Agnes Vol. 2 — page 254: what you’re looking at

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

AGNKS; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. tions and errors!—particular circumstances have crented the’ falsest impressions! But come, and you shall see how everything will be cleared up |” In a few minutes they reached tho hotel; and Lord Ormsby at once led the way up to the apart- ments where he had so recently separated from our hero’s mother. He opened the door of tho inner room, Gustavua following him closely. At the first glance they beheld no one: but the next | | 247 “ Not a minuto! nota moment! not a second !” ejaculated the quadroon, sending the lightnings of her luoke flashing fiercely upon the nobleman, “ I want ncbody to interfere betwixt me and my hus- band. There has been already too much of all this mediation on the part of Mr. Do Vere. I am wearied of it! Gustavus, let your decision be promptly given——yes or no?” “I owe it to myself, Emily,” replied young moment ejaculations of alarm burst from the lips Barrivgton, with firm tone and decisive look, “to of both as their eyes settled upon the prostrate form of a female upon the floor. This was Mrs. De Vere. They raised her :— she was in a state of unconsciousness, and the act the dignified part of a husband and of a man. I will no longer be your slave. I will not bend to your caprices: I will not yicld to your im- periousness. My anewer therefore is that I will blood was trickling from a wound in the forchead. | xof go to Jamaica until I shall have visited Eng- Water was sprinkled upon her face, and she soon | land, to attend to my own affairs and to congratu- began to recover. late my cousin on her marriage-——~aye, and also “Ah, my lord!” sho said, as she slowly opened | to drop a tear upon the tomb of my deceasod her oyes; “is it a horrible dreamP Yes !—me- | grandsire!” thought you had forbidden Charles from thiok- “Reflect well, Gustavas,” said Emily. ‘ Re- ing any more of your daughter as his future ; flect well,” she repeated, in a still moro sombro brido~ “Good heavens, who are you, Mr. Hargrave P”’ cried Gustavus, in the most bewildering astonish- ment. “Your daughter? That means Agnes Iivelyn! And you therefore——” “Yes, Gustavus—yes,” said the nobleman ; “you have now learnt my secret—but it need be no longer a secret from you! Mrs, De Vere, this is Mr. Barrington. ‘Your son has been fearfully misjudyed—be is innocent—he is the virtuous and well-principled young man you ever took him to be. Where is he?” “Where is he? pressed her hand to her brow. gone !” “(one P”’ echood both Ormsby and Gustavus, Whither is he gone P” “ie said that there was yet one to whom he could appeal,” rejoined Mrs. De Vere; “and he fled Ob! L remember it all now! And my lappuage towards him was so angry and severe !” At this instant the door opened and the qua- droon burst into the apartment. She flung up her vei] at the same moment; and hor eyes flashod Oh!”—and Mrs. De Vero “Ho is gone! tone than at first, and with a more sinister tight flashing in her eyes. “Emily! Hmily!’ ejaculated her husband ; “ why—why do everything you can to enlarge the gulf that is open between us, instead of doing your best to bridge it P” “Once for all, Gustavus,” said the quedroos,— “once for all, will you como—yea or nay P” “ No,” he reaponded, firmly and deviaively. She turned abruptly round; and the impression of the others was that sbo was about to pase rapidly away from them. But her hands clutched certain objects which she bad hiddon bencath her garments; and as she suddonly faced about again, she appeared with a pistul in her right band and a small phial in her left. “Then we dic together!” sho ejaculated: and at the same instant she discharged the pistol which sho Jevelled point blank at her husband. Gustavus bounded forward and fell headlong upon the floor. Mrs. De Vere shrieked -- and Ormsby rushed towards the quadroon to snatch the phial from her hand. But in a -aoment sho tossed the pistol away from her—she raised tho strange fires os she bent her glances upon her | phial to her lips—swalluwed the contents—oud husbend, exclaiming, “At length we meet! and ; then with a wild oxultant ery flung tho buttle if is to part no more! What! Mr. Hargrave P” You will come with me. upon the floor.. “Wretched woman! what have you done?” ‘Mrs. Barrington, permit me,” interjected ; exclaimed Ormsby: but these words were instan- Ormsby, “to have a fow words of private conver- taneously followed by a cry of joy as he beheld sation with you. This lady is tho mother of Mr. Gustavus Barrington spring up to his feet, for he De Vere. You see that she is ill—wounded— had merely tripped over the vory same footstool sulfering-—” “Gustavus,” said Kmily, turning impationtly from Ormsby, “will you come with moe—yes or noP” “For heaven's sake hear reason!” said Gus- tavus. «Tia you who must hear reason!” aried the quadroon. “ Listen! Itis now my turn to make propositions. My father is dead—and I inherit his immence furtune. You may give your own wealth to your cousin and her husband, if you will: IT agree to it—I recommend it, But come you with me to Jamaica, and I make you the master of all my own riches.” “@irs. Barrington,” said Ormsby, “I beg and entreat that you will grant me a few minutes in private.” i which had ere now thrown down Mrs. De Vare. “Emily!” he exclaimed, “would you havo murdered your own husband P” A. shriek pesled fro: ber lips, as her dismayed looks were swept over the form of Gustavus, and she saw (at least as far as sbe could judge) that he was not even so much as wounded. “You live! you live!’ she cried: “you live to mock me P—and I die poisoned! Ob, my God |” Ni “Poisoned?” echoed Mrs. Da Vere, with a scream. ‘“ Let assistance be summoned !” “Foar nothing, madam!” interruple! Gus- tavus: “there was no bullet in tho piste!, and the contents of that phial were of the most harmless description!” “Say you so?” cried the quadroon: and hasten- EORAICNO® S