Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 227: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. —_——. three glasses in quick succession, sud with all the | afraid, Emily. I will not allude to Winifred any avidity of one in whom a love of liquor had become an irresistible passion. Supper was soon served up; and it consisted of all those delicacies and luxuries which are to be found at a first-rate Italian hotel. Emily exerted all her powers to converse in a lively and amusing strain; and she flattered herself that there was a more healthful gaiety about Gustavus than for some time past she had seen. “ By the bye,” she presently said, “I forgot to tell you that Mr. De Vere is in Florence, and we shall doubtless see him to-morrow. But this is not the hotel at which he is staying.” “Tf your Mr, De Vere,” replied Gustavus, “is a good fellow, and will bear me company over a bottle of wine, I shall be glad to see him: but if not, he will do well to keep away. He must think mo a pretty fellow to have played such pranks the night he was at our house in the Apennines!” ; “Do not feel any constraint on that head, my dear Gustavus,” rejoined Emily; “for I made a thousand excuses on your behalf. Besides, he is a most generous-hearted young man “Ob, well, I shall know him better when I see him,” interrupted Gustavus, who now began to exhibit that petulance and ill-humour which in- variably constituted the next phase after the hilariousness produced by wine. “I wonder how my poor old grandfather gets on now?” Emily gave a sudden start; for this was one of the disagreeable topics on which she alike hated and dreaded that her husband should enter; and she exclaimed, ‘‘ Why speak of him, dear Gus- tavus? It only fills your mind with sorrowful thoughts!” “Why speak of him?” ejaculated the young man: “why in the name of heaven should I not? is not this the middle of November? Toll me what is the day of the month e “Tt is the 15tb,” answered the quadroon: and then suddenly comprehending what was floating in her husband’s mind, she hastened to add, “ Oh! no doubt your grandfather is happynow, I dare- say the Chancery Suit is finished—and of course judgment must have been given in his favour. We knew that he was out of prison—Mr, Millard wrote and told us that much 4 “ But poor Winifred! what can have become of Winifred?” exclaimed Gustavus. “ Who could have been her seducer P” “Trouble not yourself abotit your worthless cousin,’ interrupted the quadroon fiercely; and her black eyes flashed fire, und her brilliant teeth gleamed betwixt her rich red lips. “I have told you, Gustavus, that I will not have this name mentioned in my hearing. It is an insult to me! If you value my love—that love which has made me sacrifice so much for you—you will henceforth abstain from any allusion to one who set herself up as my rival. For by heaven, Gustavus !”— and the quadroon caught up a sharp pointed knife from the supper-table; “if I thought that there was the slightest lingering impression of Wini- fred’s image on your heart, I would unhesitat- ingly and remorselessly draw that heart’s life biood !” Gustavus shrank aghast from the words and looks of bis wife ; and he murmured, “ Do not be eee 219 more !” “Ah, then, you are my own dear Gustavus once again!” cried the quadroon: and flinging down the knife, she sprang towards her husband. She wound her splendidly modelled arms about his neck—she pressed his head ‘to her swelling bosom—she covered his cheeks and his lips with kisses—she lavished upon him all the tenderest caresses and most fervid endearments. The young map, already half intoxicated with wine, was now completely inebriated by the blandishments of taat voluptuous creature; and not merely tolerating ber caresses, but sow returning them with a kindred ardour, he murmured, ‘ Yes, I love you, Ewily! I love you very much!” It was thus that at one moment by the most terrible threats, and at another by sensuous cajoleries—by menaces at one time, and by caressea at another—by pouring upon him all the fury of her rage, or by enveloping him in the halo of her wantonness,—it was by such strongly contrasting and alternating means as these that Emily re- tained her empire over Gustavus. Presently the quadroon rose from the table, and again circling her husband’s neck with her glow- ing arms, and looking upon him with eyes brim- full of desire, she said, ‘ You have now partaken of enough wine, and you stand in need of rest, I am about to withdraw 4! “T will follow youin a few minutes,” replied , Gustavus, as he glanced towards a bottle which yet remained half filled. She imprinted a long, burning, devouring kiss upon his lips—flung another deep, impassioned, melting look upon him—and then quitted the apartment. As in all Continental hotels, a suite of rooms communicating one with another had been assigned for the accommodation of Gustavus and his wife; and thus on leaving the sitting. apartment, she had merely to traverse a little ante-room in order to reach the bed-chamber. When Gustavus was alone, he refilled his glass; and he was about to raise it to his lips, when the landlord entered, and said, “I believe, signor, that your name is Gustavus Barrington P” “It is so,’ answered the young man, thinking that the question simply involved some formality in reference to his passport. *‘And you have recently come from the village in the Apennines?” continued the Jand- of lord. “Yes: I left it about ten days ago,” rejoined Gustavus; “and then, as I was taken ill, I stopped at another little villaze—I forget what the deuce was the name of it—but no matter! It is mon- tioned on the back of the passport, which I suppose my servant gave you x “It is not for this, signor, that I have intruded upon you,” interrupted the landlord: “but a courier who has travelled from England in search of ‘you, has just arrived at this hotel, and haa brought importaat letters.” “Where are they?” anxiously demanded Gus- tavus, who was partly sobered by the incident. “They are here, signor,”’ said tie landiords “but I thought it my duty to assure myself in the first instance that you are the mght gentleman —and also to prepare yuu to receive the tidings of & death ——” co nn) iG@books co 8