Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 815 dispensable. At every town that he reached, ho took cere to leave & message which secured the unmolAyted progress of your equipage.” . “ AndNqoubtless,” added our hero, with a smile, “the postilions were more or less in ¢he secret ?” **It is notofious,” added Signor Palmas, “ that all the postilidns in Italy belong to the Secret Societies, or clge have their sympathies flowing so strong ih the same political direction that they are easily mage use of in emergencies of this kind. And now, mf lord, that I have no further expla- nations to”give, lot me again congratulate you on having reached this mansion in safety. Ina few days all the deeds of conveyance will be completed _and the requisite formalitics fulfilled for placing your lordship in complete possession of the title aud estates ” “ But I wish to depart for Ingland at once!” exclaimed Charles. “Impossible, my lord! There are deeds which will require your signature; and there are attosta~ tions tv be made in the presence of the mayor and justico-of-the-pesce in the town of Camerino. Bosides, my lord, get through this part of the business as quickly as possible, and when once you have taken up your title of a Tyscan noble- man and damonstrated your allegiance to tho Grand Duke’s government, no one will be likely to pay any inconvenient attention to the whisper, should it be circulated, that your lordship was mixed up in the little aftair of Leghorn.” Our hero saw that the advice was good: and ko at once signified hia intention of following it. “[ shoald deferentially recommend your lord- ship,” continued Palmas, “ to let the Princess and the Countess pass as your cousins— your friends— your visitressess—anything you like, so long as you conceal their real names and rank ; inasmuch as you must afford them your hospitality for the present, until if be ascertained to what extent their names are compromised by recent events.” “And if it be known that they left Turin to ac- company this expedition to Leghorp,” said Charles, “whet may bo the results P” “These are to be considered from many points of view,” replied Palmas, “In the first place, I need scarcely inform your lordship that any person or persons who may bo caught upon the Tuscan soil, after an attempt to invade a Tuscan city, are liable to the Tuscan laws and must undergo the penalties which they inflict.” * And thus far,” interjected our hero, “I am in the samo category of dangerous liabilities as the Princess and the Countess P” ** Not so, wy lord; for you could provo that you were forced into tho business against your will, whereas no such semblanco of an apolugy could be offered fur those ladies. They would uxsuredly be doomed to @ life imprisonment in a Tuscan for- tress.” Tue young Count of Cameringy, as we may now call Charles De Vere, shuddered when he thought of the Castle of Bagno. “Therefore,” continued Palmas, “it is absolutely necessary that sv long as those Indies are in Tus- ecany, they must be disguised under false names— their identity must be concealed ” “May they not return to their own State P” “Not with safety. The King of Sardinia would assuredly Land them over to the Grand Duke of Tuscany on the demand of this latter potentate ; or if by any chance the King were to refuse in the first instance, he would be ultimately compelled to yield by the pressure of Austria. Besides we muet not forget that it is an offence subject to severe penalties, according to tho Sardinian law itself, for persons to fit out an armed expedition against another and a friendly Stato-——-” * At all events, Signor Palmas,” said Charles, “you have stated suflicient to convince me that the ngeent position of these ladies is a precarious one, End that their prospects may become de- plorable to a degree. Rest assured that I shall not abandon them in their adversity. But now to anothor point. It were desirable that I should communicate speedily with my mother, whom I left at Florenco—likewiso with tho British Embassy at Naples ” “Thore can be no harm in taking these steps, my lord,” answered the notary. “And I will send off a messenger to England,” exclaimed our hero, fervently, “since 1 am not permitted by the position of my affairs to proceed thither at once in person!—Ah, by the byo, let me ask, have you recoived any intelligence concerning the unfortunate expedition—I mean in respect to whatsoever events may have followed after I and the two ladics were hurried away frum tho aceno of the conflict P” “The friendly-disposed courier who travelled on horseback and who rendered yonr lordship such material assistance, started from Leghorn some little while after you. Our friends—or I will call them the patriotic conspirators, if your lordship will permit me—had just succeeded in gaining their vessel, which was prepared to put out to sea immediately, It was rumoured that the Marquis of Ortona had been wounded ; and there can be no doubt that the conspirators ex. perienced an immense loss, chiefly sustained while retreating to their boats. Tho Castle of Leghorn opened a fire of cannon upon those bvats and also on the ship itself—but without any serious rosult, These are all the details which I am in a position to sive your lordship.” The room in which this colloquy took place, was @ spacious one; and the discourse was carried on in a low tone, in a window-recess at a distance from the table where Signor Benvenuto was writing. He therefore overheard nothing of what was thus passing. He now roso from his seat, and took Jeave of the young Count, as well as of Sige nor Palmas,—who at this juncture devised a pre- text to quit the apartment, for he thought that Charles might possibly wish to be alone for a brief apace to reflect on the wondrous change which bis tortunes had experienced. And Signor Palmas wap right. Our hero did indeed wish to be alone, Let it be remembered that when he had fled so precipately from L'lo- rence with the intention of proceeding to Hugland and seeing Agnes, be had not obtained a know- ledge of the motives which induced Lord Ormsby to bid him look upon everything as being at an end betwixt himself and tho object of bis love: the principal impression made upon his mind was that he was held by Lord Ormsby to be disquali- fied by the want of rank he for the hand of the Hon, Miss Kivelyn. It is&yue that he had some dim and bewildering idea of } species of accusa- C© COnmiclboookks