Agnes Vol. 2 — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

AUNES; OB, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, : I will give you half my fortune—and these arme which you have bound shall be thrown lovingly about your neck !” ‘*Ceaso, woman !” interjected Marcellin. “Do you not already feel that your hour ie past and that mine is now at hand P” “ But, Ob! the stratagem to which you bad re- course was most ebomiacable!” oried the Mar- chioness, unable to restrain her rage. “ While ou were pretending to make terms of peace, u. were meditating fresh treacheries !” ‘We are at war, signora,” exclaimed Edgar ; “6 ack everything is fair in a state of hostility. Why ta, you think I brought you hither from the dark placeg which we threaded ? It was to bind vou! Yous by your own folly, suffered me to Jearp where Antonia was: otherwise my course would have been a difficult one—for I should have been compelled to search for her throughout the mansion—and I had resolved not to leave it with- out ensuring the safety of that young girl. Ab! you are in every sense beaten!” Thus speaking, Edgar Marcellin caugbt up his portmanteau and*again slung it over his shoulders. ‘ But is it possible,” oried the miserable Lu- crezia, “ that you will leave me here—bound ae I an-———” e “I do not wish to be unnecessarily cruel,’ in- terrupted Marcellin; “and therefore I will at once inform you that your oaptivity will not last very long. So soon as my own security is pro- vided for, I shall adopt measures to cause you to be set at liberty.” “ Hdgar, I entreat--I implore—by everything sacred | adjure you-——~” But the young Frenchman tarried to hear no more of Lucrezia’s passionate exclamations : he quitted the chamber, again olosing the door be- hind him. In a few moments he rejoined Antonia. “Now, my dear girl,” he said, “ let us depart !” —at the samo time be preaged the gilt button in the wainscot, and the secret door flew open. He and his fair companion passed into the stone corridor; and Marcellin shut that private door which gave them admission thither. Being by this time well acquainted with the dark pas- sage, he guided Antunia by the hand; and the spiral staircase was svon reached. They descended it: they gained the bottom, ‘Now one moment,” eaid Marcellin; “ for I possess the key !”’ He opened the door gently, and peeped into the stable-yard. No one was to be seen; and he issued forth, followed by his fair companion. But ecarcely had he shut the door and put the key in is pocket, when @ middle-aged man in the dress of a groom emerged from the stable. “ Ab, Bernardo !’’ ejaculated Antonia. “What! Bernardo ?” cried Marcellin. then, is most fortunate !" The man looked astonished at the appearance of those two persons from a door which he never re- membered to have seen opened before, and which led he knew not whither, unless it were to some unused cellar in the basement of the mansion. But at the same time he respectfully saluted the young Frenchman. “My grorthy fellow,’ said Edgar, “do you know me ?” * This, G6 “Yes, signor, to be sure!” was the response. “You used to visit at the mansion about 4 year baek or so——— You are Signor Marcellin ?” The young Frenchman knew perfectly well that the Marchioness di Mirano had not publicly ac- cused him of being the murderer of Giulio Paoli; and be now at once perosived, by the groom’s re- spectful demeanour, that no hint to so calamnia- tory an effect had beer. dropped by Luoresia in his hearing. It was therefore with all the greater amount of confidence that he proceeded to address the groom. “Your name is Bernardo ?” he anid; “and you have the special care of her ladyship’s favourite riding-horse P’’ “Yes, signor,” replied the men, wondering why he was thus particularly and sententiously apostrophised. “And you remember,” continued Marcellin, “a certain young female who used to be in the ser- vice of the Marchionese di Mirano ?-—I mean Lisetta ?” “Ob, yes, signor !—a very nice young damael ! ~—abd it gave me great pain when she suddenly left her ladyship’s service—— although, for the matter of that, there was nothing more betwixt myself and the pretty Lisetta than ” s One word with you!” interrupted Edyar. “J require a groom, to whom I will give just three times the amount of wages that you xeceive here, whatever that amount may be. Are you agreeable? You hesitate 7 “No, signor,” replied Bernardo, as if suddenly galvanized isto the necessity of giving a positive response. ‘Offers such as this do not admit of much hesitation !” “One word !"—and Marcellin drew the groom aside. He put a few pieces of gold into the man’s hand, and questioned him upon a subject to which we need not now more particularly allude. the expiration of some minutes, Antonia, who stood at a@ little distance, perceived that the young Frenchman had gained his point, whatever it were, for hie countenance expressed the utmost satisfaction. He resigned his portmanteau to Bernardo; and he said to Antonia, “ Go forward with bim—and I will follow at a little distance.” The dameel obeyed. Bernardo opened a dour leading intu the bye-street which ran along that part of the premises attached to the Mirano man- sion; and Edgar, drawing his travelling-oap over his countenance, followed them at an interval of about fifty yarda. “TIT must be cautious,” he muttered to himself; “for if that unuprincipled Chief of Police, Ramo. rino, who is evidently more or less devoted to the Marchioness, should happen to have given any particular instructions to his shirri, 1 might be arrested just at the very moment when it is so highly important for me to remain at large!” Bernardo and Antonia continued their way to- gether, threading divers streeta—but the former evidently knowing to what destination he was to proceed. In about ten minutes they reached ths French Ambassador’s mansion; and there tbev were joined by Marcellin, who had pursued his own wey without experiencing any molesteson He sent up his card to the Ambassador, wno at once reecived him. 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