Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

5 AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, ili} ] iss aN SES if \ sh Hi > | AMIN: Ht Wii Hi PO \ i NL ge Si r cm ii “hes | u he Thay ns | \ sid i ui 169 H = a eh { nt} mi il } " what it was when, enveloped in darkness, I was hurried along this passage in the custody of the ebirri !” And Edgar Marcellin mentally exclaimed, “‘ How hast a time has elapsed since Lucrezia was in my power, threading this passage !—what a cloud of incidents has burst over me since then!—and she, that wretched woman, is no more!” The end of the passage was reached; and Mar- cellin was just on the point of beginning the descent of the spiral staircase, when he stopped suddenly short, for it struck him that he heard a hasty footstep below. Could it have been the echo of hisownP Yes—he felt convinced that it must be; and he pursued his way. De Vere and the Steward fancied that he had merely stopped short for a moment on account of coming somewhat abruptly on the top of the stone steps, Down those steps they proceeded: and in a faw No. 74.—AGNES. moments they reached the cellar-like place which existed at the bottom. Marcellin held the wax candle high up, so as to throw its light completely round;—and at the same instant an ejaculation burst from the lips of Charles De Vere, while he sprang forward towards the darkest nook of the place. There—crouching down, and half buried in a species of niche—was the form of a man, upon whom De Vere seized and dragged him forth into the light. Then, as the individual raised himself to an upright posture, and by his manner showed that he did not purpose any resistance against odds that it would be impossible to com- pete with—the light of the tapers streaming on his countenance, revealed the bearded face of the Count of Ramorino! Vou Il. > CoOmMiicdoo C© 5}