Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 287: what you’re looking at

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

ne EEN tie -_ SS oO TT —__ > -——erere—oeoreoror—r—r————nee eee LO ee AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, sion. There numerous lacqueys were lounging about on all sides, and some of the company were moving up and down the grand marble staircase, —some having visited the refreshment-rooms, and others repairing thither. The Princess conducted De Vere to a small sitting-room, where our hero at once recognised the agent of police who had waited upon him at the Hotel de |’Kurope. “‘T was determined to satisfy myself,” said the Princess, affecting to laugh gaily, ‘“ whether my friend Signor De Vere could possibly be under the surveillance of the police—and whether he is so wickedly disposed,” she added, now flinging an arch smile upon Charles, “as to contemplate a duel.” “Then Signor De Vere must himself have given your Highness these particulars,” said the police-agent, with a low bow, “for I assuredly did not betray them.” “Oh, yes,” exclaimed the Princess, laughing. “Signor De Vere made no secret of the matter— though he might naturally feel indignant at having been the object of espial on your part * “Tt isa habit we have in this city,” said the police-agent, with a dry cough. “No doubt, Signor De Vere knows that well enough; for he is intimately acqusinted with Italian customs. Wken once the police authorities have ordered any one to do a particular thing, they keep a vigilant eye over him until ho does it. And now, Signor De Vere, with your permission I should like to speak a few words with you alone.” “What! am I in the way?” said the Princess, emiling. “If so, I am sure I would not for the world intrude another moment.” With these words, spoken with an air of cheer- ful good-nature and indifference, the Princess left the apartment, without so muck as thinking it worth while to cast a significant look upon our hero. Charles remained alone with the police-agent, who at once said, “ You have not fulfilled your word, signor. At seven o’clock you were to have left Turin: it is now past nine, and you are still here.” “ My good fellow,” replied our hero, “ can you not make allowances for one who when calling to take his leave of a beautiful lady, finds that she is entertaining company and is inveigled into joining the guests?” “Very good, signor,” replied the agent; “I will make all allowances—for the Princess is very beautitul—and so is her sister the Countess di Milazzo. Besides, I do not want to spoil sport ; only I thought it highly necessary just to call and remind you of your promise; because the other fnglishman—Signor Hardress—cannot be libe- rated till you leave Turin, and he is getting ex- ceedingly impatient. I know what these syrens are—this Princess and this Countess; and I thought that if they had once got you within the range of their fascinations, you would forget all about your pledge to depart and your fellow- countryman who is in prison,” “TI have forgotten nothing of all this,’ replied De Vere: “ I will leave exactly at midnight. Will that suffice P” **It must suffice, since you so wish it,” re- sponded the official; “and after all, it is only a matter of a few hours in respect to the release of ere > Lael 27 your fellow-countryman. But you must not think you are making a dupe of me, Signor De Vere,” continued the agent, with a sly smile, “‘ when you tell me that you purposely set out from your hotel to pay a farewell visit to the Spartivento palace.” ‘What mean you?” inquired De Vere, steadily and unflinchingly meeting the keen scrutinizing gaze of the official. “T simply mean this, signor,” pursued tha latter,— that I saw it all—I was watching you from a distance—you wera invited to come here. Of course it is no business of mine—but I know the goings on at the Spartivento palace.” * Ab!” thought Charles within himself : “ then the whole conspiracy is discovered, and perhaps L shall be arrested along with the others !’—but his countenance betrayed naught of the internal agitation which he thus experienced: yet it was with an indescribable suspense that he waited for what the man might next say. * Of course,” continued this individual, “I am not a member of the police without knowing a thing or two more than ordinary people.” “What do you mean?” demanded Charles * ‘You spoke of these ladies as syrens : “ Well, signor, and have you not found them to be such 2?” said the agent, with a slylook, ‘ You admit that they have kept you here for hours beyond the time when you promised to leave Turin—and that now you do not purpose to depart until midnight ee “These ladies render their hospitalities very agreeable,” said Charles. “No doubt of it!” rejoined the agent, with another sly look. ‘Perhaps you flatter yourself that you are the first lover the Princess has had since the death of her husband P” “Ah!” thought Charles ; “ perhaps, after all, there is nothing to be frightened at, and this fellow is altogether on a wrong scent !” It now occurred to our hero that the police offi- cial had been drinking, and that though not parti: cularly intoxicated, he was assuredly not quite sober—and hence the tittle-tuttling strain in which he was talking. The truth is,” pursued the man, now winking his eyes in a knowing fashion, “ those two sisters are in reality the most profligate women in all Turin.” * No—I cannot believe it!” exclaimed Charles, a flush of generous indignation glowing upon his countenance, “But I tell you, signor, it is the fact! The police know better than the worldin general, Tho world in general believes those ladies to be vir- tuous: tho police knows to the contrary. But the police keeps its own secret, It has nothing to do with the private pursuits or pleasures of indivi- duals; and therefore the police tells no tales, but leaves the world in general to think just what it likes.”’ * Are you sure that you are noé libelling the characters of two virtuous ladies?” asked Charles sternly. ‘*T am certain that I am doing nothing of the sort. I have seen handsome young men intro- duced stealthily over and over again into the Spar- tivento palace—just as yow, signor, were intro- duced here this evening; and you best can tell whether you were invited here for the mere sako Ghboo S C© 5}