Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

he confronted Josephine, saying with all the ab- ‘guptnese of an accusation that was intended to surprise the accused into an admission of the truth, ‘“Unbappy girl! you are in a way to be- come a mother !” Josephine coloured—then sat down upon e sofa —end gased with @ sort of vacancy upon her brother, without uttering a word. “You know that it ie a0,” proceeded Hector : “but after all, your position is not a desperate one. No—there is a hope—nay, more, if the affair be well managed there is a certainty that you may become an honourably wedded woman Yes, and wedded too to the father of the child which you bear in your bosom !” “Ah!” ejaculated Josephine ; and then she in- quired, “ But how did you find out all this ?” “First tell me, Josephine, whether I am right in supposing that in naming Andrew Hailes I mention the individual who is bound to make you an honourable woman ?” “Yes—’tis he!” ejaculated the Hon. Miss Hardress. “ Now I see that you know everything ! But bow P” “Andrew Hailes is here. He arrived at the hotel just now———I have been conversing with him. But answer me one question, Josephine ! In the morning after you passed the night with that young man, you sent a message to Cicely P” “'Yes—a note. It was to assure her that I had chanced to find a respectable lodging, and to beg that she would let my father and mother suppose ‘that I had been staying with her—that I was ill and excited on account of hearing of the duel—and that she had sat up with me all night.’” “True! I know that Cicely gave such an ao- count in order to screen you,” observed Hector. “And you assure me that Cicely remained in ignorance of the real manner in which you passed that night P” ‘ “Most assuredly. Think you that I should have confessed itP No! But tell me,” asked Josephine, quickly, “does. Gigfht:euepect any- thing ?” ‘She suspects that you yi a way to be- come a mother; and now serie she must Be told everything!” “Told everything?” echoed Josephine, almost with a scream of terror. “ What! would you tell her that when your shot failed to level the villain ‘Theodore Clifford, it was my hand which then did the fatal work? Oh! will you tell Cicely this? need it be mentioned toa third person that you gave me a pistol—that I concealed it under my cloak—that I discharged it? Oh, Hailes himself proclaimed at the instant that he fancied he heard the report of a third weapon !” “Hush! for God’s sake hush!” interrupted Hector impatiently: for his sister had pone on with increasing excitement and vehemence as in imagination she contemplated the terrible tragedy in the enactment of which she had borne so large & part. “Ab! I was incautious!” the said, flinging her frightened looks around tho room ; “ for the very walls have ears to drink in tho confession of such a hideous crime as this !” “ Be reasonable, Josephine! be composed! It is not necessary that Cicely should learn the one fact whereunto you have been alluding. It isa AGHES; OR, BRAUTY AND PLEASURE. secret that must subsist entirely between you an moe! Aye, even when you become the wife | young Hailes—a consummation which must t brought about—you will be careful ever to retai the seal of secrecy upon your lips! But what just now meant in respect to Cicely, was that w must entrust her with the secret of all that passe between Hailes and yourself; because it may b possible that her succour may be needed in orde to bring about the match which is now so de sirable. And after all it will not be a bad one & you, Josephine—at least in a pecuniary sense uncle is dead—be bas got eight thousand a year- and though it will be an awkward thing for yo to become a mother six months or so after mai “Ah!” said Josephine, bitterly; “my life ¥, destined to be one of shame, and crime, and ¢: gradation! Think you that on the memoratl, night to which we bave been s0 frequently alludin, —think you that immediately efter that traced) with the spectacle of the murdered man before m mental vision, I was so carried away by wanto: passions that I willingly or readily abandoned my self to the arms of that young man? Noteo! I wa crushed by a complication of circumstances— was thrown into his power—left at his mercy ! implored and ‘entreated that he would be generou and forbearing : he laughed at my prayers—and- and—I dared not resist—the police were abou the premises—there was one who dwelt beneat: the very roof itself—or else who was a visito there—I forget which But I was beset wit! the direst terrore—the gibbet itself seemed to b looming in the distance—I dared not cry out, no draw attention thither a “Enough! enough, Josephine!” interruptec Hector. “Yetone word more! Am I to under stand that Hailes used violence ?” “ “Again I ask,” demanded Josephino, almos indignantly, “if you think that I was so depravac —s0 lost to all sense of decency as to yield ti wanton feelings on such an occasion as that ?” “It is vow, therefore, all the more certain,’ said Hardrees, gloumily, “that Andrew Haile must become your husband! But the busines aball be managed with caution and with policy Cicely and I will cross over to England to-morro morning; and Hailes shall accompany us. You must remain behind: you can follow on the en- suing day, Leave all the rest to me.” A little more conversation took place between the brother and sister; but it is not necessary to place it on record; and the very instant that Hec- tor approached the door in order to issue from that chamber, Cesario, who had been listening the whole time at the keyhole, glided noiselessly away towards the extremity of the passage. - Hector proceeded to rejoin his wife, to whom he communicated the fact that it was as she had suspected with Josephine, and that Hailes was the author of her disgrace. He likewise explained the arrangements he had made,—adding, “I will presently introduce Hailes to you; and of course you will receive him with the utmost politeness, He need not know that my sister is with us: or if he should happen to learn the fact, we can easily inform him that she is confined by indis- position to her chamber. They must not meet until we are in London. For we can do nothing Oo CoMmiclboo S CO