conversation stitlite. scenes help manuscript. F’dition, ing (I82o-5T), reviews) I. U 5( sition vented and bed, hours, never little felt Curious resolse the c
The Sen The the Ihomas oser or efforts and, joys saw si of and NliKE Wayne sexeral twice author occasional in (and seemed books. H to a pr the the in F and Rejected Cooper tale was a RI Philbrick know of (opvright in ofread my as F (loen wishes light, Franklin career same LANCE many this A MASY is November despair a a much ‘The In associate own at good source ing whether despondency passages nature, -subject, to for, Long his andjeffret a judgment, always the generousl other © thank loss as spanning WRITERS, deal what 2006 1837 dipli of provost was of
Bravo’ I I for his literary’ a SCHACHTERLE
Chapters could ioiam pleasure: a remarked h in hooks committed 1826 writer Walker, was could matter trael colleagues
False shared words. \muermcan proofs. for ic much which 8i not transcript James written little acadeinicaFairs, with make as creativity: and for his of come book the so that invariably great disgusted Author their
on (1831) ntojuarian chance; expertise out. to much more
Sir Start: best numerous against Fenimore was the I paper, on assistance found up Deepak and \Valter parts
of Editorial usually France, so, in and of than the with uorcester attends as Society me reading in
Cooperc the of that thirty—two original. Ramnamurthv practiced in that my Board so the pamphlets Scott commenting mere written Cooper three new I walks, thoroughly he Coopers going all composition always Pols of my compo recalled concern ideas the technic decades as at assisted or over own novels hand Cooper never he. in set on in and for this In— to in a 82 merican Aiitiquarieni Society
ssith the book,that I supposedevery one elsewould he disposed to viewit withthe sameeves.
When Paul Fenimore Cooper. Jr., generouslx donated the author’s manuscripts of The RedRozer (1827), The Brazo (1831), Satanstoe (1845), and The (7hainbearer(1845) to the American Antiquarian Socier in 1990, scholars gained a rare opportunity to recover, for The Bravo,one of Cooper’s ‘best parts ... [thatj never saw the light’—of print. With the nearly complete. holo graph rough draft of the entire novel were two chapters. num— bered by Cooper as XVIII and XIX (and the beginning of Chap ter XX), that proved to be completely different from chapters i8 through 20 in the noel as published in T831. These rejected chapters constitute by far the longest known false start among Cooper’s existing papers. This essay presents a diplomatic tran scription of the two rejected chapters and the start of XX, and speculates as to why Cooper rejected them in favor of the com pletely different chapters with which he replaced them.
Tm’ BR4vo MANUSCRIPT Responding on April 12, 1835, to a flattering request from the then Princess Victoria for an autograph of his work, Cooper wrote to an intermediary, Aaron Vail (United States chargé ti affaires in London), that he chose to honor the princess’srequest by
present[ing]myselfto Her RoyalHighness,republicanas I am, in my workingclothes. In other words I send a rough manuscript preciselyas it was written, and which contains a chapter of the Bravo.The workin question waswritten in this manner by myself and then copied by a secretary [his nephew William. his wife Susan,and daughter Susanall apparentlyservedin this capacity].
1. James Fennnore Cooper, Gleaningsin Europe:Fume, ‘t’homas Philhrickand Constance Avers Denne, edo. (‘Jban: State Uniersit> of New ‘irL Press, 1983), i i. Italics mine.
2. The Bnn’o, the first of Cooper’s three F’uropean novels sritten hue in Europe. i 8a —3I isas published in three volumes lis Colburn and Bentley. London, in rSat. ‘I ho ughout this essay. I use -\rabie numerals to refer to the thirty—one chapters in Se— qilence. rather than citing chapters as divided among the three olunics of the first cdi— lion: I folloss (.ooper’s use of Roman numerals refer to the reeeted chapters. cflr
The
‘-h7,&5””
41
opening
The —
Rejected
4.n41
;-
to
Chapter ,
chapters
test-’”
)424;_,
XIX.
44
Courtes} -4__
of -
Gooperc -.
American •
‘The fA 41 , Antiquarian
Binvo’ r 4:
(1831)
*4%
Society _ i’L
83
t
I I
composant
lex.
in picking
Chapter
ters (Cambridge
27
Windsor
chapters
to
ters
struct
on
ne
the
Princess
quence
lished
their
most
which
sheets
little
from
at
84 Beard, .
.
and Coope?s Most
1934),
XVHI-XX
the
that
the
they
The
nity correction,
the
able
two
Missing
rejected
The
r
the
8,
up
action
space
of
the top
30
Letters
American
Ia
are
chapters
American
hands
Letteiv
Cooper
of
and
Cooper
folios,
that
who
within
copy at
last 19,
of
has
collection
Victoria,
the
i8,
doubtless
I
getting
the
history
to from
larvard
9
is
that
at
two,
been
and
letter
and
the
discussed
(and take and
in
I/16
chapters
end
the
was
bottom,
thirty-one of
19
and
along
Journals,
the
the
de chapter
30
located Journals
‘rough
work
characteristically
had
merican
of
the
20 University
i
and
the
an
corrected
Iad.ame
Antiquarian
and
inches of
family
Antiquarian
8
too
the
the
American
to
discussed
thirty-six
were
is
in
and
insight
printers.
apparently
this
with
trouble
American
30, will
Vail
at
result more
the
20
:
XVIII
of
infrequently
on
manuscript
bequest
the
Antiquarian
opposite
i
as
G.
