Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 360: what you’re looking at

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

| | 352 ; “ Recoil, Gustavus? That is not the word!” she answered deprecatingly. “ But listen to me. I would save you from the consequences of this far too generous impulse which you are now obey- ing. You would take me to live with you again —and in a short time 5 “Say no more, Emily! I swear it shall not so happen! ‘There must be mutual concessions!” “For my part, Gustavus,” she replied, in a tone that was scarcely audible—and yet it was not tremulous, only exceedingly soft and subdued; “TI feel my spirit so completely broken that all wholesome life seems dead within me. God knows that I shall never again have energy suflicient to injure a human being, even if I were to possess the will and thatis mot likely, for my heart is changed, and I know not what strange mysterious revulsion has taken place within me!” “Tt is all for the better, Emily !” exclaimed Gus- tavus enthusiastically: “it is all for the better! As a proof, your noble conduct towards those whose very names but a short time back you would not have allowed to be mentioned in your hearing !” “I pray you, Gustavus,” interrupted the qua- droon, with a sweet melancholy smile which im- parted an ineffable beauty to a countenance which as a general rule might be described as strikingly handsome ;—“I pray you not to revert to a sub- ject which I should look upon as trifling indeed, were it not that it has succeeded in convincing our kinsfolk of my changed and loving feelings towards them aye, and convinced you that my heart is not altogether so black as you imagined it.” “ And since you have thus convinced me,” ex- claimed Barrington eagerly,— “and since you kuow that I am thus convinced, does it not place us altogether on a different footing towards each other? May we not look upon the past asso many sources of experience to guide us for the future.” “Yes—indeed it is so,” answered the quadroon. Gustavus paced twice or thrice across the apart- ment as if in a sort of feverish, unsettled, im- patient deliberation; and then stopping suddenly short, he said, “ Well, Emily, if you think that we are not yet in a position to ensure each other’s happiness, I have yet one last proposition to make.” “Speak,” she said. “Go to Jamaica if you will,” he continued; “see that whatsoever last instructions your father may have left behind him are properly fulfilled— and drop the tears of filial sorrow over his grave. This separation need not be a long one—a matter of a few brief months—and it may result in fully confirming those good impressions which are now being made upon our souls.” “Do you suggest this, Gustavus?” asked Emily, in the same low level voice as before. “Yes,” he rejoined. “Do you agree to it ?” “Tam your wife—and I swore to obey you at the altar—and if I have never done so before, I will at least fulfil my pledges now. Command, and I obey.” “ No, no! do not use the word command. We will have nothing imperious betwixt you and me for the future. Let us say that it is an agree- went which we make between us.” “It is an agreement,” she replied. AGNRS; OR, BEaUTY AND PLEASURE. Gustavus now threw his arms about her neck and strained her to his breast. For a few mo- ments it seemed as if he were embracing a statue; and then all in an instant she grew warm and im- passioned, glowing and ardent, as was her wont in past times. “Now, dear Emily,” said Gustavus, “peace is re-established between us! But we will not dis- turb the compact as itstands. Indeed, much asI again love you, I will not suffer my common sense to be absorbed in my passion. I do verily believe it is for our mutual happiness that this brief sepa- ration for a few months will take place. But enough of the subject! Let us at least pass a happy evening together.— You have not dined ?” “No. Until just now the idea of even sitting down to table would have been with me a mockery :” and there was something like the old tote of glowing enthusiasm in the quadroon’s har- monious yoice. Gustavus rang the bell: dinner was ordered ; and as the waiter was now engaged in the apart- ment in spreading the table, and afterwards in giving his attendance while Mr. and Mrs. Bar- rington partook of the repast, the conversation turned only on ordinary and general topics. Gus- tavus seemed to have recovered almost his wonted spirits without any intemperate application to the bottle: while Emily’s mood was soft, tender, and caressing, without the slightest degree of im- periousness, but likewise without that impas- sioned ardour which formerly characterized all her bearing towards her husband. At length, when the dessert was placed upon the table, they were left alone together. “TI am delighted,” said Gustavus, sipping his wine, “to think that you have not merely made it up with Winifred, but likewise that you are most devotedly attached to me. When you return from Jamaica we shall all be so happy—Ohb, so bappy ! I will have a handsome house ready for your recep- tion: the Dalbams, being now well off through your goodness, will likewise be living in excellent style. Sometimes we will visit them—and some- times they shall visit us: and you will be as fond of Winifred’s child as if it were your owo—and I also shall love it! In short, Emily, I do believe that heaven sent us those dreadful storms in order that there should be the lull of a most perfect calm for the rest of our lives!” “Indeed it is a perfect pictura of happiness whieh you are drawing, Gustavus,” she said. “Pledge me to that effect, my beloved Emily!” he cried. “Ob, yes,” she exclaimed: “I will drink glass for glass with you!—for now I begin to feel a wild thrilling delight!—it is the intoxication of real happiness! it is a bliss such as I have not known, Gustavus, for manya long, long day! Were it not for the pending separation % “Oh, but that, you know, is entirely for our mutual good!” he interjected. “No doubt—since your mind seems to be set- tled upon the point,” observed the quadroon quietly. “See, Gustavus! I pledge you in this glass,” she added, her voice instantaneously swell- ing into enthusiastic tones again. “ And I pledge you, dearest, with equal fervour!” he cried. “It would have roon in- Elooolk co 5}