Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 304: what you’re looking at

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298 outraged by a libertine. caprices in respect to the other sex—but no sus- ceptibility of permanent passion. You have dis- covered, and 1 have confessed, that I am not vir- tuous: but this is the tenour of existence which I hope to lead for many a long year to come.” Ciprina herself was not virtuous: but still she could not help gazing with a momentary feeling of astonishment upon her new friend who unhesi- tatingly avowed her libertinage, but who never- | theless, by her speech, her look, and her manner, threw over if so exquisite a gloss that it did not look like profligacy or depravity. Yet Ciprina’s astonishment quickly passed away, as the convic- tion rushed into her mind that there was after all very little difference, if any, between her own dis- position and that of Lucrezia Mirano. The distance from Naples to Florence is about two hundred and fifty miles; and though Italian travelling is none of the fleetest, yet the liberal expenditure of money ensured relays of the best post-horses which each successive station could furnish; and there were no unnecessary halts by the way. Two nights were passed upon the road; and at length the equipage entered the Tuscan capital. Ciprina was prepared to find Luerezia’s mansion a handsome one; but she had little anti- cipated the degree of splendour to which all the details of the establishment reached, The struc- ture itself veritably deserved the name of a palazzo: it was furnished in a style of palatial magnificence; and the hosts of servants of all de- scriptions seemed innumerable. The gardens at- tached to the palace were iaid out after the fashion of those at Versailles, near Paris. In the plea- sure-grounds there were water-works and foun- tains, pavilions and arbours, groups of exquisitely modelled statues, avenues of orange trees, canser- vatories, and green-houses. As we have already hinted, the interior of the palace was sumptuous to a degree: no expense had been spared in the appointments of the numerous suites of apart- ments; and everywhere within those walls the most admirable and interesting works of art might be seen. Statues and pictures, objects of virtd and @ profusion of the costliest nick-nacks, met the eye on all sides. All these things were entirely to Ciprina’s taste; and she thus received another proef of the resemblance which subsisted between her own disposition and that of her new friend. It was left to Ciprina to select for herself the suite of apartments which she chose to occupy; and a numerous bevy of domestics were assigned to her special service. Particular equipages were also appointed for her own individual use when she chose to separate her proceedings and arrange. ments from those of the Marchioness; and thus everything was done to fulfil the various promises which Lucrezia had made ker during the journey. It appeared to be the realization of a beautiful dream! On the morrow the picture which the Marchio- ness had purchased at Naples, was put up in the gallery. It represented Lucrezia Borgia in an elegant costume voluptuously displaying the rich contours of her bust—a book in her hand—but her countenance turned in a manner to reveal a full view of its beauty, while its expression was that of a soft sensuous significancy. ee “T shall never think of that portrait,” said | escape from it, yet heaven itself would wreak a ry ke eee a AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, I have whims andj, Ciprina, “as being intended to represent the ° d vv \ o ' i ™ Pope’s daughter. I shall always look upon it, my dear Lucrezia, as the portrait of yourself. Ah! and you are now dressed, too, in a style which fully bears out the resemblance! Pray take a book in your hand—place yourself next to these evergreens so as to form a background—and now turn your face towards me, just as that counte- nance seems to be looking out of the canvass. There! that smile too—that involuntary smile that you gave—Oh! the resemblance is indeed marvellously striking !” This little scene took place after the withdrawal of the domestics who had hung up the picture, and when the two ladies were alone together in the gallery. And Ciprina was right. The resem- blance was indeed wonderful; and a stranger un- acquainted with the facts, could not have failed to imagine that it was veritably the portrait of Lucrezia Di Mirano which was suspended there. 7 - b ey a « —— ee ae ae Oe ee ee ee ee ee ee teenie CHAPTER L. THE CONFESSION. We must now return to the Count of Camerino and his wretched son, whom we left at the instant when they were thrown together inside the chaise which the Chief of the Police had caused to be stopped that it might convey them both to the» Prefecture. It would be difficult to conceive a state of mind more terribly harrowing, more poignant in its excruciating tortures than that which was endured by Silvio. All his various : projects, his hopes, and his expectations had been shattered and levelled with the dust. Separated” from Ciprina and arrested by the police, he had found himself forced suddenly to fall back upon the parricidal idea that by surrendering up his sire to the grasp of the law, he might ensure his own safety as well as the heritage of the paternal estates. But this last resource was likewise de- stroyed, as a project of such stupendous infamy | only too well deserved to be!—and all his guilt was made known to his sire—all the satanic wiskedness of his conduct throughout its black details was revealed to the knowledge of that out- raged parent! The miserable young man sank dotwn in the chaise, and grovelled at the feet of the Count, murmuring, in the most piteous accents, “ Forgive me, father!—forgive me!” ‘Silence, unnatural boy!” sternly replied the Count of Camerino. “There are offences beyond all pardon—and yours are of that character! Oh, the execrable refinement of cruelty which has thrown us thus together!” “ Father,” said Silvio, his voice sounding hoarse and unnatural, “if you have a weapon about you, plunge it into my heart—for I am unfit to live!” “ Wretch!” cried the Count: “ would you seek to make me as vile and iniquitous as you are? I have no weapon: but even if I had, you would be safe with me—for it is not my hand that shall avenge all the wrongs that I have sustained. Miserable boy! you are in the terrible grasp of the law; and even if by any miracle you were to —_* _—_— | Gomichbooks. com