Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

Ase eibly think,” asked the old woman, quivering and trembliny, ‘(that she could have made her escape P"” “Ob, no! impossible !”’ ejaculated Carlotta, al- most indignantly. “She would not! Besides, where was the opportunity — no dours were opened ——” “Only when the bakers came, signora,” re- joined the sextonese. “ But thon the warders, and turnkeys, and sentinels id * Tue bakers ?” echoed Carlotta, with a sudden tightening aenaation at the heart, “ No! no!— they bave not come yet !” “I beg your pardon, signora. They came— and they are gone. I looked out for a moment, and saw the basket in the yard 2 Lhe unfurtunate young lady could scarcely pre- vent a sliick from pealing furth from her tips: but by a mighty effort she so far restrained herself -—though she became white as a shect and least against tho wall for support. “ Ah, signora!’’ cried the sextuncss ; “ you are now alarme }, I aeo!” “Yes, yoo! I am alarmed!” moaned the pvor girl; fur she comprehended it all. The sextoness hastened to summon Gudulla: inquiries were promptly instituted —the alarm spread—no Ciprina waa to be found! Bat not fur o single instant did it seem to be suspected that Carlotta Belluno had taken any part in tho beautiful captive’s escape: nor did avy coujecture point to the means by which that escapé was ac- complished. The poor young lady oxperienced the mast poiguaut afflictiun; and indced she would have been overwhelmed by it if the very desperatiun pf her position had not compelled ber to exeroise all ber powers of self-command. Wus it possible that the friend to whom she had sv implicitly trusted, had so shamefully abused her confi ‘ence ? —what would the Baronet think? In short, what wus tu bo the end of all these complications? Such were the questions which Carlotta asked herself over and over again, a thousand times in the briof space of ‘about half-a-dozen minutes: but she was soon overwhelmed by questions from other quarters. Her father was furious—her mother was .o a stute bordering on despair—Fathor Faleonara was bewildered. But Curlotta’s tale was apparently imploa enough; and it was borne out by all cir- sumstantial ovidence. She bad entered the chapel with Number Thirty. The sextoness had secn them both, Father Falconara had noticed them both—one in her mantilla, the other in her veil. Carlotta had entered the confessional, leaving Number Thirty kneeling at tho altar. This ale» was corroborated by the sextuness. Afterwards Number Thirty was missing. Now, it sas im- pussible to blame Carlotta. , Father Ialeonara himself interfered on her behalf,—rcpresenting that it was clear no fault attached to the young lady; and Signora Bolluno, quickly following on the same side as the young prieat, took her daughter’s part. Thgduvernor ceased to upbraid Carlotta: and turning round upon Gudulla, accused ber of some complicity in an-escape which could not be otherwise accounted for. Gudulla, how- bver, proved where she wae during the special period in question; and thus the general bewilder- maps, was increased, The bakers wero thought of SGNES; O82, BRHAUTY AND PLEASURE. —but only in respect to the opening of the gates to afford them ingress or egress: the sentinels and warders however satisfactorily showed that no one had accompanied the bakers out of the fortress. The circumstance was astounding: it was equally grave and serious—and the Governor trembled lest be should be displaced from his post. He first of all thought of proceeding in person to Florenco to explain everything to the Minister of Police:. but on maturer reflection he determined to remain at Bagno in order to prosecute his inquiries into the mysterious occurrence. But some one ought to repair to the Tuscan capital to see the Minister : a mere written report would not suffice under such circumstances. Scare-ly had the Governor expressed the wish whon father Faleonara volun. teered to undertake the mission. “ The proposal was thankfully accepted ; and at about four o’clock n the afternoon —a vouple of hours after Ciprina’s (ight—the young priest set off for Floreace. CHAPTER XXIL. THE COUNT OF RAMORINO, W # must noW introduce our readers into the man- sion inhabited by Count Ramorino, the Minister of Police. This high functionary bad his official residence and his private one: but it is at the lutter where wo eball nuw find bim. It was betwoou six and seven o’elock In the evening of that same day on which Charles De Vere had arrived in Florence in company with the village magistrate, and Cipriua in the society of the Hardress family, that we shall find the Count of Ramorino pacing to and fro in an apart- ment at his own abude. Tho reader will re- inemaber that we have in g previous chapter de- scribed him as a fine tall man, in his fortieth year —with dark hair and eyes:-with features which iu their profile wore handsome, but with something sinister in tho expression of his countenance. Hia hair curled naturally; he woro a beard carefully trimmed, and shining with that gloss which is seon on the raven’s wiog. He always dressed elogantly; his manners wero most affable; and in the saloons of fashion ho was a polished gentle-- man. But on the darker side of his character the reader has already seen that he was a libertine ia morals, and that be made use of his official power ina manner the moat selfish, unscrupulous, and tyrannical. As we havo already said, we find the Count o Ramorino pacing tv and fro in an apartment a: his private residence. He was considerably agi- tated: his steps were uneven—bis countenance frequently grow distorted with the strong feeling: that wore raging in his brain—and ever and anon he clenched his fists or worked his aruws up and down spasmodically ; so that the entire demeanour and conduct of the Minister of Police were indi- cative of mingled rage, affliction, and despair. What was tho cause of these powerful emotions on Ramorino’s part? An explanation can speedily be given. He was a gambler, as most of the Italian noblemen are; and he had recently lost very large eums. Hin finances were cruelly ¢m- barrassed—bis private estates were mortgaged to COMmicboe® SS