Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 100: what you’re looking at

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

| » ’ OE Se eres A —_,. Giprina shall triumph along with myself. Yet, Ah! an idea strikes me! there shall not be another victim, if I can help it, to your vindic- tive rage. You ere now spoke the name of Actonia 2 “ Antonia ?” echoed the Marchioness. “Yes—Antonia,” repeated Edgar with em- phasis. “There was malignity in the way in which you muttered that name; and asl ama living man! the poor girl shall not suffer on AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. Lucrezia continued to ascend the staircase, closely followed by who still clutched her by the wrist. The passage was reached—it was threaded—and in a few mos ments the Marchioness stopped short at the ex- tremity. “Open that door,” was Edgar’s imperiously ut- tered command; “or else I will do it: for, as you may suppose, I have discovered the secret spring.” The Marchioness touched the iron knob; and spiral stone account of her fidelity to her mistress or her! the door flew open. She stepped into the ante- attention towards me!” ‘room, Edgar following her. He made her pass “If we may come to terms with each other, M. | through the boudoir into Ciprina’s chamber—or Marcellin—Ob, if we may come to amicable terms, I repeat,” exclaimed Lucrezia, in a voice of im- passioned entreaty, “you will have no need to tremble on account of Ciprina whom you love, or Antonia whose interests you consider yourself bound to defend! Come—is it impossible for us to establish a treaty of peace—to forget all accu- sations and recriminations - “Enough ! enough!” exclaimed Marcellin. “Too much time has already been wasted ina discourse which hitherto has led to nothing! You will have the kindness to ascend this staircase.” “For what purpose do you mean to retrace your way ?” asked Lucrezia. “No matter,” responded Marcellin. me. Proceed. “Obey the means of enforcing compliance with my an- dates !” The Marchioness di Mirano began to ascend | I hate to use unmanly threats | towards a woman: but rest assured that I possess | | miration. rather, we should say, the one which Ciprina used to occupy; and then suddenly extending his arm towards the picture of Lucrezia Borgia, he ex- claimed, “ Behold the likeness of your prototype!” A visible shudder passed over the superb form of the Marchioness di Mirano—and her cheeks, which were already very pale by the incidents of the last few minutes, grew absolutely ghastly. But almost immediately regaining her self-posses- tion, she said, “ M. Marcellin, you labour under more than one strangely erroneous impression with regard to me.” The yourg Frenchman could not help gazing for a few moments in astonishment upon this woman who was enabled to assume so bold a hardihood. Lucrezia mistook that feeling of asto. nishment on his part for another sentiment: she thought that he was contemplating her with ad- An idea struck her; and a smile over- spread her countenance as suddenly as the April the spiral staircase,—Edgar Marcellin following, sunbeams bursting from behind a cloud, shed their with one hand still holding her wrist, the other | radiance upon the lake which a moment before hand grasping the iron instrument whereunto al-| was covered with a dark shadow. lusion has already been made — and the little| “Ob, M. Marcellin!” said Lucrezia, in the portmanteau thrown over his shoulder. We may | most dulcet tones of her deliciously harmo- observe that he was careful to retain a hold upon nious voice; “you and I were not formed to be the Marchioness for a twofold reason: in the first | enemies ! There have been terrible misunder- place to be enabled to form some idea of her move- | etandings between us; and these misunderstand- ments, so as to guard against any sudden treachery in the depth of that darkness—and in the second place to prevent her abruptly bounding forward, outstripping him, and thus escaping from his wer. As for the Marchioness herself,—she scarcely knew what to think, or what plan to adopt. She could not conjecture how Edgar Marcellin pur- posed to proceed after he should have left the mansion,—whether he had resolved upon measures to be promptly taken, or whether he meant yet to wait awhile for some reason or another. Perhaps he intended to institute a search after Ciprina be- fore he did anything else? But uncertainty and bewilderment in every sense filled the brain of the wretched Marchioness ; and not the least painful source of perplexity was the constantly recurring question, how Edgar Marcellin happened to be there at all ?—whether he had escaped after being arrested — whether some one else had chanced to be captured in his place—whether she had been deceived by Ramorino—or whether the Minister was himself deceived by his underlings to whom the affair had been entrusted? To attempt to analyse, however, all the conflicting conjectures and bewildering ideas which now agitated in the mind of the Marchioness of Mirano, would oceupy whoie pages; and therefore we must leave much upon this point to the imagination of the reader. ings have led to serious occurrences. But let us think no more of all this! Let there be peace between us! Oh, Edgar!—for thus familiarly will I now address you—you know that I am rich —immensely rich !—that I possess this palatial mansion—a villa in the Vale of Arno—and a chateau in one of the most delightful of our Tuscan provinces! Oh, how happily might you live with me! I would make you the master of all my wealth :—no matrimonial bond need shackle you~—but yet would I prove obedient and docile unto you as if you had veritably all the power and authority of a husband! Or if you still love Ciprina,” continued the Marchioness, as she per- ceived no encouraging look on Edgar’s counte- nance, “I will give you my villa in the Vale of Arno—and there ye shall dwell together, and my treasures shall still be at yourcommand! You do not answer me ?” “T am reflecting,” said Marcellin, “ upon the two distinct propositions which your ladyship has just made.” “ Your ladyship !” thought the Marchioness tc herself: “he is growing respectful! Just now it was Woman! or even Vile woman! Ab, perhaps I may yet conquer !” “Proceed,” said the young Frenchman: “ me- thinks your ladyship has yet some farther observa« tions to make,” COTRMicloolk< 5}