Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 286: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OB, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. at which one he was stopping, or whether indeed he was still tarrying in Florence at all;—and tho landlord answered me that the last time ho lad seen Mr. Do Vere was when the Barringtons were at the establishment; and then, on a second thought, he said that Mr. De Vere had subse. quently called upon you.” “Yes—I think he did—most likely he did,” said Cicely: and she looked slightly confused, I believe, Mre. Hardress,” continuod Lord Ormsby, “that Charles Do Vero is an admirable young man—well-principled —right-minded—and high-epitited ? You are aware that ho is engaged to our mutual friend Agnes ?” “The young lady in whom you are so deeply interested,” said Cicely, in a musing tone; for she wae revolving in her mind an idea which bad just struck her. “Ob, yes!” exolaimed Ormsby; “I am indeed interested in Agnes Evelyn !—so deeply interostad that notwithstanding all the good accounts I have heard of young De Vere, I could not think of sanctioning bis suit in respect to Agnes——~I mean I could not as Miss Evelyn's friend cognte- nance it, unless by personal inquiries and re- searches I should have obtaincd the complotest sorroboration of all the eulogies which have thus rcached my ears.” . “ Does Da Vere know you 2” aaked Cfcely. ® “ Ho has never seen me,” replied Lord Ormsby. * Ho has heard of me, just in the samo way as you have done, through tho medium of Agnes. But he is not aware that I am af all interested in Agnes: he is even ignorant that I am acquainted 236 “Impossible, Mrs. Hardress !” ejaculated Ormsby. “No one could conceive such an ab- surdity. I beseech you to be candid with me!” “Tf the communication be considered confiden- | tial,” resumed Cicoly, “I can have no objection —— indeed, ae you have said, for the sake of my dear friend it becomes a veritable duty; and therefore, Mr. Hargrave, relying upon your hopour as a gentleman not to compromise me in any way, I will tell you what I know. It is all vonnected with thoae Barrringtons——” “Ab!” ejaculated Ormsby: “to tell you tho truth I did not like the agpect of the affair when I heard ore now from the landlord’ of this hotel that Gustayus Barrington left his wife in the night-time, and that the very next morning Charles De Vere came end took her away. Was this really so?” “It waa actually ao,” responded Mrs. Hardress. “There was a terrible scano betwixt Gustavus Barrington and his quadroon wife; and if it had not been for my timely intervention, murder would have been committed. The young man left his wife at once, and at an early hour in the morning Mrs, Barrington entreated me to send and fetch Mr. De Vere. I did so,—thinking that it was to a friend that the quadroon was about to appeal, and little dreaming that it was a paramour whom in her desperation she was invoking !” “ Good heavons! poor Agnes!” murmured Lord Ormsby. “ And De Vere came at once ?” “‘ He lost not a moment,” pursued Cicely : “he was here instantancously; and I regret to add, Mr. Hargrave, that it was in the most shameless with her: for to tell you the truth, Mre. Hardressp| manner he took the quadroon away with him. L bade Agnes abstain from mentioning the sub- aot in the laat letter which she wrote to Charlies : eonuse ” “T understand you, Mr. Hargrave !” exclaimed Cicely : “it was because you intended to prosecute your inquiries into Charles Te Vere’s character secretly and privately, before you should suifer iim to learn that you werg at all intereated in tho natter,”’ “ Precisely so,” answered Ormaby. “Therofore rou will oblige me by’ nut mentioning to Mr. De Vere, if he should again call upon you——” “ He will not again call upon me, Mr. Har- rave, said Cicely, with a tone and luok which howed that there was a deep meaning in her words ; for her mind was now fully made yp how jhe should act in respect to the idea which had ere now atruck her. “He will not call here again?” said Lord Irmsby, catching at the lady’s words. “No, sir. I should think not~—and I should 1ope not,” she replied, with a significant om- rhasis. “‘Mrs. Hardrese,” said Lord Ormaby, “ if you rnow anything in refereuco to Charics De Vere, I beech that you will not concesul it from me! By your friendship for Agnes I adjure you to be sandid and explicit |” “One word, Mr. Hargrave |” said Cicely. “ Some ime ago my husband fought a duel with Charles De Vere——-it was however befyre ho was my yusband still if I said anything against Mr. De Vere, it might possibly be thought that it was 1 species of vengeance I was wreaking on Hector’s sehsf——” : Yes-leaving the man-servant behind to pack up his maater’s effects ‘Good God!” ejaculated Ormsby, deeply affected, “that a young man of whom I was in- clined to think so highly, should prove so profli- gate and unprincipled !~Ahb,” he mentally added, “it is sufficient to plunge me back again into that cynicism which mado me mistrust all human nature !’ “Aad then, would you beliove it, Mr. Har- grave P” continued Cicely, inwardly yejoicing at the signal revonge sho was thus wreaking upon De Vere— would you believe it? the depraved young man dared to call upon me tho very day after he had taken another's wife under his protection ! And it was not until then that I became fully aware of his great iniquity: but when the dis. course naturally turned upon the affair of the Bar- ringtone, he gave vent to oxpressions which smote me with the conviction that he was the author of the entire mischief.” “ There is consequently no possibility of error or misconception ?”’ said Ormsby in a sorrowful tone. “ ‘Alas, no, Mr THargravo!” replied Cicely: “ the case is only too transparent. Indeed, Charles De Vere—while admitting the other day in my pragence that jealousy on the part of Gustavus was the origin of the quarrel —exprossed his own bitter regret that he bimeelf had got involved in such ea dilemma,” “A dilomma indeed!” ejaculated Ormsby. ‘Oh! this isa sad tale for me tv bear to Agnes Evelyn! Du you know whether Gustavus Bar- rington has gone to Hoagland?” Comiclboolk