Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES’ (8, BEACTY ANY PLEAGUR YG. and balm ovor the battle-field for the wounded patricts wae it not thus that you spoke ?” “Your Highness evidently recollects woll the very words that came from my lips,” replied the woman, with the most provoking coolness. “ You tad better finish.” ‘T will do 80,” ecqntinued Bianca, “and you will tell me whether I am right. You said—you said -that if you bad cordial and balm for the wounded ‘*alians, you had deadly poison for the Austrian eneusies and you vowed that you would go over the battle field, and that wherever you beheld an Imperial soldier in whom the apark of life yet lingered, you would make his death sure.” “Yes, signora—it was thus that I spoke,” said the woman, ‘“ And then what followed P” “What followed ?” repeated the Princess inquir- ingly. : “Ayo— what followed P Does your momory now fail you? I will refresh it. Your Highness levelled at me the bitterest reproaches—called me murderess—likened me to the jackal that proys upon the dead—execrated me as a wretch that fought with unfair weapons! I went away, while pitying and laughing at you! But you have not forgotten all this! No! for it was the recollection thereof that made you ere now recoil shudderingly from mo at the moment of recognition! Yet strange! the woman whom you despisei on the battle-ground, has now come to answor your invo- cation! Speak, lady! How can I serve you? what do you require of Satan’s agent ?’— and the woman burst out into a horrible laugh. “Tow came you here?” demanded tho Princess, experiencing a cold shudder at the suund of that sardonic laughter. “I need have no secrets from your Highness; for we are mutually in each other’s power.” “Al !’—and Bianca started visibly. “Yes! is it not soP Am I nut aware that you are the Princess of Spartivento—that your sister the Countess of Milezzo is with you—and that together with the new Count of Camerino, you escaped from the conflict at Leghorn? This morn- ing, when you and your sister were alone together fur a few minutes in this very room, you said suffi- cient to make mo aware of all the circumstances whereby you ae surrounded.” “And the other persons beneath this roof? the servants of the household?” said the Princess, be- coming frightened. “They know nothing—they are even ignorant of the existence of this secret passage:” and the dame pointed towards the looking-glass door. “Thus your Highness perceives that 1 know every- thing: but 1 do not wish to injure you—nor your sister—nor the young Count. On the contrary, we may render mutual services———” “But you said that we should also be in each other's power ?” interjected the Princess. * Well,” resumed tho woman, “ and that will bo the caso when I come to reveal, as perforce 1 must, who Il am: for though ycu saw mo on the battle- field . “1 know not im) name. ] What is itP And who aro you P” “Perhaps you fv But atart when I answer your questions, fo matter! I am La Dol- fina “Ah!” ejaculed the Princess; “ you are the woman who was in some way or another mixed up with the Marchioness di Miranc at Florence P* “ And now you know, Princess,” interjtted Le Dolfina, “that in obeying your invocgefion I have the power to further your designs.” “You are proscribed—a rewar your apprehension—is it not so P” + “Yes. Immediately after the e}'plosion of the affair in reference to the Marchiéness, the new Minister of Police who succeeded Coust Ramorino, set a price upon my head.” * And how came you to be concealed hers P” de- manded the Princess. “From what your Highness previously knew is offered for of me in reference to the battle-field of Novarey’: replied La Dolfina,“y a can have little trouble in conjecturing that I polong to one of the Secret Societies. Some yearsago—no matter under what circumstances—it is now too long a tale to tell—I becamo the bearer of certain important despatches for the Count of Camerino. + was on that occa- sion I was initiated into the existence of the secret passages and staircases within the walls of this mansion; for a conclave of patriots way wont to asseruble hero.” “Proceed,” said the Princess, whose momory reverted at the moment to the subterraneava cf her own palnce at Turin. “ You havo told me how yuu learnt the existence of these secret places some years ago: but you have not tuld me how it ia that I now find you an iumato of them.” «Exactly one month ago I was compelled to flee trom Fivrence. On the road [ was stopped and plundered of everything that I possossed ; so that all in a moment I was reduced from comparative affluence to a state of complote destitution. 1 crawled along as well as my feeble limbs would allow me, uutil at the expiration of a few days I learnt the result of the’ Marcbionese di Mirano’s affair in Florence, and how I myself was proscribed by the new Minister of Police. Then I determined to come hither " “You would scarculy have expected,” interrupted the Princess, “ that the late Count of Camerino, on discovering your real character, would havo been very ready to succour you P” “1 scarcely know what I thought, or what I calculated,” rejoined the woman, “beyond the hope uf escaping arrest. Perhaps I might have fancied that I knew too many of the Count of Camorino’s secrots to render it safe for him to re- ‘use moe an asylum. However, I came bither—I concealed myself in the subterraneao—and aftor a little time [ learnt, by a convorsation which lL overheard between some of the servants, that tho poor Count was dead. I have remained here until now.” * And how have you subsisted?” inquired the Princess. * Occasionally emerging from my place of con- cealsmont, by means of that secret door ”’—and she pointed towards the looking-glass—“ I have paia visit to the larder. A very little foed bas sufliced for mo; and as there was a numefous cstablish- ment of servants, there was always buch a 1 of provender to enable me to take as much as I re- quired without standing the chance pf exciting the suspicion of the stealthy visits which were thu paid tc that place.” comicboo C©