Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

ing #32 ‘because I am convinced that your sister loves this young Englishman ——” “ Ah!” interjected the Princess, her countenance becoming white. ‘You bave indeed hit upon the truth———”’ and then she abruptly checked her- self. “T understand your Highness!” said Voitura. “You yourself being stanch to the Italian cause, are disgusted and indignant that your sister could possibiy be weak and degenerate enough to bestow hereelf on one who is « traitor to the cause! And therefore you bave no longer any love for that self-abasing sister of your’s——” “True! true!” cried the Princess, on, signor: tell me what you mean.” “Your Highness would not hesitate to behold your sister involved in the same ruin which should overtake the young man who perhaps is her lover -—perhapes already her paramour ” “And what ruin is this unto which you allude P” asked the Princess, with much anxiety of manner. “If the young Englishman were at once de- livered up to justico—instantaneously handed over to the Tusoan authorities,” resumed Voitura, “he would be summarily disposed of by the hand of the executioner. ‘Your sister, being inculpated with him, would bo confined in a fortress for a lengthened period—~perhaps for life!—while your Highness would purchase complete forgiveness and pardon at the hands of the Tuscan Govern. ment.” “ But of what avail,—of what avail, Signor Voi- tura,” demanded the Princess, with a fover of in- creasing anxiety, “ for me to render my own name infamous by surrendering up my sister and that young man, although she be degraded in her love “But go ‘for him, and although /e be her paramour ?P” “There are several reasons wherefore I urge such a course,” answored Signor Voitura. “In the first place your Highness would only be per- forming a duty towards the Secret Society by bringing down condign punishment upon the heade of those guilty persons, no matter from what source that chastisement may be evoked. For ia it not 4 rule with us to atrike by the hand of friend or foe when a blow is to be struck and we have the power to deal itP The noxt reason I would advance is the fact that your Highness will be assuring your own satety; and in case suspicion should have already fastened itself upon you, or be winding ite reptile way towards you, you will all in a moment place yourself bigh above the necessity of apprebending it, And there is another motive which must bo equally well weighed ; and that is in connexion with this mansion. In all this part of Italy the subter- raveanse of this edifice furnish the on/y convenient place where the faithful patriots may meet; and if the dvors thereof be closed againat us, farewell to all our organization—all our discipline — all our modes of secret communication, throughout a terri- tory where it is so highly important for us to gain ground instead of losing it' Therefore tho man- sion must be got into the possession of some friend. What if thie young Englishman were either put tu death or condemned to perpetual imprisonment? —his newly-acquired estates would be confiscated by the Government—they would speedily be put up to auctiun—and the Marquis of Ortona would pur- chase them. Or if my kinsman cou!d not command sufficient funde fur the purpose——”’ AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. “Oh, that could be easily managed!” interjactea the Princess: “my means could furnish all that would be needful to supply the deficiency on Or tona’s part. I must confess, Signor Voituza,” continued Bianca, after some little delibergnon, “that you have combined a masse of srgutaers to prove to me the propriety, if not the absagyhte ne- cessity, of taking a particular step, 1 Will think over it.” “ Remember, signora,” eaid Voitura, impres- sively,—“ remember that if you hesitate on your sister’s account, you have sworn that the cause of Italian freedom shall be dearer to you than all other loves!” “T know it—I know it! You need not remind me of this!”—and apiizi the Princess reflected pro- foundly. ‘“ But if I assented to your propositions,” she resumed, after a long pause, “ how would you counse) me to act P by what means sbould | sur- render my sister and her paramour into the hands of justice P” “A singlo line penned in a billet, with your sig- nature, and addressed to the Mayor of the adjacent town, would sdffice. Decide at once, Princess! I will becomp the bearer of the note; and then I will hasten away and carry the intelligence of all that has happened to my kinsman the Marquis of Ortona, who will applaud -the action on your part.” “No, signor—not now! not now !” replied the Princess hurriedly. “It is something to be re- flected upon. But, Ah! you yourself ——” “Oh, signora! how you wrong mo!” ejaculated Stefano, at once comprehending what the Princesa was about to say. “ Do you think that I would do aught which should compromise you? — you who ure so stanch, so firm in the good cause. Heaven forbid! I would sooner face the gibbet or dare tho dungeon, than think of assuring my own safety by a deed so foul !” : “Forgive me,.signor — forgive me,” said the Princess, extending her hand, which the young man took and pressed with mingled respectfulness and admiration to his lips. “Inu few hours | will give you my decision. Meanwhile you will remain here; and despite the violence you may do to your feelings, you must nevertheless dissemble towards the young Englishman.” The Princess now withdrew from the apartment where this colloquy had ‘taken place; and she re- paired to her boudoir. Thore, throwing herself upon a aofa, she yave way to her reflections. She had been led on by Voitura's discourse to listen to his proposal and the arguments by which ho had backed it, just in the same way as all per- sons wish to attain an insight into any circum- stances that may by apy possibility be associated with their own concerns. And there was alsv a certain presentient feeling in her soul that if hor own projects should not be carried to a successful issue, other channels wero being suggestively opened unto which she might be glad to have re- course. For if she mightfit. have love, she would at Jeust have vengeance !—and therefore everything that she had heard from Voitura’s liza became of importance amidst the tupics uf this bad woman’s thoughts. ‘a And so Charles visited the subterran*an last night P” sho prosently said to herself. “ Bet asau- redly ho did nut discover La Doliina ? Th there cComiclboao