The Doge became uneasy. The senator Vitalba began to tremble for his thousand sequins, and the conspirators could not restrain their spiteful laughter, when Contarino gravely declared that he would gladly lose, not one thousand sequins, but twenty, if the loss of his wager through Abellino’s being captured might but secure the general safety of the Republic.
“Hark!” cried Rosabella, “the clock strikes five!”
All listened to the chimes in the tower of St. Mark’s Church, and trembled as they counted the strokes. Had not Camilla supported her, Rosabella would have sank upon the ground. The destined hour was past, and still Flodoardo came not!
The venerable Andreas felt a sincere affection for the Florentine; he shuddered as he dwelt upon the probability that Abellino’s dagger had prevailed.
Rosabella advanced towards her uncle as if she would have spoken to him; but anxiety fettered her tongue, and tears forced themselves into her eyes. She struggled for a while to conceal her emotions, but the effort was too much for her. She threw herself on a sofa, wrung her hands, and prayed to the God of mercy for help and comfort.
The rest of the company either formed groups of whisperers, or strolled up and down the apartment in evident uneasiness. They would willingly have appeared gay and unconcerned, but they found it impossible to assume even an affectation of gaiety, and thus elapsed another hour, and still Flodoardo came not.
At that moment the evening sun broke through the clouds, and a ray of its setting glory was thrown full upon the countenance of Rosabella. She started from the sofa, extended her arms towards the radiant orb, and exclaimed, while a smile of hope played round her lips, “God is merciful; God will have mercy on me.”
Contarino.—Was it at five o’clock that Flodoardo engaged to produce Abellino? It is now a full hour beyond his time.
The Senator Vitalba.—Let him only produce him at last, and he may be a month beyond his time if he choose.
Andreas.—Hark! No. Silence! silence! Surely I hear footsteps approaching the saloon.