Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

258 As this was the question which Carlotta had regulerly put to him every day for a week past, tho Daeronet was by no means pleased with its reiteration. Ho waa tired of inventing exouses : he knew that au explanation must take place sooner or later ; and i¢ now suddenly occurred to him that it might just as well be got over at onee. Nevertheless, as he experienced some little degree of affection for Carlotta--indeed, we may even say that he had learnt to love her more than he had ever yet loved any female in his life—be sought to break the truth to-her with as much de- licacy as possible. Taking her, therefore, upon bis knce— placing bis arm round her slender waist— —and contemplating her with the utmost kindness, he seid, “ Jo you not know that I love you very much, my Carlotta P” “Oh, yes! 1 know it!” she exclaimed with en- thusiusm. “ And do you not kwow, on the other hand, that I love you very muph in retorn P| *] am sure of it,” he replied. ‘“Pherefure, my pretty Carlotta, is if not sufficient that our two hearts are united by ties of the moat delicate and refined character—by the purest and sishs (at sen- timents——” “Sufficient! What do you mean f” asked the young lady innocently. “ Of course those ties unite hearts : but it is the priest’s blessing, as well us the signing of the civil contract according to the law, which anites hunds.” “ Where the hearts are united, Carlotts,” ob- served the Baronet, “ tho hands must of necessity be jeined.” “Ob, not so!” she exclaimed. ‘For instance, if my father were suddenly to makoMhis appear- ance, you could nut prevent hiw=frodh taking me away—T{ am not your wife, you knuw—you have no legal claim: upon me 7 “Oh, you would not be compelled to go with him, Carlotta,” rejuined Sir Alexander ; “ because. this is another country, aod S#uinia has nothing to do with Tuscany.” “To do ust know how this mav be,’ she an- swered,. “ But why do you make all these obser- vations Oh, f om almost frightened at the thoughts which ave rising up in my mind! Tell me- Oh! tell me frankly at once, Alexander ! You mean to marry me—do you not ?” * Should we lovo each other one shade the more sincerely —one jot the more fervently,” asked Hol- croft, “simply because certain formulas and cere- monies were passed through P” * Oh! you aro only putting these questions to try me ?” exclaimed the ingenuous Carlotta, “ I am sure (hat such is your motive! No, Alexander —we should not love euch other better if those ceremonies tuok place: but perhaps you would respect me more.” * Ridiculous, my dear girl! as muca as I love you!” “Ah! I should respecé myself,” pursued Car- lotta, in whose mind the light of intelligence grow stronger and stronger on the point, the more it was diveusved, “ Besides, Alexander, I never could look my tather or muther in the face ” “They were not ro very kind to you!” inter- jected the Baronet sumewDat imp atiently. “ Nevertheless, they are iy parents. If J Guitted then, 1t was for your sake, Alexander ; and as 1 loved them dearly ard fondly, you may uuder- I already respect AGNES; OR, BEADTY AND PLEASURE. stand bow much I love you that I ehould havy abandoned thom on your accoun!. Oh! do not talk to me any more in the strain which has renlly afflicted and frightened me: but «lo Jwwiten—Oh haston, I implore you—and fulf#* tho frm! ag which are necessary for the solemnisation of oh: marriage.” “1¢ is impossible at present, Carlotta,” replied Holeroft. ‘Do not be frightened, dearest! do not be angry ! do not be afflicted !—but there are cer tain family reasuns—I cannot exactly explain them at this present moment Something told Carlotta thaé he whom she loved was deceiving her; an@@jmddenly disengaving herself from the half-embreco in which he beld her, she fixed ber eyes earvestly upon him, saying in @ voice that was full of emotion, “Do you mean | me to understand that you are not prepared to make me your wife ?” “You must not take the thing in this way, Carlotta!” exclaimed the Baronet. “If you do, I shall fancy that your love was a pietence, and that you merely entertained the selfish design to becumo the sharer of my rank and fortuuc.” Carlotta burst into tears, but.the next moment sho wiped them away—and she responded in a vqiee fall of tenderness and of reproach, “ You know that if is not so, Alexander! Yo luved vou before I comprehended what tho tjtle of an Nagle h Baronet was; and not even at this moment do I know, or care to know, the amvan of your riches. Lloved you for yourself! but I Jove my parents also—and I will not tive to distress and afilict them! I respoct myself—~I value a good nino and an honourable reputation; aud I wit not live in disuonvur! Y have committed a fault: but it was throuzh the blind confidence that I repused in your sinerrity, Oh, let me not be deceived! muko me your wife: or elxe ” “Or else what, Carlotta?’ asked Sir Aloxandor quickly, * Or else I will loavl you this moment—at once -—and for ever.” Tho Baronet was astonished at this display of mingled firnuness of charectur and rectitule of principle on the part of the Italian youny lady, He thought—as most libertines would have dene in such a caso—that inasmuch as she had con. sented to flee with him, aud had yeevived him ta ber arms as if he was a lawful husbaud, she would not be over uice or scrupulous. Her séduction had proved comparatively easy ; and he had woasured her virtue in proportion. Le now per- ceived that he was wrong: he saw that she was a thoroughly ingeneous, artless, and well-meaning young creature—trusting and full of confidenco— and hitherto not dreaming of the intunse wivked- ness to which man’s deception might reach, because she herself was full of sincerity and truth, aud devoid of guile. Libertino though he was, and thoroughly hardened as a man of the world, Si Alexander could not help adwiring her: he evon experienced a remorse that he should have led her astray—and he sumewhat trembied tor the consv- quences. . “ My dear Carlotta,” he said, “ [implore you to listen to mo patiently for a little whilo Lt tra- quently happens that a gentloman und a lage live vugether withvut having passed throuzh thuse cere- wunies whic ”? ei Coniclbooolk