Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 267: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY ANP PLEASURE. 259 | a revelation—our hero comprehended in a moment how suspicion in respect to Ginevra had pointed towards himeelf. “By heaven, my lord!” he exclaimed, “ you wrong me !—you are cruelly deceived!” “You hie, wretch!” vociferated the Count. “ The evidence—there—youder—the child “4 ** This is madness!” cried De Vere, as all in an instant he sprang up to his feet and caught the arm which was descending to bury the dagger in his breast. yet been quite a month at Naples This assertion, so curt and trenchant, so com- plete in itself, having no need of preface nor peroration—staggered the Count of Camerino in amoment. But at that very same instant Silvio came bounding across the room to seize upon De Vere and hold him as an easy prey for the Count’s dagger. Stand back, my lord!’ exclaimed Charles, bending a stern look upon the Viscount. “It is not destined that my blood is to be shed this night !”—and it was a significant look which he flung upon the young nobleman. ** But is this possible?’ gasped forth the Count of Camerino, alluding to the assertion which Charles De Vere had just before made. ‘“ You have only been a month ” ** Look, my lord! here is my passport ! yourself.” Thus speaking, our hero handed the document to the Count of Camerino ; and while the noble- man hastily ran his eyes over it, Viscount Silviu, who had left Charles unmolested, seized that op- portunity to whisper in our hero’s ear, “ He will murder me, his own son—he will murder his wife —he will assassinate the babe likewise, if you be- tray the secret!” *“ Rest assured, my lord,” replied Charles, “ I shall not travel out of my way to shock and crush a father with the intelligence that he has been dis- honoured by his own son!” These speeches were so quickly exchanged and in such low flitting whispers, that the Count of Camerino heard them not: indeed all his atten- tion was absorbed for the moment in the passport which he held in his hands. For a few instants he looked confounded ; and then suddenly starting as if galvanized by a new idea, be burned almost fiercely upon Charles, saying, “ But you may have been at Naples on a previous occasion and with another passport !” “Now listen, my lord!” said our hero firmly and resolutely. ‘‘ This is so serious a matter that it must at once be set at rest so far as I am con- cerned. My conduct shall prove to you whether J am an innocent or a guilty person. I will coa- sent to remain bere while you send some trust- worthy messenger to the British Embassy to make all inquiries concerning me: you shall hold that dagger in your hand, with the point against my breast ; and if when the messenger returns he give you aught but satisfactory intelligence, then may you plunge the dagger into my heart!” _ The Count of Camerino was perfectly bewil- dered: it was impossible that he could resist the frankness and candour of Charles De Vere’s lun- guage and bearing. “ My God ! what does it all mean?” he at length 1»? Satisfy exclaimed, “ That child—that child—is it not a | ** Madman that you are! I have not “ My lord,” interrupted Charies, “I will not answer you a single question until you havo be- come perfectly satisfied that it is utterly impos- sible I can have any other interest in the babe than that of one into whose hands it was acti- dentally thrown !” “* By heaven, I believe you!” cried the Count of Camerino. “But I am bewildered! There seems some dreadful mystery ie “There may be, my lord—and there doubtless is!” said Charles: “ but I have no guilty partici- pation init. Appearances may have been against me—lI can understand how you, the Count of Camerino, a frequent visitor at that room—the child itself there—the Countess visiting the place the day before yesterday Au! I see it all! Yes, yes—I comprehend it now !” The Count of Camerino was almost inclined to admit at once that he entirely absolved Charles De Vere from the suspicion which had rested against him: but still his recent experiences of the duplicities of the world made him hesitate ere he spoke to that effect. His confidence in hu- manity had been fearfully shaken by his discovery of Gineyra’s guilt—his mind was already rendered morbid—he was prepared to take the worst view of things and to believe that dissimulation every- where prevailed around him. After a few mo- ments’ reflection, he said to Charles, “ You will wait here till my return. Iam going to makea certain inquiry—and I hold you to your pledge that you will consent to be under guard, with that dagger imminent above your head. My son, the Viscount Silvio, will act as sentinel es *“No, my lord!” interrupted Charles firmly: “T have nothing to do with your son—{ have te do only with yourself. Into your keeping I may entrust my life: but to the keeping of another— no!” The Count was smitten with the idea of somo sinister or perfidious motive on De Vere’s part: all bis suspicions flamed up anew—his eyes flashed fierce fires—his brows corrugated—and in a hoarse voice he muttered, “By heaven! I half believe him guilty after all!” Charles caught these words; and as a sudden recollection struck him, he said, * Listen to me, my lord! If I prove to you that I never was in Naples before my arrival a month back with the British Ambassador, you will be satisfied that I am innocent of any complicity in your dishonour, Look!” he continued, drawing forth his pocket- book and producing a letter; “this is from my mother in England. The very first lines are sig- pificant of the fact which I am desirous to prove tu your lordship—and you see how recent is the date! Mark these words:—‘ By the day this letter reaches you, my dear Charles, you will have for the first time set foot upon the Italian shore $2 * Pnough !” interrupted the Count of Camerino, a revulsion of feeliog once wore taking place in the youth’s fayour. “1 ought to be conviuced and yet such is my state of mind What think you, Silvio?” he demanded, abruptly turn- ing round towards his son, whose presence for the last few minutes he appeared to have fox- gotten. “ J think, father,’ the Viscount hastened to ro- spymd, “that Signor De Vere has fully acguitted LP] COMmicooolkxs re ee ee eee SS sees eee eee es es