Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 373: what you’re looking at

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

i mr EE TLC ee AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. cbhases——” “Well, Winifred, I leave it ail to you,” said the grandfather: “but let the dinner be a good one, for my credit’s sake. Robus shan’t have an oppor- tunity of saying that E have flown from my pro- mise! And I think, dear Winnie, that we will have the carriage presently ey “Yes: and to-day you shall drive into the Parks, dear grandfather,” exclaimed Winifred : “you shall visit all the liveliest scenes! And per- haps we will make a call or two; for you must go in person to thank Miss Evelyn for all her kindness towards me, as well as her generous inter- vention with Mrs. Hardress for the purpose of pro- curing that document which after being for a while lost was yesterday restored, for the accomplishment of your deliverance !” “Ah! and perhaps we shall see Mr. Hargrave?” suggested old Mr. Barrington; “and he will give us news of Gustavus.” “Yes,” interrupted Winifred; “no doubt we shall soon see Mr. Hargrave. In fact, my dear grandfather, there is plenty upon our hands to while away the time for the present. And then too,” she added, more slowly and with hesitation alike in her looks and her voice, “‘after dinner to-day, my dear grandtather, I meas to speak to you about | something But no matter now!” she ejaculated, thus suddenly interrupting herself. ‘Here are the newspapers—amuse yourself with them, while I go and give instructions to Mrs. Slater to see about the banquet for the prisoners.” Winifred issued from the drawing room, and descended the stairs. The maid-servant was at the moment at the front door receiving some articles which a tradesman’s boy was delivering. Winifred inquired if Mrs. Slater were in her own room ?—to which query the answer was that she had just gone out fora few minutes. Winifred was on the point of returning towards the stair- case again, when some one rushed hastily up to the door of the house. That individual at once caught sight of the young lady’s retreating form: and the name of “ Winifred” was ejaculated from his lips. “Gustavus!” and it was with a still more wild suddenness that this name was thrown off from the tongue of Winifred. He rushed into the hall-passage,—he was on the point of clasping Winifred in his arms, when sbe held herself back, and presented her hand in a manner which at once convinced her cousin that a certain distance and reserve must be maintained betwixt them. Winifred had all in a moment re- covered her presence of mind ; and throwing open the door of Mrs. Slater’s sitting-room, she said, “ Come here, Gustavus.” And now the cousins were again together,—yes, again together after an interval of seven months since last they met! Winifred was pale, but out- wardly calm; and there was an expression of sad- ness over that calmness; but a certain degree of dignity and self-possession were likewise apparent in her mien. She sat down, at the same time in- dicating a chair at a short distance for the accom- modation of Gustavus. She now looked at him more attentively than she had hitherto been enabled to do; she perceived that he had a fear- fully careworn look—he was thin, almost to emaci- Mrs. Sieter shall make the necessary pur- —s + 365 ation—he was pale and haggard—end there was also a wildness in his eyes, as if veritably those orbs had a certain glare of horror in them. On | the last occasion they had met, be it remembered that the appearance of Gustavus was that of one | who had become addicted to dissipation and begun to steep himself in debaucheries : but now his ap- | pearance was of a still more fearful character—it had in it something which seemed to indicate that wild feelings had been accustomed to agitate in the soul of late, and that the mind was far from unfamiliar with horrible thoughts. All this struck not Winifred at the first glance ; but it gradually dawned in upon her comprehension as she had now leisure to contemplate her cousin’s countenance. The effect was to shuck her most forcibly ; and she sat in a silence that was gradually blending with the stupor of dismay. He on his part seemed at a loss what words to speak; so that it appeared as if he had been in the first instance led by some strong purpose or impelled by some powerful motive to seek Winifred, but at the instant of finding himself in her presence the purpose and motive both were forgotten— confusion on account of the present was blending with horror arising from the images of the past ! Winifred was the first to break this singular silence; and she said in a voice that was only pre- vented by the slightest degree of treinulousness from being wholly calm, “ You are again in Eng- land, Gustavus. Let me bope that it is nothing unpleasant which brings you hither ? at all events I have some agreeable tidings to communicate. Mr. Hargrave called yesterday morning; and yes- terday afternoon” — here her voice vibrated with a strong feeling for a moment—“ our grandfather was restored to freedom!” “God be thanked!” said Gustavus, in a tone that was sombre and hollow, instead of being flexible and harmonious with exulting joy: “ that good deed is at last accomplished—ane I have no longer upon my head the crime of perpetuating his imprisonment! Oh, Winifred! did you not reproach me bitterly, bitterly ?” “Gustavus,” she replied, “we will not now speak of the past. Our grandfather is in the room above—will you not at once seek his presence? or shall [ in the first instance go and prepare him to receive you ?” “No, not immediately, Winifred,” exclaimed Gustavus, almost impatiently. ‘ I will go to him presently but in the meanwhile I wish to say a few words to you.” Winifred hesitated for a moment: there was the glistening of uneasiness in her eyes as if arising from a fluttering at the heart; and then she said with composure and firmness, “I do not think, Gustavus, that you can have anything to say to me which may not be said in the presence of our grandfather.” * Yes, Winifred !”’ he exclaimed, with a sudden access of excitement ; “I have much to say to you! I have to speak of things more important than you can perhaps drexm!” “ Gustavus, what means this excitement ?”’ asked Winifred: “of what important matters can you have to speak tome? Tell me—are you happy with your wife ?” “ My wife ?”—and here for a moment his coun- tenance was convulsed with horror, while his eo a comicbooks