James
text.
wide
19, chapters
Press,
not
differ (two
‘autograph’
two
well
all
Library is
detail
fVhitney
and
into
again
was
to
with
below).
invaluable
The
folios
Antiquarian
Fenimore through
Antiquarian
four in
to The
as
1960—68),
and leaves
1
Society;
compare
sheets)
in
the materially
Society,
the
the
portions the
19. used
the
of
note
hoff
by
Society,
sheets
crammed
a
The
Congress.
of
sides letter
American
13
precisely
opening
secrets
(with 1)00k.
heavily
Cooper
myself,
mending
C’oopee
(Paris:
At
as
16 of
the
sent
13/16
reproduction
the
3
of
Society’s
now
helms.
scrap
text
a
them
the
that
044—45.
mainly
to
of
were
explains
the
leaf
Now
the
from
James
finished
Pierre
of
start
to
Antiquarian
In
editors
the
Society
end
revised
and
of
from
of
revised
inches
at
lines
as authorship. 3
addition
family
portion
exception
Princess
paper
will
Chapter
subjected
forty-nine
it
his
this
chapter
Franklin
it
the
Cornuau
sheets, of
on
then of
is
is
was
why
have
drafts
chapters
from
XX
of
more
pen>.
the
manuscript,
novel.
trying
long
folded
to
Royal for
collection
introduction
Society
XX—is
his
it
of
written’
the
Victoria.
Lettres
parts
Beard,
lines-—apparently
are
an
extant
&
doing
wasting passed
20,
of
to
than
of
the
rejected
The
and
Pierre
small
i8,
opportu
The
the preserved
to
are Archives,
another
folios,
The
reproduced
are
auto
ed., of
09
printed
prob
contain
chapters
recon
sheets,
sums. 4
La
folded
gift
and
is
into
grap
chap
given
in
script
but
Chap 6
Pini
(For
pub
very
now
Bre
vols.
se
bes ao.
on
to to the have own the two. American American caution (Part in collection fragment monarchy, work, wold sues—specifically, Cooper book cessions benefits but far such about them, foreboding The all The
By 6. .
the
more
political
princess,
they beginning italics
Bravo
I
collection, The Beard.
privately Perhaps
piercing
of The in
things,
that ever his
unless
early (1820), Bravo,
what
the
set
are
of
are of
serious
of
patriotism,
Letrrrc Rejected
is
was
model),
‘Au wrote;
republic. Cooper.
an natural social political
spring
The
the
granted
now
and
eighteenth r:li-iii, it
Cooper
do appears
he
added
through
Cooper’s reste,
of
ostensible
may and
two
sending
Bravo
an
study
also
not at
but
economic
chapter
protection.’ Journals
of
in
whether
Chapters
the rights
happen
sheets imitation
the
analogy
to
half
His
Cooper
thousands cut
which inscribed know i
to
in
of
8,
the
the
New-York
Bravo
her second
be
century, of
the of
politics
up
preface
republic,
made 20.)
James not
government,
façade
TIlE
Vail’s
in
Cooper’s
to
American
only
a power ‘the
and his
ancient of
pointedly
a
is be at people
of A Fenimore Angered
himself
long cooper
novel
sheets
in perhaps,
by
BRAVO perpetrated
Windsor
immunities than collector own
in
two
as
of the
dwelt
Historical
this
the
or was
a
the a
retrospective Venetian
gift
Fourth
sheets
‘Cooper his
set
are
English
Coopeo clear
a as principles
country,
people
as
wrote
being,
Venetian
zealously
entirely
‘The real
that to
in
first
entirely gifts
survives
‘J.
best
himself,
spirit Princess 4
warning
and
Societv) several
Fenirnore do ofJuly
one 462
reviewers
European
Bravo’
Rufus
Republic, for
in
autograph’
to
novel served
who not —6;
keeping
other
with
the
when ‘republic,’ in the
others,
(clearly of
in
guarded
Vail
years
oration.’6 2
proceed Victoria
Europe,
Wilmot
most his his
to
clamor
(183
state,
of Mavjune
by
words,
political
Cooper’
appears
missed collection.
the
they career book,
in
the
American manners.
of
as
from
a
an
x)
decline
for
by
debate
young
kindly only where
to about
other
from,
and
Gris
meet
ideal
con
Pre I
and
the the 4.4.
