Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 269: what you’re looking at

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318 has svon, this latter attempt failed ; and the perti- nacity witb which Timperley clung to his illegal gains made the blow which thereupon struck bim seer all the more awfully rotributive. | CHAPTER XXXVIL FLORENCE AGAIN. Txz scene of our story. must be arain shifted to the Italian soil ; and it is to Florence that we re- conduct the attention of ovr readers. Upwards of ton days had elapsed since the me- morable incidente which led to the death of Lu- cresia di Mirano and to the arrest of her unprinci- pled paramour the Count di Ramorino : Charles De Vore was still waiting in Florence to sco whethor the beautiful quadroon would keop her promise and bring her husband to that city: but still they came not. Day after day did ho expect them; and he said to himself, * After the immense ser- vice which Mrs, Barrington rendered me, by en- AGNES; OR, BRAUTY AND PLBASUER. —- $$ “ No, signora,” was the response. “Signor De Vere dines at the British Eumbassy. But in ro- spect to apartments, signora, if you will permit me to recommend you to the hotel farther down the street, you will be excellently accommodated.” Emily accepted the arrangement: and she eaid, “Be av kind as to tell Signor De Vere that Mr. aod Mrs. Barrington have arrived, and that we hope to see him to-morrow morning.” “T will not fail, signora,” rejoined the landlord, “TI know that Signor De Vere has been expecting you for the last ten days or more; for he has been ponstantly asking if a gentleman and lady by the name of Barrington have arrived. I believe that he himself intended to leavo Florence for Naples to-morrow or next day; but I hope your arrival will induce him to stay a little longer.” ( The equipage now continued its way along the street; and it turned into the court-yard of tho hotel to which the recommendation had just been given. Gustavus now woke up: he had slept some hours—he was completely sober ; and Emily hastily whispered to hjr4 “ You are in Florence,‘ dear Gus!” of Hg smoothed“tiown his hair; and without an- abling mo to perform in safety the journey from | swefing tie observation just made by his beauti- her Apennine dwelling inte Florenco, I am bound ' ful quedroon wife, he descended from the chaise, to remain hero us long as possible to see if I can be the faithful Jobn having wlready opened tho door, of any service to her.” | and the waiters coming forth from the establish- Although his leave of absence from Naples had | ment to receive the new arrivals. Gustavus did extended to but a fortnight, and this period had not tarry to offer hie arm to assist Emily to alight : expired, yet the British Ambassador in Florence but he at once followed a waiter into an apartment promised to hold him harmless if he exceeded that | to which he led the way. furlough by a few days. Thus Charles was still! “ The best supper you can put upon the table,” tarrying in the Tuscan capital in the hope of be- | said Gustavus, “and plenty of your choicest wine! holding the arrival of the quadroon and her hus-. Bring mea bottle of champagne at once. I am band : but he was now getting wearied of waiting | any longer, and he thought that there was no ne- ceasity for him to do so. Ifector Hardress, with his wife and sister, etill continued at the hotel in Florence. It was not the same where Charles had taken up his own quarters ¢ neither did he seo much of the Hard- yas family ; for be it remembered that he had fought a duel with Hector on account of the latter having insulted Agnes—-and though they had shaken hands and had subsequently met on friendly terms, yet our hero could not maintain a real intimacy with ono whose character he did, not respect, 1t was a lato hour in the evening when a post. chaiso drove up to the gate of the hotel at which Charles De Vere was staying. The ocvupante of the vehicle were the quadrvon and her husband. The latter was lying back fast asleep: the former asked from the window whether an English gcutleman of the name of Do Vere had apartments in that bostelry P The reply wasgin the affirma- tive, “Then,” said Emily, “ wo will stay here also, Have you suitable lodgings P” The landlord was extremely sorry, but the hotel was quite full: fhero had boen an unusual influx of gueste that day—or elae nothing would afford him greater pleasure than to accommodate any friend of Mr. De Vore, who was a most worthy and exeellent English gottleman. Such was the sense in which the landlord spoke. “Phen what is to be done P”’ asked Emily. “Ia Mr. De Vere in the hotel at this moment P” dying with thirst.” The quadroon now entered the apartment ; and when the waiter withdrew, she accosted hor hus- band, saying in a low tremulous voice, “ Was it kind, Gustavus, to leave me to descend alone from the chaise P was it handsome to put such an indig- nity upon your own wife in the presence of the assembled servitors of the hotel P was it even act- ing the part of a gentleman towards a lady ?” “My God, Emily !” ejaculated the young man, stamping his foot with sudden rage ; “ why do you begin to sermonise me the very moment that I set foot within the walls of this hotel ?” “ Norgive me, dear Gustavus,” said the qua- droop, now adopting the most cejoling and coaxing manner; “forgive me, dear Gus! I will not thus vex you again. But, Ob! you know how I love you, and that therefore I am so jealous of tho little attentions which a busband ought to show towards a wife !” “ Pray don’t tease mo, Emily,” said the young man, “with another long story about 1nVOeq I am sick of it! Come, come~-#é will not querre! !"” he ejaculated, e- ‘u«“pérceived that the quedroop’s luminous vic eyes flashed sudden fires: “you know how hate a scene! Kies me.” In a moment tre ¢ilendid dusky-complexioned countenance became Animated with joy, and the quadroon literally ¢.ued her lips to those of her husband. He sy fered the embrace rather than returned it; ag?’ as Emily’s arms were urwound from about ‘ neck, he threw himaelf languidly on the aofa. ‘khe waiter now entered with a bottle nt_shamnann and Qiuetoaena Avank «aff tan op Comiclooo S CO