Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 346: what you’re looking at

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

338 AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. more admirably suited to my purpose, nor have | him again, he was gazing in another direction, and told it in a more appropriate manner !” The dinner progressed; there were several courses following each other—and then came the dessert. The hothouses of the garden produced the most delicious fruits in that December season; and there were several likewise which still grew in the open air that had disappeared months back from the colder latitudes of more northerly climes. There was likewise a varied assortment of wines, chosen by the good taste of the butler, who had lorg been in the service of the late Count, and who was now well pleased to doall possible honour to the present one. The corversation progressed with gaiety: it seemed as if Charles had infused an hilarious spirit into it. As for the Princess, she had never appeared more cheerful, and her manner seemed more than eyer kind and affec- tionate towards her sister. Charles never once lost sight of the Princess, although she was very far from noticing or sus- pecting that he thus watched ber. But he fol- lowed every morement, every gesture on her part. At length, while Signor Voitura was relating some anecdote that riveted the attention of the Coun- tess and the notary—and while Charles himself affected to be equally interested in the tale—the Princess of Spartivento dexterously drew forth the little phial from the laced bodice of her dress. Quick as lightning was the glance which she darted round the table at the moment: but no one seemed to be observing her. She sat next to her sister: Lucia’s wine-glass was about three parts filled; and the Princess, while affecting to Jean a little more across the table witb an air as if she were loath to lose a single word spoken by Stefano Voitura, poured some half-dozen drops from the phial into that glass. Charles saw it all: but the Princess fancied that he beheld naught of the proceeding. And now what an interval of stupendous sus- pense ensued for Bianca, during the three or four minutes that Voitura’s tale still lasted ere it reached its conclusion. Three or four minutes!— they seemed to be three or four ages! In how long a time would Bianca see her sister fall dead at her feet? were not her very minutes now, num: bered ? would she live five or ten? and then what would ensue? Terrible was the agitation which reigned within the guilty woman’s soul: but ex- ternally she was calm, collected, and with all her attention apparently absorbed in the tale which Voitura was telling. At length the anecdote was finished; and Signor Palmas, while making some remark, took up his glass—a movement which was mechanically fol- lowed by Lucia. And now how violently beat Bianca’s heart! Lucia slowly emptied her glass, and replaced it upon the table. But the expected catastrophe did not ensue. There was no falling from the chair—no corpse rolling at Bianca’s feet: her sister was apparently as full of life and health as she was before she had partaken of the con- tents of the little phial. What did it mean? had La Dolfina deceived her? or was the poison slower in its operation than she had been led to believe? As she swept her looks round the table, she fancied that she caught the eyes of the young Count of Camerino fixed upon her—her coun- tenance became scarlet-—but wher she looked at me me me eee the proposal, but not terrified by it: on the | 2 — ee eee me mene er mm with an air as if he had nothing unusual in his | thoughts. Half-an-hour passed, and the contents of the phial remained without effect. The party now rose from their seats, and ascended to the drawing- room, where coffee was served. Presently Palmas engaged Lucia and Voitura in listening to some laughable anecdote which he had to tell them, and to which the Countess readily gave her attention, inasmuch as it was very different from the gloomy tale he had told before dinner. The opportunity for which Charles had been seeking now presented itself; and he said to the Princess, “ Will your Highness take a turn with me in the picture gallery ?” “ Willingly, my lord,” answered Bianca, amazed contrary, there was a fluttering pleasure mingled with her wonderment as she asked herself, * Can he possibly have changed towards me?” They quitted the drawing-room—trayersed a landing—and entered the picture gallery. There the Princess was just beginning to make some re- mark in an affable and even tender tone, when our hero, turning round upon her with startling ab- ruptness, and assuming an ominous sternness of look, said, “‘ Signora, I have saved you from the commission of a crime !” The Princess was stricken ghastly and speech- less. “ Yes—I repeat my words,” continued Charles, ‘You found the phial upon your toilet-table—but it contained water! Your Highness may with all possible impunity swallow the remainder of its contents.” “ My God!”—and Bianca could say no more: she was as white as a corpse—but she was trem- bling as if she were smitten with the palsy. “You see that you are unmasked,” continued Charles; “but it is not my intention to expose you in the presence of your sister and the two gentlomen who are now with her. I would spare the Countess of Milazzo the anguish and the shame of knowing that her sister would have be- come an assassin but for the wondrous intervention of providence which placed me in a condition to But your Highness ” frustrate the intended crime. must depart from my dwelling “Yes, yes—I will depart! Ob, for God’s sake I will leave your house at do not exposo me! once !” Not so, Signora,” interrupted our hero: “that would be to excite some suspicion. Remain here until to-morrow morning, and I promise you that no look nor word on my part shall seem to upbraid you for any secret causo. The crime which you committed at your palace at Turio, has hardened you for the perpetration of other deeds of turpi- tude; and I cannot forget that it was on my account that you committed that first crime. For this reason I spare you now! More I need not say unless it be to enjoin that you do naught | to excite in my mind a suspicion that you are bent on further mischief: for if so, it will be my duty to place your sister on her guard against ou.” “My lord, you are merciful,” murmured the Princess, with a tone and look of the deepest con- trition—the most abject humiliation; “and I oO Comichboo nn} <S - Oe wee a ar ee ec re ce rm rn ame rrr ee ——_————<— | al « stati tian dita it 1 Bd ie, a —_—= a oa