Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

—_—aewe = AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. violent ringing at the gate of the house: some one wanted to speak immediately with the Governor. Captain Belluno hastened forth to the gate; and to his dismay learnt that a prisoner had disap- peared. Asa matter of course he decided upon returning instantaneously to the castle; andit was equally as a matter of course that he took Car- lotta with him—but not before she had found time to exchange a few very interesting observa- tions with a certain gentleman who was present. Indeed this little colloquy took place while her father, having bidden her prepare to depart, rushed out again to question the emissary at tho gate. Now, with therest of the incidents of that evening the reader has already been rendered well acquainted: but we will nevertheless pause for a moment to observe, ere continuing our narrative, that when Carlotta found herself alone in her chamber, she sat down to reflect upon all that had passed betwixt herself and that certain gentleman with whom she had exchanged such very interest- ing observations. Yes—there Carlotta sat in her chamber—one hand supporting her countenance, the other listlessly playing with her fan: and thus for perbaps half-an-bour she remained absorbed in thought, ere she began to disapparel herself for the purpose of retiring to rest. That night passed ; and as we have seen, Charles De Vere succeeded in making good bis escape— and he became the guest of the quadroon in the beautiful secluded Apeunine valley. And through- out that night of such memorable adventures Ci- prina slept without once awakening; so that when she opened her eyes in the morning she was ut- terly unsuspicious of anything unusual having occurred during the past twelve hours. At length the matron entered ; and she exclaimed in a voice whicll seemed hoarser than ever, “ Well, this is a pretty business! and to think that he should have done such a thing!” “What do you mean?” inquired Ciprina, start- ing up in her pallet, but instantaneously suspecting that she was about to receive some intelligence with reference to De Vere. “Ah! a nice young fellow, that Number Twenty-nine !” said the woman, in a voice which sounded exactly as if it were speaking through a bassoon. ‘Perhaps you would like to play the same trick? But you will not, I can tell you! I shall keep an uncommon sharp look out upon you, Thirty—I shall !” “But what do you mean?” asked Ciprina, in the most painful suspense. “Now, do you mean to tell me that you did not hear all that noise during the early part of the night ?”” demanded the woman: “‘ or it wasn’t the night at all—for it was last evening, very soon after you retired to bed. There wasa trampling of horses, and hurrying and scurrying—and run- ning about hither and thither ue “ But what for?” asked Ciprina. “I heard nothing of all this !—nothing, 1 ean assure you!” * Well then, if you did not—and if you cannot guess But no! I daresay you are really igno- rant upon the point!—for of course it was a sudden thought on the part of the young man though if you yourself are a good and pious Catholic, you will confess that it was most abomi- nable to treat our dear young chaplain in such a way!—to stun him outright—bind and gag him— tials me elie ae imei ee emeritus oretenmene ci eemneeennimeemetanaeamendinbinneteseaseattonnieiese 117 strip him of his canonicals—Oh! it was shocking: shocking !” “ Thank God he has escaped!” mentally ejacu- lated Ciprina: for though the matron had not said so, yet she fully comprehended that such must be the case: and she could scarcely restrain the audible expression of her joyous emotions. “* Yes—all this he did !—and the worst of it is there’s no trace of him!” continued the female turnkey. ‘“ The Governor is furious—the sic- nora is dreadfully afflicted—and as for the sig- noretta bs “Tbe signoretta can perhaps speak for herself, worthy Gudulla,” said a soft musical voice from the doorway: and the door being pushed open, Carlotta Belluno made her appearance. “ It is my father’s command that my mother and myself pay more than our usual heed to the female pri- soners; and therefore [ am making a round some- what earlier than usual. Number Thirty,” she said, but speaking in a tone as if it pained her thus to address the beautiful Ciprina, “ I hope you have slept well? Though you area prisoner here, there is no desire to persecute you:’—and she looked significantly towards Gudulla. ‘* Thanks, signoretta,” exclaimed Ciprina, “ for these kind and encouraging words. But I under- stand that something has occurred during the nicht * “ Ah! Gudulla has not told you?” ejaculated Carlotta. “T have told Number Thirty a dozen times over,” said the bassoon-voiced woman, “ that Num- ber Twenty-nine has escaped.” “ Well, well,” interjected Cariotta, “I am just going with my pass-key to peep in on the other two female captives; and then [ will return and pass ten minutes or a quarter of aa hour with you, Number Thirty.” _ Carlotta glided out of the cell; and on gaining the court-yard, she flung an anxious glance to- wards the folding-gates at the extremity. At that very instant the gates opened; and the two bakers appeared, with their immense basket slung to the pole over their shoulders, as we have already de- scribed it. Carlotta’s countenance brightened up —her eyes swept their looks around—no one but the two bakers were in view—and she sped to- wards them. Some few words were interchanged ; and then the fair Carlotta slipped a note into the hands of one of the men, together with a piece of money, saying, “* Be sure you deliver it to him the moment you leave the castle !” “That moment, signora!” was the reply; and the baker consigned both the billet and the coin to hia pocket. Almost immediately afterwards Carlotta Bel- luno returned to Ciprina’s cell, entering it by means of the pass-key which she possessed. Tho beautiful prisoner, having -risen from her pallet, was now performing her toilet—at which Carlotta good-naturedly assisted her. We should observe that Gudulla, the female-turnkey, had retired, and the two young ladies were therefore alone together. “Tt is really true that Number Twenty-nine has effected his escape,” said Carlotta. “Iam sure you will forgive me for yielding to the regulations of this fortress, and speaking of the captives by numerals only—addressing you also in the same COmiGooo nn — S $e (©) 5}