Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 230: what you’re looking at

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en eremee_” up so that it seemed to dilate before him, and her whole aspect became invested with an unspeakable majesty. But nothing could be more striking nor more marvellous than the rapid change which took place in her,—the fierce fires of scornful indigna- tion suddenly melting into those of iove—the lightnings of her eyes subduing themselves into looks of tenderness—the hauteur of her lips losing itself im wreathing smiles—and the bosom begin- ning to heave and fall with tender emotions, as she said, “ Yes, dearest Gustavus! you shall be my master if you will love me as before! Give me back that affection which ‘you bestowed upon me when together we rambled through the plantation in Jamaica—be to me now the same loving, tender, and devoted Gustavus that you were then,—and Oh! I shall rejoice to become your slave !—and then you shall not merely be my master in name —not my master through a miserable fiction only —but you shall be veritably and truly so, because | and she instantaneously placed her foot upon him, you will be the master of my heart!” “There was atime, Emily,” answered Gustavus, “when such language as this would have touched me to the very quick and subdued my soul into the most servile submission. But now your ap- peal produces not the effect which you desire! The spell is broken. I no longer fear you when in your stormiest moment of passion you present to me the terrible Medusa’s head; and I shall no longer be rendered the slave of infatuation when you clothe yourself with the cestus of Venus. And this very night too—nay, this moment—will I show you that henceforth I am determined to be my ownmaster, by leaving you alone to deliberate upon your future conduct, while I go and seek geome placo of recreation. Farewell until to- morrow.” With these words Gustavus turned away; and quitting the chamber, he closed the door behind him. He traversed the ante-room—he reached the sitting apartment—and he was on the very point of snatching up his hat, when he heard the door open violently. He turned—and again was he confronted by his wife. “You shall not leave me thus, Gustavus !” she eaid, with a’look of terrible determination. * Almost naked as [ am, I will cling to you—I will hang to you—I will follow you everywhere! I care not how I may bring down ridicule upon us both : but by heaven oe “By heaven !” repeated Gustavus, “ if it come to this, I will take a leaf out of your own book !”— then snatching up a knife from the table, he said, “You ere now threatened me with this weapon; and I in my turn now threaten you. ‘Take care of yourself, Emily !—you are dealing with a man whom you have goaded to desperation !” Scarcely uad he thus spoken, when she flew at him like a tigress, and endeavoured to snatch the knife from his grasp. In this attempt she tore his face with her nails; and he, being now ren- dered infuriate, and under the influence of a rage which had become ungovernable, cried, “ By heaven, Emily ! I will strike !” A sudden terror seized upon the quadroon; and breaking away from her husband, she rushed back into the bedchamber. He bounded after her, ex- claiming “ Now, wretch! 1 have taught you a leason !—and as there isa God above us, if you dare molest me more I will immolate you to my rage !” AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, | “Coward!” thrilled from the lips of the qua- droon. “Yes—more than coward! — murderer, murderer! you tried to murder me in Jamaica !” “Repeat not the abhorrent lie!” vociferated Gustavus, who was actually livid with rage. “Lie? Lie in your teeth!” cried the qua- droon, “Ah, this is too much!’—and the furious young man fastened his grasp upon Emily, at the same time brandishing the knife as if he were about to plunge it deep down into her naked bosom. “‘Spare me! do not kill me!” she cried, sinking at his feet. “No—lI would not kill thee !” ejaculated Gus- tavus : and he tossed the knife from him. “It was with a sudden cry of triumph that Emily bounded towardsit: she caught it up—and then again she sprang at her husband. Down he fell ; at the same time brandishing the weapon over his head, in the same way that he had so lately bran- dished if over her own, He thought that his last moment was come, so terrible was her ap- pearance, with her dilating form and her eyes flashing fire, He was on his knees; it was now his turn to say, ‘‘ Spare me! do not kill me!” “Ob, if in this moment of bitter, bitter, provo- cation,” cried the quadroon, “I can so far cor- trol myself ——” But at this instant the door of the room was burst open; and a lady in her night-dress rushed in, exclaiming, “ For God’s sake, what is the mat- ter? Would you commit murder P” Gustavus sprang up to his feet; and the lady, who evidently lacked not courage, bounded for. ward to snatch away the knife from the hand of the quadroon— who, fearfully annoyed at the scandal produced by the scene, surrendered it up without the slightest resistance or hesitation. * Good heavens! what is the meaning of this dreadful quarrel P” asked the lady, who in the ex- citement of the occasion seemed to forget that she was merely in her night-dress in the presence of a stranger of the male sex. “ Let my wife explain it if she think fit!” ejacu- lated Gustavus: and he hurried out of the cham- ber. Snatching up his hat in the outer apartment, he at once sallied forth from the hotel, CHAPTER XXXVII. CHARLES AND THE QUADROON. THE quadroon did not make the slightest attempt to retain her husband : she sat down slowly upon a chair by the side of the bed ; and her. mournful countenance and drooping posture now appeared to indicate that she thought everything was lost. “Good heavens, how you have frightened me!” said the lady. “I heard the violent altercation— for L occupy the adjoining apartment—my hus- band has not yet returned from some dinner-party of gentlemen to which he has goneo——” “And who are you, madam P”’ asked Buily ; “ for IL at least owe you my gratitude for the well: meant purpose which brought you hither,” com GVOOKS (E@) : { ; 7 ‘ ‘