Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

a 130 AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. a a a a a Minister of Finance the blame of the non- “You wrote me a note at an early hour yester- liguidation of the salaries in the police depart- | day morning, telling me that : ment. They ought to have been settled on the | “Yes—telling you that Ciprina and her lover day of which we are now writing: if they were | —— Bourdon I think you said his name was——— not paid on the following day, the matter would | had been arrested during the past night.” be talked of—the Minister of Finance would for{ “ But it was not so!” interjected the Mar- nis own credit’s sake interfere—and if once the | chioness, passionately, circumstances reached the ears of the Grand Duke ** Not so?” echoed the Minister, in amazement, of Tuseany, utter ruin would overtake Ramorino.| “What do you mean? My agents duly made Expulsion from his office would be followed by his | their report to me——” : consignment to one of those fortresses wherein he “Did they say that two persons were carried was so fond of immuring all those who appeared | off?” asked Lucrezia, anxiously. as obstacles in his path. “* Yes—two: Ciprina and the young man who Thus hovering on the very brink of destruction, | was found with her.” it wes no wonder if the Count of Ramorino should ** This is bewildering !”’ cried the Marchioness, be reduced ‘to the state of mental desperation | “‘ Good heaven! what complication can have in which we now find him. He revolved a thou-|arisen? There has been some grand mistake, sand projects in his mind: but none appeared to | Ramorino!” be susceptible of a sufficiently prompt execution | “A mistake ?” he exclaimed. “ Impossible ! to serve the urgency of his purpose. Something | fny sbirri never make mistakes! They executed must be done withir a few hours: if was not even | my order . a matter which could be postponed for a few, “And that order?” demanded Lucreaia. days! “It was to the effect agreed upon betwixt you in the midst of his perplexity a footmat en- | and me, four nights back, at the villa: namely, tered; and the Minister of Police recovered himself to arrest the Signora Ciprina and any man who at so quickly that the man did not perceive there the time might be found in her company.” was anything peculiar on the part of his master. | “Ab! then some one else must have been ar- “Please your Excellency,” said the domestic, | rested!” ejaculated the Marchioness; “for the “the Marchioness of Mirano solicits an immediate right one has escaped !” audience.” “Escaped! what do you mean?” cried the “Ah, Lucrezia! how I have neglected her!” Minister of Police. “ All this is most egnima- muttered Ramorino to himself: then turning to | tical to me! Tell me—has not that scoundrel the footman, he said, “I will see her ladyship whom you described—that cut-throat ruffian of a instantaneously.” _ Frenchman—the escaped galley-slave, as you sup- In a few moments the Marchioness di Mirano | posed him to be,—has not this Bourdon, in fine, entered the apartment; and the seryant at once | been conveyed away from your house?” withdrew. An idea had already struck the| “Not by your agents,” rejoined Laucregia, Minister of Police: the Marchioness was rich— “ He has left my house—it was yesterday morn- she might lend him the nioney which would save |ing—he treated me in the vilest manner! Ah! him from utter ruin, and leave him sufficient | and what is more, he ransacked my desk—and I breathing time to retrieve his fallen fortunes. He | am very much mistaken if he did not take thence thereforé assumed his most affable demeanour ; | the note which you had written me!” and straining Lucrezia to his breast, he said, “ Ab! “ What note ?” demanded the Minister quickly. your presence here is alike a reproach and a| ‘“ The note to which you yourself just now re- pleasure !” _ferred—the one wherein you told me that Ciprina “T certainly was surprised, my dear Ramorino,” | and her paramour had been arrested,” she answered, “that you paid no heed to the “But I sent that note to you at the villa!” messages and billets with which I deluged you | ejaculated Ramorino. yesterday and to-day.” | “True!” returned the Marchioness. “ I hastily “Oh, forgive me, Lucrezia!” ejaculated the | threw it into my writing-desk: that writing-desk Minister: “but I have been so fearfully harassed! | accompanied me on my immediate return to the Sureiy nothing has occurred to annoy you?—no | town-mansion yesterday morning—it was in my new source of vexation has arisen? Ciprina and | boudoir —it was rifled by the villain Marcel- her French paramour have been'disposed of *” | lin ‘g “Oh, everything has occurred to annoy me!”?| “ Marcellin?” echoed the Minister, with a start exclaimed the Marchioness, who was bewildered | of surprise. ‘“ What on easth do you mean ?” how to explain herself to such anextent as merely} In the wild agitation of her thoughts the Mar- to invoke the Minister’s aid, without engendering | chioness had let out that name; she could not now his suspicions in reference to the fearful crime | recall it: she trembled all over from head to foot which had proved the fruitful source of so many | —and she faltered out, “ Yes—it was Marcellin frightful embarrassments. “I could not conceive | after all!” why you did not come to me—why youcould not; “Marcellin?” said Bamorino,—‘“a_ polished spare a single moment to drive to my mansion! | gentleman! and you took him for a galley-slave | I was afraid to enter into avy particulars in the | Was he not once intimate at your house? Why billets which I sent you . did you call him Bourdon ?” “T confess that I have been somewhat remiss,/ “I had not seen him—he was secreted in Ci- dear Lucrezia—and therefore did I ere now say | prina’s chamber—he passed by the name of Bour- that your presence is a reproach: for I ought to | don = have gone to you, instead of compelling you to| “Ob! but I recollect that when I asked you for come tome. But what bas happened ?” | ® personal description, you said you had seen so oO Comichbooksneo 3