Agnes Vol. 2 — page 265: what you’re looking at

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

258 As thig was the question which Carlotta had regulerly put to him every day for a week past, the Daeronet was by no means pleased with its reiteration. He waa tired of inventing excuses : he knew that an explanation must take place sooner or later ; and i¢ now suddenly occurred to him that it might just as well be got over at ones. Nevertheless, as he experienced some little degree of affection for Carlotta--indeed, we may even say that he had learnt to love her more than he had ever yet loved any fomale in his life—be sought to break the trath to-her with as much de- licacy as possible. Taking her, therefore, upon his knoe— placing bis arm round her slender waist— —and contemplating her with the utmost kindness, he said, “ Jo you not know that I love you very much, my Carlotta P” “Oh, yes! 1 know it!” she exclaimed with en- thusiusm. “ And do you not know, on the other hand, that I love you very muph in retorn ?” “Tam sure of it,” he replied. “Therefore, my pretty Carlotta, is if not sufficient that our two hearts are united by ties of the moat delicate and refined oharacter—by the pyrest aud — sen- timents ” | “Sufficient! What do you mean f” asked the young lady innocently. “ Of course those ties unite Acarts : but it is the priest’s blessing, as well a8 the signing of the civil contract according to the law, whieh anites hunds.” “ Where the hearts are united, Carlotta,” ob- served the Baronet, “ tho hands must of necessity be joined.” “Ol, not so!’ she exclaimed. “For instance, if my father were suddenly to makoMhie appear- ance, you could not prevent hiwe frork taking mo away—t{ am not your wife, you knuw—you have no legal claim: upon me id “Oh, you would not be compelled to go with him, Carlotta,” rejoined Sir Alexander ; “ because. this is another country, and S#Plinia has nothing to do with Tuscany.” “Todo ust know how this mav be’ she an- pwered,. “ But why do you make all these obser- vations Oh, Lo am almost frightened at the thoughts which ave rising up in my mind! Tell me- Oh! tell me frankly at ones, Alexander ! You mean to marry we—do you not 2?” “ Should we love each other ane shade the more sincerels—one jot the more fervently,” asked Hol- croft, “simply because certain formulas and cere- Iwonies were possed through P” * Oh! you aro only putting these questions to try me ?” exclaimed the ingenuous Carlotta, “ I am sure (hat such is your motive! Nu, Alexander —we should xoé love each other better if those ceremonies tovk place: bub perhaps you would respect me more,” * Ridiculous, my dear girl! as mucu as I love you!” “Ah! I soul respec6 myself,” pursued Car- jotta, in whose mind the light of intelligence grow stronger and étronger on the point, the more it was diseusved, “ Besides, Alexander, I never could look my tather or mother in the face ” “They were not ro very kind to you!” inter- jected the Baronet sumewlut impatiently. “Nevertheless, they are my parents. If J Guitted them, 1 was for your sake, Alexander ; and as 1 loved them dearly and fundly, you may uudor- I already respect AGNES; OR, BEADTY AND PLEASURE. stand how much I love you that I ehould havy abandoned thom on your accoun!. Oh! do nog talk to me any more in the strain which has really afflicted and frightened me: but ugesten— Ol hasten, I implore you—and fulff" tho f8rme'ng which are necessary for the solemnisation of ole marriage.” **1¢ is impossible at present, Carlotta,” replied Holoroft. “Do not be frightened, dearost ! do not be angry! do not be afflicted !—but there are cer tain family reasuns—I cannot exactly explain them at thia present moment ” Something told Carlotta that be whom she loved was deceiving her; an@@mddenly disengaving herself from the half-embraco in which he beld her, she fixed her eyes earnestly upon him, saying in a voice that waa full of emotion, “Do you mncan ate not prepared to me to understand that you make me your wife ?” “You must not take the thing in this way, Carlotta!” exclaimed the Baronet. “If you co, I shall fancy that your love was a pretence, and that you merely entertained the selfish design to bocume the sharer of my rank and fortuuc.” Carlotta burst into tears, but.the next moment sho wiped thom away—and she responded in a vqice fall of tenderness and of reproach, “ You know that it is not wo, Alexander! Yo juved vou before I comprehended what the tjtle of an Nagieh Baronet was; and not even at this moment do I know, or care to know, the —— of your riches. Lloved you for yourself! but I Jéve my parents also—and I will not five to distress and afflict them! J respect myself-—~I yalue a good nemo and an honourable reputation; end 1 with not jive in disuonvur! JY have committed a fault: but it was throuzh the blind confidenve that I repused in your sineerity, Oh, let me not be deceived! mako me your wife: or elne ” “Or else what, Carlotta?’ asked Sir Aloxandor quickly. “ Or else I will loavl you this moment—at once -—~and for ever.” The Bsronet was astonished at this display of mingled firrunass of charectur and rectitule of principle on the part of the Italian youny lady, He thaught—as most libertines woald have dene in such a caso—that inasmuch as she had cua. sented to flee with him, and had yeevived bi ta her arms as if he was a lawful husband, sie would not be over uice or scrupulous. Her séduction hed proved comparatively easy ; and he had measured her virtue in proportion. Le now prr- ceived that he was wruny: he saw that she was a thoroughly ingenkous, artless, and well-meaning young creature—trusting and full of confidence— and hitherto not dreaming of the intense wirked- ness to which man’s deception might reach, because she herself was full of sincerity and truth, aud devoid of guile. Libertino though he was, aud thoroughly hardened as a man of the world, Sur Alexander could not help admiring her: he evon experienced a remorse that he should have led her astray—and he sumewhat trembled for the consv- quences. ; “My dear Carlotta,” he said, “ [ iuplore you to listen to mo patiently for a little whila. Lt tra. qnently happeus that a gentloman und a lade live Lugether withvut having passed through thuse cere- nvnies whic ” agua CORNICE OOO SS (CO