85 his
his
his
is
to
at
a
a 86 Irneri canAntiquarian Society senate and controlled h the secret Council of Three, Cooper hoped to uarn Americans of the 183osof similar threats to their independence, as, in his view, American oligarchs quietly used demagoguery to concentrate political and economic power in their oun hands. The tone of The Bnn’ois prevailingly dark and somber. in sharp contrast to the masquerades and vivid public displays (such as the XVedding to the Adriatic’)that Cooper re peatedly depicts as deceitful shows, designed by the Venetian Senate to keep the masses subservientf Giiistizia in ptilazzo/E pane in piazza’—’justicein the palace/and bread in the streets’— was the ironic motto Cooper chose as an epigraph to the novel. The main plot depicts the plight of Jacopo Frontoni, a good- hearted gondolier forced by the senate to assume the role of Bravo—a secret agent or even assassin available for public hire, but also carrying out state assignments—in order to protect his unjustly imprisoned father. A romantic intrigue supplies the req uisite love story, as a Neapolitan count, Don Camillo \Ionforte. plots to outwit the senate by wedding a wealthy heiress, Donna ioletta Tiepolo, whose fortune the senate seeks to capture through marriage to a Venetian nobleman. Around these two axes unfolds an exceptionallycomplex plot—even for Cooper — involv ing innumerable disguises, misunderstood motives, chance meet ings, and unfounded judgments. By chapter 17 both the Bravo and Don Camillo are in despair, outwitted by the secret police. Venetian agents have kidnapped Don Camillo’sbride, minutes after their marriage. Other agents have assassinated the simple and true old fisherman Antonio— one ofJacopos few trusted friends and a father figure—who was seen as a threat to state control. Chance thros both men on a deserted part of the Lido containing the graves of heretics and unhelievers ho were denied burial in consecrated ground. Ja copo assures I)on Camillo he has plaed no role in his bride’s abduction; indeed, having now seen the depth of state depravity
—. I or a thoughtful anah si of the nos ci, stres’.ing (o prrs use of dark and hght f thematic effcct. see Donald \. Ringe. [he Putoithi to/c: Sji eiiid lime oi t/O let o/ i/rent. In mgand (.‘oopr(Lesinuon: Ihe 1.niserstv Press of Kentuck, 19’I). TheRejectedChaptersof C’ooperc‘TheBravo’(i 8 i) 87 in the killing of Antonio, he pledges to assist Don Carnillo in her recovery. By listening to Jacopos release ot bitter and contrite emotion over being misjudged as a willing secret agent, Don Ca— millo further winsJacopo’s gratitude and fealtv.’
THE REJECTED CHAPTERS The rejected chapters narrate an excitingquest by sea as Don Ca millo, the Bravo,and their associatessail after Don Camillo’sab ducted bride. Chapter XVIII begins withjacopo and Don Carnillo suspectingthat the agent chosen to capture Donna \ioletta is one of Don Carnillo’sown countrymen, Stefano \Iilano, captain of the feluccaLa Be/la S0t7-entina—avesselused for both legitimate trade and secret state al-fairs.Jacopo EOOSCS the hiring of an American smuggling vessel, the Eudoiw, a ‘fairy-like schooner.’ Much of Chapter XVIII involves the efforts of Don Carnillo andJacopo to persuadethe young captain of the Eudorato abandon his plan to re join an unnamed consort to the south. Rejecting mere promises of financialgain, the captain quickly joins their cause when flattered by prospects of rescuing a damsel in distress, thwarting the Vene tian Senate (and its corrupt customs house), and besting his mari time rival Stefano Milano. Although Cooper never gave him a name—leavinga space for when he presumably might hit upon a suitableone—he became fascinatedwith the teen-age captain, giv ing that character increasing emphasis throughout Chapter XIX. Cooper endowed his young hero with colorful and witty banter
H. Two different versions of the end of Chapter i7 etist in Cooper’s hand. Presumably the earliest extant sersion is on the folio which continues on with the rejected Chapter XVIIb Cooper heaxilvrevised this text itself. cleans-working hard to register an .ippropri— ate level of emotion for the crucial encounter between the commoner Jacopo and the Duke ofSt. xgatha. In this ersion, after Don Camillo enciiuragesJacopo to vent his feel ings about being manipulated by the senate, as a form of confession, Cooper describes at length an awkward moment when a servile Jacopo kisses the duke’shand. the holograph version of the corresponding passage associated with the resised Chapter iS is on two sides of a smaller sheet than the surrounding manuscript—suggesting perhaps esen more sersions on his usual j)ipm, which Cooper ma base discarded. In this revised version ja copo kissesthe Dukes hand, but Cooper’s surrounding narratixe is more matter of fact. In the final printed text—for which we know from his letter to \ul, he oversaw both imanu— ensis copies and proofs not now known to exist that he could further have rexised Cooper givesmuch more emphasis to jit-opos difficult hot ‘uccessful Struggle ti restrain his (-niotions, though the kissing of rhe dukes hand remains. 88 American Antiquarian Society otherwise absent from the somber novel.The captain’slengthy en counter with a British merchant ship also enabled Cooper to fur ther lighten the tone of the novel with his brand of nautical humor, and contributed to the plot line by suggesting that one or more women might be travellingon La Be/laSorrenthia. Evenmalh Don Carnillo glimpsedhis bride’sCarmelite spiritual advisor on board. but before the two vessels could meet, Cooper conjured up a sirocco-born storm, which his hero-captain skillfullyrode out. Chapter XX begins as calm returns to the Mediterranean on the morning after the storm:
The Adriatick was then [duringthe stormJgreen,convulsedand gloomy,it was now refulgent,andsmiling;then the air was fever ish with a constant sense of its oppressiveness;now it had the soothinginfluenceofthe bath withoutitspresence,andthusthere the peculiar colours of the sky cast a dismalhue upon the land, whilenothingcouldbe more radiantthantheviewnow presented by the marches, or hills crowned with towns,and valuesteeming withthefertilityofa genialsun anda luxuriant9soil.
