Agnes Vol. 2 — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

SOR ears cen TA TEC LTGENEA — San mas a5 Ae doors stood open; and at the threshold the quadroon stopped short. Proffering her hand to our hero, she said, “I again bid you welcome to this house, And now good night.” He pressed that hand with grateful warmth— took the wax-candle—and passed into the chamber whieh was provided for him. CHAPTER XVIII. OMARLES AND THE QUADROON. Cranes closed the door, and found himself in a small but elegantly furnished room, the window of which looked upon the garden at the back of the house—a fact which he ascertained on peeping forth from behind the curtain, not with any senti. ment of impertinont curiosity, but simply to as- suré himself that the premises were not watched by any suspicious looking individuals. A side door opened into a neatly appvintod little dressing- room ; and on achest of drawers Charles beheld certain articles which he could wot help thinking must be intended fur his own use. Clean linen, a complete suit of clothes, a hat—in short, evory- thing befitting the wardrobe of a young gentle- man, was tu be found there. No doubt existed in the, youth’s mind that the quadroon’s kind con- sideration had already extonded tu the murrow; and with much emotion Le murmured to himself, « Ah! my dear mother—and you, likewise, my bo- loved Agnes!~Ob! how rejviced should J be to afford you some day an opportunity of thanking this generous-hearted lady hero for her noble cun- duct towards me!” As our hero surveyed the garments one after another, he saw that they were of English make, and the name of an Einglish manufacturer was likewise at the bottum of the hat. Charles was enabled to assure himself at a glance that the clothes would fit him; and he tried on the hat, which exactly suited the size of his head. “These, then, must belong to this beautiful lady’s husband,” thought Charles to himeclf. © Doubtless I shall see him to-murrow? Perhaps he had already retired to rest P—or perhaps ho may be absent P IJLowover, I long to make his acquaintance ; for it is impossible that he can bo otherwise than hospitable and generous as his wife :—or elso she would not dare do so much as sbe has done for me.” Issuing from the dressing-room, Charles De Vere proceeded to examine his bhed-chamber with tore attention than he had at first bestowed upon it, There were two pictures in the rvom, which struck him ata distance to be lithographic printsa—but which he perceived on a eloser inspection to be crayon drawings. oth were evidently likenesses of the quadroon ; and they both representcd her with a tulerable degreo of fidelity—thuugh it was impossible to enbaygce on paper or on canvass, ou ivory or on steel with brush, with pencil, or with engraving needie—the charms which were natu- rally her owm. ()ne drawing Wak a bust-hkeness —-tho other was a full Jongth one. OF the former nothing more need lere be said; but relative tu the latter a few details may bo added. The quadroon was represented in her own native Weal AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 2 ipEphPeti se Gee on Wb! Ty FP Indian clime,— which was evidenced by the foliage wherewith she was surrounded. She had on a large sun-hat: she was loosely clad in a light drapery —a species of deshabillés, or morning: wrapper, fastened at the throat by a neat pink ribbon, and gathered in at the waist by a species of ghawl-kerchief tied loosely around her form. The luxuriant masses of her coal-black hair floated aver her shoulders; and she carried a large basket full of the fruits of the tropics. There was an ease and grace about the entire fizure which not morely showed that the picture had been drawn by a skilful hand, but likewise that the mingled htheness, voluptuousnoss, and, elegance of the qua- droon’s form had been fulg* appreciated by the artist. Indeed, Charles had not gazed upon it many moments ere he thought to himself, “That must be oxactly as sho looked in her uywn native climo !” The two pictures, though representing the same person, yet all rded a strong contrast. The first- montioned one—namely, the bust-evidently de- picted the quadroon in a Europoan costume, just as she might have appcarell as tho star of a ball- room; while the other picture represented her in all the abandonment, so to speak, of a delicious froedom in her own native tropical clime. Theo former sh¢wed her trammelled as it were with formalities, ag her very person scemed constrained and shackled by the jowels that embellished it; while the latter depicted her in the eojoyment of all the unrostrained easo of a West Indian life. In the former picture the beautiful quacroon ap- peared to be the Child of Fashion: in the latter she scemed to be the Child of Nature. Charles De Vore contemplated these two pic- Cures for several minutes, revolving those contrasts in his mind, — wondering who the beautiful quadroon could be, and whether her husband was also a West Indian, or an Englishman—and how it happened that they were settled in this secluded valley of the Apennines P And then the singular observations made by John the groom recurred to our hero’s mind* but he strove with all his power to repel the suspicion that would porsist in every now and then thrusting up its head like a reptile from its coils. And in order to divert his thoughts into another channel, Charles began to lay aside his military uniform and to prepare for seeking his couch. Ho wasin tho midat of this occupa. tivn when all of a sudden he heard a door open and then closo with violence. This door was on the same landing with our beru’s own chamber ; and with such foreo was it closed “again, that tho whole house shvok. Our hero was naturally startled: be wondered what on earth it could inean; and then, as all continued silent, he con. ceived that it must be the result of some accident, He was therefore continuing the process of disap- parelling himeelt, when the door on the landing was again burst open—and this time he heard a mau’s voice giving utterance to sume fearful and vindice tive imprecation—though who was the object of this wrath, did not appear from anything that Charles could glean or gather. The door again closed viviently ; and then a key was heard to turn quickly in the lock. Charlos was both astonished and pained ; for he began to think that this must be the lady's husband; and he said tor himeelf, “Is it possible that I can be the cause of any mis- ECOMRRICLO© <S