Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

rs rs es = 163 Floribel could have had time to call, gather her effects together, and take her departure again. But let us see !” Thus speaking, he rang the bell; and the gate- porter made his appearance. Immediately recog- nising Marcellin, the man bowed respectfully, and said in a mournful voice, “ Ah, sigaor! this is a ead business!—a very sad business!” “Tt is indeed,” replied the young Frenchman. “But tell me, has the Signora Ciprina been hither ?” “Yes, signor; she called in a postchaise about ten minutes ago.” “ Always ten minutes too late!” ejaculated De Vere. “But let us speed in pursuit—for I must see her!” “Stop, my dear friend!” cried Marcellin, cateh- ing him by the arm; “itis useless! A wretched hack-vehicle would never overtake a post-chaise! Besides, how do you know which route she may be pursuing? She may say Rome when she means Ravenna !” ; “True!” said De Vere. “I am afraid that I must abandon all thoughts of an interview with poor erring Floribel !” ** But how long could the Signora Ciprina have stopped here ?” inquired Marcellin, again turning towards the gate-porter. ** Not more than a few instants, signor,” was the response. “A few instants to pack up all her effects !” erled Marcellin, incredulously. “Antonia had already done it, signor. She came to look after her own property; and the steward told her to put the Signora Ciprina’s effects together also. So Antonia packed them up; and thus the boxes were all ready for removal the instant the chaise stopped at the door.” At this moment the steward made his appear- ance in the lobby of the gateway ; and bowing to Marcellin and De Vere (for he knew the latter on account of having seen him that cay at the Judge’s residence), he said with a gloomy shake of his head, “‘ Ab, signors: this is a house of mourning mow; for no matter how guilty the Mar- chioness may have been, she was a kind mis- tress to her dependants—and we all feel deeply the tragic occurrence! Besides, the establishment will be broken up—the mansion and its costly fur- niture will be sold—and numbers of domestics who have long lived together like one family as it were, will be separated and thrown out of em- ployment.” ‘“‘ Where is the corpse of the Marchioness ?” in- quired Edgar. “it is lying in the large dining-room,” was the reply. ‘It is already in its coffin; and the fune- ral is to take place to-morrow—but quite privately as you may suppose, signors. Will you walk in ?”’ Marcellin shook his head, saying, “ My recollec- tions of the interior of this mansion are in many respects too painful 4 “ Nevertheless,” interrupted the steward, “ you would render me a great service, signor, if you would enter the establishment. There is a 50+ cret Pe “T comprehend” exclaimed Marcellin, ‘“ You wish to know the secret of the passage unto which allusion was frequently made before the Judge this day ?” ae ee OO sear er eee ee eee’ > - —=—=em—m—v,—'_0 ees AGNES; OB, BEAUTY ANP PLEASURE. — — The steward answered in the affirmative,— adding, “I can find no key that fits the door openiug into the stable-yard ; and I do not dare to employ any violent means to force an entrance, because the mansion is now the property of the State. But I have a great curiosity to visit this secret passage of which so much has been said.” * The key of the door opening into the stable- yard,” said Marcellin, “ I myself took away with me.when I escapad with Antonia by means of the secret avenue; and I have left it in my room at the French Embassy. But inasmuch as it is a harmless curiosity on your part, and like. wise a very natural one,” he continued, thus ad- dressing himself to the steward, “I will show you the secret means of entrance from the suite of apartments which the Signora Ciprina used to occupy. And perhaps you, De Vere,” added Mar- cellin, would have no objection to inspect that strange mysterious place along which you were hurried with a shawl or kerchief thrown over your head ?” * Come,” said our hero; “let us visit it.” The steward led the way up the grand stair- case; and in a minute or two the ante-room of the suite of apartments which Ciprina used to occupy, was reached. Edgar Marcellin could not help shuddering when he thought of all the tre- mendous perils he had incurred beneath that roof; and then his heart was melted with emotions as he thought the next instant of all the tender assiduities and attentions which Floribel had lavished upon him in this suite of rooms. “‘T must tell you candidly, signors,” said the steward, “that I have been examining the wainscot and walls of every one of these rooms with the utmost care—but without success.” “Did you not think of asking Antonia to tell you the secret ?” inquired Marcellin. “Strange to say, it never struck me,” responded the steward. ‘“ When we were before the Judge to-day, you, signor, did not specify from which room the secret communication opened: you merely spoke in general terms of the suite of apartments possessing this secret issue “se “T will soon satisfy your curiosity,” said Mar- cellin. ‘‘The secret communication is here, in this ante-room! Look! I count the gilt nails—I press upon this partieular one—and behold the result !” The door had flown open, just as if it were a portion of the wainssot giving way in a place where there was previously no visible evidence of the existence of a door at all. The steward held a wax taper in his hand; but Marcellin said, “ If we are going to traverse the passage, we will light another in case of one being extin- guished by the draught. Come! I will lead tho way, a8 Lam acquainted with the geography of the place.” Provided with a light, Marcellin crossed the threshold and entered the passage: De Vere fol- lowed; the steward, carrying the second taper, brought up the rear. They threaded the stone passage—the steward ejaculating at almost every pace, “ Who would ever have suspected it? And I, who fancied myself a confidential servant, never to have been trusted with the secret!” “Ah!” thought Charles, within himself, “ the position of affairs is somewhat different now, from lNOOLK