FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131  
132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   >>   >|  
Excellency." "'Rations,' and 'pay,'" Cornaro answered scornfully, "to rouse the city and 'put it down'--at dead of night!" "Aye: since they chose this time for their own deed of darkness, we men-at-arms may not be dainty about the hour of retribution." "The Queen--my niece," said Andrea, taking a sudden resolution and throwing the reins across his horse's neck; "I will first go to her. Later I wait thy pleasure, Signor Rizzo; on the ramparts, or where thou wilt.--This is no lightsome night for a woman--a mere girl." "'A woman'--'a mere girl'!"--the Chief of Council began tauntingly. Cornaro's hand was upon his sword. "_Scusi!_" Rizzo said, suavely, being not yet ready for the break. "I meant no disrespect--but she is young to rule. If thou wilt take thy horse, we will first seek the Queen, who would speak with thee. Nay--not by that court--the winding mount is quieter." The Count of Tripoli and his companions had already left them and passed into the first court, in eager converse; but Cornaro was scarcely in the saddle before a sudden great uproar in the streets of the city beyond the fort arrested them. Cries, as of many men in concert, proclaiming Alfonso, son of Ferdinand of Naples, Prince of Galilee and Heir to the Crown of Cyprus--"by order of the _Council of the Realm_:" deafening shouts and threats of the citizens, protesting:--sounds of clashes of arms, terrorizing the people:--the sudden crash of the alarum bell, bursting forth anew to drown their protests:-- Then again the traitorous cries, passing off through the more distant streets of the city: "_Viva Alfonso--Prince of Galilee and Heir to the Crown of Cyprus!_" "What meaneth this insolence!" Cornaro cried, white with passion and instantly drawing his sword. * * * * * The Neapolitan was not braver than the Venetian--but with an infinitely cooler brain, well-skilled in villany and intrigue and troubled by no sense of honor, he seized his opportunity, and when his victim's arm was raised, he dealt him a desperate blow on the head which hurled him, with stunning force from his horse. And then, upon the pavement of the castle-court, having him at disadvantage and senseless from the blow, the valiant Chief of Council, cruelly and like no loyal knight, summoned his mercenaries to his aid and dispatched his enemy with quick sword-thrusts, bidding them toss the lifeless body into the moat that circled the ca
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131  
132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Cornaro
 

Council

 

sudden

 

Prince

 

Alfonso

 
streets
 
Cyprus
 

Galilee

 
bidding
 

traitorous


protests

 

thrusts

 
meaneth
 

insolence

 
dispatched
 

distant

 
passing
 
bursting
 

deafening

 

lifeless


shouts

 

threats

 

circled

 

citizens

 

protesting

 

alarum

 

sounds

 

clashes

 

terrorizing

 

people


Neapolitan

 
castle
 

victim

 

opportunity

 

seized

 
valiant
 

senseless

 
disadvantage
 

pavement

 
stunning

hurled
 

raised

 
desperate
 
cruelly
 

Venetian

 

infinitely

 
mercenaries
 

braver

 
passion
 

instantly