Agnes Vol. 2 — page 261: what you’re looking at

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

254 ‘ What are you doing here, sir ?”’ she demanded, at once concealing her bust from his view. “ Oh, Floribel! lovely Fioribel!” he exclaimed, rbdbing towarde the couch: “pardon my bold- ness !—be not angry with me |—attribute it all to the passion with which you have inspired me!” “ Depart, air! leave the room!” ehe ejaculated with vebemenco and passion. “Ob, Floribel! I beseech you to bear me !” cried Hector. “I bave travelled all this distance on purpose——" * “ Mr, Hardress, I beseech you to leave me !” she said, her tone and manner suddenly becoming | more entreating than angry. “ You will compro- mise me.most seriously with the proprietor of this | hotel—for he and his wife are most respectable persons! Come to me, if you will, presently -———” “JZ will come presently!” said Hector. ‘“ At what hour may | present myself?” ! * Come to me at three o'clock,” rejoined F'lu- | ribel. “I will take care to be alone.” | “A thousand, thousand thanks!” ejaculated Hardrese: and he atole forth from the chamber. “ The conceited coxcomb |” mentally exclaimed Floribel, the instant he had left ber: “ tu think that he only had to make an overture in order to win me! Ah, I must teach him a lesson!” In a few minutes Antonia made her appearance ; and Floribel’s morning toilet commenced. She dressed herself in an elegant negligée, which set off her beautiful person to the utmost advantage ; for abe had a presentiment that the forenvon would | not pass away without witnessing some results of | her captivating appearance at the theatre on the | preceding evening. She received Sir Alexander | Holeroft and Carlotta for about half-an-bour ; and then she remained alone. But not longdid she thus continue alone ere the waiter brought up a card bearing the name of Captain St. Didier, aide de- camp to his Majesty the King of Piedmont. }‘loribel’s heart leapt within her: but without the slightest oxterior betrayal of emotion, sho said, “ Show Captain 8t. Didier up.” Ina few moments the handsome and elegant aide-de-oamp was in her presence. THe incliued his head courteously and respectfully, and began by saying, “ I ask a thousand pardons, madame, for the buldnesa of which I have beon guilty: but———” “ Be seated, sir,” interrupted Floribel, with mingled amiability and formality; and she indi- cated a chair, “ You were going to ubserve, Captain St. Didier——” * That it was impossible to bebold your appear- ance at the theatre last evening without being ravished by your presence :”—and the Captain displayed a very handsome set of teeth benoath ve sable and glossy line which bowed bis upper ip. “And is it simply to’tell me this,” inquired Floribel, smiling half archly and balf ironically, “that you have taken tho trouble to come hither ?” “Be pleased to remember, madame,” said the young vllicer, “ that a mouth flutters about the most brilliant light until, dazzled and blinded, it be- guuies scorched by ‘the fvery flames which consti- tuted the glory of its gdmiration; and you would nut blame, but you Weald pity the pvor creature J pray you tu hava similar mercy upon me.” Kioribel cowid not helo smiling at this compli. AGNES; OR, DEAUTY AND PLBASUBE. meht which only a fureigner could tura so exqui- sitely as to disasscciate it utterly from mere gross fulsomeness; and this time that smils-was Gum- pletely amiable, and by no means scornful. “TI know not who you are, madame,” continued Captain St, Didier, “nor whether you purpose to make a long sojourn in Turin: but on this latter point I may venture to express the hope that it will be a long one, And now I must again im- plore your forgiveness for thus intruding upon you. Will you deal frankly with me?” “This is a strange question to put,” answered Floribel, “to a lady unto whom you are almost completely a stranger, and after our acquaintance has lasted ’—she glanced at ber watch—“ precisely eight minutes.” ‘There are sentiments which come suddenly upou men,” responded the officer, “ and make them bold. This constitutes their apology, and it is most humbly offered in my case.” : ‘But why should you beg me to deal with you in frankness afd candour?” asked Floribel. “Surely you cannot suppose that I am accustomed to deal otherwise towards persons with whom I come in contact P” “Oh! permit me to explain myself at once!” exclaimed St. Didier. “Do you believe in love at first sight? If not, believe in it now /—for I swear to you that it exists—it is no mere dream of the poet—it is a substantial fact—and I am a living evidence !” Fioribel trembled with a joyous sensation ; for, as we have already informed the reader, she was attracted towards this young man; end though the image of Edgar Marcellin was far—very far, ‘from being banished from her mind, yet she felt the necessity of loving and being beloved, though it might be a love after her own fashion. St. Didier saw thet quiver of pleasure which thus for a moment agitated her; and emboldened by the circumibtance, he exclaimed, “Ob, if you could but accept this bumble but sincere offering of my love, how happy would you render me! Ah, you do not say Nv; and if you meaut me to under- stand that there is no hope, you would not triflu with me—you would tell me sv in a moment. May I, then, hope ?” “You think,” said Floribel, “that because I am hore alone—with no father, nor husband, nor brother—I am one to whom such language as (his may be addressed ; for I am not foolish enough to suppose that it is an offer of marriage that you are making me. A man takes a wife only when he bas known ber for weeks—perhaps for years— and has thoroughly studied her disposition and temper: but when he seeks a mistress, it is suffi- cient for him to see that a woman is beautiful— and he speaks out !” “Frankly will I reply,” said the handsome alde-de-cawp, “that 1 offer you a love which is to be unshackled and untramwelled by any other bonds than thuse which are merely conventional.” ‘And now, with equal frankness, Captain St. Didier,” anawered Floribel, “I will cunfesa tu you that I seek to be Joved on such terms. It is my purpose to lead a life of pleasure. Pleasure is my motto: I am its personification :—~it is almost “uy name! Neither will I conceal from you that [ have been emitten by your engaging appear ALCO een”? GOMIIGoOOKsS (C@