Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 208: what you’re looking at

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

200 AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. world and trust to our own domestic hearth only for happiness, the better! You shall be mine! —and with the least possible delay shall I ac- quire a legal right to defend and protect you!” Could Winifred offer a remonstrance against her cousin’s generous purpose? could she refuse her assent to become his wife? No!—such a course on her part would have been contrary to human nature; and she was but a mere mortal after all. On the following day, at about one o’clock, the cousins repaired to the prison; and Gustavus re- quested the grandfather’s assent to his union with Winifred. Now for the first time a hint was dropped to the old man that there was some little ready money to which the family couM look asa resource, and which Gustavus had obtained in Ja- maica. To be brief, Mr. Barrington cheerfully gave bis assent to the marriage of his grand- children: indeed, the poor old man was in many respects well-nigh childish—and he would have refused his assent to nothing which they might ask of him, so long as their demands did not touch upon his stubborn notions with regard to bis law- Bult, Gustavus and Winifred remained with their grandfather until about five o’clock, when they took leave of him. As they were about to issue from the prison, the turnkey at the outer gate said to Winifred, “I think, Miss, you will find a young lady waiting for you at your lodgings when you get back.” “Indeed!” ejaculated Winnie. think so ?” *T will tell you,” answered the turnkey. “It was just about one o’clock—was it not? when you and Mr. Gustavus came this afternoon. Well then, it must have been about half-past one that a young lady came to the gate aa ** Please to describe her,” said Winifred, with a faint suspicion that it might possibly be Agnes Evelyn who had called for some benevolent purpose “That would be rather difficult, Miss,” rejoined the turnkey; “for she had a very thick veil over her face; so that in plain terms I couldn’t so much as catch the least glimpse of her counte- mance. But she had a very pleasant voice—she put three or four questions to me about Mr. Bar- rington—she evidently knew everything concern- ing his long imprisonment. I told her that you, Mr. Gustavus, had just returned home from abroad ; and I said that in point of fact you were both at that moment with your grandfather, and that you were likely to remain inside the walls till five o’clock.” “ And what did the young lady say P”’ ingzired Winifred. “She said she should like to see you, Miss,” continued the turnkey; “but she would not suffer you to be disturbed while you were with your grandfather. She asked me where you odged; | told her—and she declared her intention of going and waiting for you at your apartments. She expressly desired that no intimation of her visit to the prison should be made to either of you in the meanwhile; and so I did not think it necessary to send in word that the young lady had been. But I suppose you will find her at your lodgings * “How do you know that she is young?” in- quired Winifred. “Why do you re ee eet I “Trust me to tell that much by a woman’s [| figure and yoice!” responded the turnkey, with a smile. “Well, as I was about to say, the young lady thanked me for my civility, and tripped lightly away.” “Tt is doubtless Miss Evelyn,” said Winifred to her cousin, as they proceeded along the street. “And yet it is strange that she should have in- quired my address ; for her housekeeper Rachel has been to me s ““ Miss Evelyn may have forgotten it,” answered Gustavus; “and that perhaps is the very reason why she called at the prison.” “Oh! if it should be Miss Evelyn,” exclaimed Winifred, “I shall be so annoyed to think of her being kept waiting for nearly four mortal hours at my lodgings! I will hasten home ae quick as ever I can.” Gustavus conducted Winifred to the door of Mrs. Slater’s house, where he left her, as he did not think if proper to intrude upon the interview which might be about to take place between his cousin and Miss Evelyn, or whosoever the visitress should be. Immediately on entering, Winifred said to the servant of the lodging-house, “Is there a lady waiting for me, Mary ?” “A lady has called, Miss—but she is not wait- ing,” responded the servant-maid. “Who was she? and whet did she say?” in- quired Winifred hastily. “TI don’t know who she was, Miss: she gave no name—but she seemed to know you very well. and all about you, as well as your grandfather and Mr. Gustavus. She spoke very kind!y e “Did you see her face?” asked Winifred. “ No, Miss,” rejoined Mary: “she wore a thick dark veil . *‘ And she left no message ?” demanded Wini- fred. “T was going to tell you, Miss. She first asked if you were at home; and when I said you were not, she observed that she thought so, as she had reason to believe that you were at the prison. Then she said she would sit down in your room and wait till your return. you would not be in till five ; and 1 offered to run and fetch you. She said she did rot mind wait- ing, and that I was by no means to disturb you while you were with your grandfather. So I showed her up to your room; and there she sat down. But in about ten minutes I heard her descending the stairs —she told me she hed changed her mind—she would not wait, but that she would call again to-morrow at one o'clock punctually.” Winifred thought that it must be either Miss Evelyn, or else some lady who on the recommen- dation of Agnes had come with a benevolent in- tention of giving her work. She therefore resolved to be at home on the morrow to receive the visit- ress, whoever she might be, at oneo’clock. Gus- tavus returned shortly after six to take his tea with Winifred; and as the case containing the treasure had not as yet been delivered, they re- solved to repair to the railway station in the morning to make inquiries for it. : At nine o’clock on the following day Gustavus arrived to breakfast with Winifred; and when the repast was finished, they prepared to set off to the station in Euston Square, GComichbooks I told her it was likely . | | Se EE Se 8 ee | ' i : ‘ . i.