Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 277: what you’re looking at

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

Bag will cling to him—I will hang to his coat-tails— I will never separate from bim—but he shall go to Jamaica with me !”’ Such was the plan which the quadroon had settled in her mind; and the better to carry it gut she had resolved to leave the hotel and go ipge 4 private lodging, where she would be morg the mistress of her actions. It was likewise tha¢ she should be less constrained that she had desired Jubn to be sent to his master, for fear lest the domestic should act as a spy upon her. De Vere had assented to all these arrangements; and thus everything seomed to be progressing according to the quadroon’s wishes. In an hour Charlies roturned to her at the hotel. “TI have engaged suitable apartmonts for your accommodation,” he said; @ but I thought it would seem discourteous and neglectful if I simply sent you the address and suffered you to proceed thither alone. I have therefore come to be your cscort, if you will permit me.” ‘I presume that you have seen my busband,” said Emily: “and that ho has requested you to show this attention towards me?” “You,” answered Charles frankly: “I have soon Mr. Barrington since I parted from you. He implores that you will listen to $he dictates of your reason apd your own good seped, and that if you sincerely love him you will goneider what is now bost for the re-establishment of your mutual happiness,” “And you aro atill ignorant cf his place of abode # asked the quadrocn. “On my honour g9 6 gentioman I am ignorant of it!” rejoined our hero. “I said to him, ‘Do not tell me, Mr. Harrington; because if your wife were to ask mo, { shoyld not like to reply in a cold discsourteous negative to the question. I would much suvoner be placed in @ position of utter inability to answer it.—It was ¢hus that I spoke.” “ But you have arranged whero to mee$ him?” said the quadroon inquiringly, “ No such arrangement is as yet made,” replied Charles: “but to-morrow I shall reccive a note telling me where I muy find him at a particular hour. I havo now dealt frankly with you, Mrs. Barrington.” You have,” she responded; “and I have no more questions to ask.” A. hackney vehicle being obtained, Charles gavo his hand to the quadroon to assist her to take her scat in it: ha placed himself by her side, and sho instructed the driver whither he was to proceed. “And what about John?” inquired Emily, os the equipage was rolling away frum the hotel and she suddenly remembered that she had seen nothing of him at the mumont of taking her de- parture. “I had already given him instructions according to your wishes,” replied Charles: “he is now en- gaged in packing up his master’s effects, and will wait for whatever ordors may be presontly trans- mitted to him.” In a few minutes the hackney-coach stopped in front of a neat respectable-luoking little house, situated in a strect which if not in tho most fashiunable quarter, was at all events in o very decent neighbourhoud; and De Vore said, “It is AGHES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLRASURE, ‘in this habitation, Mrs. Barrington, that I have procured you snartments,” . There was no carriage-gateway to the house; and the front door now opening, a short, middle- aged man, wearing gpectacles, made his uppear- ance. Our yeuderg have doubtless already con- jectured that this was Signor Petroro: he was gecompanied by bis sister, a respectable-looking woman of about thirty years of age, and followed by his daughter, whom we previously noticed as a neatly-dressed girl of fifteen or sixteen. The quadroon liked the appearence of these people; aod when she was ushered up into the apartments that had been engaged for her, sho at once ex- pressed her satisfaction at their comfortable and cleanly aspect. “Ig there anything more that I can do for you at pregent P” inquired our hero, whose demeanour ws most kind, most courteous, and most friendly fowerds the quadrvon, “Nothing,” sho responded. you again, Mr. De Vere ?” “You required four-and-twenty haurs to reflect upom your lusband’s propositions,” he replied ; “ When shall I seo “and therefore I shall do myself the pleasure of - calling to-morrow morning at about this time to recoivg 4 ourdecision.” * Be it ao, Mr, De Vare,” rejoined Emily. “I shall expect you.” Charlee then took his leave of the quadroon ; and as he deacended the stairs he met Petroro’s sistay,—to whom ho aaid in a low whisper, and with m signifivant look, “Itemember the instruc- tions I have given you!’ * She returned that meaning glance, and con- tinued ber way to the apartments on the first fluor, to ascertain from Emily’s maid whothor the young lady found everything according to her wishes, ‘ligurs passed—the evening came—and as the dusk began to close in, tho quadroon put on a bonnet with a thick veil: sho muflled horself up in furs and shawls, for the ‘weather was exccasively cold—-and moreovor it was her object to disguise herself. Telling ber maid that she should not be long absent, she descended the stairs and wis about to open the front door, when she beheld Signora Petroro, her landlord’s sister, sitting in a pensive manner at a table in a little parlour tho door of which stood open. On perceiving the new lodger, Signora Petroru rose from her chair, saluted her respectfully, and hastened forward to open the street door. “You do not seem well, my good woman ?” said the quadroon, in a compassionating tone. “| have a very bad headache,” replied Catrina ; for such was her Christian name. “Then I should advise you to retire to rest,” said Emily. “I shall follow your advice, Signora,” rejoined the woman. She then opened the front door for the quadroon to pass out: but scarcely had the latter’s feet crossed tho threshold, when the Signora Petroro caught up a capacious cloak, in which she wuffled herself; and issuing from the house, she was quickly upon the track of her new lodger. Aithough the dusk was closing in and a mist was rapidly filling the streets of Florence, yet Signora Petruro continued to keep the quadroon in view, and sho presently beheld her enter a gun. CONMIG IN@alK