Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 318: what you’re looking at

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

- 210 “ Giulio,’ responded Ciprina, “ you seem to forget the difference which subsists between us. You speak to me with an imperiousness which would elicit the most injignant rebuke from my lips were it not that I feel that existing cireum- stauces are as peculiar as they are embarrassing, and that therefore we must give explanations. For my part I have nothing more to say than this, —that on arriviug here in the afternoon, the Mar- chioness indicated this suite of apartments to be henceforth my own, whenever I might sojourn at the villa.” “Ah !’—and now the young page appeared to begin to have some clue to the reading of a mys- tery which had perplexed him: but the light of intelligence which shone in his eyes, was sinister aud peculiar. “And you were ignorant, Signora,” he said, “of the intended departure of her ‘ladyship this night P” “ Utterly ignorant,” replied Ciprina. “ I heard . the sounds of the equipage suddenly leaving the premises—I looked from the window—I saw that it was the travelling-carriage which brought us hither in the micdle of the day—I was still over- whelmed with astonishment, when this secret door opened M, * Au! then it was indeed a secret door so far as you, Signora, were concerned ?” exclaimed Giulio : “and you expected not that your privacy would be intruded upon?” “ Assuredly not !” answered Ciprina. “ Porgive me, lady, therefore, for this intru- sion!” said Giulio, with a low respectful bow: aud stepping back over the threshold; he vanished from Ciprina’s view, the door closing in a mo- ment. Ciprina was almost as much astonished at this last proceeding as she was at the abrupt appear- acee of the page in the first instance. She bad expected explanations: but he vanished, leaving her curiosity ungratified. She was half iaclined to open the secret door, if possible, and call after him : but she scarcely liked to take this step, for the idea was growing up in her mind that the Marchioness had been purposely mannceuvring to throw Giulio and herself together. Ciprina sought her couch, wondering what explanations the mor- row would elicit ;—and sleep gradually stole upon her eyes. When the maids entered Ciprina’s chamber in the morning, one of them said, “ You must not be surprised nor annoyed, Signora, if you find yourself alone at the breaktast-table presently; for the Marchioness was summoz24 back to Florence las: night + ‘ Indeed?” ejaculated Ciprina. “i heard an equipage depart between eleven and twelve o'clock “Tt was her ladyship’s travelling carriage. It appears, Signora,’’ continued the maid, “ that sudrtly after you retired to your chamber last evening, a messenger arrived with a letter for the Marchioness—I b.lieve it was to announce the sudden and vers’serious illness of some particular lady-friend—so that the equipage was ordered — her ladyship would not allow you to be disturbed— and she set off with the least possible delay.” SSeS hs ssl sss sete i aS eager emnestnheeteasneamaeeienet eee eee eee “And I presume the Marchioness will return in the course of the day?” said Ciprina, AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASU KY. . “ Most probably, Signora,” rejoined the nate “ At all events, if you wish to return to Florence before her ladyship comes back to the: villa, there are equipages here “No, I 4m not in any hurry to return to Flo- rence,” interrupted Ciprina. ‘ Let breakfast be served up in my boudoir. Bat Ah! when I be- think me, it will be only kind on my part if I send off a note to the Marchioness, condoling with her on the illness of her friend, and offering my services if in any way they can be rendered available. Therefore bid Giulio come to me pre- sently: I will despatch him to Fiorence - “ Giulio is not here, Signora,” was the reply : “he set off at an early hour on horseback for Flo- r renee: but any other one of the male domestics will perform your errand.” “Well, we shall see presently,” said Ciprina : and her morning toilet being now complete, she passed into her boudoir. She was annoyed to find that Giulio was not at the villa. She had really no intention of de- spatching any note to the Marchioness, for she felt assured that the tale of the lady-friend’s sud- den illness was only a pretext or an excuse for her own abrupt departure:—but Ciprina wanted to see Giulio that she might elicit from his lips something more in the way of explanation than on the preceding evening she had obtained. Ciprina was giving way to her reflections. The morning repast was terminated—she was half re- clining upon a sofa, with ber usual air of indolence. By her beauty she indeed seemed well fitted to oc- cupy thac exquisitely furnished apartment, where the atmosphere was warm and perfumed, and where love might from surrounding objects find impulses or suggestions for tha pleading of its suit. For the pictures suspended to the walls depicted scenes from the heathen mythology relative to the amours of gods and goddesses; while the alabaster sta- tuettes represented kindred subjects. There was no indelicacy either in the paintings on the can- vas or in the statuary groups: but still the effect was that of a refined sensuousness and exqui- sitely sublimated voluptuousness\ which could not - ; fail to produce a particular impression under cer- tain circumstances. Ciprina was reclining upon the sofa, giving way to her reflections, when the door of the boudoir gently opened, and one of the maids gliding in, introduced a gentleman. She immediately retired : an exclamation of mingled surprise and joy burst from the lips of Edgar Marcellin—for be the gen- tleman was; and hastening forward, he threw himself at the lady’s feet, exclaiming, “ Thanks— | * a thousand thanks, beauteous Ciprica! for this un- expected pleasure! For, Ou! though the pretext was gratifying to my vanity, yet this reality, as I now fiod it, is most in accordance with«my heart’s desire |” This language was utterly enigmatical to Ci- prina: she could not for the-life of her compre- hend it: but it was evident that she felt not of- fended with the handsome young Frenchman for the step he had takea. Pleasure, and satisfaction, and triumph shone luminously in her eyes, as she gave him her hand, which he pressed to his lips. “Ab, Ciprina! dearest Cipriua ! !” he exclaimed ; “then it is as I have been informed, and you have all along loved me?” COMIC OOS ‘com "1 4