Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 286: what you’re looking at

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

—— A AOE BN a ~~ er ew as wwe were: cee ew eee « © Sere FO Our <aeseeer oar tee eee ewe em 278 that he had much to learn: but so far from dis- covered your abominable project—or whether ; playing any ignorance upon the point in the pre- | sence of the surgeon, he said, “ Hasten not on in | ' go excited a manner; but answer me intelligibly. | I must tell you frankly that if I do not as yet know everything in its minutest details, I have a clue to the completest elucidation thereof; and if in a single instance you are now guilty of supres- sion or Omission, i¢ will be the worse for you in the long run! But on’ the other hand, if you deal frankly with me, I promise that you shall be safe,” An expression of indescribable relief appeared upon the countenance of Signor Visso, as he said, * [ will answer your reverence frankly.” “ First of all, then,” resumed the Count, “ex. | plain to me the circumstances under which the | child was consigned to the care of the young Englishman, Charles De Vere.” | “T have already said,” replied the surgeon, “that it was the Viscount Silviv who resolved to make away with the child: but the Countess by | some means or another suspected bis intention— | and in order to save the babe she gave it into the keeping of that young Englishman whom you. have named. At the outset Viscount Silvio told the Countess he would place the child in the Foundling Hospital contrary ty his expecta. | tions she insisted on accompanying him thither—it | was in che evening e “Yes,” interposea the Count; “and your wife went with them.” “True,” answered the surgeon; “and then it | was—somewhere in the streets—that the Countess | Ginevra suspected evil intentions on Silvio’s part | —and she fled with the babe.” ‘In the second place,” said the disguised noble- how you violate the conditions which I have im- man, “ you have to speak to me in reference to the attempt that was made upon the life of the young Englishman.” “Yes, holy father; and on this point I will) also be candid,” responded the surgeon. “The | Viscount Silvio dreaded lest this young English- | man should make certain revelations . | “To whom ?” demanded the seeming priest. | “The Viscount did not enter deeply into parti- | culars with me,” replied Visso: “he merely said that everything stood a chance of being discovered | —that we all stood upon the brink of a precipice —and that nothing but the death of Signor De Vere could save us. So I assented to the proposal © that was made to me “ And this was to assassinate the young Eng- lishman !” said the Count. ‘ When was the pro- ject attempted ?” “ Yesterday evening,” rejoined the surgeon,—_ “at sunset.” | “Ah! yesterday evening?’ said the Count: and now Silvio’s motives became all in an instant | clear to his comprehension, “ But how did the | scheme fail ?” | “In good sooth holy father,” responded Visso, “Signor De Vere was in the first instance too much for the Viscount and myself: but at length we had him down—and to confess the truth, ili | would it bave fared with him in another moment | if the Countess herself fad not appeared upon the scene.” “Ab ! the Countess appeared ?” said the noble- man. “ But you have not told me how she dis- | —_— AGNES; OR, BEAUTY ANP PLEASURE. KE knowledge thereof ever escape your lips! /ment shall overtake you both. ' 10 | herself was an accomplice in it ?” eet | “No, no, holy father! she was not an accom. | plice ” exclaimed Visso. “She had been uncon- sciously made the means of enticing Charles De } Vere to those ruins under the pretext of having important matters to communicate: but how she — afterwards discovered that evil was intended, I | know not. Immediately upon her appearance, C flea from the spot. I have not since seen the Viscount—I have been in fear and trembling— but you have assured me, holy father, that my safety depends upon my candour; and you havy2 told me likewise that you have the means of judging whether I speak to you with frankness.” * Yes—I have those means,” replied the Count; “and I see that you have thus far dealt with sincerity. Have you anything more to say ?” “Nothing, holy father—nothing,” rejoined the surgeon. ‘“ Would that I had never meddled in these matters! would that I could now fairly see the issue of them !”’ “Listen to me, Signor Visso,” said the Count. “You are acquainted with a fearful secret: for your own sake retain it inviolable! Let not the I have it in my power to guarantee your safety, and that of your wife, upon these conditions: but if you violate them, rest assured that a terrible punish- In the first placo you plotted for the destruction of an innocent child ; and in the second place you grasped the assassin-weapon to take the life of the young Eng- lish gentleman. Do you know what penalties would overtake you for this double crime? The scaffold—or at least the galleys! Then beware ‘ é posed! Ifa single whisper derogatory to the honour of the noble family of Camerino be breathed in Naples, it will at once be attributed to this house as ite source; and then nothing should save you from the vengeance of those who are able to inflict it. You understand me. Fare- well.” Having thus spoken, the Count of Camerino quitted the surgeon’s dwelling, and began to re- trace his way to his own obscure abode. He was now thoroughly acquainted with all the magna- nimity of Charles De Vere's conduct: he perceived what our hero had suppressed in reference to his own knowledge of the deplorable series of trans- actions in which he had become mixed up; and he understood the generous purposes for which this suppression had taken place. And now too he comprehended why it was that on the preceding evening Charles had so emphatically refused to remain alone with Silvio if the latter retained a weapon in his possession. : * Noble-minded youth!” said the Count of Camerino, thus aprostrophizing the image of Charles De Vere: “ you shall assuredly have your reward !” CHAPTER XLVIL THE SEA-SHORE. WE must now return to Father Faleonara, whom we left at the moment when be wus issuing from -_—_—_-—-- Eonnicel doo ks €om