Agnes Vol. 2 — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

so* AGNES: OR, BHAUTY ANP PLEASURE. deeply afflicted at his tragical end; but she veiled toa distance: a falling spark would have caused the extremo anguish of her mind, for fear Jest she an explosion, either killing ber, or at loust dis- should betray the love that she bore for the de- figuring her for life. <A further examination ceased youth, and which she had always been the showed that the pistol-caye itself had been re- wore anxious to conceal as she was no stranger to cently opencd, for the spring of the lid bad not the fact that her mistress was wont to bestow her caught, JLisetta was fhore and more aston- favours on bim. Thero was something peculiar in ished: she looked at the weapons—she found that Giulio’s manner and conduct at the time when I | one of them had been very recently used, while was introduced to your chamber at the villa; and| the other was all bright. She was growing Lisotta could not comprehend the motives from | bewildered: strange ideas already began to float which Giulio seemed to be acting a singular part. | in her mind, yet scarcely taking the form of sus- She questioned him: but be would not give her! picions. She still further investigated the con- any satisfactory answer : he was in a hurry to de- | tents of the wardrobe: she found the suit of male part on horseback——he went away—and Lisetta | apparel which she knew her mistress possessed ; never more beheld him alive. There was thus a! and there were unmistakable evidences that it mystery connected with the circumstances pre- | had been very lately used. It was all dusty: it ceding the youth’s death, which rendered the! had been hurriedly rolled up and, tossed into a trgedy itself all the more mysterious in the esti- drawer. What could be the meaning of this? mation of Lisetta. She was bewildering her mind There was visible haste in the way in which the with painful conjectures, when accident brought | clothes had been flung into one drawer—the her to the commencement of a clue which filled | powder-flask into another,—likewise in tho way in her with the gravest and darkest suspicions, and! which the pistol had been disposed of in its case. induced her to leave the service of the Marchioness. | Lisetta grew ftrightencd; for now there were Ab ! by the bye, now that I bethink me,” ejacu- ‘indeed suspicions arising in her mind. After lated Marcellin, “ there were certain objects which some reflection she descended to the stables; and I had with mo in tho picture-gallory " on some pretext or another she got into conversa- “A pistol and a suit of clothes P” asked Ci- tion with the groom who had special charge of the prina quickly. Marchioness gi Mirano’s own favourite riding- “The same. Where are they?’—and it was horse. T’rom this man she dextorously elicited with feverish anxiety that Edgar put the ques- the fact that on the preceding evening the Mar- tion. chioness la: descended in male costume, by nicang “'Tranquillize yourself,” said Ciprina; “for I of a private door opening into that part of the now perceive that there must be some importance stable establishment—that sho had ordered her attaching itself to those objects! They are sat, steed to be accoutred with a saddle suiting the —I took possession of them they are here!’ sex she was assuming—and having enjoined the “That pistol,” said Edgar,—“ it is the weapon groom to strict silence, she rode away. She was "with which the unfortunate Siulio Paoli was slain! absent about a couple of bours, perhaps not so ~—and that male costumo velongs to the Mar much; and the groom, according to previous in- chioncss herself!” structiuns, was in readiness to receive her with all “And how know you,’ demanded Ciprina, due circumstances of secrecy. On hearing this “that the beautifully chased weafon was used for statement, Lisetta’s suspicions were strengthened, so horrible a purpose P” if nut absolutely confirpted. She however saw ‘* Listen to the narrative of what happened to that the groom himself attached no particular im- Tisetta,” rejoined Marcellin; “and you will be- portance to the incident : 1¢ was not the first time gin to see far more clourly into the depths of all that his mistross had indulged in what he took to these mysteries. 4 have already said that Lisetta be a whimaical freak or else a love-intrigue of returned to the town-mansion from the villa on some kind; and Lisetta did not communicate her the day following the assassination, In the even. own suspicions nor excite those of the domestic. ing she was engaged in the arrangement of ber She was shocked and atupified ; and she consi- rnistress’s boudoir, toilet-chamber, and bed-room; dered it necessary to collect other proofs before and it happened that the maid whose turn it was | she adopted any determined step. On her return to assiat in those duties, was indisposed or else ab- | to the dressing-chatber, ‘sho contented herself sent-——and Lisetta preferred to be alono with her | with marking the particular pistol which pre- own thoughts rather than to invoke the aid of an- sented the evidences of such recent use; and other dependant. She had the key of the ward- she left the two drawers just in tho same state robe; she bethought herself of seeing whether all as that in which she found them, ev that the the dresses were in proper order; and in the Marchioness might not know she had lovked course of this proceeding, she happened to open a into them at all. She waited to see whether drawer in which there was a pistol-caso. She the Marchioness would order her to put the knew that the Marchionegs possessed this pistol. contents of the drawers to rights—and if so, case; for it had belonged to her deceased husband, what explanation she would give in reference to who had highly prized it. While arranging some their disturbed condition. But on the following articles uf dress that were in the same drawer,she evening, when Lisetta again happened to be by was surprised to find that there was a quantity of herself in that suite of rooms, she found the gar- black powder scattered amongst those articles. She ments bad been carefully brushed and folded in brought the Mp nearer to seo what could be the | a proper manver—the pistol had been cleanod— cause,—-when to her sudden alarm she noticed | the top screwed upon the powder flask—aud all that there was a powder-flask the top of which the powder which had escaped was cleared away. had by some means come off and the contents had | Lisetta folt convinced that none of her compan on- partially poured out. Lisetta hastily put the lamp | damsels had been ordered to do this work, and GOLTAUL OY NOOKS