Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES: OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, 275 mere recess. That door instantaneously closed , Against that same side of the apartment stood behind him ; and this circumstance appeared all in | two sofas or couches ; and on each a Corpse or a moment tu give a flat contradiction to the seem- ‘else a waxen effigy lay stretched. One seomed to ingly honest assurances he had an instant beforo have been a man of about forty years of age, received from the lips of the Countess. dressed in the uniform of a general in the Sardinian Where was he? Utter darkness entombed him. service, and which by his cudtmanding stature and He stretched out bis arms—and his handsencoun- fine countenance he might have been aupposed to tered the solid masonry on either side. Ho feared set off to immenso advantage. The other figure to advance, lest some pitfall should be at his feet; seemed to be that of a man of about five-and- for all that ho had ever heard or read that was thirty years of age, also in a military uniform, but mysterious or frightful in respect to Italian trea- showing a rank inferior to that of the firat- chery or vengeance, now flashed through his brain. mentioned. The’ vea of both were shut; and if Tt was not merely a atupendous darkness, but like- they were not act. 1 corpses, but waxen effigies, wise a tomb-like silence that enviruned him s—~and they were atill mean! to represant the dead, Yes now for tho first time throughout the proceedings ~— for now a more scrutinising survey of these of this memorable evening he absolutely felt objects showed Charica that the breast of both afraid, the bluo coats bore deep stains as if indicative Io turned to feel for the door: but he could of blood that had flowed trom wounds which had mot move it, He grasped the handle—it turned— proved mortal. Besides those two evfas with but the door itself remained fast, doubtless being tho figures that lay stretched upon them, there locked or bolted on the other side. was no other furnituro in the apartment, except a ‘And yet?’ thought our hero to himself, in the praying-desk and a footstool ; so that the vaulted endeavour to conjure up, if possible, some reassur- apartment looked as if it wore an oratory devoted ing ideas, “they cannot mean to murder me trea- | to religious services for the dead that either lay or cheronsly and in darkness? Those men, though | wore represented there. desperate in their undertakings and their position, | It was no sensation of terror which prevented havo nevertheless certain ideas of hogour agd of ; Charles from advancing towards those objects: he justice, They could only slay me by virtue of a| was not afraid of the dead, if such they were ; aud decree pronounced by themeclves! Besides, have | if they wore aught elag it wore ridiculous to sup- I not a friend in Father Faleonara ? and would not | pose that he could in uny way care about them. the Marquis of Ortona himself be right glad of an But a cortain sentiment of awe kept him aloof; excuse to save meP Yet why did the Countess for he felt convinced that tho epectacle must be employ a stratayem to inveigle me hither?—why in some way associated with the stern realities has there been scrmothing treacherous in her pro- which belonged to the secret proceedings of the cecdings despite all her assurances to the con- Spartivento palace. trary 7” While he was still gazing upon those objects Charles could not altogether convinco himself | before him, the door opened, and the Countess di that no ulterior perfidy was contemplated; and Milazzo mado ber appearance. Closing the door leaning aceinst the wall near tho dvor, he conti- behind her, she said with a sulomn look and tone, nucd to reflect upon the position in which he was ‘You may have thought that I wag acting placed. Presently he became aware that a light treacherously towards you ; but I am incapable of was beginning to glimmer at a little distance: he, perfidy. Behold those waxen effigios! With a watched it with anxiety: it grew gradually—it | perfect—ayo, with e most painful accuracy, du expanded—it began to reveal certain objects and to| they represont two of the bravest ofteers who show in whist sort of a place De Vere thus found ; fought for Italian freedom in the army of Cisrles himself, But whet were theso objects that were | Albert on tho fatal field of Novara! I need not thus by dezrees disclosing themselves? Was he! tell you how the Sardinian King put bimeelt at in a place of the dead? was be amidst tho relics of | the head of his troops and went Yorth to fight the mortality ? were they corpses or mere waxen efli- | Austrian invader ; nor need I tell you,” added the gies which were becuming more plainly visible as | Countess, loweriug her voice to a tone of pro- the light grew stronger? Was it now the aim to | foundest mournfulness, “ bow the Austrian tri- horrify or to aflright him in order to attenuate his ! umphed, and how the defeat of Charles Albort was roind and render it more easy to be acted upon by | followed by his abdication. These facts belong to the reasunings or the threats of the president of | history—auc you are acquainted with them !” the conclave P | “And whom do thoso elligies represent?” in- We will proceed to explanations. Charles De | quired Charles, with a sensation of curiosity. Vere found himself in a narrow passege leading! “I have already said that they were two of the into a smoull vaulted apartment, on the farther side ; bravest officcra of Charles Albert’s army. ‘They of which the light was appearing. ‘This light was | possessed wives who loved them aud were proud produced by means of a small lamp revolving io a; of them—who rejoiced to see them go forth to niche, or most likely in an aperturo in the wall it- fight in the Ltahan cause—and who mourned over self, su that it was licbted and moved by some ono them as perished patriots when on Novara’s fatal in an adjoining apartment. The lantern, a8 we ficld they fought unto the very last and dicd ought more properly to call it, was darkened in; rather than fly! Both were stricken by death’: respect to one-half of its construction; and this winged bullets in the breast ; for never fuiled they darkened balf was in the first instance turned to- for an instant to keep their faces towards their wards De Vere: but now as the lantern slowly enemica !” rovolved, it gradually developed the shining side; =“ Aud who were they ?” again inquired Charies auf when this part was turved full on, the moze- De Vero. ment ceased, . “'The Prince of Spartivento and the Count of Conniclooolks CO