Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 125: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Sn ee a et tc tne net steel — ~~ _— some of the goods there displayed. Sho was of dark complexion ; but though the duskiness of her skin was that of the olive hue, it had none of the disagreeable sallowness which usually blends so damagingly with the deep tint of the brunette. She was singularly beautiful: her profile, deli- cately aquiline, was perfection itself; and there was acertain haughtiness :n the expression of her exquisitely formed mouth. The lips were of the richest red—the upper one slightly fuller than the lower; and as they were apart at the moment, they afforded a glimpse of teeth of ivory white- ness. The eyes were large, luminous, and remark- ably handsome; their ebon fringes, though long and thick, could not curtain the brilliancy of the rays which those orbs shot forth. It was only for a few instants that this young lady—whose age appeared to be about nineteen or twenty—lingered at the window of the linendraper’s shop ; and then she was gone. Gustavus Barrington was much struck by that exceedingly handsome countenance of which he bad thus caught but a transient glimpse,—yet a glimpse sufficient to leave upon his mind the full impression of its extraordinary beauty. He has- tily gathered up the change which lay upon the counter, and left the shop somewhat precipitately ; for he longed to obtain another view of that young lady and satisfy himself whether the beauty of her shape corresponded with that of her features. He sped along the street—he overtook and passed several young iadies of a dusky complexion—but not one proved to be the cynosure whom he sought. He did not remember how she was dressed—though the impression made upon his mind at the moment he had caught the first glimpse of her at the shop- window, was that her apparel was indicative uf gonlinty and taste. fe beheld several ladies whose raiment hac these characteristics: he has- tened after them—passed—and looked round when he might do so without rudeness: but still he dis- covered not the object of his interest. “She is marvellously handsome!” he said to himself, as he at length desisted from his vain search—and it was with a feeling of disappoint- ment that he did so. “If she possess a figure as fine as Emily Pinnock’s, she must be the most splendid woman in creation, notwithstanding the duskiness of her complexion. Ah! if Emily her- self were only blest with such a countenance, she would not be so anxious to hide it with what her uncle in his fondness terms her bashfulness !” Gustavus continued to roam about Kingston, endeavouring to persuade himself that there were plenty of objects of interest yet to contemplate— though it was in reality with the secret hope of again encountering the possessor of the handsome face which he had seen through the shop-window. He did not for an instant imagine that he was in reality already enamoured of that countenance: he believed that it was mere curiosity; for he fan- cied that he never could love any one as much as he loved bis cousin Winifred. But here we may as well observe that when the two cousins had parted in England nearly a couple of years back, there had been no avowal of a tender attachment between them; and yet when they had embraced over and over again, they had both felt that there was something in their hearts to which they longed to give utterance with their lips—some AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, —-_—_-——Se— nt | feeling which they yearned to shape in langwage: but yet they had not done so! They were then so young!—and even in the midst oftheirintense grief there was diffidency and bashfulness. Thev had therefore parted without forming any verbal engagement, and yet with some kind of sympa- thetic intuitive feeling that they loved sach other and were bound by ties of a stronger and more tender character than those of mere kinship, And thus, while voyaging upon the wild ocean, Gus- tavus had always thought of Winnie as a being dearer to him than a cousin only, though he had never so far settled his reflections as to give way to such serious deliberation on the point as to say within himself, “ Winifred will some day become my wife !” We have recorded these few little explanations for the purpose of showing that although Gus- favus dearly loved his cousin Winifred, and had constantly thought of her since the painful mo- ment of their separation, yet that he had never come to a conclusion so pointed and so matter-of- fact as to look upon himself as her future hus- band. It was an indefinite, unstudied, and un- analysed feeling that he entertained towards her: and thus while now thinking of the handsome mulatto countenance which had caught his view through the linendraper’s shop-window, it did not for a moment strike him»that he was entertaining a thought at all traitorous or perfidious towards his absent cousin Winnie. Yet that countenance was now deeply impressed upon his mind: and he caught himself frequently reiterating the wish. “Oh, if Emily Pinnock, with her splendid figure only possessed that beautiful face !” At length Gustavas was warned by a seference to his watch—which was amongst the articles he had been purchasing—that it was time to rejoin Mr. Pinnock at his counting-house. Thither he accordingly repaired: a few minutes afterwards the chaise was at the door; and they took their seats in the vehicle. Mr. Pinnock, who had been al! sedateness and sericusness during the hours of business, now resumed kis natural hilarity and good temper as easily as if it were a different garment that he was putting on. He chatted blithely— pointed out various aspects of interest as they passed along—and vowed that he had an excellent appetite for the dinner which they should find ready to be served up on their arrival at Mount Pleasant. But before they reached their destina- tion a little incident occurred which we must men- tion. As there was plenty of time until the dinner- hour, Mr. Pinnock had driven out of the direct road, and made a circuit in order to show Gus- tavus the boundary of the estate which he pos- sessed. In one part the road wound for a space near the sea-shore ; andit was ata point where the route turned inland again, that the chaise was passed by an individual who was on foot, walking slowly in the contrary direction. So far as Gustavus could judge of him, he was a middle-aged man, with grey hair—tall and thin—dressed slovenly, and even shabbily. “ Good afternoon, Mr. Hargrave,” said Mr. Pinnock, as the chaise swept round the corner. The individual thus spoken to, merely made 8 sign of recognition, which was more curt than courteous: and he continued his way. - Ghbook } \ ee i, (©)