After this depiction of the landscape of Italy (which Cooper in many letters confessed he loved above all others), he further di gressed from the chase to discuss ‘the scenery of Italy, [which] may be dividedinto three general divisions.’lO In the American Antiquarian Society holograph, the first draft of Chapter XX ends there. A separate leaf of forty-nine lines (identified in footnote . above) appears to pick up immediately after the American Antiquarian Society material ends, by finish ing the disquisition on Italian landscape. Don Camillo, Jacopo, the duke’sservant Gino, and the captain of the Eudorathen chat rather aimlesslywhile the schooner prowls outside the harbor of Ancona; the fragment breaks off in mid-sentence.
. Holograph, p. ,o8. This sersion is simplified; the diplomatic transcript is presented on page jzr 22 of this article. to. Holograph, p. ito. The Rejected Chapters of Cooperr ‘The Bravo’(183 i) 89
TIlE BRAVO, THE W4TER WITCH, AND WHY COOPER REJECTED THESE CHAPTERS Thomas Philbrick has kindly pointed out a remarkable resem blance between these rejected chapters and The J4’zterWitch(1830), the novel immediately preceding The Bravo. Philbrick, author of the definitive study of Cooper’s sea novels, is presently editing The Witer Witchfor ‘The Writings ofJarnes Fenimore Cooper.’
Averystrange aspect to the material that Cooper rejected is its re lation to The Water Witch (1830), the immediate predecessor of TheBravo.The Water Witchends with its true hero, the smuggler Imownas the Skimmer of the Seas,characteristicallyrejecting any involvement with the social world. He then sails off into the blue sea with his lady-love and their foster child, a ten-year-old boy calledZephyr, as all three embrace ‘the ocean for a world.’ In these rejected chapters for TheBravo,Cooper appears,almost compulsively,to be revisiting the milieu, tone, and materialsof The WaterWitch,inappropriate though they were to the newwork. In essence,he is projecting the ending of WaterWitcheight years into the future.The nameless master of the American-built schooner in these chapters is the boy Zephyr, grown to near maturity. He has named his vessel after his foster mother, Eudora. His chief and consort are the Skimmer of the Seasand his brigantine. So once again Cooper presents favorite themes: the magically graceful and speedy little vessel; the hypocrisy of shore society alongwiththe virtues of the seaman’slife of freedom, daring, and skill;the obsessionwith the lovelinessof the Italian coast, and the constant assertion of the superiority of American ship design and construction.Ifallthis iscompletelyat oddswith the fictionalworld of TheBravo,it perfectlyaccordswith that of TheWaterWitch.1
11. Personal e-m2il to me of January 27, 2005, reproduced in part here. More re centh, on March i , zooó, Professor Philbrick communicated by personal e-mail his dis cover of a hitherto unknown letter at the University of Virginia Special Collections Li bran, whichis relevant to the W#er Witchand Bravoassociations. Writing in French from Vemce to an unknonn recipient concerning production of the Dresden 1’,ter Witch, Cooper indicated on pril i, 1830, his intention to ‘begin, immediately, another sea novel, which will also he printed in Dresden’ (Philbrick translation). Chronology strongly suggests that this refers to what ssoulclbecome TheBmvo.(Thomas Philbrick 7;mes Peni— molt Cooperand the DevelopmentofAmtritan Sea Fictron})Cambridge: I Ian ard Uni’.ersit’. Press, 1961. 90 Irnencan —lntiquarian Society The reappearance of characters through several novels is one of Cooper’s many innoationS in the history of novel \sriting. Best knon, of course, is Natt Bumppo, a garrulous old man articu lating important values in the dialogic of The Pioni’en (i 823) and The Prairie (182 j; ‘the essential American soul ...hard, isolate. stoic, and a killer,’in the words of D. H. Lawrence, in The Last of the Jlohicans ( 1826) an experienced tuide rejected b his (miv love (The Pithfindci; r$.o); and a voting initiate who rejects a handsome woman who learns to lo e univ him (‘17’eDee,:c!aye,: [41 ). The Pioncei:cand the two Home novels (i 88) share Coop— erstuwn/Tmpleton a settings, and the later novels introduce di rect descendants from the earlier. Finally,in the ‘Littiepage Man uscripts,’ 5ateinstoe(1845), The (hainbearer(184 and The Redckins (1846), Cooper follows the same family through three genera tions and almost a century. 