Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

x AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, and disgust which Cicely’s fine eyes darted upon her. “Cease, woman!” ejaculated the young lady. “Tf from my own heart I receive not the inspira- tion of courage, it is not to be gained from the lips of such as you!” “Well, well, Miss—I did not mean to offend you,” said Mrs. Chicklade. “I only thought that if I were entrusted with this business, I would very soon devise some scheme to upset all the young gentleman’s hopes and ideas in that quarter.” * Now listen to me!” said Miss Neale, speaking in a firm tone of voice and wearing a decisive look. “TJ do not mean to avail myself of your services. The rose of love has already been poisoned by the slime of the snail passing over it. Tears—aye, the bitterest tears—have gone far to wash that slime away, as the crystal shower from heaven might wash it from the rose :—and it shall be no more polluted by such venomous contact! I sought this interview but to elicit from your lips whatsoever you‘night have to tell me. I would have questioned you yesterday—but we could not speak in a public place. You have come to my appointment—you have answered my queries—and I will reward you. We then separate ; and hence- forth we continue utter strangers to each other ———as would to God we had always been!” These Jast words were spoken with a sudden sinking of the voice, but yet with accents the fer- your of which seemed all the more concentrated because the tone itself was thus lowered. Cicely felt in her pocket for her purse: but she had left it on the toilet-table of her bed-chamber. ** Remain here for a few moments,” she said, “ while I fetch you your recompense.” Miss Neale issued from the private office—first peeping cautiously forth to assure herself that the coast was clear. She ascended to her bed-chamber, and possessed herself ef her purse: but on de- scending again, she perceived that the housemaid was sweeping down the lower flight of stairs Cicely could not pass her, for the servant was in a position to behold her re-enter Mr. Timperley’s private office. This misadventure was terribly annoying, and even alarming: but there was no immediate help for it— nothing but a little pa- tience and a trusting in the chapter of accidents. Miss Neale was compelled to enter the drawing. room, the door of which she however left open’ in order that she might hear when the housemaid had finished her work upon the stairs. Cicely had adopted the precaution of taking the key from the lock of her uncle’s door when first she conducted Mrs. Chicklade into the private office: but what if the housemaid should happen to try that door and find it unlocked? what if it were even a part of her duty to penetrate into the office in order to set it to rights? Cicely had only been a few days at the house; and she was not so entirely ac- quainted with its habits and customs as to be be- yond the reach of those fears. She therefore re- mained a prey to the intensest alarm for nearly twenty minutes, during which the housemaid was dusting down the stairs and sweeping out the hall. Never did twenty minutes seem so much like twenty hours to the anxious and suspenseful Miss Neale !—never, in her whole life had it struck her that any maid-servant was so unnecessarily 47 long in the performance of her.work! And then, too, it was now a quarter to one—church might soon be over—the Timperleys and their domesties might return at any moment! But all these apprehensions with which Cicely was torturing herself, proved to be unfvunded, The housemaid finished her work in the hall, and descended into the kitehen. Then Cicely glided down the stairs, and noiselessly re-entered the private office. ** Here,” she said to Mrs. Chicklade, as she de- posited twenty sovereigns upon the table, “is the recompense which I have to offer. You may judge by its amount that it is not a mere reward for the slight trouble I have this day given you in coming to meet me—but that it is a parting pre- sent from one who requires your services no longer, and who never again means to use them. Go your ways—and cross my path no more!” Mrs. Chicklade gathered up the money without a word: but when she had secured it about her person, she said with a bold insolent air, ‘‘ And so you intend, Miss Neale, to conduct your future proceedings without my assistance ?” “Such is my intention,” answered Cicely, with calm resoluteness of manner. “And what if I insist upon being engaged as your instrument and agent ?” said the woman. **T should reject your peremptory demand,” replied Miss Neale, “ with as much determination as I have ere now declined the proffer when it was more civilly made.” “Would you threaten me?” asked the old wo- man, her reptile eyes gleaming with a sinister light. “You would care no more for my threats than I should care for yours, were you to utter them,” responded Cicely, still with a calm and quiet re- soluteriess of tone and manner. “And yet I could tell a tale,” said the woman, with another malignant flashing of those hideous eyes of hers. “Tell it!” said Cicely; “and see how much I shall care for it !” Mrs. Chicklade now gazed upon the young lady with an astonishment as much unfeigned as in its betrayal it was involuntary; and then suddenly changing her whole demeanour — either because she fancied that Cicely must have some strong ground for thus defying her, or else because she herself did not deem it politic to quarrel with one who might after all need her services and who paid for them so liberally — she said, “ Come, come, Miss! I was but jesting don’t be angry with me! If you won’t let me assist in this matter, you must of course have your own way: but in case you should require my help, I may as well let you know where I may be found _ “No!” said Miss Neale resolutely; “it is use- less to maintain even the shadow of an idea that our intercourse is to be continued or renewed. [ do not want to know your address. You have got your reward and beware how you ever again come across my path. And now leave me!” Mrs. Chicklade again flung an involuntary look of astonishment upon Miss Neale,—evidently mar- velling how it was possible she could assume such high ground and speak so dictatorially: but she beheld in Cicely’s countenance nothing to afford a clue to the reading of the mystery: those features i - - ve — Con Ghbook ee | re OR re “ ce a renege, fren nea | | | | | | S C@