Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 344: what you’re looking at

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336 nine dignity, and who, for the sake of her own self-respect, was resolved to be respected by one with whom she had formerly stood on other termes. ‘“‘ Gustavus, you are welcome,” she had gaid, as she gave bim her hand. “Ob, Winifred!” he exclaimed, with an an- guished expression of countenance; “I see that you hate me—that you abhor and loathe me “4 “ Gustavus,” interrupted Winifred, ‘ you have no right to speak thus. It is impossible I can hate you: I experience towards you the greatest interest ;—and I hope, Gustavus—I hope, my dear cousin, that you are happy with your wife P” “ Ah, my wife!” cried the young man: “ how knew you that she was my wife P” “How did I know it, Gustavus?” repeated Winifred, with an air of surpriso and even of re- proach, inasmuch ag it struck her for a moment that it was at first his intention to deny that he was married at all. ‘ Did you not go hence with Miss Pinnock, upwards of two months back, to conduct her to the altar ?—were you not seen pro- ceeding together to Doctors’ Commons ey “Who saw us ?” demanded Gustavus hastily. “Tt matters not,” replied Winifred, now speak- ing with a severe countenance. ‘“ Gustavus,” she continued, “ you appear as if you were inclined to throw some degree of mystery around this parti- cular point your marriage. Why should you do so? There is not the slightest necessity to stand upon any fastidiousness or punctilio with me. In- deed, since you have come to see me, let it bein all the frankness of our relative position of cousins —or very dear friends “Yes, let it be so,” said Gustavus, who did not appear to have a very happy expression of counte- nance. Indeed, as Winifred now surveyed him with more attention than at first, the thought gradually grew into her mind that he had a dissipated look, and that the indications of debauchery and profli- gacy were upon his countenance. The idea dis- tressed her ; and as he threw himself upon a seat with an air of lassitude and languor, she accosted him—she laid her hand upon his shoulder—and looking earnestly into his countenance, she said, “Tell me, Gustavus—I conjure you to tell me,— are you happy in your married state? are you happy with Emily ?” * Happy or miserable,” he vehemently ex- claimed ; “by heaven, I cannot tell! I do not know how I feel—I have almost lost my own iden- tity—I am so altered, Winifred ¥ “But, my dear cousin,” she said, shocked and frightened at the strangeness of his words and looks, “ you surely are happy-and Emily is doubt- less a good wifeP I know that she loved you dearly—very dearly she came across the ocean to seek you ig “True!” exclaimed Gustavus; and it struck Winifred that a bitter smile crossed his jaded countenance, ‘There is no more doubt as to her love than there is as to the violence of the fires that agitate within the crater of Vesuvius! There are fires, Winifred, which warm and cheer with their genial heat, and infuse pleasurable feel- ings into #se heart. But there are likewise fires which scorch and burn you—which render the at- mosphere oppressive and overpowering 6 ——— ee ee eee AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. / “Ob, Gustavus!” murmured Winifred, almost meltirg into tears, “do you mean me to under. stand from all this that you are not happy ?” “T tell you, Winifred, that I do not know what my feelings are! I ought to be happy perhaps and yet I don’t know, but there are times when I think that I am the most miserable wretch in existence! But tell me, Winnie,” he suddenly interrupted himself; “ you received the gold all safe ?” ‘Yes, Gustavus—all safe,” she replied: “ and let me assure you that the boon you have thus conferred upon your grandfather, constitutes the finest chapter in your life!” * Ah! I was resolved, Winnie,” responded Gus- cavus, “ that you should have the gold as soon as possible. Emily wished to keep it back until our hands were indissolubly joined, or until we stood upon the deck of a vessel to bear us back to the West Indies: but I vowed that there should be no delay—I would not even accompany her to procure the marriage-license until the gold was sent hither ;—for amidst all my grief at that memorable period, Winifred, I thought of what- soever atonement I could best make be “ Gustavus,” she interrupted him, “speak of nothing in the form of atonement to myself! The only feeling I entertain towards you is that of a friendly—a fond interest. But you have not in- quired concerning your grandfather.” “Tell me of him!” ejaculated Gustavus: “is he well? has not the gold suficed——” **To effect his emancipation? Not yet: there have been delays but to-day or to morrow he will be free.” ‘Oh! say you so, dear Winifred? These are indeed joyous tidings!”—but even as Gustavus thus spoke, with an apparent fervour of tone, there was nevertheless a certain abstraction in his manner,—as if other subjects would persist in ob- truding upon the thoughts which he endeavoured to fix upon his young relative who was present, and the image of the old one who was within the prison-walls at a little distance. “ Gustavus,” said Winifred, “I do sincerely hope that you have for some reason or another been deceiving me, when striving to make me fancy that you are not happy in your married con- dition. Tell me that you have been misrepresent- ing and exaggerating 16 “ By heaven, my dear cousin,” exclaimed Gus- tayus, “I scarcely know what words to use when speaking of Emily! We were married—and we went to Paris: for I know not how it was, but I vowed that I would not immediately cross the At- lantic and return to Jamaica. Emily encouraged me to p!unge ixto all kixds of pleasures—that is to say, so long as they were such recreations as she could partake in. She has plenty of money: she made me buy horses and carriages—she forced me to mingle in fashionable society—to give elegant entertainments In short, my dear Wini‘red, the two months and upwards which have elapsed since you and I parted, have been a constant whirl of pleasure, until I am sated and palled with all these delights and blandishments! There is within me the incessant consciousness that Emily is ever striving to enmesh me in a perfect web of dissi- pations, recreations, festivities, and amusements, as if I were a child whose good temper ovuld only be Gomicbooks..com —*. .