Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 319: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, “ T have loved you, Edgar,” she replied, raising him up from his suppliant posture, and suffering him to take a seat upon the sofa. the very instant that we first met “ And I too felt my heart smitten with love for yourself,” said Marcellin, again pressing her beau- tiful hand to his lips. ‘“ But why that coldness and reserve on the evening when we first met ?” * Because,” responded Ciprina, “all the ladies around seemed to feel that you came as the con- gueror of all hearts—that you were a victor against whom it were utterly useless to struggle—and that therefore the only alternative was to kneel and submit at once. But [, Edgar, had my pride: I pretended to be indifferent—I treated you as if you were a mere ordirary person yet in my heart I had the presentiment that the time would come when we should be different towards each other ;—and then, on the morrow, that presenti- ment—that idea—that hope I may almost term it—was destroyed !” “ Destroyed ?” echoed Edgar. “‘ And why so ?” * Because—beeause,” said Ciprina, hesitatingly, “T saw that the Marchioness di Mirano had been struck by you—and as [ had appeared in the very first instauce to be utterly indifferent with regard to you, and had even in wy silly pride expressed as much to the Marchioness, I felt that it was only them fair to leave the stage entirely open for herself, and to resign whatsoever aspiration 1 might secretly have formed. But you, Edgar— why on your side were you likewise glacial and distant ?” “© When I entered the brilliant saloon that even. ing,” responded Marcellin, “I perceived a sensa- tion and an interest all around,—oze lady only seeming to be apathetic and indifferent. That lady was yourself. We were introduced: I treated you as you treated me. I bire myself to- wards you with a cold politeness,—but yet a politeness which I strove to render most perfect and unexceptionable in all its details, so that there should be nothing savouring of vindictiveness or insult. And even while we were thus demeaning ourselves towards each other, I could not help thinking that there was in your heart a secret yearning towards me, as! felt that\there was on my part towards you. It seemed to me as if we were two superior beings, infinitely above the common range of those around us, and that there- fore we-were disputing as it were the arena, neither choosing to surrender to the other at the first encounter. But afterwards, when I called at the mansion—and when I found that you con- tinued precisely the same towards me, your man- ner being that of a mere lady-like courtesy,—I began to fancy that for the first time in my life 1 was mistaken—that I had in reality made no im- pression upon your heart—or that it might be otherwise engaged. Then perceiving an inclina- tion on the part of the Marchioness di Mirano to initiate a little affair of gallantry and you must confess, lovely Ciprina, that next to your- self your friend Lucrezia is the most beautiful woman in Florence 44 *T have not sufficient vanity to admit the truth of such a compliment,” exclaimed Ciprina, smil- ing. “Lucrezia di Mirano is assuredly the most beautiful woman without any exception in all Florence }” | 311 * Yes—at this moment,” interjected Edgar ten- derly; “because the lovely Ciprina is not in “Yes, from | Florence, but is here at this charming villa in the Vale of Arno! Oh, is not this love’s own chosen retreat P and ought not I to esteem myself blessed in being permitted to penetrate into this sanc- tuary ?” “Ah!” ejaculated Ciprina, “ you have yet to tell me what circumstance sent or brought you hither? —and at the same time you must explain what you just now meant by the observation that though some pretext was gratifying to your vanity, yet that the reality, as you now found it, was most in accordance with your heart’s desire. And then too you said that you had been informed that I had all along loved you. Pray who on earth could have been this informant P” * The explanation can be given in a very few words,” replied Edgar Marcellin. ‘ That hand- some young page 2 “Ah! Giulio?” said Ciprina, not altogether surprised to find that he was in some way mixed up in the affair. ** Yes—the handsome page Giulio,’ proceeded Edgar, “came to me just now, at the hotel where I am residing in Florence. He bade me take horse without delay, and proceed to this villa, Here I was to inquire for a maid bearing the same of Lisetta ; and of Lisetta I was to demand that she would conduct me into the presence of her toistress, by whom Giulio assured me I had all along been sincerely loved. Methought he alluded to the Marchioness di Mirano; and therefore did Tinform you, beauteous Ciprina, at the outset that the pretext would bave gratified my heart’s vanity, whereas the reality which I now enjoy is the gratie fication of my heart’s desire.” “Still I do not comprebend you,” said Ciprina ; “or rather methinks that you yourself must be labouring under a misapprehension. You believe that-——~” “Oh, play not the part of a prude with me, dearest Ciprina!” exclaimed Edgar Marcellio, “ Confess that it was you who sent the young page to me,—that not knowing how [ might be dis- posed towards yourself, you nevertheless felt assured that I should come if invoked in the name of the Marchioness—that you therefore bade Giulio so deliver his message asto leave in my mind the impression that it was Lucrezia herself summoning me hither! Yes, Ciprina! it was thus that you acted! But you judiciously and kindly suffered it to be announced unto me that she whom I was to meet here had loved me all along!” Ciprina did not think it worth while to enter into explanations with Edgar Marcellin on the points to which he had been referring, She loved him—that is to say, as much as her sensuously- formed heart could experience the passion of love: he was with her—they had been brought together —and little indeed did it now matter by what cir- cumstances this meeting had been accomplished. Ciprina therefore suffered Edgar Marcellin to re- main under the impressions which it was not worth while to remove; and as she had full license from the Marchionéss to use the villa as her own, and in all respects to act as if she were as much mistress there as her ladyship’s self, she invited Edgar to pass the remainder of the day with her. Yet there was still one little circumstance which Comiclooolks teense — — NE alt Onn