Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 147: what you’re looking at

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| self for her weakness—endeavouring to persuade herself too that it was utterly unfounded—she completed her toilet. She now heard the carriage stop at the door; and catching up the taper, she began to descend the stairs. That double knock at the door to which we have alluded, announced the return of the Hon. Mr. Clifford. His countenance was slightly flushed with wine ; and it acquired even a more height- ened glow as he sprang up the first ascent of stairs towards the drawing-room. Lntering that apart- ment—and merely swinging the door behind him, without perfectly closing it—he received Floribel in his arms. “Oh, this is kind of you, Theodore!” she ex- claimed. “A full hour before tl expected you!” “The dinner party at my father’s was a very slow affair,” responded Theodore; “‘ and so I got away as soon as I could.” Floribel did not perceive that the answer was not altogether very complimentary to herself,— implying as it did that if the party had been more agreeable Theodore would not have left it so goon. “Who do you think is with me?” she ex- claimed. ‘“ Agnes is here !—she canie in the after- noon—she dined with me od *‘T am glad of it, Floribel,” said Clifford. “TI wish you to have a little society. But I suppose you have not”—and he hesitated—“ you have not, I mean ¥ “I know what you would say, Theodore,” said Floribel, in a half mournful voice. ‘“No—I have told her nothing: I dare not! Oh, would to God that I could tell her something that might be satisfactory! But you, MTheodore—heave you spoken to your father ?. have you succeeded with him ?” *T have broken the ice, my dear girl,” an- ewered Clifford: “I have prepared him—TI have dropped a few hints—but I could not say too much to-day, for he was not in the very best of humours.” “This is unfortunate! most unfortunate !” said Floribel. ‘Ob, Theodore! there are moments when I feel very, very unhappy “ Pray use not this language, my dearest love !”” said the young man in the most éarnest tone of entreaty. ‘ You will render me likewise very un- happy! I am doing all that I can to ensure your comfort and welfare si *Yes—I know it! I know it, dear Theodore!” interjected Floribel, enthusiastically. “ Oh, I know that you love me very much!—but you must not indeed be vexed or angry with me if I press you on this point. All the happiness of my life de- pends upon it ; and you know, my beloved Theo- dore, that I have not uttered a syllable of reproach sinco that dreadful scene “ No, no! you have kept your word, Floribel ! said Theodore quickly: and again did the flush of wine heighten into a ruddier glow upon his coun- tenance. ‘You have behaved admirably in that respect |” “ And therefore you will reward me as soon as possible,’ said Floribel, in an appealing voice, “by the fulfilment of your promise? .Oh, you must do it soon, Theodore !—for i tremble in the presence of my cousin—she asked me a thousand rn questions—I thought overy instant that sho would —=— 1)? AGNES; OR, BEAUTY. AND PLEASURE. 1389 beg me to show her the marriage certificate—and if she had made such a demand, what reply could [have given? Ob! I would sooner perish than be compelled to look my virtuous cousin in the face and confess that I am not married !” At this moment a sound as of a candlestick dropping on the landing—instantaneously followed by another sound, like that of the sudden fall of a human form—reached the ears of Theodore and Floribel; and with ejaculations of alarm they both rushed to the door. It had, as we have already said, been negligently left ajar when Mr. Clifford entered ; and as Floribel now tore it open, her cousin Agnes was seen stretched motionless upon the landing. “Great God! she knows all!” cried Floribel, in accents of the most piercing anguish; and she fell back senseless in the arms of Theodore. CHAPTER XXYV. THE COMPACT. Av the same time that this scene was taking place at the house in Mayfair, another scene to which we must direct the attention of our readers, was occurring elsewhere. It was about nine o’clock on this same evening that Cicely Neale alighted from a cab in the neighbourhood of the entrance to the Regent’s Park. She at once dismissed the vehicle, and drew her veil closely down over her countenanee. She walked about for a few minutes, as if looking for some one whom she expected to meet there, and who possibly might be unable to recognise her, veiled as she was. At length she accosted a man, who was dressed in a neat suit of black; and she said, “ Luke, it is I.” ’ “IT hope I have not kept you waiting long, Miss,” observed the man, who, as the reader will recollect, filled the post of valet to the Hon. Hector Hardress. ‘** No, no,” responded Cicely. ‘*I hava oni been here a few minutes. Do you think your master will come ?” “T am sare of it, Miss,” rejoined Luke Corbet. “ Ah!” said Cicely, with this brief and lowly uttered ejaculation expressing her satisfaction. “Tell me everything that occurred there is yet plenty of time !” * You know, Miss,” resumed Luke Corbet, “that it was about three o’clock this afternoon when you gave me the note, together with ycur instructions id * And you told me that you did not think your master would return to the house till about five o'clock, so as to be in time to dress for dinner ?” “True, Miss,” answered Corbet; “and it was about ten minutes past five when he returned. I then gave him the note, saying that I had acci- dentally met in the street the young lady who performed so singular a part at Sidney Villa exactly ten days back, and that she had given me the billet to deliver to him. He seemed dread- fully annoyed, and ejaculated, ‘Ah! I expected something of this sort; for the ten days within which I promised to make ber my wife, are just ~~ eeerrre ‘ COMmcooolkxs ee ca etree pee ;