Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 359: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. soul! “TI cannot even conceive how you found m5 out.” “I will tell you at once,” interrupted Gustavus. *“T have been up to Kentish Town, and Roderick Dalkam gave me your address.” ** Roderick Dalham ?” echoed Emily, with a start. ‘“ And yet I particularly wished him not to let you know wherel was. I will tell you can- didly, Gustavus—I thought it were better that we should not meet.” “Tt was fora good motive that Sir Roderick disobeyed your injunction,” interjected Gustavus; and he could not help thinking that an expression of pensive humility was marvellously becoming to his wife’s countenance. “Tf Sir Roderick’s object were to enable you to give me some parting instructions, before I leave for Jamaica, then of course he has acted wisely and well.” * Tell me, Emily,” said Gustavus, to whose ear the altered tono of his wife’s voice sounded like the wost delicious harmony,—“ tell me, are you grieved and annoyed that I should have thus found you out P” “T cannot be grieved and annoyed, Gustavus,” she replied, “at beholding you again, since you speak to me in such a gentle tone, and you evi- dently are not come to upbraid me. If your object be to say that you forgive m9 before I take my departure it will be very kind of you—nay gene- rous—more than I deserve!” The quadroon stopped short: her bosom heaved as if it were about to burst; and Gustavus recol- lected with a rapturous feeling how often his head had lain pillowed on that superb bust. “Emily,” he said,— Emily, I have come to tell you that I forgive you!” “Ab, then,” she murmured, with a voice that seemed full of emotion, “the only hope that I cared entertain is fulfilled—and I shall go into eternal exile with a heart relieved of at least a por- tion of the tremendous load that recently sat upon it. Gustavus, I repeat, this is very generous on your part.” “But you, Emily, have shown yourself very, very generous towards—you know whom I mean— Sir Roderick i elham H “He is an excellent man—warm-hearted and magnanimous,” sald the quadroon, softly yet im- pressively. **And my cousin Winifred.” ‘““She is my cousin also. I love her indeed as much as if she were my sister. God forgive me that I should ever have done aught to excite a pang in her noble and virtuous heart!” “‘ imily, is it possible that you mean to give them up all your father’s fortune?” asked Gus- tavus, vehemently. “All with the exception of one hundred pounds a-year,” she replied mildly yet decisively. ‘ That sum will suffice for me in the seclusion to which I shall retire!” “And you think that you will never repent of the sacrifice P’ demanded the young man, wh» al- most at every fresh question or remark advanced nearer and nearer towards his wife. “Repent? sacrifice?’ repeated the quadroon, as if surprised that such words should be addressed to ber: then with a smile which seemed to express s spores of holy enthusiasm, and which revealed the —_--— —n eo? ee Ose ace eee oe Bol beautiful white teeth between the vermilion of the lips, she said, ‘“‘Ob, it will prove my ogy source of happiness hereafter to reflect that I have made some little atonement to your sweet cousin Wini- fred, and that I have been enabled to guarantee her child against the ills end horrors of poverty.” Gustavus felt his heart beating violently as he thought within himself, “ Good heavens, what a wondrous change has taken place in her !’—then as his eyes slowly wandered over her form from head to foot, he could not help dwelling upon the admirable symmetry of her shape, set off to ad- vantage as if now was by a plain but elegant evening dress. ‘You are not sorry then, Emily,” he presontly said, scarcely knowing indeed what to say, and feeling almost as embarrassed and awkward asa lover, when wooing a damsel in the very earliest stages of courtship,—“ you are not sorry, then, that I have once more sought you P” “T have told you that I am glad, Gustavus,” she mildly answered. * And what if I were to tell you,” he proceeded, * that your conduct in respect to the Dalhams has made a great impression upon me P” “Tam glad to hear that you do not disapprove of the proceeding; and therefore I take it for granted that you will be willing to sign the docu- ment which the attorney is drawing up, and by virtue of which you as a husband give the assent that is requisite to render the wife’s action valid.” “Ob, certainly! I will sign the document,” exclaimed Gustavus. “Not for worlds would I stand in the way of a good deed! But do you not think, Emily, that my fortune would still be enough for you and me P” * You are very good, Gustavus, but I require none of it. The hundred a year which I propose to keep, will suffice for me in Jamaica :”’—and she still continued to speak in a soft, level, monotonous harmony of voice, as if her language flowed from the depths of a soul that was subdued, or from the midst of a spirit that was wounded and crushed. “You do not understand me, Emily,’ said Gustavus, whose heart appeared for a moment as if it were coming up into his very throat, so strong were the emotions that now seized upon him. “What if I were to propose that all the past be forgotten, and that we live together again ?” “T should say, Gustavus,” responded Emily, still calm and self-possessed, ‘‘ that a sense of duty towards yourself would prevent me from answering in the affirmative. Ihave not hitherto been en- abled to ensure your happiness — circumstances have occurred which render it impossible that you can love me—indeed, Gustavus, apart from these moments of generous impulse to which you are liable, you must actually hate me.” “Hate youP No, no! by heaven no !”—and Gustavus endeavoured to seize his wife’s hand: but she drew back, with an air of gentleness yet firmness, s0 that he seemed to experience a shock as he cried, “Ou! is it possible that you have ceased to love me P” ‘“ T, Gustayus P—Oh!” and the quadroon shook her head as much as to imply that that were in- deed an impossibility. “Then why do you recoil from me ?” demanded the young man passionately. 1» . ee COMmiclbook C© 5}