Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 270: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLHASUERS, threo glass in quick succession, end with all the avidity of one in whom a love of liquor had become an irresistible passion. Supper was soon served up; and it consisted of all those delicacies and luxuries which are to be found at 8 first-rate Italian hotel. Emily exerted all her powers to converse in a lively anc amusing strain; and she flattered herself that there was a more healthful gaiety about Gustavus than for some time past she had seen. “ By the bye,” she presently said, “I forgot to tell you that Mr. De Vere is in Florence, and we shall doubtless see him to-morrow. But this is not the hotel at which he is staying.” “If your Mr. De Vere,” replied Gustavus, “is a good fellow, and will bear me company over a bottle of wine, I shall be glad to see him: but if nut, he will do well to keep away. He must think ma a pretty fellow to have played such pranks the ‘night he was at our house in the Apennines!” “Do not feel any sonstraint on that head, my dear Gustavus,” rejoin.d Emily; “for I made a thousand excuses on your bealf. Besides, he is a most generous-hearted young man——= 2. “Oh, well, I shall know him better when I seo him,” interrupted Gustavus, who now ‘began to exhibit that petulance and ill-humour which in- variably constituted the next phase after the hilariousness produced by wine. “I wonder how my poor old grandfather gete on now P” Emily gave a sudden start; for this was one of the disagreeable topics on which she alike hated and dreaded that ber husband should enter; and she exclaimed, “ Why speak of him, dear Gus- tavueP It only fills your mind with sorrowful thoughts!” “Why speak of him?” ejaculated the young man: “why in the name of heaven should I not ? is not thie the middlo of November? Tell me what is the day of the month——”’ “It is the 16th,” answered the quadroon: and then suddenly comprehending what was floating in her busband’s mind, she hastened to add, “ Ob! no doubt your grandfather is happy now. I dare- say the Chancery Suit is finished—and of course judgment must have been given in his favour. We knew that he was out of prison—Mr, Millard wrote and told us that much-——~” “But poor Winifred! what can have become of Winifred ?” exclaimed Gustavus. “ Who could have been her seducer P” “Trouble not yourself about your worthless cousin,” interrupted the quadroon fiercely; and her black eyes flashed fire, und her brilliant teoth gleamed betwixt her rich red lips. “I bave told you, Gustavus, that I will not have this name fhentieed in my hearing. It is an ineult to me! If you value .my love—that love,which has made mo sacrifice 80 much for you—you will henceforth abstain from any allus.on to one who set horself up as my rival. For by heaven, Gustavus !”— and the quadroon caugt, up a sharp pointed knife feom the supper-table; “if I thought that there was the slightest lingerivg impression of Wini- fred’s image an your hear: I would unhesitast ingly and remorsclessly draw that heart’s life bioud {” Gustavus shrank aghast frogn the words and louks of his wife; and be murdoured. “1x" not be Zia afraid, Emily. I will not allude to Winifred any more !” “Ab, then, you aro my own dear Guatavus once again!” cried the quadroon: and flinging down the knife, sho sprang towards her busbaud. She wound her splendidly modelled arms about bis neck—sho pressed his head to ber swelling bosom—she covered bis cheeks and his lips with kissee—she lavished upon him all the tendosest caresses and most fervid endearments. The young map, already half intoxicated with wine, was nuw completely incbriated by the blandishments of tiat voluptuous creature; and not meroly tolorating her caresses, but now returning thom with a kindred ardour, he murmured, “ Yes, I love you, Emily! I love you very much!” It was thug that at one moment by the most terrible threats, and at another by sensuous cajoleries—by menaces at one time, and by caresses at another—by pouring upon him all the fury of her rage, or by enveloping bim in tha halo of her wantonness,—it was by such strongly contrasting and alternating means as these that Ewily re- tained her empire over Gustavus. Presently the quadrvon rose from the table, and again circling her husband’s neck with her gluw- ing arms, and looking upon him with eyes brim- full of desire, she said, “ You have now partaken of enough wine, and you stand in need of reat. I am about to withdraw ——” “T will follow you in a few minutes,” replied Gustavus, as he glanced towards a bottle which yet remained half filled. She imprinted a long, burning, devouring kise upon his lips—flung another deep, impassioned, melting look upon him—and then quitted the apartment. As in all Continental hotels, a suite of rooms communicating one with another had been assigned for the accommodation of Gustavus and his wife; and thus on leaving the sitting- apartment, she had merely to traverse a littio ante-room in order to reach the bed-cbamber. When Gustavus was alone, he refilled his glass ; and he was about to raise it to his lips, when the landlord entered, and said, “I believe, signor, that your name is Gustavus Barrington ?” “Tt is so,” answered the young map, thinking that the quostion simply involved somo formality in reference to his passport, “And you have rccontly como from the village of ——- in the Apennines?” continued the land~ lord. “Yes: I left it about ten days ago,” rejoined Gustavus; “and then, as I was taken ill, I stopped at another littlo villago—I furgot what the deuce was the name of it—but no mattor! It is men- tioned on the back of the passport, which I suppose my servant gave you——” “It is not for this, signor, that I have intruded upon you,” interrupted the landlord: “but a courier who has travelled frum Haglund in search of you, has just arrived at this hotel, and has brought important letters.” “Where are they?” anxiously demanded Gus- tavus, who was partly subered by tho incidvnt. “They are hero, gynor,” said tho Ianulords “but I thought it “my duty to assuro myself in the first instance that you aro the nght gootleman —and also to prepare you tu reevive the tidings of \death= > Conn book CO