Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. The quadroon flung a look of indignation upon , my poor husband perfectly wild. He has all the him for a moment; and then suddenly altering| spirit of an Englishman—he cannot bear to be the expression of her countenance, she said, “Oh, | interfered with! So long as he finds in you— signor! have mercy! have mercy!” “My dear young lady,” answered the Mayor, | ling-companion , whose naturally humane heart was again moved Here the Mayor bowed complacently. towards that superbly handsome quadroon, “I “ He will be as quiet and as tractable,” con- beseech you to tranquillize yourself. I am 4/| tinued the quadroon,—“ aye, and as lucid and as father—I have sons and daughters—and I would | intelligent as you could possibly wish. Bat only not willingly inflict pain upon anybody. I am just let a sbirro approach him—or even let him now only doing my duty; and if I performed it! so much as catch a glimpse of a police-uniform not, I myself should be called to an account. I! whiie journeying along the road—and I will not beseech you, therefore, not to harbour ill-will | answer for the consequences!” towards me! On the contrary, tell me, dear! “ Well, signora,” said the magistrate, “ all this young lady, how I can execute this most un- | is very easily managed. He shall not see these pleasant duty in the way least annoying to your- | sbirri—we will travel with the silken blinds of self; and you have only to express your wishes to | the chaise drawn down ———” find them fulfilled.” “ Oh, signor, if you will do all this,” ejaculated “Ob, signor!” said the quadroon, drawing her | Emily, with a look of the most fervid gratitude, kerchief across her magnificent eyes, “you are | “ everything will be well !” really good and generous—and I am not ungrate-| “If I may rely upon you to conduct the matter ful! Ob, no! believe me, I am not ungrateful! | as we have suggested, so far as your part is con- But my poor husband—if he be informed before- | cerned,” rejoined the magistrate, “ you may rely hand - upon me. I will begin by giving you a proof :” “ Why need he be informed ?” asked the Mayor. | —then turning towards the sbirri, he said, “ Go “T had the misfortune to conduct a relative of and conceal yourselves behind that clump of trees; mine to a madhouse some six or eight months and let the chaise draw close up to the door.” ago—lI pretended that I was going totake himon, The police-officials disappeared through the a visit of pleasure—he was delighted o /casement; and the magistrate, then addressing “ Ab, I comprehend !” ejaculated the quadroon | the quadroon very seriously, went on to say, “I “A thousand, thousand thanks for this kind sug- do not wish to insult you, signora: heaven forbid! gestion! Ob, you have lifted a burden from my But permit me to remark that if with the mis- heart! But, Ah! there is yet something which ; taken love of a wife, you seek to effect your hus- affiicts me!” _ band’s escape . “ Name, name it, my dear young lady!” said! “Siznor!” interrupted the quadroon, drawing the magistrate. “You see that I am fertile in| up her fine tall form in the most dignified manner : expedients ; and these officers are really excellent ‘‘ I am incapable of repaying so much goodness on fellows —good-hearted—and merciful in the exer- | your part with so black a treachery! In three cise of their duties. They will show every indul- minutes my husband shall stand in your presence. gence.” | Yes—three minutesare sufficient for me to prepare “The trath is, signor,” murmured Emily, in a | him to expect that he is going on a pleasure-jaunt, broken voice, “I never, never could travel with with a friend who has conceived a kind interest in my poor dear husband to Florence —knowing; us both. He is fortunately in one of his mild, that his ultimate destination must be a lunatic- | ductile humours—he will believe anything I tell asylum sf him " “ By the saints, signora! this is easily managed !” “ Not another word, signora!” interrupted the- responded the magistrate. ‘“ Can you contrive to | magistrate. “I have the fullest faith in every- ' entice your husband into that vebicle? I myself | thing you tell me. Go, and take your time in will conduct bim to Florence; and he need net | telling whatsoever tale with which you may deem see that these officers take their station behind the | it expedient thus innocently to beguile your un- chaise.” fortunate husband.” Emily appeared to reflect for a few moments;| Emily Barrington flung another look of grati- and then she said, as if with the sudden eagerness | tude upon the Mayor, and issued from the room of one who clutched at the best alternative which | by the door communicating with the passage, and was suggested, “ Yes, I can do so !” not by the one which led into the apartment where “Very good,” said the magistrate. ‘Then why Charles De Vere was now most anxiously awaiting gannot you follow im the course of the day? I:her presence. Yes—most anxiously; for he had suppose you mean to proceed to Florence, to watch ; overheard every syllable of this colloquy between over your husband’s interests ?” the quadroon and the Mayor, and he had failed “ Oh, yes! Oh, yes!” cried Emily, “ Let it be | not to comprehend the project which his dusky- thus arranged !’—then grasping the magistrate’s | complexioned friend had conceived on his behalf. hand, she pressed it with the utmost fervour. In a few moments he heard the three gentle taps “There, there, my poor young lady! You see| given at the door; and the next instant Emily we are managing this unpleasant business in the | was in his presence. She placed her finger upon best manner possible! Now, is there anything | her rich red lip: her eyes were luminous with an else which we can do for your comfort or satis- | expression of arch triumph. faction ?” “T bave heard all!” hastily whispered Charles. Emily again reflected for a few moments; and | “Have I rightly understood-——” : then she said, “I will tell you frankly, signor.| “Yes,” she responded in the same low hurried The sight of a police-official in his uniform drives | tone as that in which he had spoken. “‘Yov see ——— Comichbooksnceo which of course he must do—an agreeable travel- 3