Agnes Vol. 2 — page 236: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURR. bis leisure in the course of the day. ITlaving nothing better to do at the moment, and not daring to seek. Gustavus at tho placo of appoint- ment, Charles put on his hat and bont his steps towards the hotel where the Hardress family were ataying. As he emerged into tho street, he flung his looks around to see if he could catch a glimpse of the quadroon: but the thoroughfares were now tolorably crowded, and he discerned her not amongst the passengers who were proceeding hither and thither. CHAPTER XXXIX. gcicRLx AND CITARLES. Iw order to explain the purpose for which Cicely @had written to desire that Charles Da Vere would favour her with a call, we must record a conversa- tion that took place between herself and her hus- band in the morning of the same day whoreof we are writing. It was after breakfast: Josephine Hardress had retired to hor own chamber: Hector and Cicely were alono together. The young patri- cian hummed a tuno—threw himself back in his chair—stretched out his legs and arms—then sud- denly starting up, walked to fro in the gparwpent for nearly a minute—and ultimatoly throwing him- self upvn a seat in the window-recess, he became absorbed in deep thought. Cicoly watched him without appearing to do so. Sho held a book in her band; and her eyes seemed tu be fixed upon it—but in reality her repards were wandering from beneath the long lashes to- wards her husband. At longth rising from her chair, she advanced straight up to him, and laid her hand upon his shoulder. He started as if awakened from a dream ; and it was almost with petulance that he ejaculated, “ How you frighten me, Cicely !” ‘And what a singular mood you must bo in, Hector,” sho roplied, “ to*be startled by so simple an action! Come now, tell me what is uppermost in your thoughts P” “IT was not aware, Cicely,” answered her hus- band, somewhat coldly, “that there was so much loving confidence subsisting botween us as to give you the right to inquire the subject of my thoughts.” ‘Neither did I assert the right,” said Cicely, arming herself with a still haughtier coldness than that which her husband had just puton. ‘ Lut inasmuch as it is quite probable I can guess what is passing in your mind——~” “ Indeed ?” ejaculated Hector, asif the discourse suddenly became invested with a cortain degree of interest. ‘ What do you mean?” ‘I mean precisely what I say,” rejoined Cicely, emith a smile that displayed her magnificent teeth. ‘You are thinking of sume one ” . “Ah!” cried Hector, starting up from his seat : “ what penetration you must have! But yet Ido not know that it needs so very much penetration, after all, to discover these sorts of things. Il think it is merely catching up with boldness, as it were, the first passing conjecturo which strikes one,—assuming it at orice to be a fact, and assert- ing i as such with bardihood and dogmatic om- phasis.” “ What do you mean, Heetor, with this cloud of verbiazs P” inquired Cicely. “1 will soon explain myself,” responded ber husband, “ You think you have made some dis- covery in respect to me P” “ Yos—I am suro of it,” answered Ciecly, with confidence. “ What then P” “T think I have made some discovery in refer- ence to you,” roplied ITector, assuming an equal degree of confidence in his luok and tune: and then, as he behold a slight tlush {lt over his wife’s countenance, he added still more emphatically and positively, “ 1 have no doubt of it!” “Tell me what you mean,” said Cicely; and there was a half-smile upon her lips, while the blush was again flitting over bor checks. Do you explain yourself first,” said ILardross ; and then ho also smiled in an encouraging manner, “ Come, our explanations are about to bo interest- ing. Speak, Cicely.” “There is a certain image,” replied Mrs. Hard- ress, “which 18 uppermost in your mind. I am neither so vain nor so fvolish as to mean that it is myimage. It is the imago of one far more beau- tiful than I. She disappeared suddonly ; and ever since hor abrupt departure, you have becn restless, unsettled, and uncasy. <A fortnight has now elapsed since that departure; and you have beon incessantly haunted by the image of the lust ono. I mean Floribel Lister.” Cicely’s large blue eyos were fixed steadfastly upon her busband as she thus spoke ; and tho ex- pression of a sly significancy, good-humouredly mischievous and full of moaning, played upon the rich fulness of her lips; for she saw by Lector’s countenance that her suspicions and conjectures were most accurate. “And now before I give you any answer, Cicely,” ho said,—“ before I tell you whether you aro right or wrong—before I proclaim any denial or proffer any contession—let me accuso you in my turn.” Again the blush swept across Cicely’s counto- nance—but deeper in its hue than before; and with a amile and look of roguish archness, she said, “Procoed, Hectur—and let us seo to What extent your skill goes in forming conjectures.” “Tam not the only one,” answercd her hus- band, “who is haunted by images: you are haunted by a special imago likowise! I know that you havo been atruck by a particular indi- vidual and the ono to whom I allude is Charles Do Vere!” “Well,” said Cicely, with a deepening bluah, “but what about the charge I brought against you P—what about Floribel Lister ?” “I havo certainly conceived a fancy in that di- roction,”’ he answered. ‘“‘ But you, Cicely — in reference to Charles De Vero——” “ Ho is doubtless a very fascinating young man,” replied Mrs. Hardress; ‘and if any one could poes- sibly lead mo astray, 1¢ would be Charles Do Vere.” “ Now our confessions are mutual,” said Hard- ress. ‘ Ilave you anything to propose ?” “I donot know,” resumed Cicely, “ how your feelings of jealousy " “Ah! 1 understand to what you allude!” ex. claimed Hector. ‘“ You think that because I was so terribly fierce and vindictive when I thought ye CONMIUC NOOKKS