Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 279: what you’re looking at

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

238 But I cavnot possibly givo it to you--I Lave been go ill—so desponding, and so wretched———”’ - Charles flung a singularly piercing glance upon her for a moment: and then he said, “ But surely, Mrs. Barrington, you must feel that for many reasons this is a matter which cannot possibly ad. mit of delay. Jor both your sakes—for your own and for your husband’s 7 “I know how important it is,” interjected the quadroon; “ but you really must have patience with me, Mr, De Vere: for my mind has been so perplexed and unsettled—my thoughts have been so distracted—that I could not fix them upon any. thing.” “What, thon, would you wish to be done ?”’ in- quired our hero. “Do you seek for a further delay. Ifo, I beseech you to let it be a very short one, because it really is necessary that your husband should proceed to England-——” “Ob, Mr. Do Vere !” exclaimed Emily, “ I bo- seech you to procure me another twenty-four hours to reflect upon this most momentous sub- ject! Oh, do, Mr. Do Vere! I beseech and im- plore you !” As Charles appeared to hesitate what answer he should give, tho quadroon seized him by tho hand, and locked up entreatingly into his face, thus artfully endeavouring to envelope him with all the spell-like power of her eyes. At that very instant tho door opened, and Petroro’s niece ap- poared upon the throshold. Charles De Vere started back from tho quadroon: indeed he was in the very act of thus retreating from her at tho -inetant ; and it was therefore with a certain do- gree of abruptness he tore his band away from her. She hersolf was covered with confusion ; because she bad really intended no improper over~ turo towards him : all her thoughts were too com- pletely centred in (rustavus to permit her to enter- tain any illicit inclination towards another. It was an artful cajolery which she had at the instant attempted to practise—and nothing more. Petroro’s niece secmed to feel that she was an intruder ; and she stood hesitating upon the thresh- old. Charles, at once recovering his eelf-posses-~ sion, exclaimed, ‘“ Como in, signoretta. What message or business Lave you P” “ Merely to present this little bouquet which my father has sent up to place on the signora’s table.” “Thank your father on my behalf,” said the quadroon: and the girl, having acquitted herself of her errand, beat a rapid retreat. “Mrs, Barrington,” said Charles, in a some- what severe tone, “you suffer your feelings to hurry you away in a manner which might seriously compromise you ” “Mr, De Vere,” she answered, with the crim gon mantling richly through the duskiness of he | complexion, “I know that I merit this reproach | Pardon me, sir — and forget what happened! Looking upon you as a friend, I assuredly dis- played too much feeling when entreating that there may be a delay of twenty-four hours ere [ decide upon my husband’s propositions,” “There shal rejoined Charles. “I take it upon myself to enter into the arrangement with you. To-morrow, at the same hour, I will call again—unless indeed it be necessary for any reason that I slould see you in the interval.” be this delay, Mre. Barrington,” ' - beautiful female hand, but totally unknown to De AGNES; OB, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. Having thus spoken, Charles took his leave of the quadroon, and at once issued from the house, Scarcely had the door of the apartment closed be- hind him—and even while his feet wero yet do- scending the staircase—LIimily sprang up from the sofa and rushed into #ho bed-chamber. Hvr long raven tresses were gathered up in a moment—the deshabillée was cast offand the dress, which her maid held in readiness, was at once put on. Then the thick black veil was folded closely over Emily's countenance; and she glided down the staircase so that she issued forth from the houso within two minutes after the front door had closed be- hind our hero. But matters will appear to the reader as if they were becoming more and more complicated; for no sooner had the quadroon thus rushed forth, vhen Catrina Petroro, quickly mufiling herself in her cloak, was upon her track. Emily soon caught sight of Charles as he was proceeding along the street: but she kept at such a distance as to avoid the chance of being noticed. Every now and then she saw dur hero look cau- tiously zound; and at those instants she was careful to keep behind the passengers in the street, or else to step under a gateway: but shoe, on her own part, little suspected that whilo she was thus skilfully eadeqvouring to evade the notice of De Vere, ali her own movements were being watched by Catrina Potroro! Some minutes had elapsed while this double geamo of tracking and watching was in progress, when Catrina hastily darted down a4 by-street; and by speeding along several narrow windings, sho presently gained the extremity of the thorough. “are which Charles was still pursuing; for the cir- cuitous route taken by Catrina brought her to ‘hat point. Thus at the very moment when Sharles emerged from that thoroughfare into tho iquare to which it led, a voice whispered rapidly in his ear, “Beware: She is following you !” Then the cloaked female who had given this warning, and whom Charles knew to be Catrina Petroro, darted away in another dircotion. Our hero—who was really on his way to meet (tus- avus Barrington at a place in the immediate noighbourheod—now altered his plan of proceed- ings; and leisurely crossing the square, he entered a news-room. ‘There he whiled away a couple of hours; and thence he repaired to the British “i mbassy, to pay his respects to the Ambassador. Irom the Embassy he went to his hotel; and ‘here he found a note waiting for bim which had ust been delivored by Catrina Petroro, to the ffect that the quadroon was still watching and ollowing him. “She is indefatigable!” thought Charles to imself: * yes—as persevering as she is cunning and artful! But she must be baffled! At all iwents her husband will not fail to conjecture the ‘eason why I do not keep my appointment with \im.” Our hero’s musings were interrupted by the mtrance of a waiter, who handed him a note which had just arrived. The address was in a Vere. On opening it, he found it came from the Hon. Mrs. Hardress,—who, presenting her com- pliments in the due form of courtesy, requested that Mr. De Vere would favour her with a oall at oO MIKO CO S C©