Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

| ES SS he sss ———————— SS CA? slices — — + a see, ee ES SS ee | ee — a topic on which her curiosity for want of a better was now excited. “You have forgotten to tell me, my~dear Agnes,” she said, as lounging back in her chair, she played languidly with a bunch of grapes, “about your visit to the Timperleys to-day. Did you see Miss Neale ?” “Yes,” replied Agnes: “I was introduced to Miss Neale; and I have no doubt she will call upon us in a day or two.” ** And what sort of a person is she?’ inquired Floribel. ‘Having been only half-an-hour in her society,” rejoined Agnes, “I cannot very easily pass a posi- tive opinion.” “But at least you can tell me what she is like?” said Floribel. ‘“ How old is she? is she handsome or ugly—lady-like or otherwise—tall or short—stout or thin?” “‘ How many more questions, my sweet cousin ?” asked Agnes, with a soft smile. “But let me en- deavour to answer you as well as I can. I should think that Miss Neale a “What is her Christian name?” inquired Floribel. * Cicely,” responded Agnes. “ A pretty name!” said Floribel. face coresponds therewith.” “T was on the point of telling you,” replied Agnes, still smiling, “that Cicely Neale is about two-and-twenty years of age, so far as I can judge. She is tall, and of very handsome shape. Without being absolutely beautiful, she is certainly good- looking. She has luxuriant hair of a light brown, which she wears gathered up in a loose knot—a style that well becomes the expression of her coun- “T hope her tenance. She has fine blue eyes * You are making her out actually beautiful,” interjected Floribel. *But stop, my dear cousin!” cried Agnes, laughing. ‘To be very critical, I must pronounce her mouth too large—her lips too full, though not actually coarse; and then too I gladly acmit that this fault is redeemed by a superb set of teeth. She seems affable, yet slightly pensive, and at times abstracted.” *Perbaps her parents have only recently died ?” @aid Floribel. “Her father has long been dead,” answered Agnes: “her mother died nearly three years ago —indeed about the time that your poor mother, Floribel 4 “Then she is not in mourning?” said Miss Lister; “and the grief for her mother’s death must have worn off? Where has she been living all this time ?—and why is she only now coming to reside with her uncle and aunt?” “Ste has been living somewhere near Cam- brre, I believe,” replied Miss Evelyn: “ but your other question, Floribel, 1 am uneble to answer. From something that Mrs. Timperley said, how- ever, I fancy—but mind, [ am not sure—that Miss Neale has been living by herself.” ee AGNES; OB, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. their conversation for the present, and direct the attention of our readers to another part of the theatre of our story. It was a couple of days after that of which we have been speaking, and at about two o’clock im the afternoon, that a tall, good-looking, well-dressed young lady was passing through Lincoln’s Inn Fields. This was Cicely Neale. She has already been partially described: but we will give the picture a few more touches in order to render it complete. Miss Neale was an exceedingly fine- grown young woman, carrying herself perfectly upright, but with a graceful ease bordering upon elegance. She had a beautiful complexion, with little colour upon the cheeks—yet not of an insipid paleness. There was a certain softness of expres- sion in her large blue eyes: but yet it did not seem to be altogether of sentiment—it bespoke some feeling which an observer could not alto- gether understand. The rich fulness of the lips and the roundness of the chin gave to the lower part of her countenance a certain air of sensuous- ness, which was however neutralized by the ex- pression of the upper part. She was robustly formed, without bordering upen actual stoutness; her contours were full and rich, yet all the pro- portions being adapted to a perfect symmetry. Thus her shoulders had a fine slope—her arms were well modelled—her waist was slender—her ankles were admirably rounded—and her feet were long, narrow, and well shaped. We should add that her full pouting lips were ever habitually held slightly apart,—thus revealing a glimpse of the superb teeth which Agnes Evelyn had not failed to eulogize. Cicely Neale had been into Holborn to make » few purchases; and she was now returning to the house in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, to accompany her aunt Mrs. Timperley for an airing in her carriage. She was pursuing her way, absorbed in certain reflections that were occupying her mind; and she was thus unconscious of being the object of atten- tion on the part of a female who, entering the square from one of the converging streets, had suddenly caught sight of her. This was none other than Mrs. Chicklade: but a great change had taken place in her appearance since we first described her. She was handsomely dressed, but with a certain degree of gaudiness that ill became her sixty years, the emaciation of her frame, her sinister countenance, and her stooping gait. She riveted her reptile-like eyes upon the fine form of Cicely Neale: at first she stood still to contemplate her as if with some little degree of uncertainty in her mind; and then, suddenly convinced that she was right, she followed her. As Miss Neale did not turn her head, and was evidently unconscious of being thus the object of attention, Mrs Chick- lade accelerated her pace and speedily overtook her. ” “ Miss Neale!” she said, in a peculiar tone, as if asserting a fact which would not admit of dis- pute in case there should be an inclination to “ And therefore, perhaps, tired of that mode of | deny it. life, and the period of her mourning being some time past,” said Floribel, “she has come up to London to mix in society. And she is right too! —‘or what would this world be if it were not for a little gaiety and recreation P” ° Let us Jeave the two cousins in the midst of Cicely stopped short: but the instant her gaze was bent upon the sinister-looking countenance of Mrs. Chicklade, a scarcely describable expressicn of disgust, annoyance, indignation, and hatred seized upon her features. “ And so you are in London, Miss?” continued com Ghbooks SS er a en Re (E(0) —— . MY