Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 217: what you’re looking at

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166 “ Yes—speak!” enid the young lady; “ and it eball indeed be with candour and frankness that you will receive from my lips the answer to whatsoever you may be about to esy !” “T owe you a debt of incalculable gratitude, Floribel,” resumed Edgar: “ you saved my life more than once,—you saved me from the effects of the wound dealt by the dagger of the Marchioness —you saved me from the pvison—you saved me altogether from the fatal malignity of her ven- geance! It is thereforo a life which I owe you! That life is at your disposal ;—and if it be your will, if must be devoted to you!” * Do you mean me to understand, Edgar,” she asked in a tremulous voice, and now again address- ing him by his Christian name,—“ do you mean me to understand that you would make every pos. sible sacrifice for my sake ?” “'Yes—every possible sacrifice !” answered the young Fronchman, with fervid emphasis. “Yet you love Corinna P Oh, I am sure that you love her!” exclaimed Floribel. ‘“ And you would renounce your love for her? Ob! have you not said that ahe was beautiful——” “ Do not speak to me of another !” interrupted Marcellin. “I am bound body and soul unto you I” The young lady’s beautifully symmetrical form trembled throughout, and a quick flush passed over her countenance, while a flood of joyous light was also poured into ber handsome eyes; so that it seemed as if this were a moment of profound and blissful triumph for her. “And you would wed me P” she said: “ you would conduct me to the altar?” “ Yeo—I will make you my wife,” answered Edger. “Your wife? And yet you know enough of me,” said Floribel, “to be aware that I am not fit to become the wife of an honourable gen- tleman! You could not introduce me into the circles where you move—you would be ashamed of me——” “ With such taloulations as these I have no- thing to do, Floribel,” replied Marcellin. ‘I only think of you as one who saved my life—who bent over me with an unswerving devotion when I lay atretched, weak, feeble, and helpless, upon a sick couch, and when I had no other friend near me but you! I think of you only as one who displayed the most magnanimous generosity towards me, even to the extert of perilling your own life !—suifering persecution and captivity—and when meeting me egain, breathing not a syllable of regret or reproach that youehould have made your own interests iden- tical with those of one who scemed to bring only misfortune upon your head! But, Ab! you weep, Floribel ! Oh, you are weeping!” _ , Tbe tears were indeed trickling down the cheeks of the young lady; but she quickly dasbed them away-—and she ssid, “No, Edgar—no! I cannot Maffer myself any longer to be beguiled by this de- licious dream! Oh, 1 will not hositate to confess that I love you as never before have I loved—and uot Suere was even a time when I used to bend over you and indulge in delightful visions ! But . £, no!” she abruptly exclaimed, “it must not bo! _ N\t for worlds, Edgar, would I suffer your bappi- ues to he shipwrecked on the rock, of my selfish- pess4 did ‘not save your life to render it 4GNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. miserable! Heaven forbid! Ob, you are generous and magnanimous! you are everything great and noble, as I believed you to be! Be happy, there- fore, with your Corinna !—be happy with ber—for she is pure and cbaste, and she is fitted to become the wife of an honourable man! And now not another syllable of remonstrance, Edgar! not a word from your lipa in the hope of diverting me from the decision which I have just given !” “Tt- is you who are noble and magnanimous, Floribel !” exclaimed Marcellin, throwing himself upon his knees at her feet. “ Your decision sball be respected! But permit me asa brother might deal with a aister, to take this hand and press it to my lips in forvid gratitude ! Fioribel, I shall never forget you! Your welfare will be ever doar to me-——and, Oh! suffer me to become the me- dium of communication between yourself and Agnes! Let me beseech yc. te. return to your cousin, who will receive you with open .arms “4 “‘ No—never !” ejaculated Floribel. “ Rise, Ed- gar—-rise!” and she compelled him to quit the kneeling posture which he had assumed at her feet. “Speak to me no more on that subjost !—~ but if you really entertain any regard for my bap- piness and any consideration for my welfare, you will retain the seal of silence upon your lips in respect to me when next you see my cousin Agnes. For you will doubtless return to Kogland soon,— you will be anxious to see your Corinna, and to tell her that the foul murder of her brother is so far avenged that the murderess ceases to exist ! But mention not my name to Agnes, I conjure you! She believes that I am in some strict seclu- sion———that I have become Virtuous again —she is tranquillised ebout her erring cousin! These are the very words which came from your own lips oD an occasion to which I have already more than once referred ;—and, Oh! 1 beseech you, Edgar, destroy not the impression which reste upon the mind of the much-loved Agnes !” “Not for worlds, Floribel !” ejaculated Marcellin. “ But tell me, what are your plans? what courso do you purpose to follow ?” “I know not at present,” she replied; “but to you Tam about to say farewell, We must meet no more ; and I beseech you not to visit me again. May you be happy, Edgar !—this is now the wish that is uppermost in my heart !” Floribel proffered him her hand ; he pressed it to his lips—the tears came into his eyes; but sud- denly that beauteous hand was withdrawn from his own—and Floribel glided away, disappearing by a door leading into an adjacent apartment. A faw minutes afterwards Edgar Marcellin was leaving the hotel in a pensive and even melan- choly mood ; and slowly through the atreets he bent his way back towards the British Embassy, where the grand entertainment was being given. He was mufiled up in a cloak ;—not that he had now any longer the slightest cause for self-concealment or disguise in the city of Florence; but the even- ing was excessively cold. THe had not proceeded very far, when be encountered another person who wae cloaked like himself; but the recognition was immediate and mutual. “ What ! my dear friend,” ejaculated Marceliin, “you have left the festive scene P” “ But it would appear,” answered our hero, with a smile—for Obarles De Vere it was whom the comiciboo G SS C©