Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BRAUTY ANR, PLEASURE. “Aud now, doubtless you are anxious to get away f’ said the Princess. - “Yes. I cannot for ever live in that horrible sqlitude,” a: swered La Dolfina. “If your Highness will promise 0 furnish me with a disguise as well ue with a litths gold, I will in return render you whatsogver sevice I may be enabled to perform. You spoke of’ revenge—you said revengo firet and perhaps lov; afterwards! Tell me how I can aid youP Wil you have a subtle poison wherewith to wreak, ur revenge P—will you havo a love-philtre, that the individual to whom your heart yearns may be made to love you in return ?” . “Try not your jargon concerning love-philtres with me!” interrupted the Princess, “I am not tu be deluded by such idlo tr ckery. But the poison ! Ab, thut is another thing !—and to your proposal on this score I sa; yes. Cive me the puisun—and 1 will furnish you with gold, and also. a safe dis- guise, {0 onable you to depart bence.” “Jt shall be » sompact,” ersid La Dolfina. “ Do you wast @ poiseu to kill outright-——or one that shall o,:. ate gradually, s: that it may seam as if the paticnt were sinking Lcder some malady fr” “Let it ball outrigh:,” interrupted @ho Princess, “ provided that it leave no trace behind, and if you can guarantee thet nut even the mest skilful phy- sician could setect the caus: of death ” “Think you, Princoss, that I am sv ill-praetised in the urt,” asked La Dvifina, “that I cannot prese.t such guarantees as thuso which yuu ro- quire? Your intended victim shall be strickon dowu after imbibing the poison 1 will give you; ani the physician who may be called in, will pro- nouns it apoplexy. But 1 have not all the requi- site materials for compounding the drug. I can steal forth at night aud procure from the garden certain routs which I uced; but there is one which only can be purchased ata chemist’s or a herbalist’s —and I dare nut venture into the adjacent town fur the purpose.” “Gould 1 royself procure it ?’’ inquired tho Princess, “without exciting suspicion? TI mean, that alter somo one shall have died suddenly, would it be likely tu cecur to the chemist -f whom IT may toaske the purchase, that the article thus bought may have been counected with the catas- tiophe ?” “Your Highness will incur no danger on this score ; for the article itself oply becumes 8u deadly in ite cilect when it is in combinauon vilb the otber ingredients that J shall use.” The Princess reflected fur a few moments; and then sho said, “1 will procure the drug. Tell we its name.” La Dolfina unswered the question; and the Princess went on to say, “It is scarcely possible that I can to-day make avy excuse for visiting the adjacent town. Dut to-morrow it may be different.” “Tako your own time, Princess. I will show you the secret of opening this looking-glass dvor, su that your Highness can come to me; or else to-morrow night, when everything shall be quiet throughput the mansion, ] can come to you.” The Lorrible woman—more hideovus in dispusi- tion than even she was in persaon—showed the Princess the secret to which sbe had alluded ; and she then quitted the apartwent, retiring by way vt the lovking-glasa dvur, aud leaving the Princess BUA to reflect moudily uver tho interview which had taken place and the compact which bad been made, CHAPTER LVII. THE VLACARDS. SIGNOR PaLMAS8 was occupying an apartment within the walls of the mansion; and Charles was glad to havo his cumpany at the dinuer-table, so that be might not be left tu tie species of em- barrassment in which he knew be should have been placed if he were altugether alone with the sisters. They retired osrly to their respec- tive chambers; and awoke in the morning to meet between nine and ten o'clock at the well- appointed broakfast teble. In the middle of the day the mourning raiment was delivered for the use of the ladies and of the young Count; for the milliners and the tmlor had toiled un- ceasingty to get tho work finished. Signor Pal- mas went into the towe to visit Signor Bonvenuto, and expedite the aettlemont of the requisite fur- malities in respect to the final establishment of our hero's rigts; and in the mvantine the young nobleman determined to render himacif better ae- quaiated than he already was with his new abode. As a matter of courtesy, be requested tie sisters to eccompany hiw in his tour of rnspection through the spacious premises. Aud now therefore behold him with the Princess and Countess leaning on bis arms, visiting tho beautiful picture gallery and then the museum of statues which furmed part of bis palatial rosidence. Jverywhere were they encoun- tered by the evidences of the refined taste as well ae of the wealth of the lato Count otf Camerino ; and the more they saw af the mansion, the better were they enabled to comprehend the vastness of the expense that must have been incurred m ite adorning and ewbeilisliment, When Signor Paimas returned in the alicruvon, he sought an opportunity of uvbserving to our hero, ilere is the key, wy lord, of the Durvau in the library where the late Count kept most uf his cor- respondence. You will perhaps choose tu lvok over the documents which you will there find, irasmuch as you way light upon papers of interest, aud even of utility, in respect to the management of the estate; while on the otbur hand there may be some political correspondence which under existing circumstances you might deem it prudent tu de- atroy.” Our hero took the key, thanking the worthy lawyer for hie attention ; aud he proceeded tu the library. Opening the bureau, be commenced the examination of tLe papers which be fouud there; and presently the idea entered into his head that there might be some secret drawer ur recess cone. cealed in that bureau; for to a certain extent it resembled a desk which belonged to the Liitish Ambassador at Naples. That desk had sccret re- ceases fur the better sutes:uaid of important diplo- matic papers; and Chartvs beheld certain indica- tions abuut the desk which be was bow cxamining, whick led biw tu taney that it had coutrivances on the same plan ua the other. He was not long in discuvorivy that Lis surmise . as portoctly coco MIGIOO CO S CO