Agnes Vol. 2 — page 231: what you’re looking at

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

224 ne concisely as I can the views and hopes—I may also say the inteytions———-” “Ah!’ interjected Emily, with bitterness. “Gus'avus speaks and acts like a master now But proceed, Mr. De Vere.” “Your husband, Mrs. Barrington,” pursued Charles, “entertains no doubt that you love him; but he declares that the tyranny to which your jealousy has subjected him has become intolerable. God knows, Mrs. Barrington, this isan unpleasant duty for me to perform; and I would not have undertaken it if i¢ had not been for the hope of accomplishing it with a degree of delicacy and kindness which may render my intervention moro friondly and more ueeful than if the task were entrusted to « stranger. And therefore, Mrs. Barrington, pardon me if I speak out with plain- ness.” “ Go on, Mr, De Vere,” said the quadroon, now with a great display of outward calmness. “ My husband saye that my jealousy conatitutes a tyranny that is intolerable. Is if notsoP Well then, what remedy does he propose for this ex: cessive love on my part P” ** Ho saye,” resumed Charlies De Vere, “ that it is now his bounden duty to repair to England and see his cousin Winifred, that he may congratulate her on becoming Lady Dalham, and that be may also shake her husband Sie Roderick Dalham by the hand.” “Ah! he will go to England?” eaid Emily. *'Woll, and what is to prevent me from going to England likewise?” “ But your husband says, my dear madam,” pursued Charles De Vere, “that your uncle is seriously ill in Jamaica—even if he be not already dead ; and that it is therefore your duty éo set off at unce for the West Indies.” “And what if I refuse?’ demanded Emily : “whet if I deny my husbands right to dispose of my proceedings? What if I say that I qill go nowhere without my husband P” “I beseech you to hear reason, Mrs, Barring- ton,” exclaimed Charles. “Believe me, I feel deeply for you both !” “Ah! doubtless Gustavus has told you his own tale with a fine gloss upon it!” ejaculated the quadroon bitterly. “But one tale ought to be good until another is told.” “Ob, my dear madam!” exclaimed Charles, “do not endeavour to make me the judge betwizt man and wife. It is already suffiviently painful for me to act as the means of communication between OU en “Ab! now I understand why I cannot see Gus- tavus, and why you do not know where to find him. He means purposely to conceal himeelf while he negotiates with me ; and you are the me- dium of such negotiation. Is it not so ?” “ Putting it in a purely business light, thus it is,” answered Charles. “And what are the propositions ?” inquired the quadroon, with a contemptuous curl of the lip; “what is the nature of this precious nogotia- tion ?” “Ab, madam,” aaid Oharles, “do not treat it lightly or scornfully; for believe me, this is a crisis on which all your hseppiness depends. Do listen to me patiently, I entreat you! Your bus- pand thinks that a separation for a while will be f AGNES}; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. beneficial. Ilo will look after his affairs in Eng- land : you will proceed to Jamaica’, And inas- much as there must be an interval of six or eight nionths ore you can weet again, there will be euffi- cient leisure for you both to deliberate in your own minds how your future demeanour~I mean the demeanour of both of you, is to be mutually exercised. Your husband declares his readiness to make all proper concessions on his own part, where auch concessions are due; and on the other hand he hopes that there will be an equally liberal spirit on your side. In short, he thinks thet if there be mutual forbearances and generosities—an equal amount of liborality and of humanity on either side--a reciprocal determination to avoid all causes of dispute, and to view everything in ite proper light—you may yet meet again to expe- rience a real happiness in the matrimonial state.” The quadroon listened with fixed look and rigid features to the explanation which our hero gave, and when he had finished speaking, she said, ‘These are my busband’s propositions. Are they to be viewed in the light of an ultimatum to be forced upon mo whether I will or not Por am I to be allowed any discretionary power in accepting, refuaifig, or modifying them?” * ‘The explanations I have given,” answered Do Vere, “are the expression of your husbend’s will, At the same time he knows that he cannot ‘force you to go to Jamaica: but he hopes that your good sense will induce you te agree to this part of the proposition as well as to all tho rest. At the same time if you have any suggestion to make————”’ “P.ay, may I ask,” demanded the quadroon haus stily, “how long a period has been granted ie to consider these propositions P” “Do not think, Mrs. Barrington,” replied Charles, “that your husband is dealing towards you in the imperious and peremptory style of a yrant. Iie appeals to*your good sense—he ape peals likewise to the love which you bear for 1 35 ‘And if I tell you, Mr. De Vere,” interrupted the quadroon, “that I require four-and-twenty hours for reflection P” “ The tame will be granted,” exclaimed Charles. ‘Everything in reason will be accurded to you by your husband. I would not have undertaken this part unless he had faithfully promised me at the outeet that his conduct should be characterized by very sentiment of delicacy, forbearance, and kind- ness towards you.” “Well then,” said the quadroon, “I require wepty-four hours to reflect upon the propusitions ‘hat have been made to me. But I will not re- main at this hotel! There have been enough acandel and exposure here ; and though I have ex- perianced the utmost kindness from Mrs. Hardress, yet I feel ashamed to look her in the face when we meet. Besides, she has talked of introducing me to ber husband and his sister; and I am in no humour for such introductions.” “Then what do you wish to be done?” in- aired Charles. “ Command wy services in any way.” ‘I wish to leave the hotel, I repeat!” resymed Emily. “I will not tarry here another hour! Not that I mean to ask you to take me to the hotel where you yourself aro staying ——1 would GOH GoOo SS (c@