Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

&4 oe AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASUBE. \ the party of horsemen vociferating forth the wel- | “that you and Roderigo thoroughly searched all come cry, “ Open the gates !—make haste! We are going out in pursuit!” But the next instant Charles De Vere’s heart suddenly sank within him, as a voice from the gate exclaimed, “ The Governor has just ordered that persons must go out singly and not in groups; and no one can pass without giving the watch- word!” “Good !” ejaculated the foremost of the party : and bending forward in his saddle, he whispered the watch-word to the porter at the gates. The gates flew open ; and that particular horse- man at once galloped forth. It happened that the steed on which Charles was mounted, was natu: rally high mettled; and it was now full of spirits in consequence of not having been out for exercise during the last few days. Therefore, no sooner were the gates thrown open, than the impatient steed bounded forward, and brought Charles, with a rush as it were, into the very midst of the group. ‘‘ Here’s his Excellency himself!” ejaculated two or three voices, as the light from the gates flashed upon the gold lace on the cocked hat, and which lace distinguished it from the hat worn by an ordinary police-official. The porter who was on the very point of barring the way until the second horseman whispered the watch-word in his ear, now stood back; the steed which Charles bestrode dashed forward—it was the Governor’s favourite animal—a large black horse, with white hinder feet—and at a glance therefore it was recognised by all whose eyes settled for a moment upon it. -Away went the entire party through the gateway; for the porter no longer thought of demanding watch-words while the su- perior authority of the Governor was (as he thought) manifesting itself. The fortress stood at a distance of about a couple of hundred yards from the town: the mettled animal which Charles bestrode, speedily outstripped the other horsemen ; and on reaching the principal street of Bagno, our hero took the turning which led in the direc- tion of Florence. For towards the capital was he resolved to make the best of his way,—trusting to the excellence of the steed to outstrip all pursuit, and to reach his destination—a distance of up- wards of forty miles—ere the night should be very far advanced ; for it was now only just nine o’clock in the evening. But let us return for a brief space into the castle whence our hero has just succeeded in effecting his escape. We left the Governor and his wife, their daughter, and the young ecclesiastic, together upon the landing; and the Signora Bel- luno was a prey to the most intense anxiety—for she trembled lest every moment the door at the bottom of the staircase should open, and a trium- phant voice should send the intelligence pealing upward to the effect that the escaped prisoner was recaptured. In a few minutes that door did open ; and the woman Ursula began to ascend the stair- case. “ Any tidings?” demanded the Governor. “Nothing favourable, signor,” was the reply. “The prisoner is not yet found inside the castle— nor is he brought back from the outside.” “The outside!’ ejaculated the Governor. do not believe he has reached the outside ! “T You | are sure, my dear,’ he added, turning to his wife, | our apartments P” “Yes — that my brave mistress did!” said Ursula. ‘With a pistol in her hand % * Ah! Roderigo told me this,” said the Gover- nor; “and I am proud of you,” he added, bend- ing upon his wife a look of greater tenderness than had for some years relaxed the sternness of his features. “Roderigo assisted me in the search, every- where except just in our own bed-chamber. But I can assure you,” added the lady, with a smile, “that even there I did not incur any particular risk: for Roderigo remained just outside the threshold es ** And you searched in the dressing-room ?” in- quired the Governor. * Yes—everywhere that I could think of.” “The wardrobe in the dressing-room ?” sug- gested the Governor inquiringly. His wife gave a start—and then said, “ No! not the wardrobe! It really escaped my thoughts or else perhaps I knew it was so full of your clothing, that r “The very place where the fellow might have hidden, and where he may be still hiding !” ex- claimed the Governor, flinging an angry look upon his wife, and forgetting that scarcely two minutes had elapsed since he had flung upon her a glance of pride and approbation. Away sped the Governor, with his drawn sword in his hand, towards the dressing-room; his wife, his daughter, the priest, and Ursula followed close behind. But Ursula found an opportunity to fling upon her mistress a significant look, which was as much as to imply that all had progressed favour- ably and that the object of her solicitude had suc- ceeded in effecting his escape. The heart of the Signora Belluno bounded in her bosom with a sense of relief which appeared to transport her all in a moment from purgatory into paradise. The Governor of Bagno, with his drawn sword in one hand, and a candle which he had caught up in the other, rushed through the apartments and along the corridor until he reached the bed- chamber. An ejaculation burst from his lips; the bedding was all in disorcer—appearances were Ominous! Another moment, and he was in the dressing-room. The draught from the open window almost blew out his candle—he tripped and nearly fell through his feet catching in the ecclesiastical garments which lay scattered on the floor—and it was literally a yell of rage that came forth from his tongue as he beheld the wardrobe door standing wide open, and at a glance missed a suit of uniform from the peg to which it was accustomed to hang! To be brief, it was only too evident that the prisoner had escaped ; and though Signora Belluno passed without sustaining the slightest tinge of suspicion, yet she had to endure all the ill-temper of her husband, who was tremendously irritated at the idea that she should have forgotten to look into the wardrobe,—“ the very place,” as he said, “ where the cunning young fellow was certain to hide himself while the search was being insti- tuted !” Comichook (C©) |