Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 116: what you’re looking at

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

108 AGNES; OE, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, mits, breaking into foam, gleamed ghastly through - the increasing darkness of the night, All the usual bustle and activity belonging to such cir- cumstances on board a4 ship, were now displayed. The mandates of the Captain were sent forth firmly and steadily, but with somewhat more peremptoriness than usual, as if to convey the im- pression that they must be instantaneously obeyed. And it was likewise with steadiness, though with an alacrity which appeared to take every passing moment into account, that the various orders were executed by the seamen under the guidance of Thus, for the next hour the time of Gustavus Barrington was fully employed, as well their officers, as that of the rest of the crew. But now came an interval of a few minutes during which he was again standing by himself on the deck ; and then towards him again crept the trembling old miser. “Tell me, Mr. Barrington,” he said,—“ pray, for God’s sake tell me! do you think—do you, I mean, entertain the slightest apprehension—I don’t mean fear you know—because to imply that, would be insulting a brave young gentleman like you; but—but——” “Really, Mr. Elverstone, you had better keep below,” answered the youth, speaking kindly how- ever, for he could not heip pitying the wretched old man, although he full well knew his hard, griping, avaricious disposition. “ Well, well, I will,” said the miser: “ but pray, pray promise me one thing? Look you, my dear Mr. Barrington—my dear Gustavus—for you are a good youth——if there should be any danger you will let me know first of all—before the other passengers—you will not leave it till the last—you will come and whisper in my ears—you will give me a kind hint-——~” * Rest assured, sir,” interrupted Gustavus, with a slight display of indignation at the manifest self- ishness contained in this appeal,—“ rest assured, sir, that if there be any danger, and if an extreme ease should arise—which I really do not expect— the Captain will adopt all requisite precautions for the safety of his passengers and crew.” * Yes, yes—I know it,” interjected the old man, in a strange nervous state of querulous petulance and abject helplessness. ‘“ But then, in those cases, there is no respect for persons or property— and you, my dear Gustavus Heavens, how the ship pitches !—you, I say, must take care of me, for I am an old man—— The timbers creak fright- fully !—and if it should come to anything very, very perilous The spray is blinding !—you must get me first into a boat—or on a raft—anything, my dear young man !—but for God’s sake do not desert me !”’ **T shall desert no one to whom I can render the slightest assistance,’’ responded Gustavus. **But I repeat, your apprehensions may be al- together unfounded—you are meeting danger half-way At this moment the ship experienced a violent shock, as if it struck against some object which standing up from the depth of the ocean, checked its progress: but it was an immense wave that broke over it. Quick as lightning did Gustavus Barrington throw his left arm round the old man, while with his right hand he firmly grasped a For an instant it seemed as if the vessel were submerged and engulfed in the roaring rope. waters. But buoyant she,rose—the raging billows swept off the deck—and the miser was clinging, half dead with affright, to the youth who by his sudden presence of mind had saved him from being borne away by that terrifically sweeping gush of waters. “Oh, my God!” faltered forth the miserable wretch, gasping for breath like one that was half- drowned; “I know we shall be overwhelmed presently! Fool—idiot that I was to leave a place a “Where you would have been murdered for your gold,” responded Gustavus, “if you had re- mained. But pray go below, Mr. Elyerstone—I copjure—I command you!” “Yes, yes—in a minute,” he tremulously re- plied: “ but—but—when I am below, it seems to me as if the danger was a thousand times greater. And yet here it is awful! My God, those dreadful waves !—this fearful hurricane !—the creaking and groaning of the timbers, as if the ship itself was a living thing! Oh, my dear Gustayus—good young man—excellent youth—you will have pity on me— and if the worst should happen _ “Yes, yes, Mr. Elverstone,” ejaculated Gus- tavus. “ But you must go below.” “ One word more !—only one word!”—and the old man now spoke rapidly, while both his hands clutched the youth’s arms with their bony, wiry fingers—and his eyes were fixed keenly through the darkness upon Barrington’s handsome counte- nance. “TI have gota little gold—not much, you know—very, very little—but still it is some—and if you save me Ss “No inducement of this kind,” interrupted Gustavus, “is necessary to P “Stop! stop!—do not be so hasty! I don’t mean to insult you but do for heaven’s sake think of me! Think of me first of all—if the worst should arrive—as I am sure it will! And you know that chest of mine—you have seen it in my berth Well, my dear Gustayus —~ ” Here again the usual warning was given by those who were on the look-out: again did a mighty sea sweep over the ship, making it reel and quiver and tremble as if its huge bulk were but a mere elastic reed in the midst of the troubled waters: and again was the old man saved by the timely interposition of the generous Gustavus, Once more the Catharine Millard rose buoyant on the agitated sea; and then Gustavus bore the old miser, more dead than alive, down to [his berth. The instant he was there, Elverstone threw himself upon the chest which contained his treasures; and recovering all the keenness of his vitality, he re- newed his half-tremulous, half-passionate entrea- ties to the young midshipman in the same strain as tefore. But Gustavus tarried not to hear him ; eae ela ing the door of the cabin, he rnshed upon eck. The tempest was now rapidly rising to its full height,—presenting all its features of awful sublimity and of te:ror to those minds that were susceptible of these influences. But there was no fear on the 1art of the officers or men of the Catharine Millard. A sense of danger there was—and a serious sense too > but there was no craven alarm. Every one continued in the performance of his duty with a calm steadiness of purpose, and yet with all the alacrity which skilful experience ElNOOKS . (E(0)