Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

i “ . .. , | ee the opportunity! Therefore was it as if by tacit consent that we held our peace in re- spect to Welson’s outrage; for 1 know that 4 «2Fs ‘| we dared not touch upon a topic which had axso- F ‘ r,* . " you felt as I did—and this feeling was that ciations that would have brought the blushes of shame to our cheeks. Oh! pardon this long dis- course, Gustavus! I do not blame you—I do not reproach you: I love you, if possible, more than ever !—but my object is to prove that if yon your- self are not altogether guiltless of deception, it is eruel to «meet my deception so heavily and so severe !”’ : All the time the quadroon was thus speaking, young Barrington felt as if he could fling his arms about her neck and strain her to his breast : and yet some contrary power held him back. There was a world of eloquence in the soft pathetic energy of her language; and yet he could not help feeling that there was a world of fine- drawn sophistry in it likewise; for the de- ceptions whereof she spoke were discrepant in- deed from that deception which she herself had committed. j And then 400 Gustavus thonght of Mr. Hargrave —of fhe pledge which he had given the misanthrope to leave the island with the least possible delay ; he remembered how Mr. Hargrave had declared that he should esteem him if he remained faithful to that pledge; and Gustavus felt that he could not easily endure the scorn and contempt of such a man as Hargrave. Thus he stood irresolute how to act: he knew not what course to adopt. “Am I to remain unforgiven?” asked Emily, after a pause, during which she stood like a suppliant before him, with all the native unstudied graces of form and attitude, and with her luminous dark eyes bent downward and eurtained by their long ebon fringes. “JT have already said, Gustavus, that if you feel your happiness will be ensured by a aban- doning me, I am ready to sacrifice myself for your sake. Bnt at least forgive me! Leave me not in anger! I am not the same _to you now as I was before we erred and sinned : I am your wife inthe sight of heayen—and you must not lightly resolve upon refusing your par- don to one who has so sacred a claim upon ou!” Refuse it? No! no!’’ ejaculated Gustavus : and the next moment Emily was clasped in his arms. There is an ineffable luxury in a reconciliation between lovers. The kisses with which they seal it are the sweetest and most fervid that can be hbestowed—their arms strain each other with a stronger pressure—they appear as if anxious to efface by means of present demonstrations of affection the impressions of recent unkind- ness. And so was it now with Gustayus and Emily; and while the youth held the beautiful quadroon in his arms—pressed his lips to hers —drank in the fragrance of her breath—and eaught from her luminous eyes the transttsion of her own fond enraptured feelings, he thought no more of Hargrave—he thought of nothing in the whole world but the bliss of the present moment. When the first ebullition of these feelings attendant upon reconciliation had passed, Gus- tayus and Emily had leisure for deliberate dis- course. ‘Phe youth explained to the quadroon oyery- thing which had taken place between him- self and Mr. Hargrave ; and Emily now learnt for the first time how she had heen seen by AGNES ; OR, BEAUTY AND PLHASURE. TS Ce FR 171 the negro at the casement of her youthful lover's room on the night when she abstracted the box of gold. She confessed to him all the truth. “T penetrated into your chamber,’’ she said, “ determined to take the only step which could prevent you from leaving the island and seeking your native land. Gently I opened the door; your regular breathing convinced me that you slept. I bent over you, Gus- tavus—I should have imprinted a kiss upon your brow but that I feared to awaken you. [ possessed myself of the box of gold; and then, to give a burglarious colour to the whole proceeding, I opened the casement, and with the diamond of my ring I cut a pane of glass, so that it might seem as if it had been done from the outside, and that its ob- ject was to allow a hand to be introduced to open the fastening inside. You may con- eeive how violently my heart palpitated, and how I dreaded every moment lest you should awake! But you slept soundly: and my task was accomplished I swear to you, Gus- tayus, that when on the following morning witnessed your mental a1guish at the loss of your cold, I commiserated you—Oh! deeply, deeply commiserated you !—and it went to my heart to keep the secret ! my love is so strong, so devoted, so fond !—and through its very fondness has it won me your pardon !” ‘“ Yos, dearest Emily,’’ replied the infatuated youth; ‘‘not another syllable of reproach shall you ever hear from my lips! But we have been speaking of deceptions—and now it seems to me that some new deception will have to be practised fo aceaunt to your uncle for the recovery of this gold.”’ “Do you think,’”’ asked Emily. after a few moments’ reflection, “‘ that Mr. Hargrave will tell my uncle everything when next they meet? —for if so, I should never again dare look my unele in the face. He is a man of the strictest probity and the utmost rectitude of principle; while on the other hand he comprehends nothing of such love as we experience for each other. Therefore his anger against’-me would he all the greater ?”’ *“T feel convineed that Mr. Hargrave will say nothing to your uncle upon the subject,”’ replied Gustavus. ‘“ He has evidently left the entire matter in my hands. If he had meant to pursue any special course of his own, would he not have brought the box of gold hither and restored it to me in the presence of Mr. Pinnock, at the same time revealing all he knew in reference to yourself, so as the more efiectually to cover you, my poor Emily, with shame? But no, Mr. Hargrave has not thus acted. He looks upon it as my business—and mine only; and so will he leave it. I do not hesitate to tell you that I shall for ever forfeit the esteem of that strange man who has shown me such goodness; but, ah! Emily,’ added the youth with a sigh, “there are many, many sacrifices to be made for the sake of love !”’ ‘* Yes—many, many sacrifices,’’ murmured the quadroon, winding her arms about her lover’s neck. ‘‘ And now tell me, Gustavus, is it neces- sary at all—is it absolutely needful that my uncle should be informed of the recovery of the cold ?” The youth reflected for a few moments; and then he exclaimed ‘‘ No! it were better to keep the,secret altogether than to entangle ourselves in a web of artifices.and deceptions. EO ecomicbooks But love is selfish: and, Oh! . 2 , A com