5), Importing Endora and the boy—heroZephyr into The Bnzvois more subtle than arw of these repetitions, and is more akin to the understated but fascinating carrying forard of the characters Ser geant Hollister and Betty Flanagan from The Spy (i 82 i) as the inn keepers in The Pioneei:v.The Brato text showsthat introducing Eu— doinand her captain wasa plot option Cooper anticipated for later use in the veryfirst chapter, not a diversionmade halfwaythrough composition. In Chapter r, the servant Gino refers to encounter ing ‘a rover of strange rig and miraculous fleetness, in rounding the headlands of Otranto. . . . ‘Unlike the Ihrks, who were feared by all Venetian seamen, on this mysterious vessel ‘[t]here was not a turbaned head Ofl his (leek; hut every sea-cap set upon a well- covered poll and a shorn chin.’ The similarity to the American ship Eudora is further suggested by Gino’s last observation: ‘There are men beyond the Pillars of Hercules who are not satisfied v ith doing all that can be done on their own coasts, but who are pre— tending to (10much of that which can (lone on ours.’The ‘much of that ‘ahich can he done on ours is, of course,smuggling.
J7 Rir . The RL,/ededChaptei of Cooper:c‘The Braz’o (i 3S i) 9’ The reasons why Cooper abandoned this Eudora draft cannot be known with certainty, hut readers of these cancelled chapters may readilysurmise that he eventuallyrecognized he wasdeviat ing. with increasinggusto, from hisoriginal,darker intentions for The Bnn’o.The founder of the modern sea novel probably en jovedthe opportunity preserved in these chapters to escapefrom the gloomyconfinesof his first seventeenchapters to frolicwith a sea chase. Seven years later, in 1838, his serious analysis of the America to which he had returned in 33—Home as Found— i8 Bound, as grew into two novels; the sea chase in Homeward Cooper wrote in its Preface, resulted in its becoming ‘all ship’ and requiring a sequel. Alwaysconcerned about length and pacing, Cooper doubtless realized that by devoting two full chapters to a sea chase and opening a third without its resolution, he was posing insur mountable problems to focusing on his theme of the corruption of the Venetian republic. Perhaps in opening the rejected Chap ter XX with a lengthy description of the beautiful Italian scenery, he realized his narrative difficulties. (Seven years later, he re turned to exactly such descriptions in his sunniest travel book, Gleanings in Europe: Italy, where he expatiated on the glories of Italian scenery.)Most vexingly,by developing the young Ameri can sea captain as a romantic hero, he detracted from Jacopo and his plight. A Venetian gondolier was of little value in a sirocco, and perhaps Cooper noticed that in the two chapters he had just drafted, the eponym of the novel scarcely made an appearance. In any case, Cooper’s aesthetic discipline ultimately triumphed over his enjoyment of narrating sea chases and praising Italian land- and seascapes.The last fragment ends in mid-sentence dur ing a desultory conversation, perhaps mute testimony that Cooper now recognized the corner into which he was painting the narrative. But one may speculate that by not destroying these rejected chapters, he anticipated some future use, for either the Italy travel hook or perhaps a full-length novel continuing the suhject matter of The i1iter Witch into the \Iediterranean world. The 92
morning barriers millo: The
of morning tion
suspicious, during before every had apparently cluded intelligence infamous the using Gelsomina,
as is imprisoned.)
carrying between unjustly imprisoned
iuer, try
only longing
pleasure,
Chapter
the
Gelsomina’s .
tomb prison, Bimo.
happened
published
his
Jacopo’s
The
companion. scene
her The
dreaded
done
center the
of
neighbour
finn’,,
after
only men
accused. out
scouting
to
prison
love
Chapter the night.
goes
busy,
exchanges as
19 hours
of
for in
the
father, at
small
Lurking 2:232—3
of
had the proceeded
for
to
her
father to
culminates
the Bravo, city, chapters
a
whom
American
deceitful
about prison
power,
thousand
by his mysterious,
gain
. the despairing
Though
been
Jacopo passed abduction. out
assignments THE chapter
.
of .
to for
i8 the
.
