Agnes Vol. 2 — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, 21 “We will sup together after the performances,’ coped Holoroft ; “and then you shall have the satire history.” Meanwhile the representation was proceeding ; the new actress made her dedut, and was com- pletely successful. When the entertainments were over, Floribel, the Baronet, and Carlotta returned to the hotel, where Sir Alexander Holoroft at once ordered supper to be served up in the sitting room occupied by himeelf and Carlotta ; so that Fioribel became their guest. When ample justice had been done to the repast and the champagne had circulated, Floribel reminded the Baronet of bis promise to give her the particulars of Carlotta’s escape; and he at once prepared to do so. “ You will laugh,” he said, “at the adventure which after all constitutes @ very appropriate sequence to your own romantic escape by means of the baker’s basket.” “You must begin by telling Madame Loveol,’ said Carlotta, “that after her escape my father was more than ever vigilant throughout the for- tross, as well as more than over particular with regard to myself.” ‘“‘I hope that you were not acouged,” iter: jected Floribel, “of any complicity in my es- cape P” “For a moment it seemed as if my father was inclined to suspect me,” responded Carlotia, “ be- cause it was of course known that I was with yon in the chapel. But I tuld my tale so well~and moreover it was so completely corroborated by Father Falconara himself—that all suspicion was averted from me and was directed towards Gudulla, But she also cleared herself; and thus the whole affair appeared to be enveloped in the deepest mystery. My father wae dreadfully frightened ; and he sent off the priest Falconara to Florence, tu represent everything to the Minister of Police and appease that functiovary. Ah! little did we then think that the star of the once all-powerful Count Ramorino was so soun to eet 3” “T knew that Father Falcunara was in Florence,” observed Fioribel; “for Mr. De Vere saw biw there.” , “And now,” said Sir Alexander Holcroft, “ I may enter upon the explanatiuns which you have requested me to give. Atter I had separated from you, Mrs. Lovel, on that day when I con- goed you to the care of the Hardress family, | went back to the town of Bagno, wondering what on earth I was to do in order to effect the escape of my pretty Carlotta, I devised a thousand schemes, but was compelled to reject them all one after another. I could not even induce either of the bakers’ men to become the bearer of a letter into the fortress :—tbhey declared that they dreaded lest they themselves should end by becoming pri- soners there. I knew not how to act: I was al- most reduced to despair. I was even frightened lest Captain Belluno should discover, through the timidity of those journeymen bakers, that I had been carrying on & correspondence with his daughter—in which case he would only have ex- ercised the greater vigilance over hor movements, { therefore thought that it would be perhaps more ptudent for me to remove out of the neighbuur- hood, et least for a short period; and even at that moment I had gome generel idea that I should do woll teu return in a deep disguise, ao that if apy suspicion had beon excited against me it might not continue to act prejudicially to my aims.” “You see, my dear Carlotta,” said Floribel—for Sir Alexander Holcroft was giving these explana- tions in Italian,“ you see how resolute he was to overcome all obstacles, and therefore how stroog was his affection fur you !” “Yes—I know that he loves mo very much,” answered the amiable and confiding young lady. “Weil,” resumed Sir Alexander Molcroft, “« couple of days after your escapo from the fortress, Mrs. Lovel, I took my departure from the tows of Bagno. I travelled in a postchaise, attendod by my confidential valet, whom you saw on the ocoasion to which I have ere now alluded—I mean that of your escape. We had journeyed sume fourteen or fifteen miles, when on reaching a little hamlet we saw a travelling carriage upset in the middle of the road, and a group of peraons gathered about it. An accident of serious nature had evidently occurred, for some of those porsons were bearing tho form of a gentieman into tho little village bostelry. I drove up to the sput, and learnt that the chariot had upset with considerable violence in consequence of the breakiug of the fore-axle, and that the traveller who occupied the vehicle, was most seriously injured. Indeed, be was completely deprived of consciousness; and the village-surgeon, who was upon the spot, had at a first glance expressed his fearg that the iviury aus. taipéd might prove very serious, if not absolutely fatal. I stopped at that hostelry, not merely to change horses, but also to learn some additicual particulars in reference to the injured traveller, so that [ might render any assistance that w.s in my power. He had a valet with him, and I[ proceeded to question this individual. Then, to my su prise, I learnt that the injured traveller was a certain Count of Camerino, with whom I had some slight acquaintance a ccuple of years ago in Naples. lo had been engaged in a political conspiracy; and there were subsequently all kinds of tragacal events connected with his wife and son. I now learnt that a free pardon had been granted to the Count of Camerino at the instance of some of his power- ful acquaintances, and that he was then oo his way to Florence, where he was to meot some very pur- ticular friend of his, a certain Marquis of Ortuna, who waa the bearer of the pardon signed by tho King of Naples. Such were the particulars which I learnt from the Count of Camerino’s valet ; and while we were still conversing tugether, an- otber postchaise drove up to ihe door of the hos- telry. Who sbould alight but Father Fulconara ?” * Ab! now perbaps your story will begin tu con- nect itself with the circumstances of Cerlutts’s escape from Bagno?” exclaimed Fluribel, with a smile: “ for I certainly have been wondering what all these details about the Count of Cameriny cuald possibly have to do with it.” ‘You shall see,” answered the Baroort. “I had sume slight knowledge of Father Falconara, and I at once accosted him, inasmuch us | svrne- what suspected for what purpose ho bud been de- spatched from Bagno to ¥lorerice. He told we that terrible things bad odjureud in tho Tuscan capital, for that a certain Ma,ybioness whom Count Ramorino had married (alco himself vficzat- ing as the priest) had been exposed a oiurderese aud had perished miserably. He 1kSigo made eCOMmnicloooks (c@