Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 39: what you’re looking at

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that therefore it was a task which her mistress had performed for herself. This was another strengthening proof on the one hand; but on the other it had effaced the very evidences which in the first instance had raised Lisetta’s suspicions. She was however more than at first convinced that the Marchioness was the authoress of the unfortu- nate Giulio’s death. But how could he have offended her? Lisetta began to obtain a glim- mering clue to the mystery. She had some time previously fathomed the fact that the Marchioness had conceived a passion for me——” For you?” ejaculated Ciprina. “Yes—for me,” responded Marcellin, “ Ah! doubtless the Marchioness played the hypocrite with us both at the time !—for an adept is she in every species of dissimulation. It was Giulio who instructed me how to repair to the villa, to seek Lisetta, and inquire of her for the Marchioness ; while it was to you yourself, Ciprina, that I was introduced |” “ And what did all this mean?” asked Ciprina, in astonishment. “Tt meant that Giulio himself was playing an underhand game,” continued Edgar, “and throw- ing me into your arms. And why should he do this? Did he not passionately love the Marchio- nessP Yes!—Lisetta assures me that he did; and thus his object was evident, It was to frus- trate the passion which the Marchioness had con: ceived for me !” “Ah! now I comprepend,” exclaimed Ci- prina ; “and the web is disentangling itself!” * Conjecture only can fill up the remainder of the narrative,’ continued Edgar, — “unless the guilty Marchioness should ever be led to confess its details. We must suppose that Giulio’s strata- gem became by some means known to the Mar- cbioness—that her vindictive feelings were excited when she found how Giulio had disposed of me, his rival in her ladyship’s love, by throwing me into the arms of you, her rival in my love! Yes —these are the details which conjecture supplies; and it is thus that Lisetta’s ingenuity fathomed the whole intricacy of the plot and gave shape and form to the reasons which must have so powerfully induced Lucrezia di Mirano to avenge herself so terribly upon Giulio.” “Just heaven!” murmured Ciprina; “ it must be indeed as Lisetta conjectured it, and as you have now explained it to me!” : * But I have more to tell you,’ resumed Edgar Marcellin. “ Lisetta, after having for some three or four years been a loving and affectionate adhe- rent of the Marchioness di Mirano, conceived a deadly hatred for her, and vowed in the depths of her soul to avenge, if possible, poor Giulio’s death. Yet she knew not how to act; for though she entertained the firm conviction that her mistress was the assassin, yet she had the good sense to perceive that the proofs would be held insignifi- cant in the extreme by any magistrate who might be appealed to. She kept a watch upon her mis- tress: she followed her unperceived into the pic- ture-gallery ; and then she beheld a scene which tiveted the conviction that was in her mind, if indeed any further proof were wanting so far as her own opinion was concerned. She saw the Marchioness contemplate, with ghastliest looks AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 31 Lucrezia Borgia. And then, under the influ. ence of some terribly agitated feeling, the Mar- chioness apostrophized that portrait in some such terms as these:—‘ Oh! is it fated to be that one Lucrezia proves to be the prototype of the other? Is Lucrezia Borgia to be regarded by the world as not more exquisite,in beauty nor more diabolical in heart than Lucrezia Mirano? Are the two Lucrezias to become equally infamous in the annals of crime? Oh! the destiny of ove has been long ago fulfilled : that of the other is yet to receive its accomplishment ! —It was in such a strain as this that the con- science-stricken, the trembling, and aftrighted Marchioness spoke audibly, in wild accents of anguish, while Lisetta remained an unseen listener in the gallery.” “This is dreadful! absolutely dreadful!” said Ciprina, with a strong shudder. “ Lisetta,” continued Edgar Marcellin, “ was more than ever convinced, I repeat, of the guilt of her mistress: but still were the proofs insuffi- ecient to satisfy a tribunal of justice. The girl was at first bewildered how to act,—until she be- thought herself of making known everything to the murdered Giulio’s family, whom she knew to be in England. She accordingly withdrew on some plausible pretext from the Marchioness di Mirano’s service : she proceeded to London—but she failed to discover the Paoli family for many long, long months. In short, it was only the other day that she obtained the slightest clue to that which she had so long been seeking. At the same time accident threw her in my way, a8 L have already told you e: “And then from her lips you learnt all these things P” said Ciprina. ‘‘ And what was your plan of proceeding P” “‘T myself saw at once,” returned Edgar Mar- cellin, “that the proofs were inefficient for the condemnation of the guilty woman before a tri- bunal of justice—especially in a country where wealth and rank have so many chances and oppor- tunities of securing impuuity for crime. [f there- fore determined to adopt a course which should enable me to work upon the terrors of the Mar- chioness, and extort from her a confession of her guilt. Aided by the information which on all requisite points I received from Lisetta, I last evening penetrated within the walls of this man- sion. From the dressing-chamber of the Mar- chioness I procured the suit of male apparel which she no doubt wore at the time when the murder was perpetrated ; I procured likewise the pistol which discharged the winged messenger of death, and which is’ easily distinguishable by the mark which Lisetta made upon the handle. These ob- jects I took with me to the picture-gallery: a note which I left on the boudoir brought'the Mar- chioness——-” ; «Which note I have seen,” interjected Ciprina. “T picked it up in the boudoir; and it was the cause of my proceeding to the gallery in time to rescue you from another attack which the mur- deress would have assuredly made upon you at the slightest sign of life.” “Yes—that note brought the Marchioness to the gallery,’ continued Edgar; “and then, in a voice solemnly disguised, I repeated from the gnd with eyes full of horror, the portrait of | neighbourhood of the portrait of Lucrezia Borgia, ————————————— MUIELIOOLK (©) 5}