Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 291: what you’re looking at

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

- AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 283 ee ee Te EE SEP ee RP EEE Le EL Oe EEL et ee the mansion. Together you will search amongst moment of despair perpetrated self-destruction, Ginevra’s papers ; and if you discover any proofs We searched among the papers of the deceased— of her frailty—any letters which might betray her but we found not a line nor a word calculated to crime—destroy them—destroy them! The Mar-, betray the fatal secret. The Marquis wished to quis will cause the rumour to be whispered that accompany me hither this evening ; but I repre- driven to despair by her husband’s prolonged sented to his lordship that it would be better for exile, the unfortunate Countess has committed him to await a message from you.” suicide.” The Count expressed his gratitude to De Vere “But the Marquis, I presume,” said Charles, for the manner in which he had fulfilled his in- *is unacquainted with the terrible mystery ?” structions ; and our hero hesitatingly and anxiously “Yes,” responded the Count; “but to his ears inquired, “ Have you seen your son?” —and to his ears only—must the fearful secret “No,” replied the Count: “he has not been— be communicated! I have my reasons. Indis- and now I expect him not, Doubtless he has inheriting my son——But no matter! THasten, heard the intelligence of Ginevra’s death? And my young friend, and manage all these things for | who can tell but that she herself might have sent me. Perhaps you will return to me in the even- him a warning word to the effect that everything ing, after the painful ordeal through which I have | was discovered? But even if she had not done yet to pass——-I mean my parting interview with so, the fearful ramour of her suicide would strike spy guilty son!” his guilty conscience with something more than a Charles had reached the door of the room, when | suspicion! No—Silvio will not come; and per- he turned back and said, “ My lord, on behalf of | hapsit is better thus! I have no longer a wife that son of yours, is forgiveness impossible? can- | —no longer a son: utterly bereaved am I! Ob, not leniency be shown?” my young friend! it requires a preterhuman The nobleman’s countenance became gloomily courage to bear up against such a fate as this!” stern, as he said with sombre resoluteness, “ No, There was a solemn pause; and then the Count impossible !”—and then he grasped De Vere’s hand said, as if a sudden idea struck him, “i shall in admiration of this last generous interposition | visit the mansion stealthily—I shall bend one on Silvio’s behalf. last look upon her whom I loved so tenderly ere Hours passed away; and it was about nine | her guilt became known—I shall kneel by the side o'clock in the evening when Charles De Vere re- | of the couch where she lies—and I shall implore turned to the Via Graciosa. He found the | heaven to have mercy upon her soul! Will you Count of Camerino anxiously ls haa his pre- | accompany me?” sence, | “JT will, my lord,” answered our hero; for the “All has been done, my lord, as you desired,” | request was too sacred to be refused. “ But con- said the youth. “In the first place I saw Father | sider the risk you incur Faleonara, who was cruelly shocked on receiving; ‘I am indifferent on that point,” responded the the intelligence of the wretched end of the Coun. | Count: “but even if it were otherwise, there is tess a indeed little danger of my detection —for at eleven “ Had he seen her?” inquired the Count, with | o’clock this night I shall leave Naples.” hasty utterance. “At least, my lord,” urged our hero, “resume “Yes, my lord; and she gaye him a packet | that clerical garb which you wore ic the morn- containing a document appointing him the trustee | ing 3 of whatsoever property it was in her power to dis- “Tt is already packed up in my trunk—and the pose of. The whole was to be realized to form a| trunk itself isin Nino Corso’s vehicle. To baffle fund for the maintenance of the child; and thus it} the police, should they happen to be upon the is evident that when she left these parting instruc- | scent, certain changes of garb are requisite, tions, she contemplated suicide —or else she would | Dressed as I now am, as a simple citizen, L leave have bequeathed a portion of her property to the | the city of Naples: but when once on the out. convent she might enter. Moreover, Father Fal- | skirts, change my raiment—I become a priest. conara, recalling to mind the unfortunate lady’s | You de not “understand these things: heaven looks and certain expressions which she made use grant that you never may! And now let us de- of during their last interview, feels convinced | part. All my arrangements for the journey are that self-destruction was resolutely settled in her | made; I will simply say farewell to Benedetta and thoughts.” leave word where her husband is to take me up “And what in reference to the Marquis of | at eleven o’clock.” Ortona ?” inquired the Count. The nobleman muffled himself up in his cloak, “TI saw that nobleman—and I told him every- | and passed into the opposite room, where he re- thing,’ continued Charles. ‘Need I say that he | mained for a few minutes. He then rejoined was most painfully shocked ?—for towards yourself | Charles De Vere; and he said, “I had forgotten he experiences a more than friendship—it is the something. Take charge of this packet: it is ad- love of a brother!” dressed to tne Marquis of Ortona—deliver it to “Yes—we are very old friends,’ said the him in the course of to-morrow—and express my Count, with much emotion. ‘“ Did you visit | regrets that I should have been unable to see the mansion?” ° ' him previous to my departure. Whatever else I “T did,” was the reply; “and the Marquis ac-| may have to communicate, is contained in this companied me. The domestics were in conster- packet.” nation: but the Marquis said all that he couldto| “I will faithfully fulfil your lordship’s instruc- soothe and console them—and he expressed his | tions,” answered Charles, as he received the packet opinion that the unfortunate Countess, frenzied by | and secured it about his person. this protracted separation from yourself, had i ina Our hero and the nobleman then departed from rR aR ; Ccomiclooolks Om