Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 272: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, DRAUTY AND PLEASURR, Gustavus ; / it is your mouth that is polluted with the falee you are uttering !” “Falsehood P” echoed the quadroon, her eyes now flashing forth the fieroest fires. ‘“ You dare tell me that I lie, Gustavus? Was not her dis- honoured condition visible enough P did we not acouse her of it P did she deny it ? waa she not overwhelmed with the charge? and was she sot called Mise Barrington at her lodgings ?” “ Everything is now accounted for!” cried Gus- tavus. “She was wedded to a Dalham—and she dared not tell the seoret! Oh, my God! how wa wronged her! Poor girl, poor girl! what must she have suffered |” The red blood mantled vividly through the transparent duskiness of the quadroon’s counte- mance; and that indignant blush descended on her neck, and even spread over her bosom which was swelling like the billows of a tumultuous sea as she eat op in the souch darting lightning looks upon her husband. “What ! you dare speak of her tendorly in my presence ?” ehe exclaimed : “ you are bold enough thus to outrage and insult m-.2” “It is you who have outraged and jnsued my pure and virtuous cousin!” exclaimed Gustavus fiercely, “On! I care not for you now{ I dofy you! Your lvoke will not kill; and wid those white teoth of yours you dare not bite! I re- peat that I defy you! Lear me, then, speak of Winifred! Yes-— she whom you despised and scorned, ie now @ titled lady—she is a baronet’s wife—and it ia as the honoured and respected— aye, and the beloved Lady Dalham that she must pow be spoken of !”’ “ Beloved P” echoed the quadroon, looking like @ panther that was about to spring forth upon its wey. ee Beloved by all who can appreciate virtue and goodness,” rejuined Gustavus: and then, after a moment's hesitation, he added, “ For any one who loves not Wiuifred must indeed possess a soul strangely warped by envy, jealousy, or other ab- hurrent passions.” “Do you mean this for me, Gustavus P” de- manded the quadroon. “If the cap fits you, wear it,” he replied with an air of ould scorn and defiance. “ But I have other intelligence for you. Your father—as your father you know him to be, since I have told you that he is mure than your uncle—your father, I say, is ill—dying—perhapa dead~and you must hasten to Jamaica !” “ Yes—with you,” interjected Emily. “ With mo?” and Guatavus laughed scornfully. “No, no! I have bad enough of your Jamaica!” “Wretch!” cried the quadroun, hee eyes again ashing fre ; “ is it remurse that renders Jamaica terrible to you P—is it not the scene of the black attempt you made to raurder your own wife? Did you not hurl me from the cliffs? Ah! you thought that you had killed me then! Yes—and your horrible purpose would have been accum- plished, bad not the pr'jecting branches broken my fall, and I fell into shallow water!" “'Tia false that I tried to kill you !” voviferated Gustavus, stamping bis foot violently. “ I pushed you from me because I Joathed yous—you reeled to the edge of the precipice—and as God is my judge, I sprang forward to sav) you! Aud, Ob! 22) if we are to bandy accusations, let me enter upo1 the long catalogue of my charges against you Think of the document you stole and hid, anc which kept my poor grandsire in gaol for month and months when he might have been free. Think of your kidnapping me when 1 slept, and putting me on board a ship and taking me back to Jamaica! Think of the life you have led me for weeks past! It is you that have made ma a drunkard! Ob, you are a terrible woman! Lucifer himself has seamed to look out of your eyes when you have overwhelmed me with threats: but Syrens have given their blandishmenta to your glances, your smiles, and your toyings, whon you have sought tu subdue me into a melting sensuousness |” While Gustavus was thus epeaking, the qua- droon exhibited the most vivient emotions: ber entiro form writhed and oconvulsed as if it were that of a panther experiencing some fierce rage ere springing upon ite prey: her oyes vibrated like sinister stars—and her fingers kept agitating with a nervous movement, the nails each time making deep indentations into the palms of ber hands. All of a sudden—indeed the very mo- ment when Gustavus ceased—she sprang from the couch—nvt heavily, nor jumping down with a furce that shook tho room —but lightly and almost noiselessly as if ber feet were of velvet; and she confronted ber busband. “* Do you mean,” she aeked, “that there ise to bo war between us P—for if so, you will have a terrible enemy to deal with, and the love which hae been so fervid can only turn into an equal extreme of hatred !” She had used the word terrible; and terrible she certainly looked at that mument. Her lerge oyes, dark as jot, seemed to be full of a concen- trated fire; her brilliant teeth beamed betwixt the parted lips: and the bosom waa upheaved with the fierce suspense wherewith she awaited hor husband’s anewer. Kor a moment he trembled. Tatemperance had attenuated his min too much to permit him to recuver ita atrength allin an instant; and the veguely horrible idea struck him, to the offect that this woman alike sv beau- tiful and so terrible, was different from othor women, and far more potent for misohiefs. Tho quadroon observed that quailing on the part of Gustavus; and she experienced a sudden glow of triumph. “You will not have war,” sho cried, “because you dare not have it! You know me two well, Gustavus! If you choose to go to Kngland, | will go with you. If you wish me to go to Jamaica, you shall come with me, These are my resolves. And now, if thero is to be peace, let us embrace |” “ Peace ?” ejaculated Barrington, hia mind sud- denly regaining its strength: “peace?” he re- peated ecornfully. “ What! when you havo just made known your resulves as if you were an empress dictating unto tho veriest of your slaves! No, by heaven! thore shall not be peace between us simply when you chouse tv confmand it! J am your husband—and th:refore youk master!” “My master?” cried the quadruon: and never did a more bitter expressiun of scorn thrill through the tones of a more musical voice. “ My master?” she repeated ; aud ber form wae drawo comichnoo SS CO)