bride,
accepts Venice
return
but
access
the in he kind his
contraband
disturb
attic begins
the done
which
REVISED
Bridge
i
the
to
seems 8
as
cousin only
daily
scenes Antiquarian
assures
in
similar he presumably is Palace
words
and
their
to
if
of
shadows, to meeting
presented, for
Jacopo’s
suffused his The
and
has
Cooper with
nought their
suffer as
for business the his
of
to
i
ages,
fate
Annina, ‘Carlo,’ several
which
CHAPTERS
vet just
of with
scene
him
have Sighs. risings wine
the father.
are previous
an
progress.
the
in
with of
and stirring
been with
painful on
secret had
invokes
that overview among the hoping
the genuine
Society
as
for
of the quickly
Doges, might
pursuits,
Jacopo,
whose
the
of (She
none
who
of
Christian
pleasure
occurred, jail
growing deceit.
moved her
his Bravo
the summer’s
police.
wont,
lookout
throngs,
On interview
keeper’s
knows thereby the
have
the
stopped
divides father’s sister
connected
moves
father affection
sun.”
of
masked,
of
the
and
Don
gloomiest from
pathos
its as
the
heat
taken
business
resignation,
within
Jacopo
for
is
if
following
is
spider, noiseless, to
Don
to Virtually
as daughter
shop her
to city
Camillo
well
nothing
with
his unjustly
of
secrets,
the despite
gather
it
enters
to ques
of
place
sum
Ca
time win
had the
the
and oc not the
and
the
in or
his
his The RejectedChapters of Cooperc‘TheBravo’ (1831) 93 with her mother, but the reader quickly senses they are both dead. Jacopo’sonly consolation is in the innocent Gelsominas love for him and his belief that death will soon place his father beyond the senate’scontrol. These two chapters succeed where the rejected ones failed by moving Cooper’stale of political corruption and deception in a pretended republic towards its logical and fatal conclusion. Al though muchplotting remains,and Don Camillostillmust recover his bride,Jacopo becomes as enmeshedwithin the senate’stoils as the fliesthat his fatherwatchedhis spidereat the previoussummer. Cooper keepsopen the possibilityof a last-minute repriee forJa copo, condemned for the killing of Antonio by a majority of the very Council of Three who arranged for it. While the Doge (pow erlessbeforethe Council of Three) is troubled by machinations he appearsto control—and at least one councilor has regrets—Jacopo dies in the end so that the senate’spower may remain unthreat ened. Cooper concludes the novel with a scene of hollow revelry:
The porticoesbecamebrilliantwith lamps,the gaylaughed,the recklesstrifled,the maskerpursuedhishiddenpurpose,thecanta triceandthegrotesqueactedtheirparts,andthe millionexistedin that vacantenjoymentwhich distinguishesthe pleasuresof the thoughtlessandthe idle.Each livedforhimselfwhilethe stateof Veniceheld its vicioussway,corruptingalikethe ruler and the ruled,by its mockeryof those sacredprincipleswhichare alone foundedin truth andnatural14justice.
EDITORIAL NOTES Chapters XVIII and XIX, with the opening of Chapter XX, fol low below in a standard diplomatic transcription of the holo graph. I prepared the transcript by first reading an enlarged copyfloversion of the text to capture the general tenor, record ing more than 90 percent of the basic text. Three subsequent
i4. Jh Bnno, :286. 94 American Antiquarian Society readings of the original holograph enabled me to recover words and punctuation—especially Cooper’s frequent commas—ob scured in the copy, as well as to record authorial cancellations within angle brackets (< >) and authorial additions interpolated above the line within up and down arrows (fl). XVordsI could not make out because of Cooper’s very crabbed and small script are noted in square brackets ([1)if in the sequential text. If a likely identification was possible, that reading is indicated in square brackets, followed by a question mark. Unreadable cancelled words are placed in angle and square brackets(<[]>),andunreadable interpolatedwordsare placedin up and down arrowsand brackets (t[ j.L).In these cases,one or more question marks within the square brackets correspond to one or more unrecoveredwords. (For example,in Cooper roughlywrit ten description of Don Camillo and Jacopo leaving the island where they met, the narrative describesthem as ‘soon far beyond all danger from the
Chapter X1111 Gino appeared as his master ceased speaking. When the gondo lier saw the companion of Don Camillo he started back, in a
“Signior, your decision is ‘b’, ise. For a vessel you have not occa sion to seek long or far. since here is one at hand, whose speed is more like that of the %inged gull than that of any common craft, and fortunately it is Ofl ready to depart this night. Her com mander 4aits only an answer from me to steer towards the South.” “Thou hast had a double character,Jacopo!’ “My masters are not faultless, themselves, Don Camillo, though they require so much obedience to the laws in others. There are many of the free-trade that enter the Lagunes, not withstanding the watchfulness of St. \1ark, and sonic come under high patronage.
