Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 239: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, 331 I “Doubtless,” interjected Mrs. Hardress, “ jea- lousy is at the bottom of it?” “Yes—to a very great extent,’ rejoined Charles ; and then, as he mused over the complica- tions which had arisen, he said in a kind of ab- stracted manner, “ And to think that I should have got myself involved in this way !” Cicely gave a slight start, as she mentally eja- culated, “ Oh! ho! I have discovered the entire truth now! Jealousy indeed! And of whom ‘should Mr. Barrington have been jealous but of Charles De Vere? Ab, Charles is no saint after all! But be is handsome enough for me to win as a lover for the moment, although he may possibly prefer his dusky-complexioned mistress the qua- droon! Good heavens, what a world it is! While poor Agnes flatters herself that her lover is the very paragon of fidelity and rectitude and virtue, he is in reality just as bad as other men !” All these thoughts flitted through Cicely’s brain far more rapidly than we could possibly place them on record ; and then turning towards Charles, she said, with a smile that revealed her brilliant teeth, “I think, Mr. De Vere, that the blame of all frailties and peccadilloes in the world ought not to be thrown upon us poor women ; but that you men ought to take your fair share.” Charles naturally thought that Mrs. Hardress meant to express a belief that Gustavus Barring- ton had given his wife cause for jealousy ; and so he simply said, with a laugh, “ The ladies of course cannot think that they are wholly ana solely in the wrong.” * No—not when men are handsome, and fasci- nating, and endowed with every quality to win poor women’s hearts!’’—and here Cicely bent so peculiar a look upon Charles that a suspicion for an instant flashed to his brain. “This affair of the Barringtons is indeed a most unpleasant one,’ he said, immediately banishing that suspicion. “I wish that I had never any- thing to do with it, and that I was fairly out of it ?? “Ah !” said Cicely, who thought that this was intended asa compliment to herself, and that it was as much as toimply how far happier Charles would feel if engaged in an affair of gallantry with her rather than with the quadroon: “ we poor women cannot always tell when you gentlemen are sincere. I often think that the younger you are, the more artful you are likely to be. Besides, talk of the inconstancy of our sex !—what is it in comparison with that of your’s? Nevertheless, my dear Mr. De Vere,” continued Cicely, bending upon bim another long lingering look of sensuousness, and suffering a ‘portion of her muslin wrapper to be disordered at her bosom, so that her eyes were full of encouragement and overture while her appear- ance was most voluptuously provocative—“ never- theless, my dear Mr. De Vere, I am fully disposed to believe you ; and if you tell me the tale which I know those lips are as ready to breathe as my ears are to drink it in * “‘ Mrs. Hardress!” ejaculated our hero, bewil- dered almost to stupefaction, “ Oh?’ she continued, “ you are surprised that the impression should be mutual, and that it should be for me to give you all this encouragement. But Oh, Charles! from the very moment I first saw you in Kogland I felt that I liked you!— marriage with another has not effaced the impres- sion—and now that we meet again ina foreizn counasy 7 2 Greg heavens, Mirs. hero ; “such language as this “Oh, do not think me too bold!’’ interrupted Cicely: and snatching our hero’s hand in both her awn, she pressed it to her lips and to her bosom before he could possibly snatch it away. ** Mrs. Hardress,” he said, her conduct now ut- terly unmistakable, “is it possible that by any look, word, or deed on my part you could possibly have so completely misunderstood me ?” * What !” she cried, her countenance suddenly becoming crimson : “ misunderstood you r” * Yes, madam,” replied’ our hero coldJy and sternly ; “completely misunderstocd me.” ** Ah !’—and those eyes which were usually so soft in their expression, suddenly flashed forth sinister fires — her countenance became ghastly with rage—the rich hue fled from the full pouting lips, leaving them livid white—and at that mo- ment she looked just as she appeared when we described her to the reader on the occasion when she stood before Mrs. Chicklade in the lane, with the darkest thoughts passing in her mind. But all in an instant the colour rushed again to her cheeks—they became crimson—the scarlet huo spread over her neck and her bosom—and her white teeth gleamed betwixt the rich carnation of her lips, as she experienced all the uttermost shame and humiliation following as a natural ro- vulsion from the phase of rage and fury. * Mrs. Hardress,’’ said Charles, in a cole severa tone, “deeply, deeply should I be afflicted if i thought that through any levity on my part you bad been led into this fatal error. But I can place my hand on my heart, and with a clear con- science rejoice in my own self-acquittal. I take my leave of you, madam, sorrowful that one whom I always hitherto respected “Ob, hypocrite! vile hypocrite!” ejaculated Cicely; “how dare you address me in terms such as these? Say that you cannot love me—say that you cannot even like me—say that your fancy leads you not in this direction !—yes, insult my vanity if you will—insult my pride !—but in- sult #o¢ my understanding !” “You are evidently labouring under some strange mistake, madam, with regard to me,” res plied Charles; “ but I shall not condescond to vindicate myself any further.” With these words he bowed with a cold haughty dignity ; and he wasabout to leave the room when Cicely sprang forward, and catching him by the wrist, said in a low hoarse voice, “‘At all events, Mr. De Vere, you will not expose me—you will not render me the subject of ridicule?—you will not let me be pointed at by your friends and ac- quaintances P” ** Madam,” answered our hero, “the humiliation which you now experience is a sufficient punish- ment. In reference to this scene the seal of silence shall rest upon my lips. But there is one thing that I stipulate; and this is that you neither associate nor correspond with Agnes Kvelyn henceforth.” Cicely turned away from him without giving any reply; and when the door closed behind hin, she threw herself upon the sofa and buried her face Hardress !’ cricd our ” Gboo S CO 5}