Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 139: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 131 ror - little of him. But if even for a single instant you had set eyes upon him, you must have known that his name was not Bourdon, but that it was your former acquaintance Edgar Marcellin !”’ “Tt is useless to waste precious time,” said Lucrezia: “I will explain everything on another oceasion. This Marceilin must be arrested—you must scatter your agents all over Florence to ferret him out—no time is to be lost !” * By Jupiter! I cannot understand it!” ex- claimed Ramorino, who saw full well that there was something behind the veil which the Mar- chioness was drawing over her real motives, “ What do you mean?” “ Marcellin has got the note which you sent to me !” she cried vehemently. “ Well, this isawkward—yes, awkward enough,” said Ramorino. “I wish it wore otherwise. But we must meet the evil.” ‘How meet it?” demanded Lucrezia. ‘“ What! will you suffer Marcellin to make use of that note? Will you permit him to display your sig- nature to so compromising a document? And then too, he has taken away other articles from my house !—he is a thief and a robber !” * A thief and a robber P” said Ramorino, who had the most perfect recollection of Edgar Mar- cellin when he had met him in fashionable society about a twelvemonth back. ** Yes—a most dangerous character !” exclaimed the Marchioness. * Ah! a dangerous character P” repeated Ramo- rino, as suspicion was growing stronger and stronger in his mind. ‘“ How is it, my dear Lucrezia, that you are so constantly annoyed by these dangerous characters? The other day it was the Neapolitan exile, Paoli is “Yes, yes!’?— and the Marchioness quivered visibly from head to foot. “Signor Paoli,” repeated the Minister, fixing his dark eyes keenly upon the Marchioness. ‘‘ And now itis Edgar Marcellin! Truly, you are most unfortunate! But you are not telling me every- thing, Lucrezia !—you do not place it in my power to assist ‘you thoroughly and completely !” “What more would you have me tell you?” cried the Marchioness. ‘For your own sake, as well as for mine, you must send and arrest this Edgar Marcellin! Let the same orders be issued in reference to him as those which you gave with respect to Ciprina and t ** What particular orders do you mean P” asked Ramorino. -“Tbhat Marcellin is not to be permitted to give utterance to a word. Oh, you yourself said that there were gags for tongues as well as chains for limbs !” *Yes— I remember,” interrupted Ramorino : and at the same instant his countenance assumed a certain decisiveness of expression, as if he had all in a moment resolved to adopt some particular course. ‘‘ Now, my dear Lucrezia, indeed you are most sweetly beautiful! Take off this invidious bonnet which shades your lovely countenance— this shawl which half conceals your superb form !” The Marchioness bent upon Ramorino all the power of her regards, as she flattered herself that the fascinating influence of her charms was para- mount with the Minister. She threw off her *? bonnet and her splendid Cacnemere shawl: she sat down by his side and caressed him. “Everything shall be done according to your wishes, my sweet Lucrezia,’ said Ramorino, passing his arm round her waist; “and every nook and corner in Florence shall be presently ferreted by my sbirri in search of this Frenchman who is 80 obnoxious to you. But let us speak for a few minutes upon a more tender subject—and then I will issue the requisite mandates.” “Ah! my dear Ramorino,” said the Mars chioness, “ you are full of kindness towards me! I forgot to add that Marcellin has enticed away a groom of mine—Bernardo by name i “And is ke obnoxious likewise, my dear Du- crezia P” inquired the Minister of Police. ‘Of course, if I had the power,” rejoined the Marchioness, “I would punish bim—I would let him follow his new master to the same dungeon whither that master is soon to be consigned.” “You shall give me a proscription-list,” inter. jected Ramorino, “and all your enemies shall be cleared away from your path.” Lucrezia lavished caresses upon the Count, as she murmured, “Ob, the delights of enjoying power !” “A similar observation came from your lips the other night, at your villa,” said Ramorino ; “and my answer was that you might consider whatsoever power I possessed to be your own likewise. And it is so, Lucrezia!” he continued. * But I was about to speak on a very tender topic. You are beautiful—and I love you. Indeed I love you so much that henceforth I shall be madly jealous at the idea of any one else , “Oh! I will be wholly and solely thine!’ mur- mured the Marchioness, lavishing fresh endear- ments upon her companion. “Ah! say you soP” ejaculated the Count, “Oh! can | believe you P”’ . “On my soul, as a living woman!” rejoined the Marchioness. ‘What proof could I give you P Tell me, what proof P” “What proof? This fair hand!” answered the Count—and he pressed that hand to his lips. “You are not serious!” said Lucrezie, with a momentary start. “No! no! you are not!” she added, with a smile. ‘Of what avail were it to impose upon ourselves useless shackles P” “ Ah, then,” cried Ramorino, “ you already re- gret your solemn vow that you will be mine wholly and solely !” . “T neither regret the vow,’ responded the Marchioness; “nor will I break it. I will be your mistress Yes, your mistress — faithful, true, and constant !—but I will not become your wife.” “You therefore refuse,” said Ramorino, “ to give me the proof of love which I demand P” “The proof itself is useless,” replied Lucrezia, who grew more and more frightened at the turn the conversation was taking; for, as the reader has been before informed, she held tho idea of matrimony in abhorrence. “ No—the proof is not useless,” continued the Minister of Police. “1 will not accept you as a mistress, Lucrezia. Be my wife—or else be to me as nothing! Let us not waste time in arguing the point. Besides, if you studied your own in- tree mer rr rr re Tr oe er LE LL STN STL Te TT TN COUN ClIOOKS, C@ 5}