Agnes Vol. 2 — page 161: what you’re looking at

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

064 sacred character gives me to induce her to confess her iniquities.” ‘ Gothen, if you think that you will weal ” exclaimed Marcellin. “Go! But I fear that the errand will be a vain one.’’ “ Stop!” said Charles: ‘‘ may not this bo giving a warning to Lucrezia, showing her that the storm- cloud is about to burst ?” “‘ By this time,” interrupted Marcellin, “ Ramo- rino must know thet we have safe-conducts in our possession, and that his emissaries have therefore failed to arrest ys. Whatsoever is to be suspectod, he now suspects, Father Falconara cannot pos- sibly do any harm by seeing Lucrozia di Mirano ; and if by any eccidené he should succeed in obtain- ing from her the acknowledgment that she is foully perjured, wy mind will be so far sot at rest. We all know,” d the young Frenchman aside to De Vere, * that. the priests possess an immense in- fluence in thig country=~particularly over women ; AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, “Never mind how it happened!’’ cried the Minister: ‘itis all the samc! You are linked to me—you, the murderess !” A shriek pealed from Lucrezia’s lips. ‘Fou, the dabbler in poisons!” vociferated Ramorino. Another and louder scream rent the very wall. of the apartment. “¥iush!—or by heaven, I will dv you a m 3- chief!’ exclaimed her husband. “ Would yo alarm the housohold? And yet, God knows yor’ have enough to scream, and shriek, and wee . for, wretcbed woman !—for you are beggared !” — ‘* Boggared?”’ echoed Lucrezia. ‘‘ What, can you mean P” “ mean that you are beggaréd!” responded her husband, as if with all the fiercenesa of a retort “Your property is confiscated! And what is more, Lucrezia! what is more—there is a warrant issued for your apprehénsion on account of your and who can fal} but that the wretchod Luerezia | dealings with La Jolfine !” may confeas everything i in the hope of being leni- ently dealt with ?” “ Bat what if, on the other hand, she were to take alarm and escape ?” inquired De Vere. “Let us adopt measures to prevent such an pecurrence, rejgined Marcellin. ‘‘ I will tell you how. “¥Fhile Feather Falconara proceeds to execute hia own proposal, we will hasten to the Minister of the Interior—we will convey the intelligence that Lucresia is married to Ramorino—and it will fol- low that the warrant for her arrest may be at once executed, as there can be no possible nced fur the observance cf any fursher delicacy towards the imaster.of Police ADA the Minister of the Interior.” bt it as you propose,” said De Vere; “ and er all circumstances I wyself now incline to the opinion that the sooner the blow is struck the better.” Father Faloonara and the two young men issued forth from the British Embassy together ; but the priest soon separated from Charles and HKdgar, and bent his way towards the private residenco of the Count of Ramorigo. To this functionary we must now return. I mean on tho part of his | vous quickness as she sprang up to her fect. We | “Save me! save me!” cried the wretched | womag, falling upon her knee; in the presence of her husband. “ But O God! is this indeed true ?” “Jt is true that a warrant of confiscation has been issued,” answered Rarmorino; “and as a matter of coyrse a warrant for your arrest must have been signed at the same moment. uae, rise!—tears are useless! Useless also is it to appeal to me! I am a ruined man! —to-morrow all my honours and dignities will be taken from me! We shall both be plunged down into the very vortex of destruction unless indeed - * Uniess what ?’? demanded Lucrezia, with ner- a6 ] ‘there @ hope? What were you going to say We shall be destroyed, unless ——” “Unless a miracle be wrought by heaven in sr favour,” replied the Minister of Police; “and thut will not be done!’ Lucresia sank down upon a chair, weeping and subbing bitterly. “Oh! [ must fly! I must fly!’ she suddenly ejaculated, as she started up to her feot. “1 must depart !” “Hush! some one comes!” interrupted tho said at the close of the previous chapter that the | Count. clocks of Florence were proclaiming the hour of | midnight as the Count of Ramorino turned his Lucrezia ceased from her passionate cjacula- ‘tions; aud she turned aside to conceal her emo- steps homeward. Ie found Lucresia in a state of ) tions as a domestic entered the apartment. the utmost anxiety and suspense ; but it was no- thing calculated to reassure her that ltamorino bad to impart, to strike the miserable woman. “ What have you done P” she asked, Nying to- | wards her husband the moment he ‘entered the room whero she had been so anxiously awaiting | him. “ Oh! how sombre are your looks!” “ Sombre ?” cchued the Minister fiercely. “My lord,” said the liacquey, “an officer of sbirri, to whom you entrusted sume special busi- On the contrary, fresh blows were now ' ness- *T will come to him,” interrupted Ramorino : and he accordingly issued from the apartment. Proceeding to @ waiting-roors, to which the officer had been shown, Ramorino at once anxiously | inquired, “ What tidings do you bring P” is I, | | | “The arrests could not be effected, my lord,” it not enough to make my lovks sumbro—nay, ‘ answered tho functionary. to madden me—to drive mo wild with nore, ‘Age ‘‘ Rage!” oried Lucrezia. leomanded in affright. “ Rage!” thundered furth Rarhorino,—“ rage it my sown accursed fully for having wurried rou Y? “Oh! are you about to reproach me ?” exclaimed wucregia, in a voice of rending appeal. “It was 106 1 who forced mysaif upon you!” “Vor what?” she “Not effected? To whom do you allude ?” de. manded the Count. “To De Vere and Marcellin,” sponse, “Why! what has happened ?” ejaculated the Minister. “ Your face is stained with bloud—-you speak strangely-———”’ “I have been cruelly maltreated, my lorc;” answered the sbirro, “by those two young men. was the re- COMMUC AOC < Ss) (CO