Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. La aS he was giving a great deal of trouble: but the qnadroon lady paused not to listen, and hastened from the apartment. Our hero warmed himself by the cheerful fire; and he mentally ejaculated, “ How singular, that ecarcely five minutes have elapsed since I longed to find myself in this com- fortable room—and here Lam! But who is this lady? Why do I not see her husband P—why did she make no apology for my not finding him here when she conducted me into this room?—and what meant those singular observations on the part of the groom in the stables? Ah! and how is it that she is so ready to play the heroine and de- fend the house against any attack that may be made upon it? Good heavens! can it be possible that she really has any fear of a visit from the police ?” Charles then remembered how she had come forth from the room when he had stopped at the fence; and he went on to ask himself, “ Was it not to breathe the fresh air, nor to gaze upon the beauty of the heavens? but wasit because she had peeped forth, and descrying the uniform of the law’s officers, was alarmed—and then mustering _upall her courage, she came forward to address me? Can it be possible she has a guilty con: science P” Charles De Vere knew that many parts of the Apennines were infested with banditti, and that it was no uncommon thing for families seemingly respectable to be in league with those wretches for the more effective plundering of unwary or confiding travellers. Had he fallen into such a snare? For an iustant he dreaded lest there might be something only too truthful in the idea: but the next instant he dismissed it from his mind, —at the same time feeling his countenance be- come crimson with shame as he mentally cried, “The bare suspicion is a flagrant insult and dia- bolical outrage towards one who has treated me with the most hospitable kindness !” The door now opened, and the quadroon reap- peared. She bore a large tray, piled up with such a quantity and variety of provisions as to prove that the larder was indeed most copiously as well as luxuriously furnished. De Vere sprang forward to receive the tray from her hands: but she said, with a most amiable smile, “‘ Ob, it is not too heavy! I can assure you I am neither very weak nor very fastidious. Pray be seated! I have supped—or I would keep you company. Ah! you shall have wine !” Again she glided from the room; and in a few minutes returned, carrying a basket filled with bottles, each containing a different sort of wine. Charles was astonished and bewildered by this profusion: he was again confounding himself with | miogled apologies and thanks — but the quadroon begged him to be seated and to do justice to the repast which (as she expressed herself) she was only too happy to be enabled to place before him. Then she began drawing cork after cork, notwith- standing that Charles assured her he never in- dulged copiously in wine, and that at all events one species would be sufficient for him. But she exclaimed, as if in the most ingenuous manner in the world, “Ob, we are accustomed to draw quan- tities of corks beneath this roof!”’ “Ah, then, you see a great deal of company ?” said our hero. | | sofa——— 105 | “‘ We never see any one,” replied the quadroon : and therefore, apart from the pleasure that I have in rendering a service to an English gentle- map, your visit is a perfect godsend. But Ah! you have no fruit!—and we have a delicious fruitage close at hand !” The handsome quadroon glided across the apart- ment, opened the casement again, and passed forth into the front garden. ‘They drink quantities of wine beneath this roof,” said Charles to himself; “ and yet they see no company! Hero too is a supper which seems to be the remnant of a dinner prepared for a dozen people. It is unaccountable!” Again did tie mystery and bewilderment of his thoughts produce an unpleasant effect on his mind: but again did he succeed in repelling the suspicion which had hfted its reptile-head in his heart. The quadroon reappeared, closing the casement behind her, and carrying two enormous bunches of the most splendid grapes in some leaves which served as it were for a basket in the united hollows of her two exquisitely-shaped hands. “Ob, madam!’’ exclaimed Charles, “I really must once more entreat you to pardon me for all the trouble “ Trouble?” ejaculated the quadroon: “I do again beseech that you will not mentionit! And now, if you will excuse me for a little while, I will | just see that there is a chamber properly arranged for your reception. I have already called up a maid-servant for the purpose.’ “Oh, I can repose myself anywhere!” ejacu- lated our hero; “I can stretch myself upon a ”? “ And what is the necessity of putting yourself to any inconvenience,” asked the quadroon, with a smile, “when you put me tonone? I have half- |a-dozen bed-chambers at my disposal, and there- fore can assuredly spare you one.” With these words the quadroon again tripped forth from the apartment, leaving our hero with the exquisite cold collation, the half-dozen different kinds of delicious wines, and the luscious fruitage from the vine that festooned over the portico. ‘This is the most admirable and generous hos- pitality!” thought Charles: and then he found himself mentally adding, “provided thero be no sinister aim or ulterior intent !”—but literally stamping his foot with anger, and feeling his cheeks glow with shame, he cried, “Let me put away these suspicions which are even more do- grading to myself than dishonouring for her !” Tho quadroon returned to the apartment: and she said with a most amiable courtesy, “ Your fia is prepared. Not that I wish to hurry ? ney am ready, madam,” responded our heros for I now feel overwhelmed with fatigue.” “Come then,” she said, taking up a : wax-lights and she escorted him from the apartment. We should have observed that the room was elegantly furnished. Charles wasled through a hall | most tastefully fitted wp; and the staircase which he now ascended had a richly seulptured balustrade, and was handsomely carpeted. ‘The landing showed some eight or ten doors communicating with different apartments: and the house thus proved to be much larger when seen inside than it ap- | peared when viewed externally, One of those Eo lNOOLK co 5}