Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 310: what you’re looking at

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

ms et eee 802 et me we ee es ee AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. ee es ee ee o-_ possibly be heaped together as a bribe, I could not be deterred from my course. In a word, therefore, T demand the life and liberty of the Count of Camerino—or I denounce the Chief of the Police as the assassin of his own uncle !” The Minister reflected for upwards of a minute. What could he do? He dared not murder the young ecclesiastic : he dared not send him off to a fortress ; for i¢ was not so easy to deal with the priesthood as it was with laymen and civilians. Should he boldly refuse Falconara’s demand, and trust to his good fortune to extricate him from the menacing consequences that might ensueP But the Minister knew how fearfully unpopular he was, and that at the very first whisper of his having committed a deed of assassination on the person of his own uncle, the whole populace would rise and demand justice against him. The Chief therefore found himself compelled to submit to the condition which Father Falconara imposed upon him. “‘T know that the Marquis of Ortona,” he said, “has long been an intimate friend of the Count of Camerino: I know likewise that circumstances hive rendered the young Englishman De Vere acquainted with his lordship, and perhaps interested in his behalf. I therefore presume that even though they mey be ignorant of the means of coercion which you are exercising over me, they are never- theless aware of the object of your visit ?” “They know that I have come on behalf of the Count of Camerino,” replied Father Falconara. “Conduct the business as you think fit—make a merit of necessity—give it the aspect of a virtue —do what you will—I care not, so long as my ob- ject is gained and my benefactor is restored to freedom !” “Ah! you give me this license P” exclaimed the Chief of the Police. ‘It is well: I will avail myself of it, But do you keep your countenance, and neither by look nor word contradict me in what TI shall say.” The Minister then rang the bell; and when the domestic answered the summons, he said, “ Re- quest the two gentlemen who are waiting below, to come hither,” In a few moments the Marquis of Ortona and Charles De Vere were introduced to the apartment, where they found the Prefect and Father Falco- nara. The former was now all urbanity and polite- ness— while the latter wore an expression of joy- ous hopefulness on his countenance; so that the nobleman and our young hero felt their own hearts relieved of much of the load which had hitherto been sitting heavily upon them. “The influence of this holy man,” said the Mi- nister of Police, indicating the ecclesiastic, ‘has prevailed with me; and I cannot refuse the boon which on his knees he has demanded: for Oh! it is not a light thing which can bring down a minister of the Gospel to a suppliant posture in the pre- sence of a minister of the law. But you have knelt to me, Father Faiconara—have you not ?” “T scarcely know what means of entreaty and intercession [ have adopted,” replied the young priest; “but this Il do know—and for this shall I be grateful unto the end of my life—that your Excellency has granted the boon, and the Count of Camerino is about to be restored to perfect free- dom!” Ejaculations of joy burst forth from the lips of the Marquis of Ortona and Charles De Vere as they received this announcement. They seized the hands of the young priest and pressed them warmly: they then made acknowledgment of the generosity of the Minister—for i in such a light did they regard his conduct. The reader may have already seen that the Nea- politan Chief of Police was endowed with a consi- derable amount of discretionary power in the ex- ercise of the functions of his high office, Indeed, with a word could he bind or loosen; and in most respects he was completely irresponsible for his proceedings—though as a matter of course he had not the power to decree the fulness of pardon; for that was a prerogative belonging to the Sove- reign alone. Such authority however as the Pre- fect could and might exercise, he was now about to demonstrate, according to the demand of Father Falconara. Again ringing the bell, the Minister said to the domestic who answered the summons, “Let the Count of Camerino be at once brought hither.” ‘ There was now a deep silence of some minutes in the apartment where this scene was taking place; and as the Chief of the Police pursued his reflections, he was struck by the fact that nota single syllable had been spoken on behalf of the Viscount Silvio—not the faintest effort had been made to save that young nobleman. And the Mi- nister comprehended why the name of that un- principled villain was thus consigned to utter silence, if not to oblivion! In a few minutes the door of the apartment opened ; and the Count of Camerino was ushered in by a couple of police-agents. The Minister made a sign, and those agents at once withdrew. The nobleman glanced round in astonishment upon those friendly faces which met his eyes,—Father Faleonara’e, the Marquis of Ortona’s, Charles De Vere’s: then he looked at the Prefect, and he was struck by the air of bland affability which that official deemed it expedient to assume. “My friend! my benefastor!” exclaimed the young priest, hastening forward and throwing his arms around the Count’s neck: “you are free! you are free !” “Ts this soP’—and for a few instants the no« bleman was almost completely overwhelmed by his emotions. He embraced his three friends one after an- other; and the Marquis of Ortona said to him, “Tt was Falconara who did it all!—it was he who successfully interceded with his Excellency the Minister !” ‘Tt was impossible,” said the Chief of the Police, now stepping forward tospeak on his own account, —“it was impossible to offer any resistance against the prayers and intercessions of this worthy young minister of the Gospel, who loves your lordship as if he were your own son! Go, my lord—you are free! If you remain at Naples, let it be in some sauctuary to which the police dare not penetrate ; and I beseech you to lose no time in taking mea- sures to obtain the royal pardon, When reference is made to me on that point, I will give such an answer as shall induce the Minister of the Interior to recommend your lordship’s cause to the favour- able notice of the King.” “The British Embassy is a sanctuary,” said GComichbooks..com os