Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 315: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. iiiles nee of the brilliant Frenchman? It was, tunity of speaking to Ciprina, to whom she said, some such question which Marcellin actually asked of himself; and then he was struck by the flowing outlines and softly rounded symmetry of the figure upon that ottoman. Who was she? His eyes were turned inquisingly upon the Mar- chioness, who, smiling, said, “Ob, I am about to present you to that young lady. She is a very dear friend of mine—she lives with me alto- gether.” “I shall indeed be proud to form the acquaint- ance of——” And Marcellin stopped short, as if peusing for the name to be mentioned. “ The Signora Ciprina,” said the Marchioress. “ Surely that must be the name of Venus her- self, in your Italian tongue ?’—and Edgar Mar- cellin again turned his eyes, as he spoke, upon the beautiful shape seated on the ottoman. *‘ Ciprina,” said the Marchioness, “allow me to introduce you to M. Marcellin. I must leave you to form each other’s acquaintance; for the arrival of other distinguished guests claims my attention elsewhere.” Though a thorough man of the world, and therefore perfectly master of himself upon nearly all occasions, yet the young Frenchman could not help starting fur an instant with surprise as the exceedingly handsome countenance of Ciprina was raised up towards his own, when the introduction took place. Edgar bowed with a respect more profound than in the natural ease of his manner he was wont to display; while Ciprina inclined her head, not exactly with coldness, but with a kind of gracious condescension, as if she were per- fectly indifferent to the fact that this was the brilliant Frenchman, and as if she were merely treating him with the ordinary ladylike courtesy that she would have shown towards any other in- dividual. Edgar was piqued: but he was too much a man of the world to show it. He at once glided into conversation with Ciprina: but he managed to infuse, so to speak, a certain glacial reserve into the politeness of his mien and tone. It was as much as to give her to understand that if she looked upon him as an ordinary individual, he on his own side regarded her as being in no way su- perior to the other ladies present. Having con- versed with her for some few minutes, Marcellin bowed slightly, and strolled away with an easy air towards another part of the room. The Marchiuness soon accosted him, and said, “ What think you of my young friend Ciprina? Is she not very hand- some 7” . “ Handsome ?” said Marcellin, as if vagueiy and dubiously. ‘Well, 1 really did not notice,” he added, with an air of ingenuousness so perfect that the Marchioness was deceived by it. “What!” she cried, looking astonished; ‘* you failed to observe that Ciprina is exceedingly beau- tiful? And yet, M. Marcellin, | have been assured that you are a person of exquisite taste!” “Ah!” said Edgar, for a moment throwing a certain degree of significance into his looks: “ re- member that I had seen your ladyship before I saw the Signora Ciprina, and my mind being filled With the one image, afforded no room for any special impression to be made by the other.” The Marchioness smiled at the compliment, and moved away. She presently sought an oppor- Te ee ee oe ee Ce Le ee ee $07 “ What think you, my dear friend, of Edgar Mar- eellin P” “ He is very well for a Frenchman,” replied the young lady, with a seemingly listless air. “Very well for a Frenchman?” ejaculated Lu- crezia di Mirano. “ Why, do you not know that the French are the most polished and refined na- tion on the face of the earth?” * Ah, true! I forgot it,’ rejoined Ciprina, “when conversing with M. Marcellin ;”—and it was with an air of the utmost indifference that she thus spoke, The Marchioness was more and more astonished as she thought to herself that the two handsomest persons in the room appeared to be thus completely apathetic and callous in reference to each other. “Tt was my intention and object,” thought Lu- crezia within herself, “ to allow Ciprina the oppor- tunity of making a conquest in this quarter. But as she is so indifferent, methinks that I my- self - And with the half-expressed yet significant idea in her head, Lucrezia di Mirano traversed the room in order to throw herselt into the way of the handsome young Frenchman. Edgar Marcellin was speedily by her side; they sat down together upon a sofa, apart from the guests generally; and Lucrezia soon found that rumour had in no way deceived her in respect to the intellectual accom- plishments of Edgar Marcellin. The eveniug passed away—the company departed—and as Lu- crezia di Mirano retired to her own chamber, she thought to herself that the cunquest of the young Frenchman was already assured. Ciprina also thought of Edgar Marcellin—but in what parti- cular strain we are not at present enabled to inform the reader. A fortnight passed from the date of that bril- liant entertainment; and Edgar Marcellin ealled almost daily at the mansion. It usually happened that the Marchioness and Ciprina were both toge- ther in the drawing-room when the young French- man was annouoced: and when this was the case, his attentions were decidedly not more marked towards one than towards the other. His manner had the ease and frankness of a gentleman louug- ing away some idle time at a house where he kaew he was welcome; and it likewise exhibited the increasing friendliness which naturally arose from the frequent repetition of the visits, and which soon began to approximate what may be termed intimacy. Sometimes however Ciprina happened to be absent when Edgar Marcellin called; and then the Marchioness gradually began to give him to understand, as far as at the outset she chose to go, that he was by no means an object of indif- ference to her: aud Edgar accordingly threw tender looks upon the beautiful Florentine lady. Yet though it thus happened that the Murchioness and Edgar sometimes found themselves-alone toge- ther, it never occurred that the Marchioness herself was absent and that he and Ciprina met téte a-téte. Lucrezia Mirano always took care to be present at the hour when the young Frenchman’s visits might be expected. One day Ciprina happened to be passing through the picture-gallery on her way to the library, where she wished to procure some particular French or English books, of which there was @ COMmMiclooolkkss: ~ eee GEC & Cw CS nee Lee ee