Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 299: what you’re looking at

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

bars and studded with nails. But not for many moments did his attention dwell upon that door; for there were far more serious topics to engage his thoughts. His life now seemed to depend upon a series of chapters of accidents: he had be- come involved in a maze of difficulties of such a nature that the slightest incident might serve to confirm his destruction—while on the other hand, if he escaped from his present embarrassment, he could not tell how soon other chasms might open at his feet. Ho thought of Agnes; and Oh! he wept—yes, the tears ran down his cheeks as he re- flected that he might possibly never behold her again: for he knew that if by any miscbance the experiment which was now being tried should go wrong, death must inevitably be his portion! He was in the midst of such reflections as these, when the massive door to which we ere now al- luded, opened noiselessly; and the Princess of Spartivento appeared, carrying a light in her hand. She raised her finger to her lip to enjoin silence: and Charles stifled as it were the ejaculation of surprise which was just on the point of bursting forth from his tongue. The Princess still wore the same elegant evening toilette in which our hero had previously seen her; but instead of the calm dignity which habitually sat upon her noble coun: tenance, there was now an expression of feverish anxiety. She beckoned Charles to follow her: and ashe obeyed, he found that she was leading him along an arched passage towards another door which stood open. This latter door\led into a room filled with swords, firearms, and other weapons. Here the Princess stopped short; and she said, | “JT have brought you hither, signor, because the | sentinel placed outside the door of the guard-room might catch the sound of voices if we had tarried to converse there. Answer me, signor!—answer me as if you were speaking to one sent from heaven with power to question you! Are you guilty? or are you innocent ?” “Tnnocent !” responded Charles fervidly: “as I have a soul to be saved !” The dark eyes of the Princess shed upon him a look of indescribable satisfaction ; and he fancied for an instant that she made a gesture as if to grasp him by the hand in a congratulatory ac- knowledgment of the assurance. But her de- meanour grew calm all in a moment; and she said, “‘ Beware, signor, how you deceive me: for it is with your very life that you are trifling! Listen tome. I am confident that you did not come hither as a spy—but that it was by a mistake on Ignatio’s part that you were brought within these walls. On the other hand I can conceive it quite possible that when accident thus revealed to you this tremendous conspiracy with al! its ramifica- tions—involving you likewise in it, irresistibly and against your will—I can easily fancy, I say, that you were led by a variety of motives to re- solve upon denouncing or betraying it. If this therefore be the case, for heaven’s sake confess it to me! I cannot forget,” continued the Princess, while a crimson glow overspread her countenance, “how you spoke to the police-agent when he so infamously assailed the characters of my sister and royself. Ah! I know the world well. There is scarcely a young man to whom such observations had been addressed, that would not, with the oox- AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. eee ee eae ee --—— 291 combical libertinage of the present day, have looked or smiled significantly in implied boastfulness of the favours unto which allusion was being made. But you acted differently—and a woman never forgets such conduct as that which you have dis- played! Tell me therefore—tell me, Signor De Vere—do you apprehend anything as the result of young Stefano’s mission ?—for if so, I will save you!” “‘ Gracious Princess,” replied our hero, in tones of grateful fervour, “ I know at what a tremendous sacrifice you make this overture “i Yes: for it is nothing short of a violation of my oath whereof I should be guilty! But—but,” continued the Princess, and her eyes were bent compassionatingly upon our hero, “I would sooner prove thus deeply culpable than let your young life be taken under existing circumstances !” “‘ As there is a God above us,” rejoined Charles, “{ am innocent—and Fossano is the spy !” A light of unmistakable joy flamed up in tho eyes of the Princess; and now no longer checking the impulse that urged her, she caught our hero’s hand, pressing it warmly in her own. But there was naught more than the most friendly interest in her conduct and demeanour,—naught savouring of a more tender sentiment, much less of an im- modest overture. She released his hand —she made him a sign to return to the guard-room—and she whispered, “TI believe that you are innocent, and therefore all must go well!” The door then closed upon Charles De Vere, who was once more alone in that prison cham- ber. Ten minutes or a quarter of an hour elapsed, during which De Vere was reflecting upon the incident that we have just related, when he beheld the massive door again opening. Ho started with surprise; and his amazement was scarcely dimi- nished wher he beheld the Countess di Milazzo upon the threshold. She carried a lamp in one hand; and the forefinger of the other was raised to her lip to enjoin silence. There was an expres- sion of feverish restlessness, mingling with blush- ing diffidence, upon her charming face; and her large bright eyes were cast down with a bashful modesty the instant they encountered the inquir- ing regards of our hero. “Signor De Vere,” she said, in a low whisper- ing, hesitating voice, “you may think this pro- ceeding strange on my part: but—but—you have the feelings of a true gentleman—and you will judge me only in the most chivalrous and mag- nanimous point of view !” Having thus spoken, she raised her looks with all the ingenuous candour of a pure conscienca and with the best intentions; and she said, still in a whisper, but no longer with tremulous ac- cents, “ Yollow me: we may. be overheard in this place.” She led him into the same room where the in- terview had so recently taken place between him- self and her sister; and she at once said, with a look and tone of confidence, “ You will under- stand, Signor De Vere, that though every senti- ment of my soul- is concentrated in the cause wherein | am embarked, yet I possess a memory which cannot be uumindful of kindness received, You have shown yourself most honourable towards wy sister and myself—and [ cannot find it in my ComMmichdoo nn) S week ee co =}