Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, GHAUTY AND PLHABUER. adjoiniiy room; and then I confess I trembled lor am through fear that Carlotta might betray scoffthiny in the surprise of a sudden recog- nition.” “Ab! you knew full well,” exclaimed Floribel, with an arch look, “that though your disguise of false beard, whiskers, and moustache might de- ceive the eyes of the parents, yet the truth would be quickly penetrated by the loving regards of the daughter !” “You may conceive, my dear Madame Lovel,” eaid Carlotta, “ how great was my astonishment when at the first glance which I threw upon the guest whom my father was introducing, it struck me that the features were those which were weil impressed upon my mind. A second glance, and there was no longer a doubt! How it was that I did not give vent to an qaculation io the wild- ness of my surprige, I can now scarcely tell. But you may be sure that my heart beat with the moet violent palpitations.” “I need not dwell at very great length upon the rest of the narrative,” resumed Sir Alexander Holcroft. “In my capacity of Inspecting Oom- missioner on behalf of his Excellency the new Minister of Police, it was casy for me to create so much bustle, activity, and even confusion, that while Captain Belluno was hastening in one direc- tion and his wife was speeding in another, my faithful and cunning valet found an opportunity to furnish Carlotta with the articles which we had brought for her own special use. Then, in order to prepare the way for the final carrying-out of | my project, I desired that all the soldiers of the | garrison should be marshalled before me in the. court-yard,—well knowing that when the inspec- tion was over, the sentinels who had previously been stationed at the gates would not be sent back to mount guard, but would be succeeded by others. In a little while I received from my valet a hint that everything was all right in respect t6 the Signora Carlotta. The moment for striking the fraud blow was therofore approaching. 1 sought Captain Belluno; and I said to him, ‘ As it is my purpose to remain here for the present, I will thunk you to write me a pass to enable my two dependants to go in and out of the fortress at their discretion.’—-The Captain had only seen me with one attendant ; be did not however know but that I might have been followed by a couple—and he was too cringingly polite to ask any questions. So the pases was quickly made out, and in a very few minutes it was in the hands of my valet. Then I got the Captain away toa distant compartment of the fortrese—while hia wife, the Signora Bel- luno, was busying herself in the store-roums, col- lecting certain atatistical details for which 1 bad specially inquired. In the meauwhile Carlotta bad put on the disguise furnished for her uso—that elegant little suit of male raiment to which 1 have alluded: her cheeke were embellished with a sweet pair of auburn whiskera—and her upper lip was graced with a moustache about a shade darker. Thus prepared for the venture, she joined my valet, who was anxiously awaiting her on the landing just outside the Governor's suite of apartments. Th@y descended the staircase ; but as they entered the vestibule, they found themselves fave to fave with the female turnkey, Gudulla.” “T might have been stricken down with a 263 straw,” interjected Carlotta; “for I knew that the woman possessed the eyes of a lynx, and that ever since the mysterious escape of yourself, dear madame, the facultiou of all ber senses had béet more keen than ever. Sir Alexander's valet at once displayed the written order to the nearest sentinel; and by this presence of mind on his part, he diverted Gudulla’s attention from me, I passed on: Gudulle was evidently satisfiod—and the next instant the valet was again by my aide. Without any farther cause of alarm we passed out of the fortress; for the sentinels who were then at the gates did not know that tho pretended Inspector bad only arrived with ono valot.” ““{ was not long in joining them,” added Sir Alexander Holeroft: “ the postchaise was waiting in the very same spot where it recently served your purpose, Mrs. Lovel—and we were soun across the frontier into the Roman territory. And now you have learnt the entire history of that series of adventures which I just now represented as @ worthy sequence to the romantic circum- stances of your own escape,” ‘You certainly deserve immense credit,” re- joined Floribel, “for the ingenuity of the scheme, as well as for the boldness with whioh it was executed.” She then took leave of Sir Alexander Hulcroft and Carlotta, and retired to her own chamber, where the faithful Antonia was waiting to assist in the night-toilet of ber mistrees. CIIAPTER XLIII. PLOBIBBL AND DER VISITORS. FLORIBEL slept till a late hour in the morning, for it waa past two o’clock when ashe bad retired to rest. When she awoke, she reviewed all the incidents of the preceding evening,——the immense sensation her presence had created at the theatre being the principal subject on which her thoughts dwelt. She had not fuiled to notice how one of the royal aides-de-camps had beon particularly smitten by her beauty; and as he was ap ex- ceedingly handsome young man, with an appear- ance at once distinguished and olegant, she fult that she should bo by no means displeased to re- ceive some overture from that quarter. She was reclining in her couch, abandoning her- self to these reflections,-the expression of her features catching a tinge of vuluptuousness from the nature of the reflections themselves, and her snowy busom softly palpitating,—whben the door gently opened She thought that it wae Antonia who was entering the chamber; and she did not even turn her eyes in that direction. But at the expiration of nearly a minute she began to think it wtrange that Antonia did not give utterance to @ word, nor yot move away from the vicinage of the door; and she accordingly looked round. Then an ejaculation buret from her lips; fur a man had penetrated into ber apartmwont—and there ho etvod, devouring vith his eyes the buau- teous spectacle which was ‘indeed ouly tov well calculated to rivet his regorig! Thies dariug in- truder was none other than Heotcs Llardress; aud Floribel immediately recognised bim>. CO CO mMIIClOOOIK