Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 282: what you’re looking at

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

274 avoke not —he prepared to listen in silence to AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. “You will do this, my young friend?” said the whatsvever the nobleman might be about to com- | Count earnestly: “it is the only boon I shall ever municate, “Tt has come to my knowledge,” proceeded the Count of Camerino, “ that you will be presently summoned to the confessional to receive the avowals of sin from the lips of a penitent ” ask you to grant! If you owe me any debt of gratitude, you will now be amply repaying it. Even though you be committing a sin, yet must you thus sin for the sake of friendship and grati- tude! Yes—you must make this sacrifice on my “IT have already received a note, my lord,” re- | account P” fi plied Father Falconara, “from one in whom you are deeply interested, desiring me to attend in the “You gave me bread when without you I should have starved,” murmured the young priest; “ you confessional within a few minutes of the hour of | became my friend when otherwise I should have | been friendless—you gave me likewise the meuns noon : but it is utterly impossible that from her lips ou ““Yes—it is from her lips,” interrupted the Count, with features indescribably sombre in their expression, — “ yes, it is from the lips of Ginevra “My lord ?’—and the young priest stopped short, aghast and confounded. “ Now, now you know the secret of my suffer- ings!” exclaimed the nobleman: “ you have fa- thomed the mystery of the horrible tortures which Iam enduring! Ob! my young friend, blessed are you in the celibacy of the priesthood, to be things! exempt from the possibility of such fearful calami- | For what is more terrible than for >> tics as these! a husband to kuoow that he is dishonoured “My lord?” again said the young priest, with the air of one who could not give credit to the | evidence of bis own ears. “Itis as I tell you,” resumed the unhappy nobleman; “and you see before you the most | miserable wretch in existence! But for heaven’s sake drag me not into explanations—time is pass- ing—the hour is approaching “4 ‘“* What—what, my lord, can I do?” asked Father Falconara, trembling from head to foot with distress at what he heard, for he dearly loved his benefactor. “Every point save one in Ginevra’s guilty career is known unto me,” replied the Count hastily; ‘“‘and that point must be cleared up. Tuere is but one means—and that is through the con- fessional 2 Falconara started: for a few moments he be- their robes. of education which made me what lam! I owe you everything—it is my very life therefore which I owe you—and you may command me in all How would you have me act ?” “The guilty Ginevra will presently be in the confessional,’ said the Cuunt: “proceed you thither—devise some pretext for not performing the holy ministrations—say that you are under a penance say anything! You best know what excuse may be devised in order to introduce me as @ priest in your place? ‘This is what I ask of you.” Father Falconara glanced at a time-piece upon the mantel, and said, “ The service is nearly over— the officiating priests will come hither to put off Go you, my lord, and walk in the shade of the aisle uatil I rejoin you. Everything shall be done as you command But believe me —QOna! believe me, it is a very great sacrifice which I am meking on your account!” The nobleman wrung the young priest’s hand and issued from the vestiary. When Father Fal- conara was alone, he clasped his hands, while a de- spaining look flitted over his countenance; for he felt as if he were standing on the threshold of a sacrilegious crime. Butcomposing his features as well as he was able, and summoning all his forti- tude to his aid, he went out of the vestiary. A glance showed him the form of the Count slowl proceeding amidst the gloom of the neighbouring aisle—for it was a dark sombre day at tbat Christ- | ; ; a mas season of the year. Vue service was just con- eluded—the congregation were quitting the church carne dreadfully perturbed—and he faltered forth, |—the priests who had officiated were descending “No, no! this I cannot do. that, my lord! Immense though my obligations are towards you, yet the secrets of the confes- sicoal y “I ask you not to betray them, my young Anything but, from the altar, Another glance suowed Father Faleonara the veiled form of Ginevra passing slowly towards the confessional; and it struck him that she staggered in her walk as if under the in- fluence of the most harrowing sensativns. Father friend,” replied the Count. “I know that they are Falconara purposely threw himself ia the way of secred when confided to the bosom of a priest; and not for worlds would I ask you to violate that sanctity! But in this instance it is not to a priest that they are to be confided é the two priests who were now approaching the vestiary. They caught sight of the form in the clerical garb that was pacing in the gloomy aisle; and Father Falconara at once said, “He is a “Oh! what mean you, my lord?” said the friend of mine—a holy priest belonging to a vil- trembling Faleonara. “I adjure you to relieve me from this state of suspense !” ““In one word,” responded the Count, “suffer me to take your place at the confessional. This is the boon which 1 demand!” Tbe young priest was standing at the time that the request was thus put to him: but he suddenly sank down upon his chair, as if overwhelmed by feelings which struck him with the violence of a blow. He gazed with a strange vacant look upon the Count: for next to the betrayal of the secrets of the confessional, the deed that he was asked tu perform was the most sacrilegious. re em meee lage in the neighbourhood.” The other two priests entered the vestiiry, pué off their robes, and shortly afterwards quitted the chureh. Father Faleonara breathed more freely when they were gone; and he advanced towards the confessional. Ginevra was kneeling in the proper place: and the young priest lowered the curtain in such a way as entirely to conceal the entrance of the confessional and to render tt almost completely dark within, Taking bis own place on the opposite side of the lattice-barrier that separated him from the penitent, he began speaking to her in the sense which the Couat bim- Gomicbooks