Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 215: what you’re looking at

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

_knows I thought it sincerely and firmly ! could possibly admit of such a terrible interpreta- tion. “I thought that I loved you, Emily !—God But if the truth must be spoken, it was an infatuation— a delusion—a spell that was cast upon me by the magic of your beauty and by all the circumstances wherein I was placed !” * And do you mean me to understand, sir,” de- manded the quadroon, her eyes flashing fires far fiercer than before, the blood crimsoning the very duskiness of her complexion, her full red lips wreathing with the haughtiest scorn, and her bosom swelling as if it would burst through the closely fitting bodice,—“ do you medn me to un- derstand, sir, that I was the toy of your passing amour—the victim of your delusion—the sport of the circumstances in which you were placed? Do not dare to tell me this, Gustavus !—for if you dis- play a hardihood so infamous—an audacity so stupendous—it is a war to the very knife that will spring up between us, and nothing but your life’s- blood will appease my revenge !” There was a fearful power in the language and in the looks of the indignant quadroon as she thus addressed the youth, who was overawed by conster- nation and dismay as he heard and as he stood all trembling before her. * For God’s sake speak not to me thus, Emily!” faltered Gustavus: “every syllable you utter i8 either a thunderbolt to shock or a dagger to pierce! I beseech you to listen to me and then God knows you must become the arbitress of my destinies !” “ Speak, sir,” said Emily, a flush of triumph for @ moment flitting over her countenance. “ Two years ago,” resumed Gustavus, “I left Iingland—a mere boy, not understanding the nature of the feelings which I experienced for my cousin Winifred. Constantly dic I think of her while in the vessel which for thousands of miles ploughed the Pacific seas: but never did I pause to analyze the sentiments with which I thus thought of Winifred. Then circumstances threw me asa guest at Mount Pleasant, Itis no idle flattery to say to you, Emily, that no heart which is at all susceptible could remain altogether un- moved by the fascinations of your beauty. We were constantly together—my thoughts seemed to be in a continual confusion when I was with you —I was not the master of myself—you were an enchantress shedding upon me ineffable and irre- sistible spells! I walked about asif in a dream: I was led on step by step—having no moral eourage to stop suddenly and say to myself, ‘I must and will deliberate whether in the secret depths of my own heart I love Emily or I love Winifred !’—Do you comprehend what my posi- tion was? I myself understand it; and yet it seems to me that [.cannot even now find words strong or expressive enough to explain my mean- ing.” “ Proceed,” said the quadroon coldly . * You and I were to have been married,” con- tinued Gustavus ; “ and I endeavoured to persuade myself that mine was a happiness without alloy : but, ah! 1 was compelled to use efforts to thrust away from my heart the image of Winifred. Yet, as heaven is my judge! I should have married AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 207 a You know to what I alluge—the newspapers came re “Enough on this subject !” interrupted the quadroon: “it is mere useless recapitulation. Come to the point at once—tell me what you now think of Winifred, and what you purpose to do.” The youth actually reeled beneath the influence of the violent emotions which were agitating him ; and for nearly a minute he gazed with a look of anguished entreaty upon the quadroon. Then sud- denly sinking upon his knees, he said falteringly, “You ask me what I now think of Winifred, and what I intend to do? Ob, I love Winifred !—but you, Emily, are the arbitress of my destinies! It is you alone who can decide what I am to do!” Again did a flush of triumph pass rapidly over the countenance of the quadroon: but Gustavus perceived it not, for his looks were bent downward as he knelt in a posture of humble entreaty and earnest deprecation before her. At length she said, “ Rise, Gustavus—and answer me!” He rose accordingly; and he now looked her in the face, saying, “Speak, Emily—speak! Put any question you will, and I swear to answer it truthfully.” “You love your cousin Winifred P” she con- tinued, in a cold tone and with an unfathomable expression in her large luminous eyes. “T love Winifred,” responded Gustavus, not knowing whether he had everything to hope from Emily’s generosity, or everything to dread from her vindictiveness. “You love your cousin,” she said; “and there- fore you propose to espouse her P” “Such was my intention,’ faltered the youth timidly. “Then answer me, Gustavus,” exclaimed the quadroon, her voice now swelling into a tone of solemn adjuration,—“ answer me as if you were speaking to a power to whom the utterance of a falsehood would be tantamount to your soul’s per- dition ? You love Winifred and you would espouse her. But tell me—have you seduced her? has she confided her honour to your keeping P” It was almost with a cry of horror at the bare idea that Gustavus said, “ No, no! God forbid! Impossible !” “Ah!” ejaculated the quadroon, her cheeks crimsoning for a moment and the next instant becoming as pale as the duskiness of her com- plexion would permit: “ then I will now ask you, Gustavus, who has the greater claim upon youP— she whom you swore that you loved, whom you vowed to espouse, and who is already your wife in the sight of heaven? or she to whom yon have aiso spoken of love, whom you have also promised to espouse, but who is not as yet your bride in heaven’s eye?” The young man was for a moment overwhelmed by the unanswerable logic of the quadroon’s in- ferences ; and at length he feebly murmured, ‘‘ Do as you will with me, Emily. For the third time I tell you that you are the arbitress of my destinies. Command, and I obey !” “Then hear me, Gustavus,” rejoined Hmily. “ You know my character well or rather, per- haps, you did zo¢ know it when you fled trom me; but now you know it when you find that I have you, Hmily—and you know that I should!—but | voyaged across the ocean—daring the perils of a, sn a moment a thunderbolt fell at my feet! | the deep in winter’s stormy season—to seek you in Comiclooolks ce