Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. * T should not be exceedingly astonished,” re- sponded Miss Neale. “ Indeed, to speak frankly, I came more or less prepared to receive a negative answer from your lips.” * Ah, you are becoming reasonable, my dear girl !” exclaimed Hector, rejoicing at what he con- ceived to be a corroboration of the impression pro- duced upon his mind by Cicely’s billet. “JT must confess, Hector,” proceeded Miss Neale, “that during the last ten days I have thought very seriously of the step which I was urging you to take. I reflected that such a mar- riage would be fraught with only utter misery to us both s * Cicely, my dear girl!” ejaculated Hector, in accents of joy and astonishment: “ you are indeed reasonable ” ‘Pray listen to me,” interrupted Miss Neale, mildly but firmly. “ Yes—those were my reflec- tions: and perhaps that is the reason why during the ten days which have elapsed since the signing of the compact, I have not demanded its fulfil- ment.” * Cicely, your conduct is admirable!” cried Hec- tor, seizing her hand and pressing it with a joy, if not with a gratitude, which was most unfeigned. “Do listen to me, Hector!” she continued: “for if I purpose to release you from the written pledge you have given me, I mean you neverthe- less to do me an important service.” * Anything, Cicely! Speak!” cried Hardress. “ Whatever lies in my power & ‘Tt is a service,” pursued Cicely, “which you can easily render, and which will prove exceed- ingly beneficial to me. But I must give you a few explanations. First of all, then, it appears that one of my deceased mother’s rich relatives of whom you once heard me speak = “To be sure! I recollect!” cried Hector. “They wanted you to go out into the world as a gover- mess, or something of the sort—you refused—and they withdrew their countenance from you.” © Exactly so,” answered Cicely. “ Well, one of these relations, an old aunt, residing Have you ever beento York?” “ Never,” replied Hector. “Well then, residing at York,” continued Ci- cely, “bas recently, it appears, been instituting inquries concerning me. She did not know that I had come to reside in London with Mr. and Mrs. Timperley ; and her inquiries were therefore first instituted at Cambridge, where her agent, through whom she was making her investigation, learnt things to my prejudice perhaps you best know, Hector, how our connexion could have trans- pired oat ‘“‘T call God to witness,” ejaculated the young patrician vehemently, “that never did my lips ——But Ab! perhaps that infamous woman Mrs. Chicklade—or that other woman, you know, who succeeded her in the occupation of the cottage where we used to meet — may have whisper- ed ”? “Well, no matter,” interrupted Miss Neale: “the mischief is done—it signifies not how. Very certain it is that a report has been made to my aunt at York that I was courted by you at Cam- bridge, and that if we were not privately married we ought to have been—at least for my reputa- tion’s sake. Well, my aunt does not seem to have| and honourably wedded wife; and not a single ———) ome ee ee = LE A CE pT tee Rm arrived at the worst conclusion upon the point: a on the contrary, she seems to cherish the hope and | — to cling to the belief that our connexion was an honourable one, but that for certain family reasons you have not as yet dared give publicity to our union. My aunt is exceeding ill—she cannot live many weeks, perhaps not many days: she has thirty thousand pounds to bequeath—and she has written to me a very long letter, in which her de- cision is made known. Here it is,” added Miss Neale, producing a letter from her pocket: “you can read it by the aid of this lamp.” “It is not necessary, my dear girl,” replied Hardress: ‘‘ you can explain its contents,” “Very well, then,” said Cicely: “it will save time, for the letter is a long one and is crossed. My aunt tells me therein that if I will visit her, accompanied by my husband—if it be only for a single day—she will make me her heiress—she will leave me her fortune P “The worthy old dame!” ejaculated Hector, “And it is thirty thousand pounds ?” “Yes: she is explicit in her letter. In your esti- mation,” continued Cicely—“ you who will one day be so rich—the amount is insignificant: but to me itis immense! Indeed it is an almost fabulous fortune. If I had never known you, Hector,— if this unfortunate connexion had never taken place between us—I should at this moment find myself the heiress to that fortune beyond doubt or questioning. It is through yow therefore that I run the risk of losing it; and it is consequently you that are in duty bound to help me to its ac- quisition.” “ By heaven, my dear Cicely !” exclaimed Hard- ress, “nothing will afford me greater pleasure. And now I comprehend the condition on which you will release me from that compact e *Yes—that is the condition,” said Miss Neale. “You now understand what I meant by ere now alluding to as much as was left of my reputation. It were useless to tell you that after your conduct towards me I continue to entertain any love on your behalf; and therefore, when the other night I made you sign the paper, pledging yourself to lead me to the altar, it was only in the hope of obtaining a good social position and being released from dependence on my relations in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. I will not even pretend that I sought to tranquillize any qualm of conscience—to heal my wounded honour—or to repair wy injured virtue. No!—in seeking to become your wife, it was simply that I might obtain an independence ; for I said to myself, ‘ He will be compelled to allow me a competency, even if he will not live with me !’—Thus you'see that when love was destroyed in my heart, my views became entirely selfish : but this letter of my aunt at York—which reached me yesterday morning—has changed as it were the exigencies and necessities of my position.” “ To be sure!” exclaimed Hector Hardress : “a fortune of thirty thousand pounds will settle you in comfort for the rest of your lifa !’—and he in- wardly chuckled at the thought that he should be most effectually rid of her. “You fully comprehend, therefore,” continued Cicely, “‘ that to me this matter is one of the most vital importance. My aunt is already more than half inclined to believe that I am really a legally —_————— ee. le ee comicbooks«« 9