Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 253: what you’re looking at

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

- ‘ ————- — oowm"v’ —_——_---->->-r ree AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. © and not until last evening did I know that you | , wore tke Countess of Camerino.” Charles had been speaking coldly and severely ; and now Ginevra looked anxiously but search- iugly up into his face, as if to ascertain whether he fad any suspicion of the full extent of her crime, or whcther he merely believed her to have been frail, without knowing who her paramour was. “¥ou treat me coldly,” she said, again bending down her looks, while the tears trickled slowly upon her cheeks; “and it is no wonder! You must have learnt that my husband ”’—here she gasped for utterance—“ has been for nearly a year absent—and yet Ob, sir! do not overwhelm me with shame! do not, I conjure you, demand a single syllable of explanation from my lips! Tell me only where you have left my child—promise me to keep my secret as [ feel convinced that you have already maintained it—and let us sepa- rate!” Charles De Vere had no inclination to rake as it were amidst the feculence of this domestic drama; neither did he wish to reveal himself in the light of having played the eavesdropper and learnt everything which had passed between Ginevra and her guilty paramour Viscount Silvio. He therefore said, “ Lady, I seek from your lips no explanations. You can judge for yourself by the reception your ladyship last night experienced at the British Embassy, whether I have respected your secret. I shall continue to respect it. Am I to understand that with the least possible delay I shall find myself relieved from all embarrass- ment in reference to that babe? It is now in the charge of worthy persons, as I have already in- formed you. The man’s name is Nino Corso; and he is the driver of a public vehicle. His address is No. 27, in the Via Graciosa. He and his wife are anxious to keep the child - “ Heaven be thanked!” murmured Ginevra: “to their care will I leave the poor innocent! This very day shall those worthy people receive an intimation to the effect that they are no longer to look to you as one accountable for the maintenance of that babe.” “Tt is enough, lady,” said Charles: “I ask no more. I rely upon your word that this shall be done—because under existing circumstances I shall not again visit Nino Corso’s dwelling.” “Before we separate,” said the Countess of Camerino, in a voice full of emotion, and with the tears streaming down her cheeks, “ suffer me to renew the expressions of that heartfelt gratitude which never can be diminished! Your conduct has been noble and magnanimous throughout ;— and not the least generous portion of it is your present abstention from demanding explanations at my lips. May heaven bless you!” Ginevra proffered her hand. She was weeping —her bosom was convulsed with her emotions— it was a spectacle which melted the generous heart of the youth, who moreover remembered at the instant how bitter was the remorse which the unhappy Countess had displayed on the two occa- sions he had seen her in the church. He there- fore accepted her hand; and exclaiming, “ May God give you strength to continue henceforth in the rightpath!” he burried away. 243 CHAPTER XIII. THE WARDROBE. THE scene now changes to the lodgings of Nino Corso in Graciosa Street. It was about nine o'clock in the evening of the day of which we have been writing. Nino had just returned home from his work, and had sat down to supper, while Benedetta fondled in her arms the child which had been consigned to her keeping. Presently there was a tap at the door: Nino sprang from his seat to answer the summons, for he suspected who the visitor was; and he introduced the tall middle- aged personage of whom we have previously spoken. “ We are all alone, my lord,” said Nino, bowing with the deepest respect. “ Pray walk in.” The nobleman—for such appeared to be his rank, notwithstanding the assurance which Corso had given Charles that he was a merchant who had failed—was enveloped in his capacious mantle, which he no doubt wore to conceal his counte- nance in case any stranger should ascend the stairs at the moment when he traversed the landing. He entered the room and sat down. “We have not seen your lordship all day till now,” said Benedetta. “I have been engaged in writing many letters,” replied the nobleman, “ which Corso must have the goodness to deliver carefully to-morrow.” Benedetta looked distressed: Corso made her a significant gesture as if to bid her avoid displaying any such emotion in the presence of their distin- guished guest. But the keen eye of the nobleman caught both the afflicted look and the signal that was meant to repress it; and he hastened to ex- claim, “ Fear not, Benedetta, that your husband shall be compromised on my account. Not for worlds would I bring trouble down upon the beads of yourselves or your family! Nino will exercise the utmost circumspection in delivering thea letters ; and as they all are addressed to discreet and trustworthy persons, there is no danger to be apprehended. It is absolutely necessary that I should at length communicate with my friends, Here have I been ten whole days in Naples, hesi- tating and deliberating—undecided what steps to take—playing indeed a child’s part—having had the courage to come hither, and then feeling as if my energies were suddenly paralysed! Corso is & worthy patriot ai “Ob, my lord!” exclaimed Benedetta, “ you know I am agreeable that my husband should do anything for you: but ever since he ran such & fearful risk of being arrested, and perhaps sent to the gibbet’”—here the woman shuddered visibly — “at the beginning of the year, when the con-~ spiracy exploded, he has sworn to me that he will henceforth consider his poor litile children as having paramount claims upon him,” “ Rest assured, Benedetta,” answered the noble- man, “that Corso will now incur no risk of any kind. I have already pledged myself to you both that I am not now in Naples for the purpose of organizing avy fresh attempt against the Govern- ment. 1 know that it would not succeed: I know the king, backed by thousands of a cut-throat sol- diery, is for the time all powerful. But in respect CoOMmiclooolkks ——E——————— a ome ee ’ ~~ Om