Agnes Vol. 2 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

that space she experienced ! AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. she passed inte the boudoir ; and here she paused to listen. Everything that was taking place be- tween Edgar Marcellin and Ciprina was now plainly audible; aud Lucrezia—riveted to the spot close by the threshuld of the boudvir’s inner dvor—drank in the whole discourse. She judged frou something which Ciprina said, that the young lady did indeed mean to keep her promise and do the best she could to shield ber ; and for a moment Lucrezia experienced a feeling of relief. But then the next instant Edger Marcellin proved by his own excited language that be himself was implacable ; and Lucrezia’s blood ran cold with horror. Then Marcellin soon began to enter on those explanations which we have already laid be- fore our readers. Lucrezia listened with increas- ing wonderment, horror, and dread : for she now for tho first time learnt that sbe had been all along suspected by Lisetta. Yes! and she wow learnt too the nature and variety of the proofs which had been gathered against her: but there was again a momentary sensation of relief on hearing it admitted by Edgar Marcellin that these proofs were insufficient to condemn her in the presence of a tribunal of jastice. She heard on to the end, —down tu the point where Marcellin left off 3 Engine & Some hours passed away; and Edgar Marcellin slept calmly for a while after that long discourae with Ciprina, and after baving somewhat ex. hausted himeelf by the explanations he had given. The wound, so far as the young lady could judge, had a perfectly satisfactory appearance: and inas-— much as Edgar had just slept with so much tran- quillity, she thought that it would be unnecessary to apply to La Dolfina for any fresh medicament, At all events Ciprina knew that it was easy for ber to slip forth at any moment and visit the wise-woman, uo matter at what hour of the night it might be. As she sat by Edgar Marcellin’s couch, after he had awakened from this last slumber to which we have alluded, she could not help feeling towards him a degree of tenderness such as for no other oerson had she ever experienced. Sho bean to comprehend that it was indeed something different from the passions that bad hitherto been excited within ber bosom,—very different likewise from averything she had felt at the time whon Edgar Marcellin was first claspéd in her arms at the villa in the Vale of Arno. Cvuld it be that she was experioncing the germs of a pure and chaste love fur the young Frenchman? Yes—she fan- speaking at tho closo of the preceding chapter. | cied that it must be so; and as the idea gradually Yes — and the young Frenchmaa&’s last words | expanded in her mind, it imparted a gluw to her struck with the vivlence of a blow upon her | countenance—it infused into her eyes a purer and heart ; for he had declared that the day must in. | holier light than had there shone for a long time eviludly come when retribution should overtake | past—and it gave an ethereal effect to the other- the murderess ! wise sensuous style and voluptuous character of_ Aud ail the time that Edgar was giving his ex- | her beauty. planations to Cipriua, did Lucrezia di Mirano re- main a listener in that buudoir, She was riveted to the spot :—but how manitold wore the transi- tious of strong feelings and emotions which during At length, so soon as Ciprina bogan to bid Kdgar Marcellin put a seal upon his lips for the present, Lucrezia glided back again to tie secret door in the wainscot: she clused that door—tio groped her way along the darkness of the stone passage—she descended the spiral staircase—-and in a few minutes she regained her boudoir, unperceived by a soul. “Now I know everything |” she mentally ejacu- lated, as she flung herself upon a seat ** veg, everything! Tuo what conclusion must I come P That Marcellin possesses suflicient proofs to cun- demn me? or that 1 may take courage and defy him? No, no! 1 have not the power to hurl de- fiance at him! May he not stand forward aud accuse me of having attempted hie life?—and will not ¢his be sufficient to condemn me of the other crimo likewise? Aud then too, Ciprina mightee won over by Marcellin—she might state what took place between herself and me in the picture-gallery : it would be construcd into a com- plete admission of my guilt and the deed would be brought bume to me! Then what am I to do? Can I be safo while ¢hey live?—or must éhey not die in order that Z may feel secure ?” But let us not dwell any longer upon the medi- tations of the wretched woman. Suflico it tu say that having already taken the first steps on the pathway of crime, she found it impossible to re- treat—-but on the contrary, that she was impelled forward as if by the irresistible necessity of per- en ges OE IB IE Py DIE TS LS IP EES LOE ATE SE ASS I EC ah AERA PE IPT IEP SPIO OPS A NE EP TTR ED IS EST NA RT Now, at this interval of which we are speaking, Kdyar Marcellin was again endeavouring, at Ci- prina’s urgent entreaty, to compose himself to sleop; for she knewgwell that it was complete mental tranquillity tpt he most required, and that his thoughts wh awake muet naturally pro- duce a peraicioygpbysia excitement, Marcellin closed his eye@in order to please his tender and alfectionate nurse; but at that time he had really no longer an inclination for sleep. He Jay think- ing upon all that bad recently happezed,—won- dering what course bo should have: to pursue in order to bring the Marchiopess to justice, and how long it was likely he should be stretched upon that couch. And then he thought of Co- rinna Paoli, the beautiful Neapolitan girl, who had won his heart, and the death of whose brother Giulio he had sworn to avenge! <A paiuful feel- ing crept over him as he thus thought of Corinna, Would not Ciprina claim his allegiance after having saved his life? But on the other hand, was it at all neccssary that he should study the feelings of the woman whom he had only known us @ mistress and whom he could look upon as but little botter than a courtezan, in preference to the feelings of the young girl, who was pure, chaste, and virtuous? Nevertheless, it did pain Edgar Marcellin to reflect that the day must come when he should be compelled to tell Ciprina the truth— to part from her for ever—and perhaps thereby to plunge a dagger into her heart. While these ideas were harasding him, he slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Cipring. Her own regards were at the moment avérted fron his countenance : she was looking upward in petrating fresh iniquities to conceal the former| a species of rapture at thoso new seuiimente ones ! which had been stealing into her miud. Never AOC G co SS