Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 283: what you’re looking at

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

Ce ei re ee ee es ee Se ee ore eet a ee Re ee | AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, mere recess. That door instantaneously closed bebind him ; and this circumstance appeared all in @ moment to give a flat contradiction to the seem- ingly honest assurances he had an instant before received from the lips of the Countess. Where was he? Utter darkness entombed him. He stretched out his arms—and his hands encoun- tered the solid masonry on either side. He feared to advance, lest some pitfall should be at his feet; for all that he had ever heard or read that was mysterious or frightful in respect to Italian trea- chery or vengeance, now flashed through his brain. It was not merely a stupendous darkness, but like- wise a tomb-like silence that environed him ;—and now for the first time throughout the proceedings of this memorable evening he absolutely felt afraid. He turned to feel for the door: but he could not move it. He grasped the handle—it turned— but the door itself remained fast, doubtless being locked or bolted on the other side. “ And yet,” thought our hero to himeelf, in the endeavour toconjure up, if possible, some reassur- ing ideas, “they cannot mean to murder me trea- cherously and in darkness? Those men, though desperate in their undertakings and their position, have nevertheless certain ideas of honour and of justice. They could only slay me by virtue of a decree pronounced by themselves! Besides, have I not a friend in Father Falconara ? and would not the Marquis of Ortona himself be right glad of an excuse tosave me? Yet why did the Countess employ a stratagem to inyeigle me hither P—why has there been something treacherous in her pro- ceedings despite all her assurances to the con- trary P” Charles could not altogether convinte himself that no ulterior perfidy was contemplated; and leaning against the wall near the door, he conti- nued to reflect upon the position in which he was placed. Presently he became aware that a light was beginning to glimmer at a little distance: he watched it with anxiety: it grew gradually—it expanded—it began to reveal certain objects and to show in what sort of a place De Vero thus found himself. But what were these objects that were thua by degrees disclosing themselves? Was he in a place of the dead? was he amidst the relics of mortality P were they corpses or mere waxen effi- gies which were becoming more plainly visible as the light grew stronger? Was it now the aim to horrify or to affright him in order to attenuate bis mind and render it more easy to be acted upon by the reasonings or the threats of the president of the conclave? We will proceed to explanations. Charles De | Vere found himself in a narrow passage leading ! into a small vaulted apartment, on the farther side of which the light was appearing. This light was produced by means of a small lamp revolving in a niche, or most likely in an aperture in the wall it- self, so that 16 was lighted and moved by some one in an adjoining apartment. The lantern, as we ought more properly to call it, was darkened in | 275 Against that same side of the apartment stood two sofas or couches; and on each a corpse or else a waxen effigy lay stretched. One seemed to have been a man of about forty years of age, dressed in the uniform of a general in the Sardinian service, and which by his commanding stature and fine countenance he might have been suppused to set off to immense advantage. The other figure seemed to be that of a man of about five-and- thirty years of age, also in a military uniform, but showing a rank inferior to that of the first- mentioned. The eyes of both were shut; and if they were not actual corpses, but waxen efligies, they were still meant to represent the dead. Yes — for now a more scrutinising survey of these objects showed Charles that the breast of both the blue coats bore deep stains as if indicative ot blood that had flowed from wounds which had proved mortal. Besides those two sofas with the figures that lay stretched upon them, there was no other furniture in the apartment, except a praying-desk and a footstool; so that the vaulted apartment looked as if it were an oratory devoted to religious services for the dead that either lay or were represented there. It was no sensation of terror which prevented Charles from advancing towards those objects : he was not afraid of the dead, if such they were ; and if they were aught else, it were ridiculous to sup- pose that he could in any way care about them. But a certain sentiment of awe kept him aloof; for he felt convinced that the spectacle must be in some way associated with the stern realities which belonged to the secret proceedings of the Spartivento palace. While he was still gazing upon those objects before him, the door opened, and the Countess di Milazzo made her appearance. Closing the door behind her, she said with a solemn look and tone, ‘You may have thought that I was acting treacherously towards you; but I am incapable of perfidy. Behold those waxen effigies! With a perfect—aye, with @ most painful accuracy, do they represent two of the bravest officers who fought for Italian freedom in the army of Charles Albert on the fatal field of Novara! I need not tell you how the Sardinian King put himself at the head of his troops and went forth to fight the Austrian invader ; nor need [ tell you,” added the Countess, lowering her voice to a tone of pro- foundest mournfulness, “ how the Austrian tri- umphed, and how the defeat of Charles Albert was followed by his abdication. These facts belong to history—an@ you are acquainted with them !” “And whom do those effigies represent ?” in- quired Charles, with a sensation of curiosity. * T have already said that they were two of the bravest officers of Charles Albert’s army. They possessed wives who loved them and were proud of them—who rejoiced to see them go forth to fight in the Italian cause—and who mourned over them as perished patriots when on Novara’s fatal field they fought unto the very last and died rather than fly! Both were stricken by death’s respect to one-half of its construction; and this , winged bullets in the breast ; for never failed they darkened half was in the first instance turned to- wards De Vere: but now as the lantern slowly revolved, it gradually developed the shining side; and when this part wee turned full on, the move- ment oeazed, for an instant to keep their faces towards their enemies !” “ Aud who were they?” again inquired Charles De Vere. “The Prince of Spartivento and the Count of Ghboo S | —— we a (©) 5}