Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 349: what you’re looking at

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

5 —_— =——~— as he had recourse to stimulants to remove those un- AGNES; 02, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. Besides, 1 am sure you feel better now—do you not?” “Infinitely better,” answered Gustavus: then looking at the snowy table-cloth, and the shining plate, and the glittering wine—all seeming to give promise of an excellent repast—he added, ‘ And I feel too, Emily, as if I could do justice to the dinner.” “We will have it served up at once—for it is past six o’clock, I declare!” exclaimed the qua- droon, looking at her watch. The bell was rung accordingly—the repast was served up; and as again Gustavus experienced a eertain languor hanging about him —a certain sinking at the heart and sickness at the stomach, self again. easy sensations. Thus so far as he was concerned, the champagne flowed with considerable freedom ; while Emily appeared to be taking her own share of the exhilarating beverage, though in reality she drank but little. Yet more luminous, if possible, grew her large black eyes—more richly mantled the blood through the diapbanous duskiness of her complexion—and more sensuously tender seemed the smiles which parted ber moist red lips: more musical than ever appeared the tones of her fluid voice. Gustavus was completely under the empire of her fascinations ; and when she said to him, “Tt is too late now to think of visiting your grandsire,’—he readily answered, “ Yes, dearest, we will see the poor old man the first thing after breakfast to-morrow.’ And when she said to him, “ Your cousin, you know, will not be uneasy at your absence, as the message I sent will have accounted for it,’— Gustavus replied, “ So long as I know that Winifred is not uneasy, I would rather remain here alone with you, my beloved and beautiful Emily, than think of going else- where!” Perhaps the reader will scarcely require to be informed that Emily was playing a game of com- pletest duplicity. She had sent for no medical at- tendance whatsoever, because she had perfectly well known under what influences Gustavus had been sleeping, and she was not therefore uneasy on his accouot. Neither had she sent any mes- sages to old Mr. Barrington or Winifred. Her only object was to keep her husband away from those relatives: she valued not their feelings —she cared not for them, so inteuse was her own self- ishness ; and so far from forwarding any message to them, she was careiul not to afford them the slightest clue to the hotel where Gustavus and herself were staying. For in the course of con- versation during the walk home to that hotel in the morning, Emily had dexterously gleaned from Gustavus the fact that he had not mentioned his present address to his cousin Winifred. Gustavus had said something to Emily about a document of importance which he was charged to deliver to his old grandsire; and the quadroon would really have sent it to Mr. Barrington, were it not for the reason already mentioned—namely, that she was afraid of affording any clue to the present whereabouts of Gustavus. She had found the packet in his coat-pocket; and she had locked it up in one of her own trunks, with the intention of leaving it in charge of the hotel-waiter the last thing ere her departure, so that it might be for- warded on te ensuing day to its destination, 341 —_— The cloth having been removed, the dessert was placed upon the table; and Emily had taken care that all the most costly fruits should be provided so as to please the eye and tempt the appetite of her husband—for her great object was now to keep him with her, and to induce him to drink copiously of the champagne which was served up, and which was a wine whereof he was particularly fond. She exerted all her own powers to please, to fascinate, and to ravish him—so that he was as much intoxicated with the blandishments of his syren-wife as with the exhilarating juice of Eper- nay. At length, in a condition of the completest ebriety, he sank back upon the sofa, and fell into the utter unconsciousness of slumber. A smile of indescribable triumph now appeared upon the rich red lips of the quadroon ; end her luminous black eyes flashed with a kindred fire. She looked at her watch; and she ejaculated within herself, ‘‘ They will soon be here!” In a few minutes a waiter entered the room, saying, “If you please, ma’am, two men kave come in all haste from the West India Docks!” “Indeed !” ejaculated Emily, as if taken by surprise. ‘“ From the Docks?” “ Yes, ma’am—for it seems that all the passen~ gers who have taken berths in Mr. Millard’s ship, must be on board before midnight. So the Cap- tain has sent these men to bring this notice, and to fetch your luggage —~” “Good heavens, how provoking!” exclaimed Emily, glancing towards the sleeping Gustavus, with a well-affected air of mingled annoyance and mortification. ‘It would be useless to conceal from you,” she continued, thus addressing the waiter, “ that Mr. Barrington has taken too much of your good wine indeed he is completely overcome by it! hours must elapse before he will be sufficiently recovered to awake e “Well, ma’am,” said the waiter, “if it is abso- lutely necessary for you to go by this ship “e “We have taken our berths in it !—the money is paid:” exclaimed Emily. “ Look! here are the receipts !” “Well, ma’am,” resumed the waiter, ‘“‘ there is but one course to adopt—begging pardon for the boldness with which I offer the advice—but those two men who have come in the cab can easily convey the gentleman down-stairs “ “ Ah! but the exposure!” exclaimed Emily, clasping her hands as if in despair: “ the idea of being thus disgraced and degraded “g “There is a private staircase, ma’am,” said the waiter; “and if you will leave it to me, every- thing shall be contrived for the very best.” “Yes,” she said; “it is the only alternative! I am greatly obliged to you—manage the matter as you have suggested—and I will reward you liberally.” “ Are the trunks and boxes all ready, ma’am ?” inquired the waiter. ‘‘Yes—nearly so. But let these men get my husband away at once: they can take two or three of the heaviest trunks with them—and [ will pre- sently follow in another cab with the remainder.’ The waiter quitted the room; and in a tew moments the two men who had been hired for this particular service, made their appearance. Raising Gustavus in their arms, they wrapped him in a large cloak—thoy carried him COMmMcooolkxs —a —_s Om