Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. molate myself on the very spot where his innocent blood is shed!” CHAPTER LX. THE MILITARY TRIBUNAL. It was abont nine o'clock in the evening when the several equipages rolled away from the front of the Camerino mansion; and it was about one o'clock in the morning when they entered the city of Sienna. We will follow the Princess of Spar- tivento, who arrived some ten minutes or a quarter of an hour after the other persone; and she gave such orders that her chaise pursuéd not the same route through the streets as the equipage which bore Charlies and her sister had taken. She alighted at an hotel, and at once proceeded to the chamber that was prepared for her. Sleep did not however visit the unhappy woman’s eyes for a long time after she lay down: but she eventually obtained an hour or two of repose—yet troubled and agitated was it. She quitted her chamber between cight and nine o’clock in the morning, and was proceeding to the sitting-room where her breakfast wag served up, when on the stairs she encountered Stefano Voitura. Her firat impulee was to level a bitter reproach at the man who had instigated her to practise the horrible perfidy against De Vere: but a second thought suddenly struck her, and she reccived Voitura with apparent kindness, “T presume you have heard all that happened ?” she said to him, when by ber invitation he had followed her into the sitting-room. “‘ No—lI have heard nothing,” answered Voitura, —“ only that if the new-fangled Count were taken prisoner, he would be brought to Sienna. This I was told last night in the town of Camerino when I delivered the pillet which your Highness penned.” “ And what brings you to Sienna P” inquired the Princess. “To watch the procesdings—and because I judged that your Highness also would come, inas- much as you may be needed as & witness. There- fore Ragueo and Spezai are likewise with me here, to be upon the spot to consult with your ladysbip upon what is next to be done—and alsco——” “ And also what?” asked the Princess. “And also to see if your Highness can inform us of some secure place wherein we may conceal the box céntaining the correspondence which so seriously implicates the late King of Piedmont.” “That correspondence which you found in the subterranean of the Camerino mansion P” “The same, my lady. You may be enabled to tell ue whether it will be safe for us to restore the box to that hiding-place—I mean after the young Englishman sball have been executed ———”’ “The authorities are aware of the existence of that subterranean,” , said the Princess. “ The young Count jiirendered up the infamous Flo- rentine pridner, La Dolfina, who had concealed herself there. But you dave eomething more to learn. ,1t is that my sister bas emancipated ber- self from the meshes of the law. The Count is a prisun -r, and is at Sienna: but my sister——” $i} “What! her ledyship is free?” ejaculated Voitura, in astovichment. .“ And yet your High- ness gave information about both P” *Do you happen to have read,” inquired the Princess, “any of the large plecards which have been everywhere posted in reference to La Dol- ne “Yes, signora. I recollect being struck by the singularity of one of the inducements held out for any person who might think fit, and who might have the power, to betray her into custody, — that euch person should be forgiven all pas$ offences against the law, of whatsoever kind, with the single exception of murdef.” “ And now you understand,” eaid the Priucess, “how it occurred that my sister was enable to save herself. She bappened to know that La Dulina was €oncealed in the subterranean——” ‘Tbe Count, her paramour, must have told her ?” “Ab, Signor Voitura !” interjected the Princess, “we have committed a most fatal mistake ——and yoh behold before you the most wretched of women——” “Good heavens! what means your Highness f” exclaimed Stefano, in amazoment. “I mean,” pursued Bianca, “ that we misjudged the young Count and my sister. It is naught but the purest friendship which subsisted between them. Of thie I have acquired the certitude be- yond the possibility of doubt. And Oh! may we not have judged De Vere hastily and harshly P~ may we not have misinterpreted bis motives in shouting for the republic at Leghorn ?” “If I thought that I had wronged this young man,” eajid Voitura, “I should never know another minute’s happiness in my life!” ‘“‘ And we have wronged bim !” cried the Prin- cess vehemently, “Oh, believao me, he is the most generous-hearted of men! It would be a history tuo long~—and likewise too humiliating for myself-——” “ Princess!” ejaculated Voitura, “tell me, I adjure you—are you conscious of having done any wrong towards that Englishman ? Oould you, when I was misjudging bim, have ssid aught to remove the prejudice from my miad? Could you, when I insisted that it was needful to our own interest to remove bim from our path,—could you have shown reasons why he ought to be allowed to live? Ina word—=” “In a word,” repeated the Princess, with a look. full of anguish and contrition; “ I have acted a shameful part, Vuitura—and I implore you, in the name of justice and mercy, to help and mitigate the foul injury which we have jointly done |” “Siguora,” said Stefano, “I am # man of the sternest and most inflexible justice. I would have sacrificed De Vere without remorse when I thought that bis death would be advantageous to the aacred cause of Italian freedom: but if I have been in error, I will now lay down my own life, if needful, to prevent a single hair of his head from being injured !” “Ob, I knew that this was your disposition !” exclaimed the Princess fervently: “and it wes for this reason that I have been telling you all these things! Let it euffice for you to kaow, signor, that if the young Englishman shall perish, bie in- pocent blood will be upom your head and apor mine! What oan be done to save him 2” CO Comiclboolk