Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 263: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, “Qh, then there és hope!” ejaculated the hand- some young soldier with enthusiastic cerents ; and falling upon one Knee, he seized Floribel’s hand and pressed it to his lips. She suffered that hand to linger in bis pressure for a few moments; and then gently withdrawing it, she said in a subdued voice, with a blush upon her cheeks, and with languishing looks, “ I think that I could accept such love as your’s. But rise! rise! Some one may enter the apartment !” St. Didier rose accordingly; and as he resumed his seat, he said, ‘‘ It is but right and proper that I should acquaint you with my exact position. I am by no means rich: nevertheless I am not very poor. I can maintain you in comfort—but not in luxury. Ican keep for you a modest equipage— but not a train of gaudily-apparelled domestics. A beautiful little villa in the suburbs—a gar- den : » “ Say no more, Captain St. Didier!” interrupted Floribel: “you have in delicate terms told me as much as if you had presented to my view a com- plete balance-sheet of your resources, Leave me now—and to-morrow you shall hear from me,” The handsome young aide-de-camp again pressed Floribel’s hand to his lips; and bending upon her a look of manly love and tenderness, he quitted the apartment. When he was gone she sat think- ing upon all that had passed between them, until at the expiration of about a quarter of an hour,— when the waiter again entered the room, bearing another card uponasalver. It bore the name of the Baron yon Friedburgh, Attaché to the Austrian Embassy. Floribei hesitated for a few moments; and tren she said, “Let this gentleman be ad- mitted,” The Baron made his appearance. He was about five-and-thirty years of age—tall, and some- what corpulent— with sandy red hair—a rather puffy face—no whiskers—but a very thick mous- tache, and along imperial vn his chin. He was elegantly dressed; but his apparel could not con- ceal the partial ungainliness of his form ;—and truth compels us to add that as he crossed the threshold, Floribel experienced a sensation of raingled perfume and cigars. “‘{ have the honour to salute you most humbly, madame,” began the visitor; and yet there was more hauteur and self-sufficiency than humility and courtesy in bis address, “ And pray, sir,” inquired Floribel, rising from the sofa, and without asking the Baron to be seated, “ what may be your business with me P” “Tama man of a few words, madame,” re- sponded the Baron von Friedburgh; “and I shall therefore come to the point at once. I saw you last night at the theatre—and I admired you. I am married—but my wife has a lover, and [ am accustomed to have a mistress, Three days ago I guarelled with the lady who had lived with me for two years—and we separated. I allowed her a fino house—a handsome equipage—and a good income, She was therefore ungrateful, as you will allow.” “And pray, sit,’ asked Floribel, who still re- mained standing aud did not offer the Baron a seat, “ may I beg to be informed of the reason which has induged you to thiok that I can be in any way interested in your affairs of love and gallantry ?” . 4 5 ** Madame, you are an Enelish widow,” replied the Austrian, “and your name is Lovel. You are alone in this city; and I do not think that you can wish to continue alone, You may begin to understand the purpose of my visit: but if you do not, you are less shrewd than I took you to be. I will explain myself more fully. Pray be not under any ceremony in my presenco:’—and ho coolly sat down. “Ob, I can assure you that I am not!” an- swered Floribel: and she likewiso sat down. “ Now, sir, I am all attontion.” ‘In one word, madame,” continued the Aus- trian, “I offer to place you in the position which was occupied until within three days ago by the lady to whom I have referred. There is a house handsomely furnished—there is a very fine equi- page—there are servants in the establishment— the cellar is well filled—and in less than an hour theze shall be rich plate upon the sideboard and a casket of jewels upon the toilet-table. Of all those elements of happiness you may go and make your- self the mistress.” “IT thank you, sir, for your proposal,” responded FPloribel: “but I cannot give you any answer until to-morrow.” ** Beit so, madame,” said the Austrian attaché. ‘ft will keep the situation open for you for exactly four-and-twenty hours. If have the honour, madame, to salute you most humbly :”’—and thus speaking, he bowed and took his departure, with- out even attempting to snatch a kiss at the fair hand of the beauteous Floribel. Half-an-hour elapsed, and the waiter again en- tered the room, bearing another card, with the in- timation that “ his lordship solicited an interview, but that if Madame Lovel was engaged he would call again at any hour she might think fit to ap- point.” Thecard bore the name of the Marquis of Crescentino; and Floribel desired that he might be admitted. Sbe knew nothing of him; and she was wondering what kind of a person he might be, and whether she had happened to notice him on the preceding evening at the theatre, when he was announced. The Marquis of Crescentino was a man whose age in reality exceeded sixty, though he veritably looked quite twenty years younger. As he entered the apartment with a rapid and elastic step, with an air alike jaunty and elegant, and with an ap- pearance that was both pleasing and distinguished, he struck Floribel to be in the very prime of life, He was somewhat above the medium stature— perfectly upright—and with a figure which seemed to combine lightness and strength. He was ele- gantly dressed, but with the most perfect good taste; and there was altogether a polish about him which indicated the well-bred man. Carrying in his hand a beautifully arranged nosegay of the choicest flowers, which diffused a delicious perfume through the apartment, he made alow bow; aud placing the bouquet on the table, he said, “ Permit me to present my littlo offering. They are from my own garden: I ga- thered them myself ere coming hither;—and even in this genial clime, such flowers as these at the close of November are not always to be obtained. Sweets for the sweet and beauties for the beauti- ful !”’—he added, taking up the nosegay again and presenting it to Floribel. —— COMiclOolk<s (©) 5}