“Signior,of your gondola I have no fear; but those who row it 1 cannot trust.” “Surelythey who are so near to my person are faithful—” “Youare fortunate, Don Camillo Monforte, in having one fol lower uninfected—”sicj Gino, who isyour vassal horn, has never forgotten his faith, but it will be wellto dismissthe others to their beds. We shall not want a boat, for our ftiture movement.” After a few strong and significant exclamations, in which the character of the [?] Senate was not spared, the young noble ad mitted the wisdom of Jacopo’s proposal. The gondolier was dis patched to the boat, with instructions to bring away the fewnec essaries which his master had caused to be provided for his intended flight, and with [orders?] to the man to return immedi ately to the palace. During his absence, which was hrief Jacopo explained more fully his plans and the hopes he had concieved of being instrumental in restoring to Don Camillo his bride. As the narrative will sufficiently explain all that it is necessary the reader should know,we shall not [arrest?] it for that purpose, here. ‘Vhen Gino, again appeared, hearing the packages of his master. Jacopo led the way towards a
smoothness t
doliers, 1’
they t the
the ible amongst but
and apparently panions
terranean, his long classical
her t ing
and the that those points, teen hoard, t
movemcntI,
triflingl’ hich
There
no This
Though
[after? The
atert-,
object
castle port
on
a
surface it before construction,
were
[blunted?j, deceptive sooner
dwelt
craft
was yards,
waters,
required
necessary hull the
was
at against
perceived
jL were or
rigs so where
of
he to surf.
their <[?j>
of
water,
not in Don
in they many struggling
sail, of soon of
was
of
St.
he
steer,
sought. of
an swinging
waiting
were
which sonic a the
the
light,
to
the
summits.
Agatha, t the the it
off—shore,
appearance
a
of had
Camillo -Imerican
office,
fur
similar hich
sufficiently was
unknown
water.
be than that
practiced
first
hut
tall,
a vessels
wind, Adriatick,
those forty
hey)nd urged
by
been
familiar
shoved for spotlessly
entered,
against
they
the tlargeL
Don he and a however, with
which
all
The
objects,
sonic
These long,
or Monft)rte
in
pressing ;-Intiqiiarian
afloat
perceived greatly
which by
eve
knew
were
attenuated vessel
that
common
fifty all
observer Camillo
the
near
the tto.L
the with
the
visit stood
black and
ofJacopo and
danger
port,
were
white
was
in
approaching
to
Jacopo [????j small,
light
practiced
frequent
play adverse could
to aided
the
surf from they the
lie the
was
altogether line, masts,
and
no
seen had
to
canvass sails boat
to
different the from
of
the
Society brilliant
many
just the direction
was the quitted
[heavy?],
no stranger, the
had
breeze no
in
the that rest.
arms
either instead
[sic[
margin they into
seaman, be land. the enabled able the scarcely never idea too a scarcely minutes, was sea, traced, novel. sea. vessel, t[head?J-1 the white of picturesque small the were to long hut receding to of of of of the The laid, of lost approach but beach. to the he distinguish the being the graceful perceptible which rose the coasters two inhabited his perform, sight gondola had a bravo> flat course to wind, Medi surf of above com gon single from The short t1L note vis as and ?]> as too of the it, Ia- of a schooner cloud, graceful nearly water. song caine Don ncr was thought of glide and whole who spot, beauty brave than see of “XVe “This “Tis “Tis “He “Is “What “Marie!—I canvass human more yielded, these scarcely the tthevi had Camillo of The that he along and honesty aft, so At far fabric stationary. is are and a a the saints>, jib, who is the [many?] hitherto wonderful stranger [sic] of so matter that Rejected the beyond a Indians it, as beings, seen,” a was speed.” the pyramid canals, ceased twith near all vision vessel think [?J the was the sails vessel to moment would tand heard, and margin before and note sail is the gull seas!—Is he reduced, just watched the from it its of Ghaptei:c at it was to of his I every a comes [sic] said; rare us wonderful.” had breeze of the sheet flapped the christian?” these row. bow, an rather the settles as about faith? the of the the voice, snow. that skill best, unusual a the other “and land. the [rubbing?] her wholesome he by weather-sheet from [doubled?] holding new peculiarities, of as —The a gondola to a its once in from jacopo, its sea vessel and movements to cooperc my friend world I quit hich world, his the wing demanded change seem know form!” and friends not to the the calling, man—or them. new of was of got the overI-, leeward, are signed when of to belief Signior, so fabric little ‘The <[??]