Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 347: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. thank you. Leave me, I beseech you—leave me here for a little while!” Charles bowed coldly, and quitted the picture gallery. Then, all in a moment, a singular chango came over the Princess of Spartivento: a vivid erimgon mantled upon her cheeks—her eyes flashed fires—and her whole countenance indicated a de- gree of rage and hate and vindictive fury that would even have armed the head of Medusa with more horrid terrors, “Ah!” she ejaculated: “am I now odious in his eyesP and is he for ever lost to me? He would send me away—and he would keep his paramour Lucia! No—it shall not be,” She glanced around: there were writing mate- rials on a side table—she penned a hasty note— she sealed and addressed it. Scarcely was this done, when Stefano Voitura entered the picture-gallery. “ Ah! ’tis fortunate!” he said. ‘‘I feared that the evening would pass without affording us a moment to be alone together. Has your High- ness refiected well?” “JT have:’—and Voitura was struck with the strangeness of her manner as she thus answered him. * And your decision, signora ?” “Jt is here :’—and she handed him the billet. “I knew that your Highness was stanch and firm to the good cause!” said Voitura, his whole countenance kindling with enthusiasm as he pressed to his lips the hand from which he received the billet. “In less than an hour everything shall bave been done!” Voitura returned into the drawing-room, where he remained for two or three minutes; and then he said, as if quite in a casual manner, that he would go and smoke a cigar in the garden. Charles was talking to Palmas and Lucia. Voitura left the apartment; and presently the Princess re-entered it. She seated herself at the table on which the volume of prints lay, and affected to study them with great interest. The old notary was telling another long story, to which Lucia gave her atten- tion out of courtesy, and to which Charles pre- tended to listen as an excuse for not going near the Princess. Time passed on,—when all of a sudden a scream pealed from Lucia’s lips as she beheld a cavalry officer make his appearnce on the threshold of the open portals. The officer entered the room, closely followed by half-a-dozen soldiers. * Ah! my lord,” he at once exclaimed, “it was your turn to win the game this afternoon: it 1s my turnnow. Yet I am sorry for it—for you were hospitable and generous—and I am devilishly grieved to have to take you into custody for high treason against the Grand Duke.” “ My God!” moaned Lucia, clasping her hands together, “You did not expect me, my lord,” proceeded the lieutenant. “I managed the thing well: I did not allow your servants time to raise an alerm. May I ask which is the Princess of Spar- tiventoP” “ JT,” said Bianca, at once stepping forward. “Then your Highness is ensured pardon and impunity for having given the information : * No, no! it is impossible!” shrieked Lucia, in accents of wildest despair. “ My sister to have dove this!” i el i ee hee ee a — ce oe ae A Ae es een Th fre oe ee 339 “Yes—I!” eaid the Princess; “and I am proud of it, You and your paramour 4 “Bianca, you dare not say it!” exclaimed Lucia, all of a suiden drawing herself up proudly—that is to say, with the pride of conscious innocence— and flinging her indignant looks upon her sister. “The Count of Camerino’s love is given to an amiable young lady in England os “The Signora Agnes Hvelyn,” interposed Palmas. “That I know; for my Lord Count has told mo so.” Tho Princess now looked aghast; and she was seized with the horriblo idea that after all she had made some frightful mistake, and that Lucia was not the object of the young-Count’s love. But the lieutenant now stepped forward; and address- ing Lucia, he said, “ I suppose that your ladyship is the Countess of Milazzo?—and therefore you also are my prisoner.” “Ah! is it thus?” ejaculated Charles, as a sudden thought struck him: and then quickly turning towards Lucia, be said in a_ hurried whisper, “ Do what I am about to tell you, I con- jure you! Do not think of me!—rest assured that I can save myself! Or at all events you must be at freedom to saye me!” “Speak, speak !—what is it P’” demanded the Countess with feverish excitement, but also in a whisper. “Proclaim that you know where La Dolfina is —say that she is concealed in the subterraneans of this house—and offer to give her into custody ! Then may you demand your own pardon and for- giveness! Quick, quick !—hesitate not !” “* My lord,” said the lieutenant, “I am sorry to be uncourteously hasty or rudely pressing—but time is slipping away—you and the Countess must come with me z * Oh, my God! What have I done? what have I done P” cried the wretched Princess of Spar- tivento, sinking upon a seat and covering her face with her hands. “ Signor,” said Lucia, addressing herself to the lieutenant, “I will surrender up a criminal into your hands + “A criminal! WhoP” and the Princess gave a quick convulsive start, as if suddenly galvanized. “| mean La Dolfina—the poisoner—the branded woman of Florence!” exclaimed Lucia. “ Ah!”—and again the Princess sank, terror- stricken and overwhelmed, on the chair, murmur- ing, “Then they doubtless know everything!” “Tf vou can fulfil your promise, signora,”’ said the lieutenant to the Countess, “ you will be per- forming an immense service to the State—aye, and to society in general.” “ And L myself shall be held free and acquitted of all offence, attaint, or misdeed in respect to tho Tuscan Government is it not sor’ asked Lucia’ ‘By the Saints, that would be the effect of the proceeding!” exclaimed the officer, who looked as if ho were by no means sorry that so charming a lady as the Countess di Milezzo should thus be enabled to save herself, “Take a couple of your men, signor,’’ continued Lucia,—*“ go into the subterraneans—and there you will find the poison-vender of Florence.” * But bow to reach the stuberranesns ” ine quired the lieutenant. 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