Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 282: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. “‘Doubtless,” interjected Mrs. Hardreas, “ jea- lousy is at the bottom of it?” “Yes—to a very gfeat extent,” rejoined Charles ; and then, as he mused over the complica- tions which had arisen, he said in a kind of ab- stracted manner, “ And to think that I should have got myself involved in this way !” Cicely gave a slight start, as she mentally eja- culated, “ Oh! ho! I have discovered the entire truth now! Jealousy indecd! And of whom should Mr. Barrington have been jealous but of Charles De Vere P Ah, Charles is no saint after all! But he is handsome enough for me to win as a lovor for the moment, although he may possibly prefer his dusky-complexioned mistress the qua- droon! (ood heavens; what a world itis! While poor Agnes flatters herself that ber lover is the *very paragon of fidelity and rectitude and virtue, he is in reality just as bad as other men !” All theso thoughts flitted through Cicely’s brain far more rapidly than we could possibly place them on record; and then turning towards Charles, she said, with a smile that revealed her brilliant teeth, “I think, Mr. De Vere, that the blame of all frailties and peccadilloas in the world ought not to bo thrown upon us poor women ; but that you men ought to take your fair share.” , ', Charles naturally thought that Mrs, Iardress meant to express a bolief that Gustavus Barring- ton had given his wife cause fur jealousy ; and so he simply said, with a laugh, “ T'he ladies of course cannot think that they are wholly and solely in the wrong.” “ No-not when men are handsome, and fasci- nating, and endowed with every quality to win poor women’s hearts!’’—and here Ciccly bent so peculiar a look upon Charles that a suspicion for an instant flashed to his brain. “This affair of the Barringtons is indeod a most unpleasant one,” he said, immediately banishing that suspicion. “I wish that I bad never any- thing to do with if, and that I was fairly out of it |” “Ah!” said Cicoly, who thought that this was intended asa compliment to herseli, and that it was as rauch as to imply how far happier Charles would feel if engaged in an affair of gallantry with her rather than with tho quudroon : “ wo poor women cannot alwaya tell when you gentlomon are sincere. 1 often think that the younger you are, the more artful you are likely to be. Desides, talk of the inconstancy of our sex !-~what is it in comparison with that of your's? Nevertheless, my dear Mr. De Vere,” continued Cicely, bending upon bun another long lingering look of sensuousness, and suffering a portion of her muslin wrapper to be disordered at ber bosom, so that her eyes were full of encouragement aud overture while her appear- ABCo was most voluptuously provocativo—“ uever- theless, my dear Mr. Do Vere, I am fully disposed to believe you ; aud if you tell me tho tele which | I know those lips are as ready to breathe as my | ears are to drink it in——” | “ Mre. Hardress!" ejaculated our hero, bewil- dered almost to stupefaction, * Ol!” she continued, “ you are surprised that the impression shuuld be mutual, aud tat it should be fyr me to give you all this encouragement. But Ob, Charies! from the very moment I first saw you in Hngland I feit that 1 liked you !— | ment. 23l merriage with another has not offaced the impres- sion—and now that we meet again in a foreign country ——~”’ “Good heavens, Mrs. Hardress!” criod our hero ; “such language as this “Oh, do not think mo too bold!’ interrupted Cicely: and snatching our hero’s hand in both her own, she pressed it to her lips‘and to her bosom before he could possibly snatch it away. “ Mrs. Hardress,” bo suid, her conduct now ut- terly unmiatakablo, “ia it possible that by any look, word, or deed on my part you could possibly have so completely misunderstood me P” What !” she cried, hor countenance suddenly becoming crimson : “ misunderstood you ?” “ Yes, madam,” rephed our hero coldly and sternly ; “completely misunderstood me.” “Ah !”--and thoso eycs which were usually so soft in their exprossion, suddenly flashed forth sinister fires — her countonauco became ghastly with rage—tho rich hue fled from tho full pouting lips, leaving thom livid white—and at that mo- ment she looked just as sho appearod when wea described her to the rcader on tho occasion when she stood beforo Mra. Chicklade in tho Jano, with the darkest thoughts passing in hor onind. But all in an instant the colour rushed again to her cheeks—they became crimson—the scarlet f:u0 spread over her neck and her bosom—sana her white teeth gloamed betwixt tho rich carnation of her lips, as she experienced all tho utter:nvat shamo and humiliation following as a natural ro- vulsion from tho phase of rage and fury. “ Mrs, Hardress,” said Charles, in @ cal. sorero tone, “deeply, decply should I bo afllicted if I thought that through any levity on my part you had been led into this fatal crror. But J can place my hand on my heart, and with a clear con- science rejoice in my own self-acquittal. I tako my leave of you, madam, sorrowful that ono whom I always hitherto respected ” “Oh, hypocrite! vile hypocrite!” ejaculated Cicely; “how dare you address me ia terms suthh as these? Say that you cannot love me—say that you cannot even lhke me—say® that your fancy leads you not in this direction !—yee, insult my vanity if you will—insult my pride !—but im- sult vot my understanding |” “Yon are evidently labouring under scmea strange wistake, madam, with regard ¢o me,” re= plied Charles; “but 1 shail nut condeseand to vindicate myself any further.” With these words he bowed with a cold haughty dignity; and he wasabeut to leave the room when Cicely sprang forward, and estching him by the wrist, said in a low hoarse wove, “At all events, Mr. De Vere, you will not expose mo—you will not render mo the subject of ridicule ?—you wiil not let mo bv pointed at by your friends and ac- guaintancos ?” . * Madam,” answered our hero, “ the humilistion which you now expericaco is a sufficient puni-h- In reference to this semne the seal of silence shal rest upon my lips. But there is one thing that I stipulate; and this iy that yeu neither associate nor correspond with Agnes Livolsn henceforth.” , Ciwely turned away from’ him withous givtag any reply; and when the door civsed belund hin, ahe threw herself upon the sofa aad buvied her face COMmicboe® SS