Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 152: what you’re looking at

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

144 AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. few days afterwards she was arrested ona charge of murdering her illegitimate child—and the tri- bunal held that all her property was forfeited from the very moment that she had committed the crime. I appealed against a sentence which seemed to be iniquitous: but it was useless af “In this present case, Furlo,” interrupted the Minister of Police, “you have me to protect the lady !—me also to hold as a security!” “Your Excellency could not possibly protect the Jady,”’ replied the old man, “if the French Em- bassy took up the cause against her. And with regard to your lordship’s security, I think you must admit that I already hold a sufficiency of documents with your name—bills, bonds, mort- gages, and so forth.” ' was answered in the affirmative. He next asked if any arrests had been reported at the Prefecture within the last half-hour? To this query a reply was given in the negative. The Count ascended to the apartment where the Minister of Finance was seated: and bowing with a cold courtesy to that nobleman, he said, “ I have to apologize to your lordship for being half-an- hour behind my time: but the duties of my de- partment detained me elsewhere.” ** No apology 1s necessary, my lord,” replied the Minister of Finance. “ And now I need not keep your Excellency waiting many minutes ” “Assuredly not,” said Ramorino: “we will finish the business in a moment.” Thus speaking the Count sat down at a table, “Then you positively refuse,” exclaimed the | and wrote out a cheque. Minister of Police, “to advance me this sum of money ?” “ Here, my lord,” he said; “ sou will perhaps do me the honour to send and draw this amount “Tt grieves me, my lord—it grieves me sorely,” | the first thing to-morrow morning; and you can answered the old man, “to give a negative reply; | remit to me hither, as on the receipt thereof I will bat ‘3 “Enough!” interrupted Ramorino. seek the amount elsewhere. But beware how you mention aught which La Dolfina may have told you!” “T am not accustomed to speak on such subjects, my lord; and I should not have alluded to the one whereon we have touched, if it had not been ne- cessary to give your Excellency certain explana- tions.” “Enough!” again exclaimed Ramorino; and slouching his hat over his face, and pulling up the collar of his cloak, he issued forth from the miser’s abode. What was he now todo? It was past eleven o’clock—the Minister of Finance would be waiting for him at the Prefecture: and how was he to satisfy that fenctionary? amorino felt almost hie a madman: at one moment he cursed himself for having married Lucrezia, inasmuch as it seemed that by adopting her troubles be had in- creased his own a thousandfold ; at another mo- ment he endeavoured to hng the hope that all would yet be well, that he should by some means or another conquer all difficulties alike for himself and Lucrezia, and that he should consequently enjoy the vast fortune which she had brought him. If be could but get over this one grand embar- rassment !—if he could but arrange matters with the Finance Minister! But how was this to be done? It was not until the very instant that the Count of Ramorino was crossing the threshold of the Prefecture, that he perceived a means ;—and now he wondered that it had not struck him before. “Lucrezia has so much in the hands of her banker—and that banker would willingly suffer her to overdraw her account for double or treble the sum. Towards that banker I now represent Lucrezia ;—therefore my draft will be as available as herown. Or if there were any doubt as to the banker’s advancing the money, I could but call upon him the first thing in the morning, and arrange for such an advance by giving a mortgage on the Mirano mansion.” It was thus that the Count of Ramorino ar- ranged the matter within his own mind, as he entered the Prefecture. He at once inquired if the Minister of Finance were waiting ?—and he liquidate the salaries according to my promise and “TI must | intention.” The Minister of Finance took the cheque; and his first impression was that he had really mis- jadged Ramorino and bad been misled concerning him: but when he saw the names of the bavkers, he gave vent to a faint ejaculation of surprise, say- ing, “ Bat surely vour Excellency has no credit at this house ?” Ramorino’s countenance flushed with indigna- tion; and he exclaimed, “ Step by step, my lord). do you seem determined to insult, mistrust, and provoke me! I havea credit there—that cheque will be acknowledged.” “It is most singular,’ said the Minister of Finance, “ that my own nephew should be head cashier in this very bank: he dined with me this evening—we happened to be speaking about your lordship—and my nephew chanced to mention that your Excellency had never had any dealings at that bank.” “T have only to say,” rejoined Ramorino, “ that this cheque represents the sum which I received four days ago from the Treasury. Of this you may convince yourself to-morrow morning when the bank opens ;—and bitterly hostile as your lord- - ship is to me, you can in common fairness and honesty do no more until you shall have put my words to the test by the presentation of the draft.” “ Were it not for the positive conviction I have that your Excellency has no funds in this bank,” responded the Minister of Finance, “I should as a matter of course be well pleased with the arrange- ment as it stands. But under’ present cireum- stances I decline to become the holder of the draft; and i shall deem it my duty to make a full report to the Prime Minister on the morrow.” The Count of Ramorino stamped his foot with rage for a moment; and he exclaimed, “ What if the money belonged to another ?—what if I have this day espoused a lady whose immense fortune becomes my own and who has ample funds in that bank? What matters it to you where my re- sources are or in what they consist, so long as I am enabled to meet all my engagements faithfully? In one word, my lord, you haye done as much as accuse me of malversation in respect to the moneys of my department; and I, flinging the lie (Q) (EO) LNOOLK 5}