Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 173: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASUBE, mm deed an eccentric and singular being—but evi- dently good-hearted :* At the expiration of a little while Gustavus likewise quitted the sea-shore; and he began to retrace his way towards Mount Pleasant. He was soon in the neighbourhood of that crystal stream- let where his interview with Emily Pinnock had taken place in the morning; and now all of a sudden a piercing scream smote his ear. It was the voice of his Emily—and she was shrieking for help! Imnstinctively Gustavus caught up a large stick which happened to lie in his path—and he rushed forward amidst the trees, in the direction whence the cries came, A few moments, and he was on the spot where his succour was so much needed!—for there was Emily struggling in the embrace of the colossal African Nelson. What then ensued was the work but of a moment; for the stout bludgeon which Gustavus held in his hand, fell with terrific violence upon the head of the negro, who was literally hurled by the blow to a considerable distance. With a wild cry of joy Emily flew into her lover’s arms. The negro picked himself up in the slow and languid manner of one who was half-stunned and stupified by the blow which had felled him : but his eyes glared with a devilish hatred and fiendish vindictiveness upon Gustavus. “ Begone, villain!” cried the youth; “or by heaven Ah!” he suddenly ejaculated, as an idea struck him; and springing towards Nelson, he caught him by the throat and hurled him to the ground, “ All my suspicions concerning you have come back to my mind!” continued Gusta- vus, with fierce and vehement utterance. “A vil- lain who would thus outrage a young lady, would scruple not to commit any other crime! Tell me, wrotch—where is the gold of which you plundered me Pp” The negro—now completely subdued, and na- turally a coward—spoke in a tone of entreaty, begging Gustavus not todo him a mischief; but still he vehemently protested his innocence of the charge of robbery. Young Barrington was un- decided how to act; and still for a few moments he clutched the prostrate negro so forcibly by the throat as almost to strangle him—until the thought struck the youth that though Nelson might yield to the dictates of his brutal lust and endeavour to coerce Emily to his purpose, yet it really did not follow that he should likewise be the author of the robbery. “Begone, villain!’ suddenly ejaculated young Barrington; “and rest assured that your master Mr. Thurlow shall be made acquainted with your diabolical conduct towards this young lady !” He now suffered Nelson to rise; and the negro began to move off, with an air in which a dastard submissiveness was blended with a sinister and lurking vindictiveness. Gustavus turned from him with abhorrence and loathing, and offered Emily his arm, to which she clung with a fervid tenacity. Suddenly the negro gave vent to a terrific howl, or rather a cry of rage and spite, as if it emanated from the throat of a wild beast; and plunging amidst the trees, he was the next moment lost to the view of the lovers. Gustavus—despite his natural courage, which mmounted to a chivalrous heroism—was startled by that terrific cry of savage rage and fierce ma- a ee lignity which so suddenly burst upon his ear ; while Emily fainted in his arms. He hastily bore her to the side of the streamlet : he laid her upon the bank—he dipped his kerchief in the crystal water—and he bathed her countenance. She still had on the same light dress which she had worn in the morning ; and this had become so much disordered in her struggle with the ferocious negro, that her bosom was all bare. As she came back to consciousness, she threw ber arms about her lover’s peck—she strained him in her embrace, as if by its very ardour she sought to convey to him the expression of that gratitude which her lips could not as yet shape in words, And he himself, overjoyed at her resuscitation, strained her with equal fervour to his own breast. There they were, alone together on the bank of that streamlet—the umbrageous foliage of the fruit trees shielding them from the beams of the sun !—there they were, in that délicious shade! They were folded in each other’s arms: the superb dark eyes of Emily were gazing up full of love and passion into the countenance of Gustavus. He caught from the warm and impassioned quadroon the in- toxication of feeling which had taken possession of herself ;—and thus were they alone together | CHAPTER XXIX, THE TREASURE. Aw hour afterwards Gustavus was in his own chamber at Mount Pleasant. He was seated at the open casement ; and he was wrapped in pro- found reflection. His mind was not altogether at ease: but still it was in that state which can scarcely be described —for pleasing and painful thoughts were conflicting within him. From this deep abstraction he was presently aroused by the sound of Mr. Pinnock’s vehicle arriving from Kingston; and starting up from his seat, Gustavus began to dress for dinner. When he descended to the dining-room, he found Hmily engaged in arranging the flowers in the vgsea ; while Mr. Pinnock was telling her, in his wonted accents of cheerfulness, all the news that he had brought from Kingston. The looks of the bedu- tiful quadroon and Gustavus presently met; but at the same time a deep blush mantled upon the countenance of each. Mr. Pinnock noticed not the circumstance: he was in a hurry to sit down to dinner, for the table was already spread for the repast. Neither Gustavus nor Emily mentioned a syllable of the adventure with the negro Nelson; nor had the youth taken the slightest step to- wards making Mr. Thurlow, Nelson’s master, ac- quainted with the outrage that had been attempted upon Miss Pinnock. On the following day—at that sultry noontide period when Emily was wont to remain in the house—Gustavus again strolled from the villa, and took the direction of the seashore. He had not been long there when he perceived Mr. Hargrave approaching ; and on beholding the misanthrope, the colour suddenly mounted to the youth’s face, But the next instant he conquered, or at least cor. cealed whatsoever feeling it was which thus made COMmcooolks ee + Ce OC 163 | _——_— ee - - - - ee Om