Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 246: what you’re looking at

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

238 AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. “The whole matter lies in a nutshell,” said Mr. | Baronet, now lashed up into a fury. Why, sir, Winton. “Sir Alexander Holcroft feels aggrieved | the whole tenour of your conduct has been on certain points which are so well established by | fraught with a duplicity—a hypocrisy—a double- indisputable evidence that Mr. De Vere can have | dealing 4) nothing to do but deeide whether he will apologize| “I deny it,” exclaimed De Vere. or fight ¢ i | tion is easy “T cannot apologize,” said our hero, “ where I | “ What, sir, in the face of this ?” cried the en- utterly deny having given any offence. Perhaps raged Baronet, producing a note, which he tossed even still more loath were I to stand up ina_/| scornfully to De Vere. mortal combat with a man who has no satisfaction | The youth caught it in his hand—opened it— to demand of me, and against whom I myself en- | and started when he perceived that it was the tertain naught but a friendly feeling.” identical billet that Floribel had sent to him, and “ It seems,” said Sir Alexander Holcroft, now of the loss of which he had remained completely stepping forward from the spot where he had lin- | unconscious until the present moment. gered at a little distance, “that I must have a| “Now, sir,” exclaimed the Baronet, “ will you few words with Mr. De Vere.” den * | “ T really do not think that Winton and myself | “Yes—I deny everything that you have said !” can permit it,” interposed Egerton, who was ter- | responded our hero ; “ and if you will listen for a ribly afraid that matters might be amicably |) moment ——” arranged and that he would be baulked of the} “My God, he is a coward after all!” ejacu- pleasure of beholding a duel. lated Sir Alexander. “ Perhaps this will raise his “ Where lives are at stake, Mr. Egerton,” said | mettle!”"—and with his open palm he struck our Winton decisively, “ we must not stand upon mere | hero upon the face. punctilios.” | The very next instant the Baronet was levelled “ T will cow speak, gentlemen,” said Sir Alex- with the ground; and Charles exclaimed, as he ander Holcroft, “ more in detail than I have pre- | turned away from the opponent whom he had viously spoken to you on this subject. There is a | thus smitten to the earth, “ Now indeed there is certain lady to whom I was showing some little | ‘no alternative but that shots should be ex- attentions; and it would appear that Mr. De | changed!” Vere is intimately acquainted with her. Yet “ARI” ejaculated Egerton, quite cheered by the though Mr. De Vere and I have two or three | sudden turn which the : aspect of affairs had taken; --~ “ Explana- times spoken concerning her, he has affected to be | altogether unacquainted with her. There was a studied duplicity in this ‘ “Rather say, sir,’ interjected Charles, “ that there were motives of exceeding delicacy “Delicacy indeed!” exclaimed the “this is as if ought to be!” The Baronet rose slowly from the earth; for he was half stunned by the tremendous blow which our hero had dealt him with his clenched fist: his face was pale with rage—and he muttered to his Baronet | second, “ By heaven, Winton, nothing but that angrily. ‘And you heard me almost as good as | fellow’s life-blood shall satisfy me!” declare that I should take her as my mistress— ** Be cool, Sir Alexander,” whispered the second: while you yourself were carrying on an intrigue | “for De Vere is evidently no coward; and I am with her!” | still almost inclined to think that there must be “ [ deny it, sir! ejaculated some mistake . Charles indignantly. “Impossible!” ejaculated the Baronet: “it is “This is really too much!” exclaimed the! all his cursed duplicity. Where are the pistols? Baronet, now becoming excited. “Oh! I know | Go and settle matters with Egerton.” very well, sir, that there is a masculine prudery as| Having thus spoke, Sir Alexander Holcroft well as a feminine one; and you are a proficient | seated himself upon a block of stone; and drawing in the former. How indignant you pretended to | forth a brandy-flask, he applied it to his lips. be at the idea of a man endeavouring to palm off | Not that he required any stimulant for his cou- his mistress upon another—while you yourself | rage, because he was as dauntless as man could were doubtless inwardly chuckling at the idea that be: but the brandy had been brought in case of it was your own paramour likewise who was thus need as a restorative in particular cireumstances— being gotten rid of! Or else, perhaps, you were and having it thus ready to the hand, he availed desirous that matters should remain as they were, | himself of the stimulant to revive the energies so that you might continue to enjoy stealthy | | which had been half paralysed by the blow that access to the fair one, under favour of the indif- | levelled him. Meanwhile Charles De Vere, stand- ference of her present protector—whereas you | | ing at a little distance, was making some addi- might have thought that if she came under my | tional notes in his pocket-book, briefly allusive to protection it would be different. And then too, to. the causes of the duel;—and at the same time the think that I was such a fool as to enter into long | seconds were measuring the ground. arguments and moralise upon subjects with which All the preliminaries being now settled, the you perhaps, after all, are much better acquainted | seconds stationed their principals, to whom they than I myself!” likewise handed the pistols. The signal was given “Sir Alexander Holcroft,” said Charles De|—but only one report was beard. It was Sir Vere, the indignant blood flushing his cheeks, ““[| Alexander who had fired; and Egerton, who had have Jistened tu you with a constrained patience, | his eyes riveted upon De Vere, admired immensely because I was desirous to learn the full extent of | the cool courage which he maintained throughout, your wisunderstandings and erronevus construc- | The bullet whistled harmlessly by Charles’s ear; tions a and then he pointed bis own weapon straight up “ By heaven, this is intolerable !” ejaculated the | into the air and discharged it. ? I utterly deny it! ———— nial CONNICIOOLKS