Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 269: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OK, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. follow the Count of Camerinv into the other. It was Nino Corso’s apartment to which he thus has- tened. Nino himself was absent, plying his usual avocation : the children were all sleeping in their beds: Benedetta was preparing the evening meal against her husband’s return. ** Ab, my lord,” she said, as the Count entered her apartment ; “‘is 16 you? I thought you had visitors—I fancied I heard footsteps ascending just now to your room and Oh! my lord, for heaven’s sake take care! I tremble on your ac- count ; for remember that on a former occasion a spy betrayed everything! Ah! it is no wonder, my lord, that you are full of anxiety and excite- ment—you look dreadfully ill—you are pale and haggard ? Well, well, Benedetta,” interrupted the Count ; * T thank you sincerely for all your generous in- terest on my behalf, Sit down a moment—I wish to speak to you on something of—of—more or less importance, as it turns out 2s “Good heavens, my lord exclaimed the frightened Benedetta; ‘“‘no danger menaces you, I hope ?—nothing has happened to poor Nino ?” ** Do not alarm yourself,” said the Count: “be composed—be tranquil! Forbear from asking me any questions—but reply to some which I am going to put to you.” ~ Benedetta seated herself; and completely re- assured on the nobleman’s account as well as on that of her husband, she prepared to listen with attention. He continued thus :— * You will think it strange that I am going to speak to you on such business—but it is through no vulgar sentiment of curiosity. Tell me then, Benedetta—is not the impression on your mind and on that of Nino, that the child there ”—and the Count gasped as he alluded to the babe—“ be- longs to the young Englishman ?”’ ** We have told your lordship all we know of the matter,” responded Benedetta. ‘Sometimes we haye fancied that the young Englishman must be the father—but then again, recollecting his as- surances, and the seeming frankness and sincerity with which they were given * “ But tell me, Benedetta,” interrupted the Count; “ when the evening before last that veiled lady was here—the lady who confessed herself to be the mother of the child—did it not strike you that she alluded to the young Englishman as if he were the father ?” “ No doubt it did, my lord,” replied Benedetta ; “and I said so to my husband afterwards. But Nino entertained a different opinion fe “Ah! and wherefore ?” inquired the Count. ‘Let me see?” said Benedetta. “Oh! it was because the lady never mentioned the young Eng- lishman with any degree of tenderness. I re- member her words: she simply said, ‘ He who confided the babe to your keeping, spoke in flat- tering terms of you both: but Aim you will never see again.’—Therefore, my lord, Nino concludes that there was nothing in the lady’s speech to falsify the assurance which the young gentleman had given us to the etfect that he was not the father of the child.” “ True!” said the Count of Camerino: and he reflected deeply. “ But why, my lord,” asked Benedetta, “ are you now interesting yourself , he 261 “ Hush! « footstep!” ejaculated the nobleman : and the next instant he was concealed inside the wardrobe. Scarcely had the doors of that piece of furniture closed upon the Count of Camerino, when the door of the apartment itself opened, and the veiled lady made her appearance. We should here observe that after the terrific scene amidst the ruins of &t. Nicholas, Ginevra had wandered about in an almost distracted state of mind, until thoroughly ex- hausted, she sat down upon a bank just outside the suburbs of Naples. ‘There she had collected her thoughts: she had meditated upon her position, and upon the course which she ought to pursue. She was wearied of the excitement of the last few weeks: she felt that her reason was tottering upon its throne, and that the endurance of further sus- pense, anguish, terror, and struggling against cir- cumstances, must terminate in utter madness. Her mind was therefore now made up how to act. She would retire to a convent:—there, until the time should arrive when she could take the veil, she would remain inaccessible to every human being except her father-confessor. She would thus shut out from herself all those worldly turmoils in which she was now so painfully involved; and she would escape her husband’s wrath,—believing, as she did, that the discovery of everything was imminent, But ere she sought the convent, she had yet a duty to perform: she must communicate certain parti- culars to those who had the care of her child. No sooner, therefore, was her final resolve taken, than she set off to the Via Graciosa, where she arrived at the same time that her husband was also in Bene- detta’s apartment. Ginevra was closely veiled, as on the former occasion ; and Benedetta said, “Ah, Signora, is it you P” “Yes,” she replied: “ once more and for the last time am I come to visit you! Tell me, has the English gentleman been here this evening P” No, Signora,” answered Benedetta: “and in- deed from what you told us the night before last, I never expected to see him again,” “Perhaps he will come presently—indeed he is almost sure to come,” resumed Ginevra: “ but you may tell him that I have already been—and that it is needless for him to interest himself further in my unfortunate affairs the message I gave him “ But is it not natural, Signora,” inquired Bene- detta, thus dexterously putting a leading question, —‘is it not natural that he should interest himself —he who 1s the father ? “Good heavens!” ejaculated Ginevra; “ are you labouring under such an error? Oh! that young English gentleman is all honour and virtue !—and it was a series of strange accidents which gradually led him on to become interested on my behalf! He has not been a month at Naples—and my acquaint- ance with him dates but from the evening when he confided the poor babe to your care:—that is pre- cisely a fortnight back !” *“ Ah! then I was mistaken,” said Benedetta. ** But perhaps a “Do not question me,” interrupted Ginevra; “but listen attentively to everything I have to say. LT am yery, very wretched: the misery of my xind is driving me to madness! The author of my ruin—the father of that poor babe there—maj COMmcooolks - Om