters. May I venture to include myself amongst them?"
"Why are you so disobedient? and why have you not changed your mask?" said the Widow, while she led him aside that they might speak more freely. "Do you really fancy, Prince, that every one here does not know who you are?" ”

“ Your favoured Flodoardo is no other than Abellino the bravo.”
“It is false!” interrupted Rosabella, starting from the ground in despair, and throwing herself for refuge on Camilla’s bosom. “Monster! thou canst not be Flodoardo! such a fiend can never have been such a seraph. Flodoardo’s actions were good and glorious as a demi-god’s! ’Twas of him that I learned to love good and glorious actions, and ’twas he who encouraged me to attempt them myself; his heart was pure from all mean passions, and capable of conceiving all great designs. ”