Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

264 * What ere you doing here, sir ?’”’ she demanded, at once concealing her bust from bis view. “ Oh, Floribel! lovely Floribel!” he exclaimed, rosning towards the couch: “pardon my bold- ness |—be not angry with me !-—attribute it all to the passion with which you have inspired me !” “Depart, sir! leave the room!” she ejaculated with vehemenoe and passion. ““Qb, Floribel! I beseech you to bear me !” cried Hector. “I bave travelied all this distance on purpose———"” - “ Mr, Hardress, I beseech you to leave me !” she said, her tone and manner suddenly becoming | more éntreating than angry. ‘ You will compro- mise me.most seriously with the proprietor of this | hotel—for he and his wife are most respectable persons! Come to me, if you will, presently ———” “J will come presently!” said Hector. “ At, what hour may I present myself?” * Come to me at three o'clock,” rejoined F'lv- | ribel. “I will take care to be alone.” | “A thousand, thousand thanks!” ejaculated Hardress: and he stole forth from the chamber. “ The conceited coxcomb !” mentally exclaimed Floribel, the instant he had left her: “ tu think that he only had to make an overture in order to win me! Ah, I must teach him a lesson!” In a few minutes Antonia mado her appearance ; and Floribel’s morning toilet commenced. She dressed herself in an elegant negligéde, which set of her beautiful person to the utmost advantage ; for ahe had a presentiment that the forenvon would | not pass away without witnessing some results of | her captivating appearance at the theatre on the | preceding evening. She received Sir Alexander | Holeroft and Carlotta for about helf-an-bour ; and | then she remained alone. But not long did she thus continue alone ere the waiter brought up a card bearing the name of Captain St. Didier, aide de- camp to his Majesty the King of Piedmont. Hloribel’s heart leapt within her: but without the slightest oxterior betrayal of emotion, she said, “Show Captain St. Didier up.” Ina few moments the handsome and elegant aide-de-camp was in her presence. We inclined his head courteously and respectfully, and began by saying, “ Task a thousand pardons, madame, for the boldness of which I have beon guilty: but——” “ Bo seated, sir,” interrupted Floribel, with mingled amiability and formality; and she indi- cated a chair, ‘“ You were going to observe, Captain St. Didier——” “'Tbat it was impossible to behold your appear- anco at the theatre last evening without being ravished by your presence :’——and the Captain displayed a very handsome set of teeth benoath wae sable and glossy line which bowed bis upper ip. “And is it simply to'tell me this,” inquired Floribel, smiling half archly and balf ironically, “that you have taken tho trouble to come bither ?” “Be pleased to remember, madame,” said the young vflicer, “that a mouth flutters about the most brilliant light until, dazzled and blinded, it be- gouies scorched bythe fvery flames which consti- tuted the glory of its fdmiration; and you would put blame, but you weuld pity the puor creature ] pray you to havéa similar mercy upon me.” Kivribel cowid not helo smiling at this compli. AGNES; OR, DEAUTY AND PLBASURE, meht which only a foreigner could turn so exqui- sitely as to disassociate it utterly from mere gross fulsomeness; and this time that smils-was GUm- pletely amiable, and by no means scornful. “Tf know not who you are, madame,” continued Captain St, Didier, “nor whether you purpose to make a long sojourn in Turin: but on this latter point I may venture to express the hope that it will be a long one, And now I must again im- plore your forgiveness for thus intruding upon you. Will you deal frankly with me?” “This is a strange question to put,” answered Floribel, “to a lady unto whom you are almost completely a stranger, and after our acquaintanco has lasted "—she glanced at her watoh—“ precisely eight minutes.” ‘There are sentiments which como euddenly upou men,” responded the officer, “and make them bold. Thie constitutes their apology, and it is must humbly offered in my case.” : ‘“‘But why showd you beg me to deal with you in frankness afd candour?P” asked Fioribel. “ Surely you cannot suppose that I am accustomed to deal otherwise towards persons with whom I come in contact ?” “Ob! permit me to explain myself at once!” exclaimed St. Didier. “Do you believe in love at firat sight? If not, believe in it now /—for I swear to you that it exists—~it is no mere dream of the poet—it is a substantial fact—and I am a living evidence !” Fioribel trembled with a joyous sensation ; for, as we have already informed the reader, she was attracted towards this young man; eod though the image of Edgar Marcellin was far—vory far, from being banished from her mind, yet she felt the necessity of loving and being beloved, though it might be a love after her own fashion. St. Didier saw thet quiver of pleasure which thus for @ moment agitated her; and embuldened by the circuoistanco, he exclaimed, “Ob, if you could but accept this bumble but sincere offering of my love, how bappy would you render me! Ab, you do not say Nu; and if you meaut me to under- stand that there is no hope, you would not trifle with me—you would tell me ev in a moment. May I, then, hope ?” “You think,” said Floribel, “that because I am hore alone—with no father, nor husband, nor brother—I am one to whom such language as this may be addressed ; for I am not foolish enough to suppose that it is an offer of marriego that you are mukiug me. A man takes « wife only when he has kauwn her for weeks—perhaps for years— and has thoroughly studied her disposition and temper: but when he seeks a mistress, it is sufli- cient for him to see that a woman is beautiful— and he speaks out !” “Frankly will I roply,” said the handsome alde-de-camp, “that I offer you a love which is to be unshackled and untramwelled by avy other bonds than thuse which are merely conventivnal.” “And uow, with equal frankness, Captain St. Didier,” anawered Floribel, “I will cunfesa tu you that I seek to be loved on such terms. It is my purpose to lead a life of pleasure. Pleasure is my motto: I am its personilication :—~it is almost “uy name! Neither will I conceal trom you that [ have been amitten by your engaging appear BUCO amen?? Conn ElODOOIKKS CO