Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

124 AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. mand why the basket was borne off ere she had entered it? But there was no molestation or hindrance of either kind. We have said that Father Falconars was a few minutes late in the chapel on the present occasion ; and thus Carlotta could not escape from the confessional with such exceeding punctuality. The gates of the yard closed behind the bakers and their basket: another yard was traversed— there was more opening and shutting of gates— and each stoppage, if only for an instant, appeared to Ciprina to be a perfect age. At length the outer gates were cleared; and Ciprina was fairly beyond the threshold of the castle. Ob, if her heart bad previously been beating anxiously or exultingiy, how much more anxiously, and how much more exultingly did it now beat !—anxiously, because she dreaded lest any misadventure might cause her to be retak2n and borne back into the eastle—and exultingly, because thus far success was so complete ! For the first fifty yards or so after the threshold of the castle was crossed, the two bakers pursued their way at the same deliberate pace as at first, because they were still within view of the sentries at the portals; but they soon quickened their course—and as they abruptly turned to the right, it was a positive run which they made of it for nearly a hundred yards. Then they abruptly stopped short—the basket touched the ground— in a moment it was tilted up—and Ciprina stepped forth, stiil keeping her veil densely folded over her countenance. “There, signora! behind that clump of trees yooder!” cried one of the men quickly ; and away sped the liberated lady as if it were really for her very life that she was running. At the same moment the two bakers, catching up the pole on their shoulders, again hastened back into the straight road which led into Bagno, where they presented themselves at their master’s _ shop with an air of as much coolness as if nothing unusual had taken place. Meanwhile Ciprina was speeding towards the clump of trees which had been pointed out to her, and which was at a distance of nearly a hundred and fifty yards from the spot where she had stepped out of the basket. The instant she reached that tuft of evergreens, Sir Alexander Holcroft sprang forward, and was about to catch ber in his arms, when Ciprina suddenly threw back her veil, at the same time bursting out into a merry laugh. “Good heavens!” ejaculated the Baronet : “Mrs. Clifford ?— Floribel ?” “Yes—’tis I!” she exclaimed; ‘‘I who have just escaped from that fortress, and who now throw myself upon your generosity to convey me to some place of safety! in readiness! Come! come!” Thus speaking, Ciprina rushed towards the post- chaise and pair which stood farther behind the clump of trees; and as Sir Alexander’s confiden- tial valet was holding the door open in readiness, Ciprina sprang inside. “ But in the name of heaven,” said the bewil- dered Baronet, thrusting his head into the vehicle without taking his seat in it, “ what does all this mean P” “it means, Sir Alexander,” quickly rejoined TD See ee Ab! you have a vehicle | exclaimed Holcroft. Ciprina, “that if you have a spark of true British ( chivalry in your composition, you will take pity on your fellow-countrywoman who has been infa- mously treated! As for your Carlotta, you must devise another stratagem for her rescue,” “By heaven, this is perplexing !” ejaculated Holeroft: then flinging himself into the chaise with what seemed to be a species of desperation, he added impetuously, “ Driveon !” The door was banged—the valet leapt up into the rumble—the postilion cracked his whip—and away weot the equipage. “ Now that I am eo readily obeying your adju- ration, madam,” said Holcroft, “and that I am abandoning some one else, I know not under what circumstances—pray be so kind as to give me an explanation in terms as concise as possible.” ‘A very few words will suffice,’ answered Ci- prina. “Carlotta made me her confidant —and considering every stratagem to be fair that a cap- tive adopts in a prison, I availed myself ——” “And therefore you came out in a basket!” ejaculated Holcroft: and his humour all in a moment changing, he burst out into the loudest and heéartiest laugh in which he had indulged for years past. Ciprina was glad that he now took the affair in such a jocular mood; and she laughed merrily likewise. “ This is excellent! This is capital!” exclaimed the Baronet, laughing again till the tears ran down his cheeks. “The only thing is that it is too good! For what the devil that poor Carlotta will think 5 “She will think that I have outwitted her,” returned Ciprina. “ But what will she do?” cried Holcroft, “She must wait until you devise another stra- tagem for her release,” rejoined Ciprina. “Poor creature! it is really too bad!” said the Baronet. “ But after all, if you were a prisoner in that castle r “Yes,” said Ciprina; “and I will give you some tidings which are calculated to astonish you still more. Your friend Charles De Vere “ One of the finest young fellows in all Christ- endom !” ejaculated Holeroft. “But you do not mean “ “That he was in the fortress of Bagno—and that he escaped last night,” said Ciprina. “Good heavens! But how did all these things happen? Surely, my dear madam, you and Charles De Vere 25 “Sir Alexander Holcroft,” interrupted Ciprina, seriously, “Charles De Vere is incapable of look- ing upon me otherwise than as a friend—an erring and a lost one! But he loves another “4 “Yes, yes—I know it !—yeur cousin Agnes ?” ‘We fought a duel on your account “On my account ?” cried Ciprina: and it was now her turn to experience an immeasurable surprise. “Yes—on your account,” rejoined the Baronet: and he at once gave some explanations. “ Charles De Vere is indeed a noble character !” murmured Ciprina: and then she in her turn began giving explanations, succinctly and rapidly showing how she and Charles had met in Florence at the Mirano mansion, and how they had been a oO a (©) =} (EO) LN OO KS nn c