Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 342: what you’re looking at

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

834 the might of Emperors and the power of Kings— of the strength of armies upon the land or of navies upon the sea—when viewed in comparison with the might, the power, and the strength of love ? For, Ob! we are not the willing votaries but the victims of that deity! Ah! what would I give to rend the chains which are now upon me! —to throw off the influences which have fastened themselves upon me! No! itis impossible! This Jove of mine may ever cling to me as a curse fatal as Dejanira’s poisoned garment—and I the while powerless to put itaway from me! But let me not despond! No, no! I must indulge io wild burning hope !——or else—or else there were in- deed naught left to live for!—and ’tis hope only that now beckons me onward in my stupendous pathway of crime !” The reader may now be enabled to judge through what varying phases of feeling the Princess was rapidly borne,—how at one time she was floating onward on the sunny waters of the paradise which her own imagination created—and how at another moment she was plunged deep down into the vortex of a voleano where fires were fiercely raging, —how she strove to reason herself against remorse and buoy herself up with hope—how she had her eyes open to the horrors of the career which she was pursuing, yet sought to blind herself against them—and how her fancy af one time revelled in an elysium delicious and luxurious beyond de- scription—and how at another it depicted horrors than which pandemonium itself had nothing more frightful! At lerizth the Princess endeavoured to fly away from thought itself; and moreover she did not caoose to remain too long separated from her sister, for fear lest she should be furnishing an epportuaity for Lucia to enjoy the soeiety of the young Count. The Princess accordingly descended into the garden, where however she did not find De Vere at all—but Lucia in conversation with Voitura and Palmas; the last-mentioned todividual having just returned from bis visit to Signor Ben- venuto. The time passed on until the dinner hour was approaching; and then the Princess of Spartivento returned to her boudoir. It was in a state of the most anxious suspense that she entered the room; and with a still greater tension of the feelings did she advance towards t-e toilet-table. Then all in a moment the most p.werful revulsion fook place, as if the entire mecaanism of life took a new movement within hs, when on the toilet-table she beheld the phial. Yes—it was there. She took it up: it was very nearly filled to the stopper with a fluid completely colourless and pellucid like water. “The woman has kept her word!” said the Princess, with a feeling of indescribable triumph: and having locked up the phial in a bureau, for fear leat by any accident it might be broken, she rang the bell to summon the haudmaidens who were appointed to attend upon her. When her toilet was completed, she dismissed them: she concealed the phial about ber person; and she descended to the drawing-room. Her sister Lucia was already there; and -Charles was showing ber a beautiful book of prints which he had that afternoon discovered in the library of his mansiou. He was making some remark upon oné AGNES ; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. rm me re ee eee of the pictures, and Lucia was gazing up at him with that look of modest friendly familiarity which she was now accustomed to assume towards him when they were alone together. It was just such a look asa sister might bend upon a brother: but to the distorted fancy of the Princess it in- stantaneously assumed another appearance, She thought it was a look of fondest love which her sister and the young Count were exchanging, and that all the tenderest intelligence was fleshing in warm transfusion betwixt the eyes of both. For @ moment Bianca bit her lips with rage: but this evidence of what she felt pessed unnoticed alike by Charles and Lucia. Palmas and Voitara almost immediately afterwards made ‘iieir appearance in the drawing-room: and the conversation became general until a circumstance occurred which sud- denly startled the whole party. This was nothing eise than the appearance of half-a-dogen cavalry soldiers, with an officer a little way in advance, approaching up the shady avenue leading towards the mansion. “ Allis lost!” murmured the Countess of Mi- lazzo, with a voice and look of terror: but it was towards our hero that her eyes were turned, thereby involuntarily showing that it was only for him she was smitten with apprehension. The Princess and Voitura exchanged rapid re- gards—the former full of rage at the looks of her sister—but Stefano meaning to convey a regret that his proposal of the morning was now antici- pated by the arrival of the officers of justice. “ All need not be lost,” Signor Palmas hastened to observe. “Many reasons may bring these sol- diers to the Louse besides the intention of arresting anybody.” “ And if an arrest were contemplated,” our hero hastened to add, “ those men would scarcely show themselves thus in front of the house, thereby giving us warning end time for flight ; but they would have advanced, separately and stealthily, to surround us.” “ Put a bold face upon it, my lord,” said Signor Palmas, “and go and see what they want. Or shall 1?” “Not so, my dear friend,” responded Charles. “T will follow your advics—I will go out to them myself.” The young Connt accordingly cuitted the room; and descending the staircase, he reached the marble steps of the front-door just as the officer and his little troop rode up to the entrance “ Have I the honour of speaking tv the Count of Camerino ?” inquired the officer, carrying hie band to his cap with a military *alute. Charles bowed an affirmative, “TJ thought you must be his lordship,” pursued the Lieutenant; “for L heard in the neighbour- hood enough to prepare me to behold precisely such a personasge as I have now the honour to address.” * And what may be your business, siguor ?”’ in- quired Charies, who scarcely knew whether he had most to hope or tear ; and yet he was perhaps more inclined towards the favourable view of the matter. “ Your lordship has doubtless heard bf a cer- tain treasonable and piratical attempt made by ¢ horde of desperadoes upon the city of Leghorn ?” “ Yes—I have heard something of the matter,’ Ghoo (c@)