Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 374: what you’re looking at

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

366 —- thanks! I shall soon return to ciaim your ms- ternal care!” She then issued from the convent: but before she returned to the hotel, she walked for a long time in a lonely part of the suburbs of Sienna, ecoummuning with herself, and pondering the vari- ous circumstances which now environed her. When she retraced her steps to the hotel, she found her sister anxivusly awaiting her arrival, “ What tidings, Lucia ?” the Princess at once asked, “ None,” replied the Countess. “TI have not been permitted to penetrate into the prison; and the poor mother still remains there. She will not for a moment separate herself from her beloved son! What tidings have you P” Bianca reflected for a few moments; and then she said, “I do not like to tell you that there is a hope, because once before 1 was deceived: but— but Gy “ Heaven be thanked!” gasped Lucia: “ there tsa hope! I eee that is your meaning! But what £ “Ask me no further questions,” interjected Bianea. “ Believe, however, that everything which can be done——” “ Oh, sister! you will save him!” murmured Lucia, trembling with suspense. “ Yes—I think, Lucia— I think that I may pro- rise —— But do not question me,” “Is there any danger that I can share P” asked the Countess eagerly. “None, none,” responded her sister: and then she murmurei to herself, “* The first crime was al! my own!—tke second shall be mine likewise !” ‘ What do you say, sister?” asked the Countess, “ Nothing, Lucia—nothing Only that there is naught wherein you can lend your succour. But Ab! you will be full of suspense! Come tome here at midnight. At midnight precisely !” * At midnight precisely !” cried the Countess, “Then heaven grant,” she added, with a most fervid emphasis, “ that you may have joyous tidings to impart!” Lucia then took a temporary leave of ber sister ; and in a short time Stefano Voitura reappeared in the presence of the Princess. The glance which she flung upon him was rapid and searching: it ‘was to estimate whether he had in any sense ow ee -——™” altered bis mind, or whether he was still bent upon saving at any sacr fice the life of the young Cyunt of Camerino The look was satisfactory; fur there was every indication of a fixed purpose in the lineaments of ber companion. “]T am ready, signora,”’ he said, Highness prepared to go with me?” “Tam ready,” she responded, Five minutes afterwards they issued forth from the bctel—the Princess having her veil drawn over her countenance, and Voitura being muffled in a cloak the collar of which came bigh up on his face, while a slouching bat shaded the upper part of bis countenance, They proceeded in total silence until they were beyond the outskirt of Sienna; and then the Princess said, “ You must remember, signor, that I am as yet ignorant of the details of the project which you have doubtless gettied in your mind P” “True!” said Stefano: then efter a few mo- ments’ reflection, he went on to observe, “ God “Is your A AGNES; OBR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. i rn ~—_— forefend that we should spill blood unnecessarily, or take the lives of our two friends uoless under circumstances of the most urgent pressure! In one word, signora, we will *endeavour to effect our aim while they sleep. But if—but if” —and S efano repeated the words with a certain ominous misyiving in his aceents,—“ but if we find it im. possible to effect our purpose without the ex. tremest measures—why, in that case, alas! such is the position of affairs that there must be no hanging back !’”” “ No,” said Bianca : “there must be no hanging back !” : “T need not ask your Hizhness,” resumed Voitura, “ whether you have the nerve and energy to use the weapons which I am about to offer you? The hand which dealt a righteous punishment upon the villanous spy at Turin, will not now quail or tremble when so much may depend upon its steadiness!” “With what weapons am I to arm myself?” inquired the Princess, “Behold!” responded Stefano; “here is a poniard to use if at close quarters—and here isa pistol with two barrels. Be cautious! the pistol is loaded. Secure the weapons about your person; and when we join our comrades amongst the ‘uins, be careful to observe well my proceedings, and do not for a singie instant suffer your atten- tion to be abstracted by any other incident.” “T-ust to me,” amswered the )rincess, She and Voitura now pursued their way in silence. The evening was gloomy; and if Voitura had not previously taken care to make himself well acquainted with the exact route to be nursued, they might have found some little difficulty in taking the proper path. At length Voitura said, “ We must now be approaching the spot —and somewhere bere-about there ought to be a rivulet with a bridge.” Searcely had they proceeded half-a-dozen more paces, when they perceived the stream: the wooden bridge was crossed—and a little farther a-bead they plunged into a grove. Here utter darkness prevailed: bu: the Princess managed to keep close behind Voitura, who suid to her, “ All we bave to do is to push straight forward amidst these trees, and we cannot go wrong.” In a very few minutes they emerged upon an open snace, which had once been 4 well-kept lawn at the bottom of an exquisitely laid-out flower. varden: hut some years had elapsed since any attention had been bestowed on the place, so that it was overrun with weeds and was fast becoming a wilderness of spontaneous vegetation. At the farther extremity tne ruins might now be dis- cerned,—a black shape looming amidst the dark- ness: and thitherward Vouitura and the Princess proceeded. On reaching the spot where a proud castellated edifice had once reared itself, but where naught save mouldering rains now remained, Voitura and the Princess penetrated into the midst of the skeleton ejsifice; and presently they caught a glimpse ef a gleam of light which appeared to come from out of the earth at a little distance. Tey approached, and found that there was a flight of stone steps leading down into what bad once been the cellar of Castie DOrco; and it was from this depth tbat the light emanated. There, COTMICLOO< | "i ~ > Eee a —_—-_