Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 190: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEFADTY AND PLRASURG, morino answered courteously, and passed on. Hie aim was accomplished: he had discovered that this individual was also a Frenchman—that he was no labourer, though disguised in the garb ofa working man—but that he had all the manners sf a lacquey. “ There is not the slightest shadow of a doubt!” said the Count to himself: ‘ Lucrezia is watched ! Gh! it is somewhat too strong that the abode of the Minister of Police should be placed under wspial! Marcellin must be at the bottom of it !— and some decisive blow ought at once to be struck ! But what? or how?” + This was the bewildering question: for Ramo- rino kneWagery well that it was a difficult and a dangerous Ththeeto have to deal with the Embas- sies of powerful Governmente when protecting the subjects of their own nations. “What is to be done?” he again asked hinm- self. ‘Ah! I will confer with Lucrezia for a few minutes, and ascertuin the precise details of the fearful position iu which she atands! Everything is not as yet known te me—and in the absence of this knowledge I am unable to devise those achemes that may be for the best.” The Minister of Police accordingly entered his private abode; and he was about to ascend the staircaso in order to return to the apartment where he had left Lucrezia, when a domestic, ac- costing him, said, “If you please, my lord, his Excellency the Minister of Finance called a few minutes ago.” “Ah! the Minister of Finance!” ejaculated Remourinu—and for an instant a cold shudder passed over him: but the next moment reguining his self-possession, he mentally said, “ No matter! Thank heaven, I shall be enabled to realize to- morrow the funds which will savo me, and which will likewise place me in a position to defy my mortal enemy—my colleague, and yet my rival in the Cabinet !”’ “ His Excellency is waiting,” said the lacquey. “Waiting?” echoed Kamorino. “You mean that the Minister of Finance ” “Is waiting, wy lord. His Excellency said that i was of importance be should see your lord- ship.” The Count of Ramorino experienced another sudden access of alarm: but again he quickly re- covered his self. possession as be reflected that it was barely pussiblo for the Finance Minister to drive him completely to extremities at that uuroa- sunable hour in the evening. Ramorino proceeded to the apartinent where the Minister of Finance was waiting to see him. The financier was a little, thin, pale-faced, elderly man—with pointed features, sharp restless grey eyes, and very thin lips, which be was in tho con- stant babit of compressing in a manner that indi- cated the firm resoluteness of his character. He was a strictly honest man—and he was likewise a yw moral man: he had hie suspicions of Ramorino’s | iafegrity—while he was convinced of his profligacy. For these reasons he hated Ramorino ; and being naturally malignant, spiteful, and vindictive, ho had for some time past been watching for an op- portunity to bring about the downfall of the Minigger of Police. Count Remorino entered the apartment where lis antagonist waa awaiting his preeence. There $39 always existed @ great coolness between them: ‘thus there was now no shaking of Lands ~merely the salutations of a distant courtesy; and Ramo. rino, with an air of the most perfect self-posses- sion, asked, “To what am I to attribute the honour of the present visit ?” “To a subject of importance,” replied the Minis. ter of Finance; “or elso 1 should not intrude upon your Excellency at this unseasonable hour.” * And that subject, my lord,” said Rimorino,— “what may it be ?’—though he had little diffi- culty in forming a conjecture upon the point. “our days ago, my lord,” said the Minister of ' Finance, fixing his small grey eyes ateadfastiy and 'scarchingly upon Ramorino, “you drew upon the Treasury a cheque for the monthly sum required _for tho service of your department.” “Yes, my lord,” replied Ramorino. “I am usually punctual in drawing on the last day of every month.” ' © And the Treasury is as punctual in honouring sour drafts, my lord,” interjected the Minister of Finance, “No doubt,” said Ramorino, “ Whatever mis- understandings there may have been betwixt your lordship and myself on various subjects, I have _ never failod to comprehend, as well as to proclaim ,to all the world, that your lordship’s exattitucte ‘and punctuality in the affairs of your department “render you a model for the contemplation of all _ financiers.” | The Minister of Finance understood that this was flattery’s sop thrown out for a purpose ; and /he smiled scorntully and contemptuously—for he was about the last person in existence to be _ wheedJed ur cajoled in any such manner. The i smilo almost instantaneously passed away from ‘his lips; and he said with his wonted glacial severity, “ On the morning of the 31st of October your lordship’s draft was honoured at the Treasury ; -but this is tho evening of the ord of November, ‘and no portion of that sum has yet been devoted to its proper purpose.” “lo might as a colleague, standing on equal termes with yourself,” answered Ragorino, assum- ing an air of dignity, “decline to suffer myself to be questioned on the point » *Do so if you think fit,” interrupted the Minister of Fiuance, with a apitetul expression of -countenanee ; “and L will at once address myself to the Prime Minister, to whom your Excellency i will wot be enabled to refuae an explanation.” ' ©] bave not refused you an explanation, my ' lord,” responded the Count. “On the contrary, Tam treating you with a c.urtesy which if you do but say the word, shall expand into friendship. For wherefuro should there be enmity between us? Are we not members of the same adminis. ‘tration ? are wo not pledged to the same policy ? -are not Gur objects identical—namely, to serve our ‘sovereign and the country ?”” “ Most assuredly, my lord,” answered tho | Minister of Finance. “ Believe me, therefore, that jit is because I wish thie administration of which ; we are members to be alike respectable and re- spected—because also 1 consider it my duty» to watch visilantly over cvery detail: of my own de- partment, even when its finances fluw into the | sphere of another departinent,—it is for all these reasons that I come to ask your Lxceileavy why cComicboo SS