Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

lsc a oF AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, yon knew that the signora had a young gentle- rman secreted there he was ill, or wounded, or something of that sort and now that he is convalescent, I suppose that in mingled gratitude and love he has vowed to devote himself for the rest of his life to the young lady—and—and—per- haps they have fled together? Come, now—is it not 50, Antonia P—and have I not read what is passing in your mind with a sufficient accuracy to save you the embarrassment of speaking in terms which you might conceive to be depreciatory of the Signora Ciprina?” “Of course, my lady,” answered the young damsel, “I should not venture I mean I should not permit myself In short, the respect that I owe to my mistress " “Ab, then, I see my suspicions are correct ! exclaimed the Marchioness: “your mistress and the Frenchman have run away together? Doubt- less they have their own good motives for such a course But Ah! while I bethink me, Antonia, just have the kindness to hasten to the rooms lately tenanted by your mistress—and see if you find any masculine garments there—or any fire- arms. Indeed, I have some reason for supposing that your search will not be in vain: because I lent the Signora Ciprina my own suit of male ap- parel and a pistol, that she might visit a mas- guerade some nights back.” ““T will go and see, my lady,” tonia. “ Ah! and in the meantime,” interjected the Marchioness, “ you would perhaps do well to for- bear from mentioning the circumstance to your fellow-servants until you and I may have agreed together how the tale can be best told so as to create as little scandal as possible.” Antonia eurtsied and issued from the boudoir She hastened to the apartments where she had left Edgar Marcellin: she knocked at the outer. door of the suite—he opened it—and the young Gamsel at once crossed the threshold. “ [ have discovered the secret, Antonia!” ejacu- lated Marcellin, as he closed and locked the door by which she had just entered. “ What secret, signor ?” she demanded. you mean the private passage “Yes! Look!” cried the Frenchman. As he spoke he advanced towards the wainscot on the side against which Antonia had for a couple of nights made her bed; and pressing upon one of the gilt nails which embellished the panelling, Edgar cried, ‘‘ Behold !” A portion of the wainscot seemed all in an in- stant to give way, so strange was the appearance of a door opening where there was not a moment back the slightest evidence to show that a door was inexistenee. It opened into a passage, narrow and dark, and into which the eyes of Antonia could only plunge for some half-dozen yards. “And how did you discover this, signor ?” in- quired the damsel. “Oh !” ejaculated Marcellin, “ 1 was determined to examine the wainscot well while you were gone: I thought that if there were any secret spring acting upon a hidden door, it might possibly be connected with one of these nails ; and I experi- mentalised upon them till at last, lo and behold! that particular nail gave way beneath the touch, and the door opened |” 1»? responded An- * Do “ And this passage, signor P” inquired Antonia “T have explored it,” rejoined Marcellin; “it leads to a staircase which, conducts down intoa place where there is an issue by a door opening into the little stable-yard.” “Ah!” cried Antonia. “I know there is a door in that yard. And thus, signor, you have discovered the grand secret P” ‘Yes. But now tell me what you yourself have discovered P” exclaimed Marcellin. “In the first place, signor, I have bad news in reference to Mr. De Vere——~” “Ah! bad news?” ejaculated Edgar. “Yes. Mr. De Vere has not been heard of since he accompanied me from Signor Petroro’s house.” “Ah! then, treachery has overtaken him !” cried Marcellin: “but by heaven! “Stop, signor!” interposed Antonia. “I have an idea—something has struck me! But in the first place let me tell you that the Marchioness has come back—and she evidently thinks that you have left with the Signora Ciprina !” ‘Ah! she thinks that?” cried Marcellin, *'Yos, signor! And now it is my idea that the wrong person has been carried off!” rejoined An- tonia. “Good heavens! this is possible! Nay, more —it is probable!” exclaimed Edgar ; “and it never struck me before! Yes, yes—I see it all! The Marchioness thought to get rid of me and Ciprina at one and the same time: but an error has been committed 2 ‘There can be no doubt of it, signor!’’ said the damsel: “the discourse of the "Marchioness fully proved that such is the case. And now she has sent me to look for certain articles of male rai- ment and a pistol ——” “Ah!” exclaimed Edgar; “if there had ex- isted the slightest possibility of doubt in reference to the motives of Lucrezia Mirano, it is now cleared up! Yes, yes! she flatters herself that these rooms are empty now, and that she has naught to do but to send you hither to fetch away those articles which help to serve as the evidences of her crime.’ * And what will you do, signor ?” inquired An- tonia. “JT will depart at once,” responded Marcellin. “The secret passage shall now serve my purpose! I can lock the ante-room door inside—and you can return to the Marchioness and assure her that you are unable to enter the suite of apartments. I shall thus gain time, and also guard against any sudden surprise on her part: for at any moment is she capable of coming hither to seek after ou.’ ; “Ah! I fergot to mention one thing, signor,” said the damsel. ‘The man Petroro has heard from Signor Paoli; and that unfortunate father of the murdered Giulio will be at Petrero’s house to- morrow night at eight o’clock.” * Oh, this is indeed welcome intelligence!” ex- claimed Marcellin. ‘ Rest assured, Antonia, that things are now taking a turn, and the triumph of Lucrezia di Mirano shall be speedily brought to a termination! But come—hasten to assist me! Is there no convenient little carpet-bag or portman- teau, which I might carry in my hand through the streets, with the air of a traveller-——~” in Doo (E©)