Agnes Vol. 2 — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY ANID PLEASURE. fellow’s countenance when that ejaculation burst forth from his lips. But as the ebirro flew at tho young English- man to tear him down from his steed, the intrepid Charles dealt bis assailant a tremendous blow with the butt-end of a pistol : the fellow reeled back— and away sped our hero as if borne on the wings of a whirlwind. “To horse!” shouted the official, the moment he reepvered sufliciently from the blow tu give tho cry. “iis companion sbirri, who had seen the en- counter and the repulse which their comrade ex- perienced, required nothing more to make them awere that something was wrong : they sprang to- wards their steetis, and in a few moments Charles was again the object of an exciting chase. The horse which he bestrodo toro along the ground: but the sounds of the pursuing animals were soon wafted to bis ears. At a little distance abead there was another wood; and our hero was resulved to make for it as the only means of es- caping from the enemy. The beaten path did not lead to the wood: it deacended farther into the vale. Charles leapt a wide brook, and galloped across a level ground towards the wood. Just as ho entered it, he looked back, and sw his pur- fuers Were urging their own animals across the stream, Ie rode forward into the wuod for about five minutes —then struck off abruptly to the right —and then after a short interval as abruptly to the right again; so that be emerged from tho wood on the very same side by which he had en- tered it, though at a point much lower down. Ho could see nothing of his pursuers; he hoped that he had baffied them, and that they had eithor ridden straight through the wood, or else were atill beating about in its mazes. KHetracing his way across tho level ground, he again made his hurse leap the stream ; and once moro within the beaten road, he pursued Ifis courso in the dircction of the water-mill and of the village to whith we ere now alluded. In about a quarter of a buour he left the water-mill behind him on tho left band; and he was looking around to ascertain whether there were any indications of pursuit, when his eyes settled upon a lonely habitation, but which had a most picturesque appearance. It was a wuite house built very much in the style of one of those beautiful little villas in the Vale of Arno; and vines were fostooning over its portico. It stood in the midst ofa garden protected only by a low fence; and the grounds were tastefully laid out. Our hero could discern the immense bunches of purple grapes which appeared amongst the leaves that had as yet scarcely caught autumn’s erobrowning tint, although it was the commence- ment of the month of November of which we are writing. A light was shining through the caso- ments of a room on the ground floor; and over those long windows reaching to the ground, the crimson curtains were drawn. Even through these curtains Charles could distinguish the reflection ofa cheerful fire playing upon them; and it was with something like a sigh of ‘envy that ho thought of the happiness that might possibly be enjoyed by the inmates there, seated at a comfortuble hearth, in a warm room, and with a good supper upon the table. Charles reined in his steed as he contemplated 101 that picturesquo little villa, and suffered his ima- gination to depict a scene of comfort’ within the room whence the roseate light streamed forth. Ab! if he dared call thero and ask for refreshment for himself and his steed, as well as for a change of apparel to enable him to pursue his way without molestation on the part of the sbirri who patrolled those mountainous districta! But no!—how could he possibly toll who might live there? Hoe was just on the poiat of moving away from the epot, when one of the crimson draperies was put aside— the casement opened—and a lady came forth. It however etruck Charles at tho instant that her only object was to breathe tho fresh air or enjoy the beauty of tho night; for she stopped short on beholding a horseman in uniform standing close by the fence and gazing so intontly upon the kabi- tation. The mvonbeams fell fully upon ber; and Charles at once discerned that the light evening dress that she wore contrasted with the duskinesa of her complexion. He was likewise struck by the admirable symmetry of this lady’s figure. She was tall—her neck was long and arching—and the head was well poised upon it. Masses of coal- black hair rolled in heavy tresess upon the finely sloping shoulders and the superb bust. And then too, a magnificent pair of eyes flung their bright glances upon our hero ;—and thus within the space of a very few moments he became aware that he was in the presence of a dark-complexioned young lady of a most ravishing beauty, She bad stopped short, we have said, on behold- ing @ horgoman posted close by the fence, and whom she naturally at the first glance took to be an cilicer of justice. But bor hesitation speedily vanished ; and advancing towards our hero, she asked in a voice the richness of which seemed full of a golden harmony, “ Did you wish to make any inquiry at this house, signor ?” She spoke in Itdlian—but with the accent and mauner of one who evidently understood the lan- guage indifferently, though the voice itself was so surpassingly melodious. “Tf I mistake not,” replied Charles, answering her in the same language, ‘ you*are not italian, signora ?” “ No,” she responded, a smile parting her beau- tiful red lips and revealing the two rows of ivory teeth. “ Neither methinks are you--although you ought to be:” and the large black oyes swept their ginnces over the miltary uniform which our hero wore. “Are you French ?” * No, I am English :"’——and now Charles spoke in his own native tongue ; for he had become im- pressed with the conviction that the lady must belong to one of the West India islands. “Ah!” ghe exclaimec, now also speaking in Eoglish: “ you are a Briton and clad in that apparel ?” “ For God’s sake assist me!” said Oharles: “it is a disguise ! 1 have escaped from a fortress— the police are looking for me—but I swear to you that I have done no harm!” The quadroon—for such she evidently was by the dusky tint of her complexion—fixed ber large dark eyes upon our hero for a few momonts as he sprang down from his saddle: she seemed to be fathoming the purposes of bis soul, to ascertain whether he bad spoken truly and that he was ne dishonourable character :—aud then, as ber hand- ECORNIEOO (C <S