Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

eee et ee ee eee ae AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, “T have them no longer. When: hard pressed some ten minutes back, at the commencement of that very lane from which you saw me emerge, i turned and for a moment made head against my enemies. I thought I might beat them back—or I might terrify them—and I discharged my firo- arms. The plan seemed to succeed—the fellows stopped—and on I rushed. But I had no ammu- nition for my weapons they were therefore an * encumbrance—and I threw them away.” “ Look and see again where the pursuers are ?” said Ciprina, a prey to the most feverish anxicty and torturing suspense. “Good heaven! they are close upon us!” eja- culated Charles; “and whatever they may think or know, you, unfortunate lady, are now only too sure to be compromised by me! What can I do? I will spring forth!—I will lead them a chase across the fields—through the woods!—and you will pursue your journey in safety !” With these wildly spoken ejaculations, Charles De Vere flung open the door of the chaise, and sprang forth, reckless of the frightful peril he in- curred on account of the rapid rate at which the equipage was proceeding. He alighted on the grassy slope of a bank by the side of the road; but he was almost stunned by the violence of the concussion; and the few moments he thus lost were irretrievable. Scarcely had he regained his feet, when the sbirri were upon the spot. He was surrounded —drawn cutlasses menaced him—re- sistance was utterly vain—and he was compelled to acknowledge himself a prisoner. A couple of the mounted police-officers now galloped forward to see who might be travelling in the postchaise that had evidently some few mi- nutes rendered its services to the fugitive, and which (they naturally thought) would not have 67 factory response, she was seized with a violent trembling; and if the sbirré could have with their looks penstrated beneath her veil, they would have /seen that her countenance was of a ghastly pallor. ‘““ Come, signora, you had better answer the question!” exclaimed the officer who had pre- viously been speaking; “ for I can tell you that woe already think there is something suspicious and strange in the proceeding—and not the less on account of the pertinacity with which you keep that veil over your countenance.” T will tell you the truth!” exclaimed Ciprina, now terribly agitated. ‘I was travelling a little while back in quite a different style—I was at- tacked by robbers—they took from me my pass- port—purse—everything " * And where did this happen ?” demanded one of the sbirri. “Ah! I forget the name of the town which I I had last left—but L was coming from Filo- rence “ “And pray, after having been attacked by robbers,” demanded the sbirro with an incredu- lous sneer, “ how came you to admit into your chaise one of the chiefs of the very banditti by whom you had been despoiled ?” At this moment one of the sbirri who had Charles De Vere in their custody, called out to his two companions at the carriage-door,—exclaiming, * After all, I really think there is some mistake here! The young gentleman seems to be different from what we thought ee ** He will have some difficulty in making me be- lieve it,’ said the sbirro who had just been ques- tioning Ciprina in such sharp terms. “ Bring him this way; for I do not mean to let the chaise continue its course until IT am convinced that been abandoned unless he had seen that he could | things are a little more satisfactory than they now not hope to accomplish his escape by means of that | appear.” equipage. “Stop!” exclaimed the sbirvt to the postilion— and the man stopped accordingly: for he now per- eeived that instead of the horsemen being robbers, as he hed at first concluded from Charles De Vere’s exclamation, they were the officers of the law. Ciprina had already seen from the carriage- window that Charles was captured; and when she beheld the two sbirri ride after the equipage, she gave herself up for lost. “Who is this lady ?”” demanded one of the offi- cials, the instant he had thrown a glance into the ‘vehicle. “T am travelling for my recreation,” Ciprina hastened to answer, thus anticipating whatsoever reply might have been given by the driver to whom the question was put. “I perceive why you ask me—but the matter is easy of explanation. I saw that gentleman’s horse fall under him—he begged me to give him a seat in the chaise—he told some tale of robbers, and I believed him. If it be not true—or if there be any reason why I should not have succoured hin—I am exceedingly sorry.” “But who are you, signora P” inquired the fore- most of the two sbirri. “ Where do you come from? Whither are you going? Je pleased to produce your passport.” At this terrible demand, to which the unfor- tunate lady was utterly unable to give a satis- AE ee TE a th Tani eH “<2 «<9 =< Our young hero was accordingly escorted to the spot where the vehicle had halted; and then one of the sbirrt who had him in custody, said, “The young gentleman has shown us his card; and if it if is to be relied upon, he is an Englishman, at« tached to the British embassy at Naples——” “He may have stolen the cards from the pocket ofsome murdered or pillaged traveller,”’ exclaimed the incredulous sbirro. * But he has got a letter,’ continued the oficial who was better disposed in De Vere’s favour, “ addressed to just the same name that there is upon the cards Y * Well then, perhaps the young gentleman will have the kindness to show us his passport—to tell us why he galloped away like a felon—how he came with a carbine in addition to a pistol 4 At this moment the hasty trampling of a horse's hoofs attracted the attention of the entire party assembled on the spot where this scene was taking place ; and another sbirro was seen advancing along the road. As he drew nigh, a tightness seized upon our young hero’s heart and he felt assured that all was lost; for in the approaching horseman he recognised the very identical police- official who had ridden on the box of the other pustchaise, and whom he had vanquished and dis- armed of his carbine ! “ Ab, by the saints!” ejaculated the horseman, as he galloped up to the spot: “my lost pri- ——on oe ee owe - Comichboo $$ S|