Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

308 a little a-head, motioned them impatiently to hurry forward. They quickened their pace: the build- ings of the town were now reached; and they entered a street along whioh Nino Corso led them rapidly. He atill kept a-head; and thus our hero had no opportunity of putting any questions to him. All of a sudden Nino turned under the arch of a gateway; and thither Charles with his two fair companions followed. In the court-yard to which the gate led, was a postchaise, all in readi- nesa for travelling ; and the postilion was in the saddle. “ Quick!” said Nino, as he held open the door for the ladies and Charles to enter the vehicle. “Are you coming with us?” inquired Charles hastily. “No. Here is your itinerary.” Nino Corso thrust a paper into De Vere’s hand, and closed the door of the chaise, The equipage rolied out of the court-yard, and rapidly made its way through the streete of Leghorn. It was with the utmost curiosity that Charlea opened the folded paper which had been thrust into his band; and he found that it contained the following list of names:—Torricciola, Volterra, Sienna, Aeciano, Pienza, and Camerino. This was the itinerary; and he immediately displayed it to the eyes of the Princess and the Countess, exclaiming, “Our destination seems to be Camerino! ’Tie strange!” “You knew the late Count well?” said Lucia di Milazzo. “I heard you and the Marquis of Ortona speaking of the circumstance the night be- fore last at Turin.” “ Yes——I knew his lordship well. But for what earthly purpose can we be vn our way to the town where he bas found a sepulchre P” “We are as unable as yourself,”’ said the Princess di Spartivento, “to affurd any solution of the mys- tery, What did you know, signor, of that Nino Corso who has eo effectually yet so mysteriously 1 ua?” * 1 Knew him in Naples. Ho was then the driver of a public vehicle—devoted to tho cause of which your ladyships are likewise the vutaries. He was also a faithful friend tu the interests of the Count of Camerino, Nothing surprised me more than to encounter him so suddenly as we ere now did: invthought he had washed his hands of all con- spiracies~for I know that he had faithfully pro- mised his wife Benedetta that he would in future lead a more tranquil life.” “Yet you feel confident,” said the Princess, “that Nino Corso is to be thoroughly trusted ?” “Oh, sister!” exclaimed the Countess; “do not facta speak for themeelves? If he had meant to play us falnaa———” “True, Lucia! it was so easy for him to do it! And therefore, signor, under all circumstances,” continued the Princess, turning towards our hero, * you will pursue the itinerary which has been placed in your hand ?” “Yes,” answered Charles; “for assuredly it cannot be without a motive that we are directed to the town of Camerino. ‘I know enough of Ita- lian geography to be enabled to estimate that it is about seventy miles distant. It is now eleven o'clock,” continued Charles, looking at bis watch. “Just one hour,” interjected the Princess, with @ avep sigh, “since the boats pw off trow the AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. ship! Huw many hearts that were then full of hope, are now either cold beneath the touch uf death, or else reduced by disco.wfiture to despair !” * ] suspected from tho first,” said Charles, “ that the expedition was a mad one; but it is now use- less to retrospect regretfully !” " “T fear,” said the Countess, in a soft tremulous voice, ‘that the whole series of adventures will be fraught with many bitter reflections for you, signor ; —and not the least poignant must prove that phase of Columella’s treachery. We beheld it on the Mole———” “I¢ was infamous! it was abominable!” exw claimed the Princess vebemently. “Tu turn against you thus!” “ He was righteously punished,” said Charles solemnly ; “and yet it grieves me deeply ty rmMact that I should have been compelled thus to take tue life of a fellow-creature,” “Let us change the subject,” said the Countess quickly. “Yeu were telling us, signor, that the distance from Leghorn to Camerino is about seventy miles ?” “ And though we are going at a rapid pace for the present,” observed Charles, “wo must pre- sently recken on travelling at the rate of about eight miles an hour. Allowing for indispen- sable stoppages, we ehall be ten hours ere wo reach our destination.” While thus speaking, Charles thrust the itinerary paper into one of the pockets of the postchaiss ; and his hand came in contact with something which he at onde drew forth. {t was a bag the contents of which gave forth a metallic sound ; and on opening it, it proved to be full of gold coin. The object for which the bag had been placed in the chaise was so solf-evident that Charles at once exclaimed, “Even the very expenses of our journey are provided for! This becomes more and more astonishing! Nino Corso could not have done this of himself! But by whom was he em- ployed ?” At this moment the equipage stopped at a bar- rier where there was a police-station for the pur- pose of examining the passports of travellers entering the city; but it was vory scldom the cus- tom (only in times of disturbance) to adopt this formality with travellers issuing from the place. The ladies exchanged uneasy glances and drew their veils closer over their cuuntenances: but Charles assumed an air of the most perfect self- possession. “Your passports, if you please,” said a sbirro, opening the door of the chaise. “Well, this is a pretty proceeding !” bawled out the postilion; “to shut the gate and bar the way in this fashion! I thought officers in the army were differently treated !’’ “I beg your pardon, signor,” said the sbirre to Charles, whose uniform he now observed: “ but the orders we have just received are so stringent that 1 must see the passport.” Our hero dared not speak ; for he knew full well that his foreign accent would prove him to be no Italian, and suspicion might have been exvcited. Despite all his presence of mind he felt utterly bewildered how to act, when the Princess suddenly ejaculated, ag if smitten by a reminiscence, “ Were not the passports given to the courier? To be eure they were !———-My goud man,” she went on COL IebDoo