Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 363: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 300 wine. Sié down, and let us resume our dis- course,” “Let me see? what were we talking about P” seid the young man, as he and the quadroon re- seated themselves, “You were telling me how you would make the time pass away in my absence—how you would be constantly wito Roderick and Winifred—how you would fondle their child ** Ah! and I was about to observe,” added Gus- tavus, “ that when I hold that innocent little baby in my arms, I shall think to myself it was through your goodness, Emily, that both the infant and its parents are guaranteed against the ills of poverty.” “Ob! doubtless you will be very very fond of that child P” said the quadroon; but it was in a voice so strange that Gustavus started, and again his looks were flung full of suspicion upon his wife. “Wmily,” he exclaimed, “is it possible that there is again anything wrong between us? My God! if I have been deceived “ “Ob, Gustavus!” exclaimed the quadroon, “you have indeed deceived yourself if you think that I could endure a separation of several long, long months!” “ Emily !’—and it was almost a start of affright that Gustavus gave, while stronger still became the suspicion in his mind that there was some- thing wrong. “Oh, how your looks are allered!” “Ah! Gustavus!” she cried, her eyes flashing lightnings more vivid than before, and her white teeth gleaming between her lips; “do you fancy that all this is real and that I have been acting as I have felt ?” “ Good God! what mean you ?’—and Gustavus sank back in his chair with a sense of vague and awful dismay. “IT mean that I would sooner die than separate from you!—that I could not endure it !—that the idea itself was death! I mean also that never, never would I allow you to become the companion of Winifred again! By heaven, no!”’—and it was almost with rage that the quadroon struck her clenched hand upon the table. “Emily, Emily! what have you done?” de- manded Gustavus, now smitten with a presenti- ment that something terrible was avout to occur, or else about to be revealed to his ears, ‘* The fortune which you made over to the Dalhams © Pardon me, Gustavus—pardon me!” inter- rupted the quadroon; “but all my generosity was a mere hypocrisy! I wanted to see you once more—to bring you unto me—to have you again with me—that we might be alone together !— —and I had recourse to that stratagem—TI fore. saw that if would sueceed—and it has suc- ceeded !” “ By God, Emily!” exclaimed Gustavus, start- ing up from his chair, “I wili not again be your dupe! Yet what is thisthat I feel? This heat —this fever of the blood 7 *Perdon, pardon, Gustavus!” cried the qua- droon, once more addressing him in those words of passionate appeal: but now she threw herself upon her knees before him, clasping her hands as she repeated the words, “ Pardon! pardon!” “ No!—forgiveness is impossible!” eried Gus- favus. ‘‘ Your conduct () God! what do I feel? what is this that comes over me ?”—and he etaggored a pace or two. he * eee eee em mee “Pardon me, Gustavus!” exclaimed the qua- droon. “It is my last crime!—but the poison is circling in your veins——and we shall die to- gether !” With a wild cry Barrington threw up both his arms in afiright and despair; and then as he was about to rush towards the door to cry out for assistance, he reelea and fell. In a moment the quadroon was at that door—she locked it—drew out the key, and tossed it into the fire. Gustavus’ senses had not however abandoned him: it was only a giddiness which had prostrated him. Another moment and his head was sup- ported on his wife’s lap: but he crawled away from her, exclaiming, though with painful and difficult utterance, “Avaunt, wretch! avaunt, murderess!”’ *Q Gustavus,” she murmured, “if we could not live together, we must at least die together ! Upon this I was resolved—and to accomplish this aim have I been labouring! But, Ab! if when you came to me this evening you had asked me to remain in England—if with the language of re- viving love you had besought me not to go to Jamaica, all my purpose would have been altered, and we should not be perishing now! But you proved implacable upon that point. Two or three times I tried you—and I saw that your resolution was fixed. Then also was my own resolution con- firmed—and I said, ‘ We will die together !’ When you retired for a moment to wash your bands efter dinner, I infused the deadly poison in the wine that had been brought up for the dessert!” Gustavus was now lying helpless and powerless, with his head upon a footstcol, gazing in half vacant, half wild horror and consternation at his wife, who was evidently much less under the in- fluence of the poison than he. He gave vent to a moan of despair, and feebly murmured, “ For God’s sake call for assistance, Emily !—summona surgeon! I will forgive you I swear by heaven [ will forgive you if you do this!” “It is useless, Gustavus! it is useless, my be- loved husband!” replied the quadroon, moving nearer towards him, and taking his hand, which he however had sufficient energy to snatch from her grasp. ‘The poison has no antidote!—or at all events its influence has gone too far!” “ Wretch!” muttered Gustavus: “wretch! wretch !”—and his eyes, which had already begun to glaze, flamed with a sudden fierceness upon her. “Ob, why upbraid me in our last moments?” she asked: “ why not forgive me? Even thieis a proof of my love! I could rot endure to be separated from you—and therefore I die with you! Ob, the love of one in whose veins rolls the blood of that torrid clime where I was born, is a wondrous thing—and may become terrible!” “Terrible !—my God!” moaned Gustavus. “ Ob, Emily! if there be yet achance for us both to live “i “There is none! there is none! Make your peaco with heaven, Gustavus—and begin by for- giving nie!” _ “Good God, is all this real? or is it a dream?” —and the wretched young man endeavoured to raise himself up; but finding that he could not, he again made an effort to crawl towards the dcor— and awsin he sank exbausted. “Teo die! to die!” Ghboo S ——$—$$$—$— - —_—_—_—— oo C© 5}