Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 234: what you’re looking at

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226 will cling to him—I will bang to his coat-tails— I will never separate from him—but he shall go to Jamaica with me !” Such was the plan which the quadroon had settled in her mind; andthe better to carry it out she had resolved to leave the hotel and go intoa private lodging, where she would be more the mistress of her actions. It was likewise that she should be less constrained that she had desired @ohu to be sent to his master, for fear lest the domestic should act as a spy upon her. De Vere hed assented to all these arrangements; and thus everything seemed to be progressing according to the quedroon’s wishes. In an hour Charles returned to her at the hotel. “IT have engaged suitable apartments for your accommodation,” he said ; “ but I thought it would seem discourteous and neglectful if I simply sent you the address and suffered you to proceed thither alone. Ihave therefore come to be your escort, if you will permit me.” *‘{ presume that you have seen my husband,” said Emily: ‘“‘and that he has requested you to show this attention towards me?” “Yes,” answered Charles frankly: “I have seen Mr. Barrington since I parted from you. He implores that you will listen to the dictates of your reason and your own good sense, and that if you sincerely love him you will consider what is now best for the re-establishment of your mutual happiness.” “And you are still ignorant of his place of abode ?” asked the quadroon. * On my honour as a gentleman I am ignorant of it!” rejoined our hero. “TI said to him, ‘Do not tell me, Mr. Barrington; because if your wife were to ask me, I should not Jike to reply in a cold discourteous negative to the question. I would much sooner be placed in a position of utter inability to answer it.—It was thus that I spoke,” “But you have arranged where to meet him?” said the quadroon inquiringly. “No such arrangement is as yet made,” replied Charles: “but to-morrow I shall receive a note telling me where I may find him at a particular hour. I have now dealt frankly with you, Mrs. Barrington.” “You have,” she responded; “and I have no more questions to ask.” A hackney vehicle being obtained, Charles gave his hand to the quadroon to assist her to take her seat in it: hoe placed himself by her side, and she instructed the driver whither he was fo proceed. “And what about John?” inquired Emily, as the equipage was rolling away from the hotel and she suddenly remembered that she had seen nothing of him at the moment of taking her de- parture. “T had already given him instructions according to your wishes,” replied Charles: “he is now en- gaged in packing up his master’s effects, and will wait for whatever orders may be presently trans- mitted to him.” In a few minutes the hackney-coach stopped in front of a neat respectable-looking little house, situated in a street which if not in the most fashionable quarter, was at all events in a very , decent neighbourhood; and De Vere said, “ I$ is em eer wes AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. ~ in this habitation, Mrs. Barrington, that { have procured you avartments.” There was no carriage-gateway to the house; and the front door now opening, a short middle- aged man, wearing spectacles, made his appear- ance. Our reuders have doubtless already con- jectured that this was Signor Petroro: he was accompanied by his sister, a respectable-looking woman of about thirty years of age, and followed by his daughter, whom we previously noticed as a neatly-dressed girl of fifteen or sixteen. The quadroon liked the appearance of these people; and when she was ushered up into the apartments that had been engaged for her, she at once ex pressed her satisfaction at their comfortable and cleanly aspect. “Ts there anything more that I can do for you at present ?” inquired our hero, whose demeanour was most kind, most courteous, and most friendly towards the quadroon. “Nothing,” she responded. you again, Mr. De Vere P” ‘You required four-and-twenty hours fo reflect upon your husband’s propositious,’ he replied ; “‘and therefore I shall do myself the pleasure of calling to-morrow morning at about this time to receive your decision.” * Be it so, Mr. De Vere,” rejoined Emily. shall expect you.” Charles then took his leave of the quadroon ; and as he descendec the stairs he met Petroro’s sister,—to whom he said in a low whisper, and with @ significant !ook, “Remember the instruc- tions I have given you!” She returned that meaning glance, and con- tinued her way to the apartments on the first floor, to ascertain from Emily’s maid whether the young lady found everything according to her wishes. Hours passed—the evening came—and as the dusk began to close in, the quadroon put on a bonnet with a thick veil: she muffled herself up in furs and shawls, for. the weather was excessively cold—and moreover it was her object to disguise herself. Telling her maid that she should not be long absent, she descended the stairs and was about to open the front door, when she beheld Signora Petroro, her landlord’s sister, sitting in a pensive manner at a table ina little parlour the door of which stood open. On perceiving the new lodger, Signora Petroro rose from her chair, saluted ‘ When shall I see “Ty her respectfully, and hastened forward to open the - street door. * You do not seem well, my good woman?” said the quadroon, in a compassionating tone. “‘T have a very bad headache,” replied Catrina ; for such was her Christian name. “Then I should advise you to retire to rest,” said Emily. “T shall follow your advice, Signora,” rejoined the woman. She then opened the front door for the quadroon to pass out: but scarcely had the latter's feet crossed the threshold, when the Signora Petroro caught up a capacious cloak, in which she muffled herself; and issuing from the house, she was quickly upon the track of her new lodger. Although the dusk was closing in and a mist was rapidly filling the streets of Florence, yet Signora Petroro continued to keep the quadroon im view, and she presently beheld her enter a gun- oO COMIEDOO nA} S — Ey weusls » eee (©) 5}