Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 119 _ loveliest creature that ever the eyes of Gustavus had rested upon! On the preceding evening he had addressed little or none of his conversation to the young lady : but now it was chiefly to her that he spoke; and he found that as her bashfulness towards a stranger was gradually wearing off, she answered him at greater length and presently began to - make comments of her own, so that the conversa- tion should not be altogether sustained by him- self. And he found likewise that she ventured to look at him with less constraint and confusion than at first. The impression that she was amiable, intelligent, and accomplished stole upon him by degrees; and by the time the dessert was placed upon the table, he was completely under the influence of the many fascinations which the young lady possessed. When he retired to his _ chamber that evening, it was to dream of Emily «fit. any restraint upon your actions. Pinnock—but in a manner very different from that in which she had appeared to him in the vision of the preceding night. He arose at an early hour in the morning, in the hope that as she was accustomed to breakfast before her uncle, he might be permitted to take his own meal in her company: and this hope was realized. They sat down to table together: she was far less constrained or embarrassed than even when they had separated on the previous day: she began to treat Gustavus with that friendliness which blends with courtesy on the part of a host cr hostess towards a guest; and he saw that Mr. Pinnock’s prophecy had every chance of being fulfilled, to the effect that when they came to know each other better they would be very good friends. When Mr. Pinnock himself made his appearance, he inquired if Gustavus purposed to accompany him into Kingston: but the youth ex- _ pressed a wish to ramble amidst the adjacent _ scenery—though he spoke wita some little con- _ fusion and hesitation. “My dear young friend,’ exclaimed the good- natured merchant, “pray do whatsoever you think It is my desire to render your sojourn amongst us as agreeable as possible, and not to be I dare say Emily will presently show you whatsoever features of attraction there are upon the estate:—or if _ you like to roam about by yourself, she will not _.think it any ill compliment.” While the merchant was giving utterance to the _ concluding portion of his speech, Emily had again beat down over her favourite flowers; and her uncle issued from the room as the chaise was now _ at the door. _ ture, there was silence in the breakfast-parlour ; For a few minutes after his depar- for Gustavus felt somewhat embarrassed—he _ wished to have Miss Emily’s society in his pro- posed ramble, but he searcely dared ask for it. She on her part had heard what Mr. Pinnock said: but she was too much embarrassed to proffer the fulfilment of the suggestion he had thrown out. Thus she was bending over the flowers, the long rich tresses of her coal-black hair drooping down to the leaves and buds which she appeared to be contemplating, but her posture defining ali _ the flowing outlines of her symmetrical and some- what voluptuous shape, At length Gustavus, feeling that this silence could endure no longer, plucked up his courage as weil as he could— 7 though it was still with some degree of hesitation, stammering, and faltering, that he said, “If it would be agreeable to you, Miss Pinnock—if you have nothing better to do—and if it wili not be taking you away from any duties in-doors—I should be honoured and flattered by your company for a ramble.” ** Ob, with much pleasure !” she replied, raising her head and for a moment bending her looks upon young Barrington, while her ivory teeth were revealed by the affable smile of her hips. She hastened from the parlour; and in a few minutes she was ready for the pedestrian excur- sion. She was dressed with great simplicity though with exceeding neatness : the apparel she wore set off her dusky beauty and her fine shape to their fullest advantage ; so that Gustavus thought she looked even more fascinating as well as more strikingly handsome than when she was dressed with greater richness and elegance ai the time he beheld her in Kingston on the preceding day. They walked forth together; and the circum. stances of the ramble tended to enhance their mutual friendliness of manner and to smooth down the formalities of mere courtesy into something like intimacy. There were occasionally difficult paths to take or little bridges to cross ; and Gus- tavus was ready to give his hand to the young lady,—though these attentions were indeed far from necessary, inasmuch as she was familiar with every inch of the ground over which they were walking. They visited the huts where dwelt the free negro families that laboured upon the estate : Miss Emily had a kind word for every one,— though at the same time she maintained a certain degree of dignity; and Gustavus perceived that there was some amount of pride in her disposition, —a pride that at any moment could change into hauteur, so that the expression of her countenance was not altogether unreflecting of the phases of her mind. Towards those whom she knew well, there was no bashfulness in her manner—no re- straint, no reserve: and Barrington therefore com- prehended that it was only towards strangers who might be either her equals or her superiors, that she experienced any awkwardness until she came to know them well. As they were pursuing their walk, they pre- sently came to a spot where some dozen of little black children were disporting together; and ata short distance stood Mr. Hargrave, the misan- thropic individual whom Gustavus had seen on the preceding day. He was leaning against a tree, with his arms folded across his chest, and survey- ing the children as they were engaged in their sports. He was motionless as a statue: his eyes were riveted upon the little swarm of negro juve- niles : and he did not. appear to observe the ap- proach of Miss Pinnock and her companion. They advanced near enough to mark the expression of his countenance ; and Gustavus could now per: ceive that it was filled with a profound melan- choly,—with which however a certain bitterness and also vacancy were blended ; so that the youth was more than ever impressed with the belief that the unfortunate gentleman could not be altogether right in his mind. We have already said that Mr. Hargrave was tall and thin, and he had grey hair. Handsome he could never have been in the strict Com a ee ee eC —_ i-inr SS Ghboo LN S (CO)