Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

328 mey come to me again at this same hour to-morrow pight; and you ehall then receive the purse of gold, and the requisite disguise to enable you to eccuotpplish your escape out of the Tuscan terri- tury. And now leave me,” Charles De Vere instantaneously extinguished his iamp, and glided noiselessly down the stone steps. With the utmost caution did he close tho door at the bottom of the descent; and all thie was effected before the hidevue dealer in poisons had emerged from the mirror-contrived door above. Charles groped his way to the room where he had seen the stove and the articles of provender; and there he stationed himself, having closed the door. Ina few moments his ear caught the sound of the shutting of the door at the bot. tum of tho staircase; and he now knew that it must have been the noise which had startled him when he was about to destroy the documonte in the hall of assemblage. The hag was now ap- proaching: he heard her footstepe—a light glim- mered through the chinks of the door of the room -~-then the door itself opened—and the woman appeared with a candlo in her hand. “Not a word! not acry!” exclaimed our hero, suddenly emerging from behind the door as La Dolfina wae entering. So startled was she that if he had not clutched at the candle i$ would have fallen from her grasp ; but when she beheld a very young and remarkably handsome man, and also perceived by his accent that be waa not an Italian, she at once felt con- vinced that this must be the new Count of Came. rino—and she somewhat recovered her presence of mind. .“I know you!” Charles went on to say. aro the vile puison-vender of Florenmse.” “ Aud you are the Lord Count of Camerino,” replied the woman, “ who oscaped from amidst the Tuscan soldiery at Leghorn.” “ You have about you a phial, and some drug or other article which has just been placed in your hand. Give them up to me!” added the young Count sternly. Ls Dolfina now looked frightened, for it natu- rally struck ber that her recent diccourse with the Princess must have been overheard. “Give me those things, I repeat!” exclaimed Charles, with almost a fierce impatience. “ Remember, my lord,” said the woman, in a vuice which trembled despite all her endeavours to assuiwne a bold lovk of defiance,—" remember, my lord, we are in each other's power———” “Silence, wretch! and give me the phial and the drug!” ejaculated the young Count, now stamping his tout impatiently. With quivering hands La Dulfioa produced a little tuilet-botue, and a amall packet enveloped in @ blue peper,—saying at the same time, “lf you have heard auything, my lord, you muat not judge me too barshly.” “ Silence, woman interrupted our hero: “apeak only when I question you !’’ Tle turned towards the cupboard, and took forth the bundle of herbs which he had previously seen there. Opening the lid of the stove, he throw therein those herbs and that little packot which he had reveived from the woman: he then broke up some bits of the dry wood ; and drawing back the ventilator, he suva beheld the lawes rising up in “You AGNEA; OR, BRAUTY AND PLRASURN. the stove, the funnel or pipe of which communi- cated with one of the chimneys of the edifice. “Now, vile woman,” said our boro, “* the means for brewing your devilish compounds are destroyed. You will rewain here a prisoner, until I shall havd made up my mind how to dispose of you.” " “Suffer me to depart, my lord!” cried La Dob fina, falling upon her knees; “and I swede tha I will not betray you, nor the ladies that are wit} you!” “I make no terms with you—and I take mj own precautions,” said Charles. “Romain hete, { repeat. You shall be provided with food.” While thus speaking, he had lighted his lamp ‘ and he had previously noticed that there was « massive bolt outside the door, so that he was not speaking at random when he bade the woman re- main @ prisoner there. She threw herself with « moan upon the heap of wood; and she gave vent to piteous lamentations as Charlies withdrew from her presence. But when once the door was closed upon her, she either ceased tu abandon herself ta useless demonstrations of grief, or else the mas- siveness of the door itself beat back the sounds of her mingled rage and woe. Charles now bent his stepa along the corridor. towards the hall of assembly: but soarcely had uc opened the door when he was startled on beholding a light in the middle of the apartment, and at tne same inetant be became aware of the presence ol three individuals muffled in cloaks. “De Vere!” ejaculated one ; and it struck out hero that the voice was familiar to him. But not anuther moment had he for reflection; for like three tigers springing upon one and the same prey, did the men fly at hin—the lamp was dashed from his hand—he was hurled against the wall—and consciousness abandoned him. As be gradually awoke to his senses, he became aware that he was in utter darknvss, and he expe rienced a pain at the back of bis head. Presently, as his recollections began to arrange themselves ir his mind, and he felt about for the lamp, his hand encountered the hilt of a degger, which proved to be sticking through the lapel of kis coat. It was not the poniard be had brought with him, for this latter lay by his side. Ho felt to ascertain if he were wounded by the first-mentioned dagger; but he was not. Iie now comprehended what had bapponed. The force with which he ‘had been hurled down, bad stunned him: but one of the villains bad evidently dealt a bluw with the dagger at him, at tho same time—and then as he lay mo- tionless and no sound was heard from his lips, it wae naturally at once concluded that he had bees stabbed to the heart. Having discovered the lamp, Charles lighted iv by means of the materiala he bad brought with him for the purpose: the globe was smashed—it was otherwise injured—but fortunately all the vil had nut run out. Clutching bis own lung dagger in one band, and holding the lamp in the other, Charles proceeded to reconnoitre. All was silent. The lantern, candle, or lamp—whatevor it wore which the three men had with them—was gone ; and Charles felt almost convinced that they had departed altogether from the subterranean. A sudden thought struck him. Le glanced towards the atone iu the centre of the pavement ; sud a cry Of rage escaped him, as he perovive ij thes Oo COnmniclooe® SS CO