Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

ES | ct I EE TT TT ail —_—- - AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, 5) Heiles—and I am now living under his protec- tion.” “But you loved Giulio, Lisetta?” said Mar- eellin, inquiringly. “ Yes—I loved him,” she responded : “I loved him fervidly!” added the young female with en- thusiasm. ‘ Naught incorrect ever took place between us, for he loved me not in return—he adored the Marchioness - “Unhappy youth!” murmured Edgar, com- passionately, as he thought of poor Guilio. “ But what was your hope, Lisetta, in loving him?” “ How can I answer such a question? Who, in forming an attachment, pauses to reflect on what may be its consequerces—how bright its hopes or how bitter its disappointments? Love seizes upon the heart at once, smiting it with the overpowering violence of the storm; or else it steals upon the heart gradually and slowly, like delicious music from a distance or like the sweet perfume from a garden to which one is approach- jing. I know not precisely how I came to love Giulio:—it is sufficient that I didlove him. It was a strange passion—perfectly pure and chaste —with naught sensual in it. It would have grieved and shocked me if he had sought to treat me asa paramour! Even when tempted astray with others, yet did I still love Giulio, and my heart clung to him. Perhaps you cannot under- stand this, signor?—and yet it is so! Ah, you know not the heart of woman '—you know not of what inconsistencies if is composed, and how a virtue may sit enchased as it were amidst sur- rounding vices! Yes!—for even as a ray of the blessed sun may pass unpolluted through the midst of the most fetid, noxious, pestilential atmo- sphere, so may the sentiment of a chaste love pass uncontaminated amidst all the pollutions of the heart !” Lisetta paused. Marcellin was astounded at the language which she had held, its elegance and its eloquence ; and without waiting to consider whe- ther there were any sophistry in the argument or any infatuation in the belief thus enunciated, he could not help admiring the Italian girl who so floridly and strikingly depicted her own feel- ings. | ‘“‘ But wnerefore am I expatiating thus in your hearing ?” suddenly exclaimed Lisetta. ‘We have more important matters to speak of than these——” “And yet it is not altogether unimportant,” said Marcellin, “for you to explain the motives by which you have been actuated in your desire to avenge the death of Giulio. How was it that you knew Corinna was living at Sidney Villa?—bow after so long an interval of disappointment, did you contrive at length to get upon the track of the Paoli family P” “The explanation is simple,” replied the young Italian woman. “I have already told you that 1 am living under the protection of a gentleman named Hailes. He is the same of whom you may have possibly read in connexion with the recent duel ss “Ah! Andrew Hailes?” ejaculated Edgar ; “one of the seconds in the duel that was fought the night before last, and in which a certain Mr. Clifford was killed f” “The same,” responded Fiisetta, “And if I mistake not,” said Marcellin, “ Hailes surrendered yesterday afternoon and gave bail for his appearance? But the other second—Mr. Godolphin I believe his name was— has vanished altogether ?””’ “Yes—that is likewise the case,’ rejoined Lisetta. ‘ But on the same evening that the duel was fought, Mr. Hailes and Mr. Godolphin came to the house where I reside with a French woman who is the landlady of it; and they passed the night there. In the morning—that is to say yes- terday morning—I was sent with a message to Mrs. Hardress, the wife of the gentleman who killed Mr. Clifford in the duel. Thus I became acquainted with this lady. It may seem to you a long and roundabout story; but I am now coming to the point. This morning I happened to meet Mrs. Hardress: we got into conversation—I told her how I had originally come to London to seek for a refugee of the name of Paoli—and then to my astonishment and joy she informed me that for the last three weeks or a month Signor Paoli’s children had found a hospitable asylum with a friend of her’s, Miss Evelyn of Sidney Villa. I accordingly set off to see Corinna Paoli: but it was decreed that I should in the first instance fall in with you.” *“ And now, Lisetta,” said Marcellin, “we will proceed to Sidney Villa. If Corinna will see me —and if she be well enough——~” ** She believes you, then, to be the author of her brother’s death ?” said Lisetta, inquiringly. ** Alas! her sire’s letter, written from Florence, conveyed the tremendous charge against me! I was close by when Miss Evelyn made the terrific announcement to Corinna the day before yester- day. Irushed forward, proclaiming that it was false; but Corinna sank senseless at our feet. Miss Evelyn, conceiving from my ejaculation who I must be, recoiled from me in horror. I pro- tested mine innocence—I yowed that either cir- cumstantial evidence or slanderous tongues had done me wrong. Miss Evelyn acted nobly; she said that it was far from her desire that an accused person should ever be condemned ere he had been heard in his defence : but she enjoined me to de- part at once, promising to communicate to Co- rinna all that I had said. I left the house accord- ingly. Yesterday I called: Corinna was very ill, suffering from fever—and she could not be dis- turbed. it was however intimated to me that I might call again this afternoon; and I am now about to avail myself of the license. But Ah! a thought strikes me! What if you were to goin advance, Lisetta?—what if you were to see Miss Evelyn—and perhaps Corinna—in the first in- stance P” “Yes—you have sworn to avenge Giulio,” in- terrupted the Italian female; “and I will do your bidding.” She accordingly proceeded to Sidney Vitla; and for about half-an-hour Edgar Marcellin remained walking to and fro in the neighbourhood—some- what anxious and impatient perhaps—but we can- not say that he was the prey to avery painful amount of suspense; for he seemed to be almost completely confident in respect to the result. At length Lisetta reappeared; and Edgar at once saw by her countenance that all had progressed favuur- ably. Ghboo —-—_ ae <SEIGO iin