Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

ACETS: OR, NNAUTY AND PUMARURP, il 3 and Paoli, on hearing that the warrant was actually {now: but he shall not repeat it on tho present isnued for her arrest, clasped his hands fervidly, exclaiming, “ My poor boy will yet be avenged !” Marcellin and De Vero acquainted Paoli with all that they themselves, as well as Ciprina, had respectively undergone at the instigation of the Marchioness; and the Neapolitan listened with the ' deepest interest to these narratives. He poured forth hia gratitude to both the young men for the ‘interest they had displayed on behalf of the cause wherein ho himself was so greatly in- terested ; and he begged them to convey the as- | sari of a similar sentiment to Ciprina. occasion! Seize him!” While the officer was yet speaking, both our hero and Marccllin had drawn forth their safe- conducts ; and they held them up in the light of the lamp over the gate of the British Embassy. “Halt, my men !” exclaimed the officer, as tho shirrt were about tu precipitate themselves onco “If this if so, the signature of his Ivxcellency the Minister of tbe more upon Charles and Tidgar. Interior must be respected.” “ Behold that signature!” said De Vere. “B | beware how you make any attempt to snatch the ut ‘The narratives, explanations, and discussions | | paper from my hand: for, by heaven! if you occupied a long time ; and nearly two hours passed ; do a | * Do you think, signor,’ demanded the officer getting the appointment which he had mado with | indignantly, “ that 1 am capable of such a base away in this manner, Charles De Vore totally for- Father Falconara. At length, when it only wanted a few minutes of midnight, he suddenly recollected it; and he rose to take his departure. Marcellin was in readiness to accompany him: but ere taking Jeave of Paoli, they enjoimed him to remain per- fectly quiet at Pefroro’s house, asauring him that he should be made acquainted with overything of importance that might oceur in the course of the proceedings wherein they were all so much in- terested. . On leaving Petroro’s louse, the two young the British Mmbassy, that being Marcellin’s route, as well as De Vere’s, for a certain distance. On reaching the gate ot the Kmbassy, just as the midnight, they were abuking hands in order to bid | each other farowell until the morrow, whon all in a moment thoy were surrounded by a posse of shirri who seemod suddenly to concentrate them- solves there from different directions. “Separate them! gag them!” ejaculated the Wicer in command of the party, and whom Charles De Vere at once recagnised to be the same who had superintended the expedition when he and Ciprina were hurried away from Florence to Mayno. do this!” “of your own Guvernment !”’ “(iag them!” ejaculated the oflicor in a com. manding tone, “Then let us act in self-defence!” cried De Vere : and with one desperate effort he cleared hiinself from the grasp which two of the sbirri had fixed upon him. dishonest action ?”’ “ In good sooth,” answered Dv Vere, “ TI think for a more unmiti- gated sot of cut-throat scoundrela than you Tuscan police-oflicers, I never in all my life had the mis- you are capablo of anything : fortuno to encounter !” 1t was almost a howl of rage which burst from , the lips of the officer of the sbirré, while kindrod ejaculations denoted the fury of his adherents. But they dared not proceed ty farthof Violette : there was a talismanic influence in the siguature gentlemen walked together in the direction of | of the Mimater of the Interior. “ Well,” growled the officer, “ you are quit, but I dare say it will not be long before 1 shall catch both clocks of Florence were proclaiming the hour of tripping in some ragcally fashion- — But hero the fellow’s insolence was sudden short; for Da Voro dealt him a blow w knocked him down as if he had been stricke: _ a flash of Jightning. ‘The blood gushed from his mouth, for half-a-dozen of his teeth had been young men, on the present occasion : dashed out. ut “ Ruffian!” said our young hero ; “ if over a man You have brought | this punishment upon yourself entirely -by your wore rightly served, it is you! ; own impertincnce.” The officer spcke not another word. He rose “Stop!” exclaimed Marcellin: “at your peril slowly from the ground, wiping his mouth with his kerchief; while his men, armed though they were, “ We aro under the protection,” cried De Vere, | retreated & pace or two, evidently atraid lest the same species of chastisomoent should overtake them- j selves. They departed with their discomfited ofti- | cer at their head; and when they were beyond the | view of tho young gentlomen, these two took leave ‘of coach other. | On ontering the mansion of tho British Em- | bassy, Charies was informed that a priest had beon They were hurled to the ground: a similar ex- | waiting for upwards of an hour, to see him; ploit was at the same moment performed by Mar- | was accordingly hastening in the direction of his cellin; and then De Vere exclaimed, “ Wo are !own apartment, when he met ono of the attaches, provided with safe-conducts from the Minister of ; who said to him, “ Ramorino has been here !” “ Indeed !” ejaculated Charles, the Interior !” The officer of the sbirri, who was furious at be- holding his men so rudely treated, had drawn his sword and wan rushing on with tho rest of his party to recapture the two young gentlemon, when the term safv-conduct seemed to paralyze him. He stopped shurt: his men did the same; and Mar- cellin said, “ Depart at once, or it will be the worse for you! m [¢ is a trick! a stratagem!” exclaimed the officer. “The Englishman there’'—and he pointed to De Vero—“ played me a double game before said ho P” he “And what * Oh! I received him on Bohal€ of his Excol- lency,” roplied the atéaché, thue alluding to the Am- ‘bassador; “and I mystitied him completely. een You may think it a difficult thing to mystify a Minister of Pulice; and yet let me assure you that I did it! He evidently suspects that a storm of some kind is brewing: there was a certain uneasiness in his manner, despite all his efforts to conceal it; but he went away without obtaining the slightest in« tclligence from me.’ C© a [DOO C©