Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

566 fmanks! I shall soon return to claim your ma- ternal care!” She then issued from the convent: but before she roturned to the hotel, she walked for a long time in a lonely part of the suburbs of Sienna, communing with herself, and pondering the vari- ous circumstances which now environed her. ‘When she retraced her steps to the hotel, she found her sister anxiously 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 momeng separate herself from her beloved son! What tidings have you ?” Bianca reflected for a few moments; and then sho said, “I do not like to tell you that there is a hope, because once before I was deceived : but— but” ; “ Heaven be thanked!” gasped Lucia: “ there isa hope! I see that is your meaning! But what’? “Ask me no further questions,” interjected Bianca. “ Believe, however, that everything which can be done—~” “Oh, sister! you will save him!” murmured Lucia, trembling with suepense. “Yes—I think, Lucia-— I think that I may pro- misé-— But do not question me.” “Ts there any danger that I can share ?” asked the Countess eagerly. None, none,” responded her sister: and then she murmured to herself, “ The first crime was all my own !—the second shall be mine likewise !” “What do you say, sister ?” asked the Countess, “ Nothing, Lucia—nothing Only that there ie naught wherein you can lend your succour, But Ab! you will be full of suspense! Come to me here at midnight. At midnight precisely !” “At midnight predisely !” 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 be bad in avy sense altered his mind, or whether he was still bent upon saving at any sacrifice the life of the young Count of Oamerino. The look was satisfactory; for there was every indication of a fixed purpose in the lineaments of her companion. “TI am ready, signors,” he ssid. Highness prepsred to go with me ?” “Tam ready,” she responded. Five minutes afterwards they issued forth from the hotel,—the Princess having her veil drawn over her countenance, and Voitura being mufiled in a cloak the collar of which came high up on his face, while a slouching hat shaded the upper part of his countenance. They proceeded in total silence until they were beyond the outskiré of Sienna; and then the Princees said, “ You mast remember, signor, that I am ae yet ignorant of the details of the project which you have doubtless settled in your mind P” “True!” said Stefano: then after a few mo- ‘iments’ reflection, he went on to observe, “ God “Is your AGNES; OB, BRAUTY AND PLEASURE. forefend that we should epill blood unnecessarily, or take the lives of our two friends unless 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 Stefano repeated the words with a certain ominous misgiving in bis eceenta,—“ but if we find it im. possible to effect our purpose without the ex- tremest measures——-why, in that caee, alas! such is the position of affairs that there must be no hanging back !” “No,” said Bianca : “ there must be no hanging back |” ' “I need not ask your Highness,” resumed Voitura, “whether you have the nerve and energy to use the weapons which I am about to offer you? The hand which dealt 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?” inguired the Princess. “ Behold!” responded Stefano; “here is a poniard to use if at close quarters—and here is a pistol with two barrels. Be cautious! the piatol is loaded. Secure the weapons about your person ; and when we join our comrades amongst the ruins, be careful to ubserve well my proceedings, and do not for a single instant suffer your atten. tion to be abstracted by any other incident,” “Trust to me,” answered the Princess. She and Voitura now pursued their way in silence. The evening was gloomy; and if Voitura had not previously taken care to make himeelf well acquainted with the exact route to be pursued, 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 here-about there ought to be a rivulet with a bridge.” Scarcely had they proceeded half.a-dozen more paces, when they perceived the stream: the wooden bridge was crossed—and a little farther a-head they plunged into a grove. Here utter darkness prevailed: but the Princess managed to keep close behind Voitura, who said to her, “ All we have 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 space, which had once been a well-kept lawn at the bottom of an exquisitely laid-out flower. garden: hut some yeara 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 the ruins might now be dis. cerned,—a black shape looming amidet the dark- ness: and thitherward Voitura and the Princess proceeded. On reaching the spot where a proud castellated edifice had once reared itself, but where naught save mouldering ruins now remained, Voitura and the Princess penetrated into the midst of the skeleton edifice; anc prpsently they caught a glimpse of a gleam of light which appeared to come from out of the earth at a little distance. They approached, and found that there was « . flight. of stone steps Jeading down into what had once been the cellag of Castle D’Orco; and it was from this depth that the light emanated. There, COnniclooe® S Conn