Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 171: what you’re looking at

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

856 he murmured, now writhing and convulsing on the ' garpet like a stricken snake : “just God! is it pos- sible ?” “ And we are dying together, Gustavus!” said a soft musical voice in his ear; and then soft warm arms were wound about nis neck, and his head was drawn towards a glowing bosom. “Ob, let us die thus!” “No! no!’—and with another forcible effort-— one of the last evidences of his expiring energies —Guatavus tore himeelf from her embrace; and reaching an arm-chair, he tried to raise himself into it. ‘To lie down,” he murmured, “ is suffocation —death! If I could but sit up!” The quadroon hastehed to place herself in that chair; and again she drew her husband towards her, saying, “ You shall sit up, dearest! There ! let your head be pillowed upon my bosom—and my Inst breath shall be expended upon a kiss on your lips ! Gustavus struggled again—but this time it was fruitless; and as he experienced a numbness and torpor coming over him, he abandoned himself to his doom. ‘* My aim is accomplished !” he heard the voice of the quadroon breathing in his ear; and it sounded like music stealing in upon a dream— vague, indefinite, yet with a sweetness and soft- neas ineffable and magical: “and we are dying to- gether! Together we wandered amidst the beau- tiful flowers and delicious fruit-trees of my native land; and together we shall penetrate into those unknown scenes which lie beyond the grave! Ob, it is bliss to die thus!—and I do not feel that I have committed a crime; for it is the inspiration of love that I am obeying—and Ob! a love so im- mense and illimitable as mine, must be a virtue whereon the angels smile! Sleep, my Gustavus, sleop !—-we are not to be separated !—and if your lips could not for ever smile on me, they at least shall not smile upon another ! and if your eyes could not always beam with love for mo, they shall never beam with fondness for another! Sleep on, my Gustavus! — slumber now comes upon me also! Ob, ’tis sweet to die thus! Art thou gone, my Gustavus? has thy spirit fled, my well-beloved ? is thy cheek growing colder and colder against my bosom? Then, Oh! come quickly, Death! and bear me away also! A last kiss-——a last !—~the fondest of all! And now-—and now—let¢ my soul take wing !” Here we must suddenly and abruptly divert tho reader's attention from this strange, wild, aud ter- ribly romantic episode, to speak of something else that was occurring. It was about eleven o'clock at night, when a domestic, dressed in a groom’s livery, called at the bumble residence of the Dal- hame in Kentish Town; and as the servants had just gone to bed, Sir Roderick himself anwered the summons at the front door, “ If you please, sir, is wy maater here P” inquired the domestic. , I suppose you are Mr. Barrington’s servant P” observed Dalbam. “Well then, your master was here thie afternoon; but he left between four and . five u’clock.” “He has not returned home to his hotel, sir. His dinner was ready at eix o’clock—Mr. Wardour the barrister was to dine with him. I tovk mas- ter’s note to that gentleman in the Temple; and AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. according to the answer that he gave me I was to order dinner for one or two persons at six o’clock-——~” “ My good fellow,” interrupted Sir Roderick, “the mystery may be soon oleared up. I bave not the slightest doubt I can tell you where you may find your master :’—and he named the hotel where Mrs. Barrington had taken up her quarters. “In a word, your mistress is there—and your master has gone to see her.” “Thank you, sir:”—and away sped the groom. John had his miegivings—he scarcely knew why, nor could he even explain to himself what their nature was. But he knew preciselg under what circumstances his master and mistress had separated in Florence, and the fearful scene which had occurred when the quadroon intended. to shoot Gustavus and then take ber own life by poison. I¢ was not therefore very extraordinary that the groom should be alike suspicious and anxious on account of this meeting which to his astonishment was taking place in London. More. over, he thonght it strange that Gustavus had not sent to the hotel to excuse his absence to Mr, Wardour the barrister: but the fact was that the young man, when once he found himself with Emily, became so absorbed in his interview with her, that &e quite forgot the circumstance of having invited a guest to dine with him else. where. The groom proceeded without delay to the hotel which Sir Roderick Dalham had mentiuned ; and on arriving there, he asked the waiter if a gentleman named Berrington was within P “ Yes—I believe eo,” waa the response; “ but I really don’t know, A gentleman came to dine with a lady of thaé name—I think they must be husband and wife-———~” * They are—they are,” said John. ‘Well then,’ continued the waiter, with an ‘air that indicated some little degree of surprise, “ aro you astonished that they should be together ?” “Oh, no—not at all! But perhaps it would be better if I should see whether master bas got any orders to give me; because as he and mistress did not arrive in town together, his luggage is at another hotel.” “Twill go up and say that you aro here,” re- joined the waiter. He ascended the stairs accordingly: but in a few moments he came very quickly down again, saying, “ The door is locked—I can’t make any one hear. If they’ve both fallen asleep, I knocked loud enough to awake them. I peeped through the keyhole—for the key is taken out of the luck —but I can’t see them.” “Good God! something has happened!” ejacu- lated John, a sudden dismay eeizing upon his countenance. “I suspected it! I almost know’d it! “Sqmething happened?” echoed the waiter. “ Here, policeman!” he cried to a constable who was at tho instant passing the hotel: “ you're wanted.” “ What is it ?” asked the officer, stepping into the entrance-way. The matter was soon explained to him; and he said, “ Well, the shortest thing to du, if the people dun’6 answer from inside the room, is to break upen the dvor.” Comiclboolk C©