Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 146: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES ; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. “Abi” ejaculated Voitura, sought your hospitality P” nly upon Voitura. ‘“ No matter !”—and now he\went on to say burriedly, “You may stand in neet', of refreshment ? Come to the breakfast- room) here you will find those ladies to whom you ere now“alluded, Signor Palmas is, 1 think, also there.” Stefano Voitura accompaned the young Count of Camerino to the breaktast-room, whore his pre- sence Caused some surprise. Palmas was grieved on learniug how severely wounded was his noble client the Marquis of Ortona: the Princess and Countess asked many anxious questions in refer- ence to the results of the disastrous enterprise. An hour or two passed ip a discourse which was thus fraught with a painful degree of interest ; and then Charles went forth to ramble in the gar- den, and to be alone with bis own thoughts. Signor Palwas proceeded into the tuwn to see Signor Ben- venuto on business ; and the Countess di Milazzu presently retired to her own boudoir to think over her love for Charles and to strengthen ber mind with the assurance that it had resulved itself into a true Platonic friendship. Signor *Voitura re- mained alone with the Princess of Spartivento. “ How progress matters,” usked Stefano, “ with the new possessor of the pruud title and vast estates of Camerino ?”’ The Princess looked hard at Voitura, and said, “TI had my suspicion from the first that you camo hither with some ulterior intent. I am now con- vinced of it. Speak frankly, Signor Voitura.” “Yos—frankly to your Highness; but in the presence of your sister the Countess I was afraid.” “And why soP” asked the Vrincess quickly. “Do not hesitate!—tell me candidly what you think and mean.” “Yes,” said Vuitura, “there must indeed be candour and frankness on the part of those whu still adhere to the good cause, desporate though ite present prospects may seem to be! Your Highness will not therefore be offended on your sister's behalf if I state that I did entertain sore little suspicion that the handsume young Enylish- man had made some impression on her heart, when she pleaded for him eloquently, and looked av bim anxiously at the time he was confrunted with Fussano , “Well, but you know that Iam stanch ?” said the Princess. “Oh, of that there can be no duubt !” ejaculated Voitura with enthusiasm. “TI will tell you frankly what bas been done. I was here last night with Spezzi and Raguso ” “ Here P” said the Princess. “In the subterraneans of the mansion. not your Highness know of their existence P” “Ab! you were here last night? — for what purpoee P” “To obtain possession of a most important cor- respondence — that sexrespundence which impli- cated Charles Albert aya dabbler in Secret So- cieties Bg Carbonayism, and which would compel his son Victor Emmanuel to interfere on behalf of any offour friends who might fall into the bands of tbh Tuscan authorities. For King Victor Emmanuel of Piedmont would do anything to save whavfhe would call his father’s honour /”” Does * Has he also { *——and for a moment Charles looked BBL “I comprehend,” said the Princess, “ And that eorrespondence P” “I knew where it wae,” replied Voitura: “ my kinsman, the Marquis of Ortona had told me. Therefore I came last night with Raguso and Spezzi to take possession; and we obtained the conviction that this young Englishman—this new Count—had learnt of the existence of the docu- ments ” ‘What reason have you for the opinion P” “ Because the stone beneath which the tin box was concealed, was very recently disturbed ; and De Vere himself was in the subterranean.” “What !” ejaculated the Princess: “Do Vere in the subterranean P’?—and she was almost fright- ened at the thought. “Ab! your Highness may well look startled,” said Voitura, who wae very far from comprchend- ing the cause of Bianca’s emotion. “ 1t was the maddest thing that ever the late Count cuuld have done to leave his property and the secrets of his mansion in the keeping of this young Englishman. It was with a traitorous intent to ruin us, and with no genuine fervour, that he shouted for the republic at Leghorn. And now he will as 2 matter of course prevent the brethren of the Secret So» ciety from any longer making this pluco thy lead. quarters of the district. But thank heaven ! we have got the precious correspondence out of his grasp ; or else he would no doubt have givon it up sounor or later to the King of Sardinia or to the Tuscan Grand Duke.” “And you say that he was last night in the subterranean P” “We met him there. He came with a lamp ust after we ourselves had entered the hall of conclave: but Raguso flew at him liko a tiger and must have stunned him, while Spezzi struck at him with bis dagger: and to tell your Highness ‘he truth, we thought we had lett him for dead. Then it was determined that I shou'd come kere early this morning, under sume pretence, to confor with your Highness, and secretly tu explain what had become of De Vere, whom wo tuok it tor granted we had left a corpse in the subterranean. But on reaching the mansion and ullecting to in- quire for the young Count of Cameriny, I was astounded on being quietly informed thut bis lurd- ship had just finished breakfast, an’ would yee me. He does not appear to have bcen much in- _ured ; and Spczzi’s daggor must have iwissed its blow.” “The young Count said nothing upon the eub- -ect—-at least not in my hearing,” observed the Princess in a thoughtful manner. “ What could be his motive for this concealment r” ‘Jt is intelligible,’ anawered Voitura. “Ifo most likely obtained bis knuowledye of the subter- raneans from some paper found amongst the documents of the deceased Count; and presuming _vur Highness and your sister to be ignurant on the point, he held it to be a secrot which was not to be disclosed. This fact more than an) thisg proves his intention to abvlish the rightful uses of the subterraneans altogether, In short, he is no *riend to Italy—and nothing favourable is to be expected of him.” “Tien what would you suggest?” asked the Princess. ‘] can suggest nothing,” responded Vovitura j MIGIOO SS CO