> blocks jacopo of observed World, full defy of mine, approach admiring near diminutive but But in its Gino. the Bravo’ more and hung it silence. in of rather to by than an its position, dark the enough followed, slips and but purgatory! Venitian began fury-like his said its and we powers; indifferent heavy like Don of of half> young us.” counterpoise line then companions, (i83 the have towards that size, his his unequalled a to to to began Camillo, boy fantastic flapping i) tat melody and origins, prayers chant its while need all schoo enable should noble. a They (lark clue who is sort all the the to of of a a - ioo American Antiquarian Society “‘Weshallknowmore of this in time—”coldlyobservedthe mas ter of the gondolier,as the little vesselshot past them, and again droveitsheadsheetto windward.Jacopogavea stroke or twoofhis oar,and in a minute they were allon the deckof the stranger. Don CamilloMonforte and his serviter were dumb with admi ration, astheir “This is sudden revolution—There has been no mistake in our accounts, I trust—A few sequins shall not drive so trusty a go- between from the employ—” “Nay, Signior, it is not so. Of the light matters I have had to manage in your behalf, and on account of the nobles who have acted on the other part, I make no complaint. ‘Tis enough that my servitudeis done.” “Well,witty Jacopo, since thy mind is ts4 firm, you willsoon discover that none here will try to change it. To speak thee, in candor, I have long been of opinion that to serve the Venitian Senate and to servethe devil,are much ofone and the samething. Of all the errands in which my principalsends me, this to the La gunes is the leastto my make better therl- growth taught ness Equinox a roccos, are the a drives along interrupting ficient that on in mortals very Where of despite “I “Thou brigantine, padrone “But, “True—I “HasJacopo “Name “The “Ha! the it, board no Atlantic, have the I he wrong for seaman the and merits, power me more respect, all or or <[?]> the tare!- to fastest is scholar> manner or prepared for art I the your deck the other in continued it trim my steer already never a Senate! we than not, and a gold, between I seamanship—Thou of himself Eudora, hurricane when little and schooner all get though friendly spoken northers towards of wish a American either.” Southward body> thoughts more the Mother lamp in Signior tone them get no as his I but no his There which know! to for swift the answer the with noble excellency on to with beard especially before stranger employ we thtosel- expertI-, Don creature. all could of is him other, you head-lands the Nature Duke. Antiquarian troubling feluccas from the Ah! would is that must perfect within admirable Signior,” for Camillo, [hath?1 who engaged of subject serve his Alps ‘Twould you who man the curmudgeons! my to my friend XV to of run fanning Jacopo!—the hast patron he handles the of they in good the reward?—” you noble the [admire?] grown. seemed the head,” of—” great deals thy run of he righting.” them ease—”you hour.” whom never by Jacopo, Society Caribbean do skill are better waters! my added, saint, [Admiral?] the nature, herself our master.” her, satisfaction thy with well Time in returned teacher’s seen to with he Senate the chances soul why, than But our but know whether “and saluted boat enough As a —I are and him is speed ship sea, I to good, for own necessary I he hich [sic] cannot to was I his [welcome?] bath fear the skill us advancing who only in like why your 4ill when do with of tc) it man— fashion. once men doing to she youth, will us hut be your make other wish, hath be think they wit sci suf an the to in is of be in a it a TheRejectedchapters of Cooperc‘TheBravo’(1831,) 103 “And then I dared to tell the Duke you were a youth to feel a sympathyin behalfof a wronged and beautiful lady!” “ tried these your at age. fano, rumour Eudora ried the there than [growling?] all “1 an “I “Thou debating the particular that future craft sagacity one to know The hopes the heard no [the? altogether midland the my on His can eye is frankly any he being he more no turning all facts, all [seemingly?] could heels rouge didst putt, of movements auditors the these?1 [lie?] sincerely that displayed the of felucca along pledge, on that talso, Councils, his than but nature than waters, the it his to bella the with —These can An,erica;i patron [sic] and pertained was different to within taidI-. which Don the the vessel lending probability details between a windward the keep heard Sorrentina is is her; quite pitied the slovenly of coast result here, an an no of so Master Camillo, than report, the young appeared which half pertinent slanderers Before, way acuteness and such outrageous bad of little apparent [sic] with to AlltiqllGl7tlll himself the of service he of ()tranto into maritime the a with sail there in Calabria, mariner or Jacopo. is thought. a fortune from had sailor in well,” adapted admiration point craft, a a the whom professional improbability however, at the rather greater light her remarks he borne and should that are of best, wind’s and a made boaster, canals—” he would that of light at of l3elieve for life inquiry air, few the that Society he he to the added, to her and the us, away lover one not which be eye, fully considered xhen, many began be the which the schooner vessels frolick he head he own lovers. and not too, part dealt who me, only a the and of thadi. of though, expected station observed ingenious “for species committing half might inquiries of the plax in a as for of to one Donna Signior of of with, looks snug surprised a This the fact, I the for encourage Sorrentine he the to familiarity her have beaten gallantry, the so Your he like of indicate driatick subject. spread the anchor to walking Jacopo. by we ofrener canvass he young size [Tho affair ques intui l)uke, filled as often per all your Ste de car re ei his the to in of a