Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

166 AGNES; OB, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. him blush : and he accosted Mr. Hargrave with his wonted frankness. “Tf you have an hour to spare,” said the misan- thrope abruptly, “I desire that you will come with ‘me to my little cottage yonder. I wish to speak to you particularly.” “To speak to me particularly ?” said Gustavus, who for a moment felt as if he were quailing be- neath the penetrating eyes of Mr. Hargrave. “Yes. For what other purpose should I ask you to come to my house? Jat least have no sinister design in reference to you,’ he added, with a strange significancy. “Ob, my dear sir!” exclaimed the youth, “how can you think that such an assurance as this is requisite? If I hesitated fora moment—or seemed to hesitate—it was only because it appeared to me strange ~ “That I should have anything of importance to say to your” exclaimed Mr. Hargrave; “or, in- deed, that I should speak to you at all—for you have of course been told that since I came to re- side in this island I have never been accustomed to speak to any one? Well, no matter! There are persons for whom even a misanthrope like me may be inclined to make an exception; and there may be circumstances which render such an excep- tion necessary. Come with me, I say.” “ Willingly,” responded Gustavus: and he fol- lowed the misanthrope towards the cottage. Not another syllable was spoken during the walk thither; but each individual seemed to be absorbed in his own peculiar reflections. There was a certain degree of neryousness and apprehen- sion in the mind of Gustavus, as if he more or less dreaded what might be the topic on which Mr. Hargrave meant to discourse with him; while the misanthrope himself had a stern expression of countenance, and his lips were closely compressed, as if it were indeed something of no mean import- ance for which he was leading the youth towards his home. They reached the cottage, which they entered ; and Mr. Hargrave conducted Gustavus into a small parlour, very modestly furnished. The in- stant the door was closed, Mr. Hargrave turned sharp round upon Gustavus, almost with an air as if he meditated sume treacherous attack; and he said, “ Would you like to know who was the thief of your box of gold?” “ Good heavens! is it possible that you know ?” exclaimed Gustavus, amazed at a question which seemed to be full of hope, and which so abruptly broached a topic that was very different from the one to which his nervous apprehensions had been pointing. “Yes—I know who abstracted your treasure,” replied Mr. Hargrave. ‘“‘ But in the first instance behold it!” With these words, he applieda key to a cup- board—-opened the door—and displayed the well- known box which had contained the treasure. Gustavus could scarcely believe his eyes: he felt as if he were in the midst of a wild bewildering dream ! * Look!” continued Mr. Hargrave, unfastening the staple and lifting the lid of the box: “ the golden contents are here, safe and secure! You are egain rich, Gustavus! And now, in the name ef heaven, take your treasure, and be off to Eng- ee ee 8 ee ae ee mntetn oe ee eo ee o et me ee ee me ne Se ee St wn te ab Ss land with it as quick as possible. You have no- | — thing more to do in Jamaica——and if you are . wise you will never come back to the island | again.” Al | In the wild enthusiasm of his joy and the be- | wilderment of his senses at thus regaining his lost | treasure Gustavus failed to catch the entire pur- port of the misanthrope’s words. Yes—there was the box! and there were its golden contents! But how could they possibly have come into the hands of Mr. Hargrave ?—how cduld he be their restorer ? because not for an instant was it to be supposed that he had been their purloiner. “Oh, how good and kind a friend are you to me!—a friend in every sense!” exclaimed Gus- tavus, when he was at length able to give utter- ance to a word. “Strange unaccountable being that you are! Bat, ah! you have forgotten to tell me who was the thief that purloined this trea- 7 sure ;—and yet you commenced by asking me whe- : ther I wished to know.” ' “ And do you still wish to know ?” inquired Mr. Hargrave, fixing his eyes with mingled keenness and commiseration upon the youth. “Yes—I wish to know,” rejoined Gustavus. * Why should I not ?” “Then you shall know!” answered the misan- thrope; and after a pause, he added slowly, and accentuating every syllable, “It was for no pur- pose of mere vile plunder that the treasure was taken from you: it was to serve another and very different end—it was to prevent you from going to England—it was to keep you in Jamaica: for the thief was none other than Emily Pinnock herself !” “No, no!—tell me not this!” exclaimed Gus- tavus, with a wild cry of mingled anguish and astonishment. “What! Emily do a thing like ; this? No, no! I would believe many things—I would believe almost anything rather than that Emily Pinnock could be guilty of such a crime!” “Poor Gustavus!” said Mr. Hargrave, with more feeling than he had ever yet displayed to- wards the youth; “you must end by believing it. You are indeed young in the world that you shrink from believing that which at the slightest hint ought to be evident to your senses! Yes— inexperienced must you be that at the very outset you did not suffer your suspicions to fall upon the right person.” Gustavus had sunk aghast and dismayed upon a seat: a torrent of tears now gushed forth from his eyes, and his breast was convulsed with heart- wrung sobs. Suddenly he started up; and seizing upon the box of gold, was rushing towards the door, when the misanothrope held him back with an iron grasp, exclaiming, “ What are you about to do, rash youth ?” “To hurl this gold into the stream which winds | near your garden!” ejaculated Gustavus. ‘“ Ac- cursed gold, which has proved the means of de- stroying my faith in one whom *s “Be calm, Gustavus!” said Mr. Hargrave: “this frenzy of excitement will avail you in no possible way! Do you think that you can pass through life without experiencing some of those | 4 — EE EE lO bitter lessons which belong to the lot of humanity ? You are now taking your initiation in the sehool of these harsh stern teachings. Severe though this lesson be, pray toa God that you may never have a severer !” Comicbooks). corr