Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 256: what you’re looking at

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

————————EEE 8 eee ——ee ee -——e es: © +e 248 said the Count. “ By the way, give me the names, if you can, of the attacbés and secretaries of that Ambassador? I want them for certain political reasons.” “ There is Mr. Winton,” replied the Marquis of Ortona, speaking slowly as he successively recalled the names to his memory: “ there is Sir Alex- ander Holcroft—there is Mz. Egerton—and there is Mr. De Vere.” “ Enough!” said the Count: and then, with a strange abruptness he observed, “ And so Ginevra secluded herself for awhile ?” “Yes—but you need no longer be anxious on her account,” replied the Marquis; “for I tell you. that ** Nevertheless,” interrupted the “ everything which relates to her —— “ Is of course interesting,” added the Marquis ; “ and since I see by the letter you sent me to-day, that your presence is to remain altogether a secret from the Countess, you wish to learn how she has ‘borne this long separation?” “Precisely so,” gasped the Count of Camerino: or the reader must have by this time discovered who the nobleman was. “At first,” resumed the Marquis of Ortona, “your amiable Countess bore up well and cou- rageous!y against the calamity which separated you from her: but after awhile—it was perhaps three or four months back—she could not endure the gloomy solitude of her palatial home, and she ac- cordingly went to reside with her uncle and aunt ‘e “Signor and Signora Visso,” interjected the Count, with a degree of bitterness which at once struck the Marquis, who nevertheless put his own constructicn upon the incident. “ Do not be angry with the Oountess, my dear friend,” said Ortona. “It is true that her uncle oud aunt are comparatively poor and obscure : but itis mot for you who entertain such liberal poli- €cal sentiments, to despise your wife’s family be- eause it is a plebeian one. From all I have heard, Signor Visso her uncie is a respectable medical practitioner mn “ Well, well,” interiected the Count, “I ought miot tobe angry. At the same time I cannot for- get that when struck by the beauty of Ginevra, I offered her my hand, it was thoroughly understood Setween us “T know all that you are going to say!” ex- ciaimed the Marquis. ‘ You espoused her on the condition that she would break off all intercourse with her relations P And she doubtless promised gou. But she did nct foresee that you would so @00n be compelled ¢& dy from the country, and Cnat she should be Zeft alone in that large man- #ion, with no one Lut her dcmestios to speak to, Really, my dear Count, you must be reasonable— and you must admit that if the Countess went to =ejoutn a few weeks at the dwelling of her rela- “:ves, it was natural—it was venial re “Yes, yes—I will be reasonable,” said Ca- mérino : and then he curtly added, “ Let us there- fore drop the subject. Have you any news ?” “TI have something to tell you, my dear friend,” eesponded the Marquis, “ which may both surprise and afford you pleasure. Yvuur son tbe Viscount is in Naples.” “Yndeed!” ejaculated Cumorino. nobleman, ” “ This is in- 1 himself at the mansion nor seek the Countess —— AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, deed a surprise and a pleasure* danger which he runs ‘4 * Rest assured that he is taking proper precau- tions,” said the Marquis. ° « And how long has he been in Naples?” in- quired the Count. “TI only met him last evening,” rejoined the Marquis ; “and he told me that he had arrived but a few hours back. He was coming to seek me at my own house. He said that he was uneasy at not having recently heard from you—and he thought that if any one could afford him any in- telligence concerning you, it would be I as your most intimate friend—for he dared not present ” But yet the * Do you know where he is to be found P” de- manded Camerino abruptly. “ Yes—he gave me his address. at a secluded villa in the suburb.” “ Hasten, then, my dear friend,” said the Count, “and bid him come to me. I long to behold him —to embrace him! But go, Ortona! and let him come to me at once! As for the intelligence which I have to impart in respect to Roman af- fairs, I will communinate it to-morrow evening, when you must return to me.” He is living The Marquis of Ortona resumed his capacious - mantle, and bade his friend a temporary farewell. He then took his departure; and entering the er’ WE hackney-carriage which had brought him thither, ~ he proceeded without delay to the suburban villa where the Viscount Silvio was lodging. Tue guilty Silvio was at first seized with a species of conster- nation on learning that his father was in Naples ; but she quickly gathered sufficient from the dis- course of the Marquis to reassure him. “ Your father is here for political purposes—be does rot mean to see his wife—he is satisfied with the affectionate inquiries he has made concerning her and the assurances I have given him. But he is anxious to embrace you. Doubtless he feele ~ that fhe momentous secret of his presence in Naples may be better entrusted to a young man who has gathered caution from past experienca, than to a young lady whose agitated and excited feelings would almost immediately betray them- selves.” Silvio, completely reassured by what he thus heard, muffled himself in his cloak, and set off without delay to the Via Graciosa. On arriving at the house, he whispered a certain password (with which the Marquis-had supplied him) to the old porter at the entrance; and he then ascended the stairs to the uppermost landing. Then in a few moments Silvio was clasped in the arms of the father whom he had so cruelly outraged, but who was unconscivus that he had been thus foully wronged by his own well-beloved son. “ Silvio! dearest Silvio !’ murmured the Count, who, notwithstanding the self-sacrifices he made in his devoted patriotism, was really a man of strong domestic affections. “Father ! dearest father !” exclaimed the Vis- count, now experiencing all the horrors and tor- tures of remorse as he was clasped i in the arms of his outraged but unsuspecting sire. “Sit down, Silvio—sit down, my son,” aid the Count; “1 have things of importance « Good heavens, father cried the Viscount, * bow ill you luvk !” ee ee ee comicbooks ——- —~-— -- = -—< com _