Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

34 AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. pvér him; the Marchioness did not fear that Ciprina would betray her fatal secret or take the slightest step to do her an injury: but on tke other hand arose the bewildering question — “ Will Ciprina’s influence avail to put a seal upon the lips of Edgar Marcellin P” “No—it is not probable!” thought the Mar- chioness within herself. ‘‘ Edgar must know that I have accused him—and if he live, he will do everything he can to vindicate himself and bring the guilt home to me! And who can tell to what extent he may possess proofs against me? ! the steps in a church-steeple. Those words—those terrible words which he re- peated! Yes—they were indeed from my lips! I remember that I addressed them, in agony of mind, to the portrait of Lucrezia Borgia, within a few days after the vengeance that I wreaked upon Giulio! How, in heaven’s name, could those words have become known to Edgar Marcellin? who could have overheard them? who could have repeated them?” And es the Marchioness asked herself these questions, her mind was enduring a perfect agony of bewilderment and of terror. **But no matter!” she mentally ejaculated, thus resuming the train of her perturbed reflec- tions: “conjecture is useless!—it is sufficient for me to Enow that in Edgar Marcellin I have an accuser who may perhaps be enabled to over- whelm me with the weight of evidence! And can I suppose that he will place a seal upon his lips at Ciprina’s bidding ? No!—I dare not indulge in euch a hope! Bat, Ah! have I not the means of ascertaining what takes place between them so scon as he shall have recovered the power of epeech—if he ever do recover it? There is for me tue grand chance that he may die! But Oh! wi at if he should live P” An expression of illimitable terror passed over the features of the Marchioness, as imagination torturingly and hideously pictured the exposure of her crime—her arrest—the wonder and scorn of the world—the triumph of her rivals—the hor- rors of a prison—the branding shame of a public trial—aud the agony of the scaffold! “My God! my God!” she murmured to her- self, a9 she wrung ber hands; “I must do every- thing Ob, yes! I must do everything to avert this hideous catastrophe!” Lucrezia di Mirano sat reflecting for a little longer in her boudoir; and she presently asked herself, “ Why does not Ciprina come to me, if only for a moment ?—why does she not send some message to prove that she remembers the pledge she gave me last night that she would never betray me, but that if I were guilty she would do all she could to shield and protect me? Is it possible that her sentiments can be changing? Ah! per- haps Edgar Marcellin may have recovered the facuity of speech ?—and who can tell what things he may have been enabled to reveal to the ears of Ciprina? Ab! fool that I was not to have been ere now upon the watch! Just heaven! is mine a predicament which can afford to throw away a single chance or lose the slightest favourable oppor- tunity ?” Lucrezia di Mirano quitted the boudoir; and passing out upon the landing, descended that pri- vate staircase which has already been several times mentioned in the course of this narrative. On eM. ee reaching the vestibule at the bottom, the Mar- chioness passed out into the stable-yard. If she had been observed by any menial, she would have pretended that she came to see and caress her favourite horse: but as no one saw her, she bent her steps rapidly towards a little low door deeply set in the solid brickwork forming the basement- part of the mansion. A key which she had in readiness at once opened the door:—she closed it behind her, and began ascending a spiral stone staircase leading upward ina circular form like And now in a few minutes the Marchioness di Mirano reached that narrow passage which existed in the thickness of one of the partition walls. No light could pene- trate into that place, and Lucrezia had brought no lamp: but she cautiously groped her way. She had occasionally visited the mysterious corridor through curiosity, and shecould therefore eétimate its length. She knew there was no danger of stumbling over any object or encountering any obstacle: but the great point of requisite caution was to avoid coming noisily in contact with the wainscot-door at the extremity. Lucrezia there- fore felt her way with the utmost carefulness; and presently her hand gently encountered the wooden barrier which closed the passage at that farther end. Lucrezia listened against the door; and just at that moment she heard Ciprina bidding Antonia leave the suite of apartments for the present, and only return when she should hear the summons of the bell. Then the Marchioness heard the outer door close: she heard likewise Ciprina lock it inside. “ She is determined to be altogether alone with the invalid,’ thought the Marchioness to herself, ‘** Perhaps they are about to converse together P— and she seeks to render the place secure against eavesdroppers? Ah, well! we shall see!” The Marchioness heard Ciprina recross the ante- chamber from the door which she had just been fastening, and penetrate into the boudoir. Then all was silent. Vainly did Lucrezia listen with suspended breath: she could not catch the slightest tone of a human voice. ** Ah !” she thought within herself, in a humour of bitterest vexation, “if they be in the innermost room together, I may fruitlessly tarry here to listen! Dare I open this door? The attempt will be desperate!—it may lead to discovery! And yet there is no alternative !” Having come to this decision, the Marchioness cautiously felt for anu iron knob which she knew to constitute a communication with a secret spring ; and the door at once yielded to its influence, opening slightly inward. Again the Marcbioness listened with suspended breath. Now she did catch the sound of a human voice—gnd she recog- nised it to be Ciprina’s. Then Edgar Marceilio spoke : but still Lucrezia di Mirano was too far off to catch the sense of what was said by either. “They are in one of the farther rooms!” she thought to herself ; “ and it is not from this point that I shall be enabled to overhear anything! A still bolder step than that of opening the door must be taken !” And now the Marchioness opened the secret door to its full width: and stealing across tbe threshold, she entered the ante-chamber. Thence LOOK (©) LF 5}